Broken Strings-Dalton Rapattoni Fanfic

16. Safe Haven

I scrambled out of the closet into Luke's arms which were my safe haven.

"Its okay. I'm here. Don't worry"

He rubbed my back to soothe me.

"Stay behind me"

Luke pushed me behind him.

Jonah tried to punch him which he easily dodged.

"Buddy I don't want to hurt you"

Luke said to Jonah.

"You're dead dog!"

Jonah said running towards Luke.

Luke got out of the way and Jonah ended up banging his  head against the wall and passed out.

"What did you do to him?"

Will asked Luke. He had come over hearing all the commotion.

Will charged towards Luke.

"Stop!"

I screamed getting in the way.

Will pushed me away with all the force.

I stumbled in my heels and landed on the glass table which shattered under my weight.

Few glass shards pierced my arm which started bleeding.

I knew the cuts were deep and I was bleeding but somehow it wasn't hurting. I lay numb on the glass shards. My eyes traveling from one face to another gauging in the shock in their eyes.

The entire party became silent.

They stopped fighting.

My eyes stopped on one person Luke.

"Chloe!"

Avery screamed from across the room, running towards me.

Luke helped me up without breaking our eye contact.

His eyes shone with remorse and pain and anger.

I wish I could wipe it away. After all he had no right to feel angered about it; he was the one because of whom I was safe.

"This was your plan Will? Is that why you sent me away! You are sick!"

She screamed at him.

"I didn't want anybody getting hurt"

Will murmured.

"She's losing blood. We need to take her to a hospital"

Luke said to Avery.

"My car. You bring her out. I'll bring the car"

She said running to the parking lot.

"Nothing will happen to you Chloe"

Luke said picking me in his arms.
His words full of promise.

"I'm not dying Luke. Please put me down. My legs still work"

I didn't know from where I summoned the courage to crack comments in such a situation.

"I know they do but they are injured"

Luke didn't budge.

"Why don't you wrap something over the cut to prevent blood loss?"

I suggested as a matter of fact.

"So that the glass shards dig deeper"

His eyes gleamed with anger and annoyance.

That look shut me off. I was quiet along the whole drive.

My parents and Avery came in to meet me after the doctor had bandaged my hand after giving me ten stitches.

I glanced at my phone. Still no calls from Dalton. I had called him thrice.

He was nowhere when I needed him the most.

"Honey! You okay? How did it happen?"

My mom hugged me.

"Nothing much just the same old girl-boy teenage drama"

Avery explained the whole scene to them cleverly missing out the assault and seven minutes in heaven thing.

"We'll get him in jail"

My dad said taking out his phone.

"No need to trouble the sheriff dad. He already apologised. I forgive him"

I lied because Avery liked Will.

I had seen the way her eyes lit up seeing him and how hurt she was seeing him flirt with me.

I didn't want to break it for her right away.

"Sweetheart you stay here while your mom and I finish the formalities"

My dad said before going to the reception.

"Where's Luke?"

I asked.

"He's outside. Or probably gone"

Avery replied.

"How can he just leave without meeting me while he was the one most concerned about me?"

I asked a little annoyed at his lack of interest.

I walked out out the Emergency Room searching for him.

I saw him standing by the water dispenser.

"Luke!"

I ran over to him hugging him, spilling his glass of water.

"How could you just leave me like that?"

I asked in a tone louder for a hospital.

People around gave us the young-couple-alert look.

"I thought you didn't like me and you didnt want to see me"

"I still don't like you. But that doesn't mean I dont want you to see you"

"Thats contradicting but understandable"

Luke said smiling.

"Thanks for saving me"

"Be thankful only if you are fine with being friends with me"

"Luke you like me. If I let this trail forward I might end up breaking your heart. Which is the last thing I want to do"

"Good to know you care about me"

He said smiling shyly.

"How can I not after you saved me twice and gave me an apple margarita"

I said feeling the earlier dark clouds of anger drift away.

"Thank you son for saving my girl"

Dad and mom thanked Luke.

Luke left after saying good bye.

Mom and dad drove Avery home.

It was two in the night.

Still no message or call from Dalton.

Something had to be seriously wrong.