Survive

Chapter 16

Waking up, I realized that I had fallen asleep way too early and saw that it was now nine at night. Stretching and relieving my muscles, I got out of bed and went down stairs. I could hear everyone talking and silverware scraping against the plates. When I walked into the kitchen I was a little shocked to see Luke sitting there at the kitchen table with everyone and the look on Jenny's face was of pure evil. I had done everything that I could to keep away from him and now here he sits in my house talking and laughing with everyone.

"Chloe how nice of you to finally join us from your unexpected nap." Jenny said with a smug expression on her face.

At the sound of my name Luke turned around and about spit out his food at the sight of me. I just wanted to run back up the stairs and not come down until he was gone. Taking my seat, I sat next to Liam and he just glanced at me with a worried look. I didn't feel like talking to anyone. Luke didn't look up from his plate and my stepmother was just basking in her glory.

I could tell that Luke felt awful but I wasn't going to let his sadness affect my choice in letting him back into my life. Seeing him made my skin crawl and my stomach knot in pain. I tried to keep my breath steady but whenever I was around him my heart would always pump faster causing my breathing to become more erratic. I could tell he felt the same because every time he would look up at me, his eyes would show love and sorrow.

"So Lee are you and Luke talking again or are you ignoring each other like most couples do when they break up." She said with that tone in her voice that made all the hair on my body stand straight.

"Well Mrs. Jackson I know that I hurt Chloe very much and that she doesn't want to speak to me at the time but I have a feeling that over time we will end up talking again." Luke said smiling over in my direction.

I couldn't help but feel like he was trying to make some sort of plan that I wasn't catching on to and I'm not sure if I did. Jenny looked at me with this glare that I had never seen her give and that made me sink in my chair. Clearing my throat I took a sip of my water and sat quietly as the rest of them talked. After an hour or so, Luke stood up and took his plate and cup into the kitchen to put them into the sink.

"Well it's getting late and I should be getting home." He said looking around the room at everyone and stopping to stare at me.

"It was nice having you. Chloe why don't you walk him out." Jenny said, putting her hands together and smiling.

Getting up I lead Luke to the front door and followed him out to his truck. I knew he was going to want to talk but I just had no energy to talk or argue with him tonight. Once we reached his truck, he started it and was letting it warm up a bit before he got in a drove home. He turned towards me and just looked at me with those eyes that I always seem to melt into.

"Chloe I know you think that this was all planned but I had no intention of coming over I swear. He said looking me right in the eyes.

"It's fine. I just think that we need to spend some time away from each other right now." I said looking down at the ground.

He just nodded and came in for a hug but I slowly took a step back. Seeing me do this he got into his truck and drove away. I stood there for a little longer before heading back inside. Once inside I heard my dad and Jenny talking and laughing. I felt my chest begin to tighten and I could feel my eyes begin to water. Not wanting to deal with anyone else tonight, I just decided to go to my room. Once in my room, I could feel my chest begin to release its crushing hold on my lungs. Laying down on my bed, I thought I should probably try and get some sleep. Before dozing off, I heard a soft knock on my door. Getting up, I walked over and opened it slightly. When I saw that it was just Liam, I opened it wider to let him in.

"Hey how you holding up?" He asked plopping down on my bed clumsily awaiting for me to join him.

"Well it was a little weird at first, but once we talked I think I'll be ok." I told him taking a seat next to him.

"What all did you guys talk about?" He asked leaning back against my headboard.

" I just told him that we needed to take a break from each other for awhile but I'm not sure how long I'm going to be able to keep this up because I feel so connected with him and he did come clean about everything." I said sighing.

"Well I mean he is the reason sorta that your punishments were as bad as they were for the past couple of months." He told me leaning in closer.

"I know that but I just think that everyone deserves a second chances. I mean look what you did and yet I'm still giving you one."

He just sat there trying to understand where I was coming from. I wanted to try and explain everything to him but I didn't think that he would quite understand where I was coming from. Sitting there waiting for him to say something, I got up and moved over to my cherrywood desk. Sitting down in the chair, I waited for him.

"I just think you need to be careful around him for a little while because who knows if my mother still had something against him to do her dirty work. I just don't want to see you get hurt again." Liam said as he got up from my bed and walked over towards me.

"I know and I am beginning careful. I've got Lily to help me and now you until you leave for school again." I said with a reassuring smile.

"About that, I actually quit school to come back home until I can find a job." He said looking down at the floor.

"Why did you quit? I thought you loved it there." I asked a little confused at what he had just told me.

"I do love it I really do but I knew that things were probably get worse for you here if I was gone so I decided to come back." Liam said while continuing to look down at the floor.

Walking over to him, I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a giant hug. At first he didn't know what to do but after a few seconds he finally wrapped his arms around me. I could feel my stomach begin to sting in pain but I was a little more concerned about this moment.

"Thank you." I whispered in his ear as we continued our loving embrace that is much needed.

After saying that he just hugged me tighter. I could hear him sniffle and I knew that I couldn't pull away from him now. Letting him cry was the best thing that I could do for him. I had never seen him so upset before this and it kinda freaked me out. He was always the stronger one out of us two, but now the tables have turned. After a few moments he finally collected himself and just walked out of my room without saying a word.

Going back to my bed, I was still a little shocked at the events of the past couple hours. I knew that I needed to get some sleep, but my mind was going a hundred miles an hour. Everything that happened today just kept pumping through my head. From the calling things off with Luke to Liam just breaking down in my arms. The events of the day had taken a toll on me and I just wanted to sleep.

Laying down, I tried so many different things to get my mind to shut down. From counting backwards from one hundred to counting sleep, I couldn't get my brain to shut down and let me sleep. After about a good thirty minutes later my eyes finally began to get heavy, and my mind was a ghost town.

I knew that tomorrow was going to bring many more challenges but I was ready to fight them head on. Letting my body relax, I drifted to a dreamless slumber.