Guns & Tulips

Chapter 15: Luke

***Penni***

Ever since the 'Ryan' incident, Westly has been sticking to me like glue. I mean it's not a bad thing, it just gets annoying from time to time.  Like when Tulip comes over...

Which she was at this moment. Everything was quiet and peaceful, Tulip and I were just talking about how her classes are going, when Westly got back from the store.

"When are you leaving, free loader?!" Tulip was yelling, and pointing her finger at Westly. 'She looks like a hissing cat.' I think and giggle. This has her giving me a dirty look, and saying, "What's so funny? He's using your water, your electricity, your food, and not even paying for it! Why are you doing this?!" Out of the corner of my eye I see Westly stiffen slightly. I've known for a while that this was bothering him, that's why I've been letting him help out at the shop. I give Tulip a look that tell her she needs to drop this subject, but she just kept on going. "I mean how can a man stand it to have a woman taking care of him?" When she said that, anyone in a 10 mile radius could see that Westly was hurt. "Tulip!" I say sharply, and she backs down like a dog with it's tail between it's legs. "That was too far. Now West is my guest, and I will not have you to stand there and insult him. He is very helpful to me in the shop. Right now, that is enough, and if you're just going to come over here to make West feel like shit, then stay home." I say sternly and point to the door.

"W-Why are you siding with him?! Are you in love with him?!" She says flailing her arms around. I blush, and clear my throat. "I am not, West is just a friend, and he had done nothing to provoke this kind of reaction from you." Tulip leans back, and crosses her arms, "Well you are a lot closer to him, you even have nicknames!" I square my shoulders and say, exasperated, "What is your point in all this, Tulip?" She looks hurt for a split second, but then squares her shoulders like me, and says, "I shouldn't be the one leaving, I'm your blood."

But I hold my ground, and start tapping my foot. She grumbles and goes to the door. "I HATE YOU!" she yells, and leaves by slamming the door. I plop down on the couch, and let out a sigh so loud that it woke Romeo. "Hey, West, can you make me some tea?" I hear him go over to the Kitchen and start some water. "Thanks, and sorry, I don't know why she's acting like that! She is seriously an angel every other day." I have my arm over my eyes so I can't see him, but I hear him grumble from somewhere near me, then he sat down on the couch, and I could tell that he was tense. I sit up and face him. "What's up? Is it what Tulip said? Because you're not a burden-" Westly shakes his head. "It's not that, I mean she did say something that got me thinking." I raise an eyebrow "What is it?"

"Why?" I hear something almost venerable in his voice, ant it makes me feel awkward. I've never seen him like this, so I look for something to occupy my attention and I remembered the tea. "Why what?" I say and go to the kitchen. He follows behind me. "Why did you take me in, when I'm a total stranger, and possibly an axe murderer?" I snort, and make myself a cup of tea. "Well you were hurt badly, and needed help." I say, and the image of that day came back to me. Westly sitting on my door stop, with an arm stretched up on my door, as if he were trying to knock. He was practically covered in blood from head to toe, and there was a puddle of blood coming out from under him...

I shake my head to get rid of the image, "and I could tell you didn't have an ax hiding in your back pocket." But Westly wasn't satisfied. "People just don't take in strangers like that, and they sure as hell don't let them stay in their house rent free." I sigh again, "Westly, what are you getting at?" He clears his throat, and asks, "What is the real reason you're keeping me around? Is it because you feel responsible? Because of the Hillis'? Or is it something else?" he takes a breath and asks, "I just want to know why."

I look at him, and really look at him for probably the first time. He is almost six feet, and he has a lanky build that resembles a kid. His bright red hair is all curly and messy, and his green eyes are pleading with me to tell the truth. He looks so much like Luke right now that it makes me want to cry.

"The truth is I just can't leave you alone. You resemble a dear, dear friend that I used to have," while I say this, I have to look away, because just thinking of Luke brings back painful memories of the past. "You haven't mentioned him before." Westly says and puts his hand on my arm to steady me. I didn't realize I was swaying. "Lets go over to the couch and you can tell me about him." he says and leads me away from my tea.

Once we are situated, He motions for me to continue. "Well his name was Luke, and he was amazing. I said that my mom died in childbirth, and my dad remarried, right. Well  when I was thirteen they divorced. Well he got me though that, because I was really close to my dad. He was funny, and smart, and just overall a really awesome dude." I pause and blush a little, "If I'm being honest I had a little crush on him." I look up at West and he's giving me a soft look, and I can tell he cares for me...

"You keep saying 'was'. What happened to him?" I look back down and my throat starts to close up. I can just choke out, "He vanished."

Then the memory of that day. I had just seen Luke at school that day, and I was going over to his house later on in the evening to celebrate his birthday with his older brothers. It was raining. Luke had been acting weird that day, and it was bothering me. I know he had wanted to leave town, I mean I would too if I had the 'Hillis' shadow following me around. But I didn't think he would, I mean no one ever did. But that day I remember him talking about it more than usual, saying, "Wouldn't it be great to get out of this place, and go to where no one knows about your family history, and no one gives a damn? We could do it, you know, together. You could become a famous florist!" I laughed and asked him, "Oh, yeah? What would you be doing?" He got all quiet and then muttered, "and I would be a famous writer." That was the fist time he told me what his dream was.

But when I got to his house that evening, he was gone.

I'm brought out of my memories by Westly hugging me. I push away from him, and wipe my eyes. "He just disappeared, and everyone thinks he's dead, or dying. No one really talks about it." I say and give him a smile. "But I just feel like if I left you alone, then you would disappear just like him." West smiles softly, and shakes his head. "I'm not going anywhere." His eyes were on fire. "I'm sorry."

For the first time in years, I felt my heart flutter.