luke shook as he stepped into the holding cell. he felt like he was going to cry, but he didn't want to look pathetic.
especially because there was already an intimidating boy sitting in there. he had black hair, tattoos, and a few piercings.
luke slowly and gently sat on the end of the long bench, not wanting to really be acknowledged.
"i'm michael. how did you get in here?" the boy asked, and luke shyly looked over. "you look so innocent."
luke looked down at his tattered, black vans that touched the end of his black jeans. he wore a baby pink tshirt that made his skin glow.
"i tried stealing something." luke sad, and michael raised an eyebrow at him.
"what was it?" he asked, and luke sighed.
"um.. a bag of cheez-its." luke said softly, and wiped his eyes because a tear fell out. he felt scared.
"why? those are like $3. you're so stupid." michael laughed.
"i haven't eaten in two days. i don't have any money." luke whispered.
michael watched sympathetically as luke looked down at the knee of his ripped jeans, and down at his torn up vans.
"what's your name?" michael asked, and luke looked up.
"luke.." he whispered.
luke could hear shouting just down the hallway, and he gasped, his face turning to fear.
he couldn't help but let tears fall from his eyes.
"i'm scared," luke cried, and michael hesitantly scooted closer.
"you wanna hold my hand? i know i'm a stranger, but-"
before michael could answer, luke reached over and grabbed michael's hand with both of his. he tangled their fingers together, and placed his second hand on top of michael's. it calmed him down to be able to hold someone's hand again.
"are you not living at home anymore?" michael asked, and luke shook his head quickly.
"my parents hate me. i told them i was gay when i was sixteen. they beat me every day for a year. i left for a few days to go to a friends house, and when i came back, the house was completely empty. they threw away all of my stuff, and moved away." luke cried, and michael frowned.
"why don't you just live with your friend?" michael asked.
"i kinda do, but he has another roommate too, and i think i was getting really annoying. i heard them talking about how uncomfortable it was with three people in a small apartment, and i just felt like they didn't want me there, so i left."
michael sighed, and reached over, trying to wipe up luke's face, but his tears just kept coming.
"how did you get in here?" luke asked.
"i got into a fight. some guy was pushing his girlfriend around, and i started yelling at him. he started swinging, so i took the opportunity to show him how it feels to be on the other end of someone's fist." michael said, and luke smiled a little bit.
"are you as scared as i am to be in here?" luke asked.
michael sighed a little, and shook his head. "it's scary, and this isn't a place you wanna end up, so you have every right to be scared, but i know i'm in here for doing the right thing. why are you so scared?"
"because i have nowhere to go after this, and i'm scared i'll get put into real jail, and then the other people will hurt me." luke cried.
luke was so precious and so fragile. it melted michael's heart completely.
"is this your first time in here?" michael asked, and luke nodded, wiping his blue eyes.
"you'll get out." michael said, and luke nodded, sniffling a little. "but don't cry anymore, luke."
michael squeezed luke's hand, and luke scooted over, snuggling into michael's side.
michael smiled softly, and wrapped his free arm around luke's shoulders. luke let his tears soak into michael's shirt.
"michael clifford?" he heard, so he looked up, and saw an officer.
"you're free to go." he said, and started unlocking the bars.
"sir, can i stay until luke gets out too?" michael asked.
"luke hemmings?" he asked, and the blonde boy nodded, wiping up his tears.
"we actually were going to transport him to a shelter, and make sure he gets some food." the officer said, and michael looked down at him.
"you want that?" michael asked, and luke shook his head.
"i wanna go with you." luke said softly, his cheeks turning pink.
"i'll take him to dinner, okay? i have an extra room in my apartment that he can have." michael told the officer, and he nodded, opening up the cell.
luke held onto michael's arm, and let the older boy lead him out.
"thank you, michael."
"don't thank me. you deserve the world."
