out of breath ; hemmings au

seven

“Finally!” Luke exclaims when the stop station comes in sight. “I could eat the whole store’s stock,” he laughs, biting his bottom lip. 

“It’s not like you haven’t eaten anything today,” I roll my eyes at him. 

“I had an apple and half a bagel four hours ago,” he says seriously and I pull a funny face apologetically making him smile again. 

Before finding a car park, he stops the truck besides a petrol pump to refill the tank. Exiting the car, he asks me to follow him, taking the paper map with me. 

“We really need to get you a pair of shoes,” he says glancing down at my feet still only covered by his socks. “They don’t hurt anymore, do they?”  

“No, I’m much better,” I smile down at my feet. “Maybe we can get me some clothes too?” I pull the biggest smile I’m able to. 

“Oh, sure doll. I brought the entire heir with me.” I giggle as he chuckles. 

Once inside the store, we walk through the stands taking in our food options. There’s anything you can imagine. From candy and chocolates to salty biscuits, from ice cream to meat pies recently cooked, we could literally have a food party. But, anyway, I pick a protein bar to avoid the unnecessary fats. And in all honesty I wasn’t that hungry, the bad news wouldn’t let me swallow much. I turn to Luke curiously, it’s weird he wasn’t making any comments about me going with a little snack instead of actual food, and I find him staring at the cashier, not me. When he realizes he has my attention he snaps his head to me and places one of his arms over my shoulders. 

“What’s gotten into you?” I glance at him. 

“Nothing, I just felt like hugging you,” nervousness is clear in his words even though he shrugs to cover it up. “Do you mind?”

“Kind of?” I frown, “it’s weird.” 

“Don’t lie, you love it,” he smirks rubbing my arm gently with the hand on top of my shoulder. 

“Yeah, you wish,” I shove his arm off giggling and he responds with an ironic laugh. 

“Hey! Hey you!” I hear a man speak from behind me and Luke mutters a low ‘fuck’ under his breath. “Are you Moon Defuer?”  

Not this again, I close my eyes taking a deep breath. I don’t need more random people knowing my name. However, I turn around nodding once in answer to his question. I meet a perfect mix of worry and confusion in the cashier’s face. The reason for that was hanging in the wall right over his shoulder: a picture of me with a ‘missing’ sign below. He must be trying to help me and I guess Luke knew it, that’s why he was acting so loving, so the man wouldn’t be able to point him as the kidnapper. But what should I do? Stay with a new stranger? After knowing there’s a man chasing me, who wants me for reasons I’m not aware of, I’m scared and honestly I kind of feel like Luke is the only one who can give me the answers I need, and the one who may know how to escape him. But standing in front of my only chance of going back home to my parents and loved ones, makes me doubt every single word that came out of Luke’s mouth. He could be fooling me so easily. Maybe he’s dragging me right into the evil’s hands? I look at him trying to find an answer in his eyes but all I found is defeat. He really thinks I’ll go with the cashier.  

“You don’t seem to be forced to be doing anything,” the man finally speaks putting me out of my inner battle. 

Now is my turn to speak and I don’t know what to say. He’s right. Luke might’ve taken me away without my consent, but now here I am thinking about sticking to him instead of running away. Though, if I stay with him I might be able to make him tell me the truth, all of it. I‘ll threaten him with returning to my town and sue him for kidnapping me. I pat my back mentally for coming up with such a smart solution.