The Mysterious Hero

The Mysterious Hero: Chapter 29

My stomach was overstuffed from the lovely meal that Luke's mom had cooked. She knew how to work around in the kitchen, slaving over the stove. I was impressed by her kitchen skills, which was a thing I admired.

Luke's parents were very friendly folk and they were slightly disappointed when I announced that I had to get going. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Luke throwing me a frown. However, I couldn't decipher what he was going on about.

"Oh," Luke's mom murmured, "well, dinner was nice with you, Lila."

I smiled shyly. "Um, thank you." I pushed back from my seat to stand up. "I guess I'll be going now." Immediately Luke scampered from his chair to my side. He leaned close, a little too close.

Now Luke's dad mounted from his seat. "Come back soon. Luke needs a good influence, like you, around." He flashed a dazzling smile, nodding his head. I internally laughed, because in the situation I was in I didn't think I would be a good influence for anyone. "Luke will drive you home."

I turned around to look at Luke and I saw the hesitation on his face. My face slightly dropped, finding that Luke had a problem with driving me home. Then as quick as my frown came, a smile appeared. "No, I can walk. It's no problem." I was ready to vamoose out of the house and away from the complicated boy standing behind me.

"No!" Luke quickly shouted, flicking his eyes to me, then to his parents, and then back to me. "I'll drive you." Luke's father gave him an approving smile. "Let's go."

"Bye, Luke's mom and dad," I bid adieu to the pleasant couple. They smiled in return, telling me that I should stop by when I could.

Luke pushed me out of the house, and I could sense he was nervous. When the house door was shut close I turned to face him. "If you don't want to drive me home, then you don't have to," I said, crossing my arms over my chest in defiance.

"That's what you think?" He raised a brow and sighed. "It's not that I don't want to drive you, it's just that I don't think you're safe going home." My heart fluttered in my chest. Luke did care about me. He cared about my safety. "What if Mr. Malum snuck in your house or something?"

A small smile appeared on my face, pleased to know Luke felt this way. However that smile fell once I realized that Luke could be right. What if Mr. Malum was already inside my house, sitting on my bed, ready to chop me to pieces with a butcher knife, then grill me like baby back ribs, and use those chemicals in his basement as barbecue sauce?

I pursed my lips. I would not let Mr. Malum take over my life. If he was at my house, then I was ready to beat him as if he was my personal punching bag.

"Adam's home," I told Luke.

He let out a sigh before skirting to the driver's side. I hopped in the passenger seat, tucking my seatbelt in. I tried not to think about how Luke worried about me, showed that he cared, because thinking about those things led to that kiss we shared.

Luke started to drive off, and my thoughts soon drifted to the kiss that I had forbid myself not to think about but couldn't.

A warm feeling spread through my chest. Kissing Luke was like eating chocolate. It felt good. It felt right. The way his mouth moved against mine brought butterflies to my stomach.

Even though it was technically my first real kiss, it was the best kiss ever. Then I thought about it really hard. I kissed Luke back. Was I a bad kisser? That was my first time ever kissing a boy, besides Adam and my dad, and I had no experience in that department. Did Luke think I was a bad kisser? He was a good kisser, but Luke's probably made out with lots of girls. My stomach dropped. Luke had so much experience, and I had none. Yet, why did it matter? It wasn't like we were dating or anything. I mentally smacked myself.