we don't belong here • lrh

Chapter thirty one | my bully pt.2

Chapter thirty one | my bully pt.2

V A L E N T I N E

"It's okay! It is just your best friend that's all," Luke's smile caused me to mirror his pearly whites. Then his warm, comforting smile disappeared. "What's the matter, Valentine?"

It was then that I had my breakdown in the lanky teenagers arms and cried my eyes out. I couldn't control my breathing and my heart broke as I remembered the harsh words.

"A-a girl called me names and pushed me down," I cried and buried my face in his shoulder. My legs squeezed tighter around his sides as he hugged me harder. "She gave me a big bruise like daddy does."

I whispered the last part, more to myself than anything; but unfortunately, Luke heard and his body stiffened. Luke was getting angry and I could tell. His face was a whole new shade of red and his hands balled in fist behind my back. The tension between our breathe made me cringe. I hated when people got mad as a little girl, and at times, I even hate it now.

"P-please don't get mad, Luke," fresh tears poured out of my eyes as I envisioned my father getting mad. Luke is nothing like him but when Father gets mad, everyone will know.

"Oh, baby," Luke said as his face turned into one of regret. "I would never be mad at you. How could I get mad at my sweet little girl."

That's when I remembered. Luke wouldn't ever be mad at me, just my father.

I hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek for reassurance. He smiled and kissed my cheek as well. I laughed and then I was pulled for the memory by a cold hand.

For a moment, I thought it was Luke. That while I was stuck in my mind, he woke up from his dreamland to wake me from mine. Unfortunately, it wasn't him but it was Nurse Peach who was kind enough to bring me dinner.

"Any progress?"

I shook my head. There hasn't been any progress since that nightmare and could you even count that as progress.

"Well, I brought you your favorite," the nurse's grin was enough to make me smile a little. She was always so cheerful and happy. I envied her. "Yummy mystery meat."

I laughed. Mystery meat was far from "yummy". If anything it was the most disgusting thing I had ever eaten.

"Yeah. That's my favorite," i giggled, the sarcasm dripping out of my mouth as i took the foil-ware away from Ms. Peach. The smell wasn't the worst but nor was it the best. As I started to eat, my mind shifted back to that time when Luke held me as a little girl. We were nothing but friends then, hell, Luke was almost a older brother to me, but that one day when Luke was in my room, the atmosphere switched entirely.

I took bite after bite of the terrible meat to try and rid my mind of crying again and losing hope. Those two people on my shoulders, devil and angel, were steady fighting as the days had passes. Fighting over my crying or staying strong, leaving Luke's side for dinner or starve in case he awakens, or the worst of all, leave and never come back or stay and wait for my love.

A pale, unused hand twitched under the white sheets of the hospital bed. And I looked up. Luke's blue orbs opened to see me. Our eyes connected and in the heat of the moment, I dropped my dinner onto the floor and shot forward in my chair to hug Luke. Tears already flowing down my cheeks as his tangled, blonde hair covered half of his face and mine when he hugged back. Sobbing into his shoulder, his breath tickled my ear as he whispered four words, that before, I didn't think I needed to hear.

"What did I miss?"