Broken pieces

Part 6

After the school day ended, Luke was leaning on the brick wall outside of school. At first, he didn't know why, but he soon relaised that he was waiting for Alice. Alice on the other hand, was looking for Luke on purpose. She wanted to spend some time with him, since he was the only human she talked to at the moment. After stumbling  around the school for some time, Alice gave up and walked out of school. To her surprise, Luke was just standing there, smoking a cigarette.

"I didn't know you smoke."

Alice's words scared Luke almost to death. He wasn't expecting someone to talk and he was a little bit in his own world so he didn't see Alice walk up to him. He glanced at the cigarette in his hand and smiled.

"Yeah. I don't exactly do it often."

"Can I?"

Alice looked at the cigarette in Luke's hand. She herself had smoked only a couple of times, because Michael didn't want her to, all tho he did smoke. He was pretty addicted to them and she assumed, he didn't want her to get addicted too. Luke glanced at Alice, who just kept staring at the cigarette. He exhaled and handed it to Alice. She gladly took it and pressed it in between her lips. She pulled air into her lungs and felt the familiar stung. She exhaled and repeated the motion a couple of times before giving the cigarette back to Luke. He took it and squashed it underneath his foot.

"So why are you just standing here?"

"Why did you come out school so late?"

Alice raised her eyes to meet Luke's as he smirked. He knew she was looking for him and she knew he was waiting for her. They maintained the eye contact until Luke felt uncomfortable and broke it with coughing.

"So what now?"

"Wanna hang at my place? My parents went to a birthday party with my brother and sister."

Luke bit his lip. He looked at Alice who was looking at her feet. She obviously heard how that sounded and she didn't want to make things more awkward by explaining herself. That made Luke smile and he nodded.

"Sure. Why not."

A relived expression crossed Alice's face, as she smiled. She was worried he may comment on how weird the invitation sounded or that he would refuse it.

As soon as they arrived to Alice's house, Luke was stunned. The house was gigantic. He gave Alice a questionable look and she rolled her eyes.

"My parents are stylists and well, they make a lot of money I guess. It sucks."

"Being loaded sucks?"

Luke couldn't understand what was so bad about being that rich. Money usually solved problem. At least in his world. Alice rolled her eyes in response to Luke's question and walked him into her room. It was big yet not as big as Luke would expected it to be. He figured that Alice just didn't like being loaded and that was just another thing she didn't like talking about, besides her serious mental problems.

Alice sat on the bed and motioned Luke to do the same. He sat down next to her reluctantly.

"So, let's talk."

Luke was surprised that Alice was so straight forward. But he didn't know her for long enough to know that she hated people that weren't straight forward. If she wanted to know something, she always just asked.

"Okay-um-what about?"

"Mike."

Luke inhaled and exhaled and he could see pain crossing Alice's face. It was hard for her to even think about him, much less talk about him.

"Okay what about Mike?"

"I know it's none of my business but how did you two meet?"

Luke smiled at the memory and looked Alice in the eyes. There was something about her eyes and he just couldn't not tell her. So he began explaining the memory.

~flashback~

It was a normal Monday morning for Michael. He came to school, had a fight with one of the bullies, got sent to the principals office. Basic day. Just that that day, he wasn't alone in there. A few chairs away sat a boy Michael never saw before. He was looked shy and Michael was a hundred percent sure he was new. A principle seemed to be busy with a woman that Michael assumed was the boys mom. He got up from his chair and walked over to Luke.

Luke was sitting in his chair, minding his own business when a boy walked up to him. The boy had a weird fringe Luke didn't really like and a weird expression on his face. It almost looked like amusement. The boy extended his arm and said:

"Hi. I'm Michael Clifford"

Luke took Michael's hand and shook it. He didn't raise his look and just mumbled his name was Luke Hemmings. Michael was amused by the response the boy had and sat down next to him. Luke tensed up a bit. Michael did not seem like a nice guy at all. He seemed like trouble and Luke was supposed to stay out of trouble. He had to switch schools because of all the trouble he caused at his previous school. Michael smiled at the tensed boy next to him.

"I can see that you are new here am I right?"

Luke nodded and said nothing.

"Well just a heads up, this school sucks and the people in it suck even more. I am the only person with brains and I am fighting evil on my own."

That made Luke laugh. The dramatic tone Michael used to tell the last sentence was enough to make Luke loosen up a bit. Michael smiled when he saw Luke finally stopped tensing.

"So why are you here Luke?"

"Amm-I caused some trouble at my old school."

Michael smiled, being visibly pleased with the answer Luke gave him.

"What did you that was so bad they had to transfer you here?"

"I suppose I was fighting evil."

Now Michael was the one laughing. The principals door opened and the woman came out of them, holding a lot of papers. Michael smiled at her and the principal gave Michael an annoyed look.

"Michael? You again?"

Michael small smile grew into a big grin and principal just sighted and motioned him to come inside. Michel walked in and before he closed the door, he looked at Luke one last time. Their eyes met for the first time and Michael casually said:

"I like you Hemmings. I hope we're going to fight those evil sons of bitches together."

He winked at him and closed the principal's door.

~end of flashback~

Luke was smiling at the memory as Alice was laughing.

"I knew Mikey was trouble when he was younger but that? That is just amazing."

Luke laughed with her but suddenly Alice's face crossed a pained expression. Luke guessed she remembered that Mike was actually gone.

"Come here."

Luke said and opened his eyes for her. She moved closer to him and sobbed into his shirt once again. He didn't mind it tho. She needed support and he was going to be there for her.

"I just miss him so much Luke."

She whispered between sobs and Luke just held her closer and whispered.

"I know you do. I do too. But you will be okay. Michael would want you to be okay."

She nodded and kept sobbing in his shirt. Around Alice's mind went the 15 year old Mike and the 15 year old Luke, meeting in the principals office. It sounded about right considering they were both trouble makers as they grew up.