Flaws : Hemmings

0.3

I'm not ready to start again.

and your not willing to amends.

***

Winnie

Winnie woke up when she heard the front door open and slam shut. She assumed it was her dad leaving for work. It was around the time he left anyway and she knew Will and Erin had left earlier. Erin worked at a bar and Will went to day care because Winnie refused to watch him (not like the couple had asked but she made it clear she wouldn't watch him.)

She dragged herself out of the warm cacoon she had created and to her closet. She threw on sweatpants over her underwear and left her room.

As she walked down the stairs, the noise of water running and blaring TV alarmed her. She tip-toed the rest of the way down and peered her head around the doorway to the living room. The TV was on some mid morning cartoon and a pair of black converse laid on the floor.

She walked to the kitchen, keeping her footsteps light. In the kitchen stood, none other, than Luke.

"Why don't you just knock!" Winnie shouted. Luke jumped around, holding a pocket knife in his left hand and a terrifyed expression on his face. Once he realized it was Winnie, he relaxed.

"You gotta stop scaring me. I'm gonna hurt you one day." Luke panted, dropping his left hand and turning around, continuing to fill up his glass of water.

"Well maybe you should stop breaking into people houses!" Winnie shouted throwing her hands in the air. "And why do you have a knife?"

"Why don't you." He countered, turning off the tap and turning around to smirk at Winnie. He laughed at her dropped jaw and wide eyes; she looked like she wanted to kill Luke.

"Get out." She groaned, rubbing her temples with her thumb and forefinger.

'But my cartoons are on." Luke whined, pouting his lip.

"Give me a reason why I should let you stay?" Winnie asked following Luke back into the living room and standing in front of the TV, blocking his view.

"Because I don't have a home." He said bluntly, kicking Winnie's outer thigh lightly. She stepped to the side and felt as if she had been hit in the face.

"Wait you weren't kidding when you said your mom kicked you out?"

"No, why would I joke about that?" Luke asked, his eyebrows scrunching together as he looked up at Winnie.

"Well, why would she kick you out?" Winnie wondered aloud.

Luke paused for a long time, his jaw clenching before saying. "I should go." He stood up and slid on his shoes, not bothering to lace them up. He wore the same black beanie and oversized hoodie he had the last time Winnie saw him at the park (which was only two days ago) and he had bags under his eyes.

"W- wait." Winnie called. Luke's hand rested on the doorknob but he didn't turn it, waiting to hear what Winnie had to say. "If you ever, y'know, need a place to sleep, just uh gimme a call?" Winnie said like a question. Winnie wanted to hit herself after saying this because Luke didn't her number (or a phone.)

"Ok." Luke smiled at Winnie and then left. Just like that.

Winnie sat down on the couch dumbfounded. She couldn't believe he was living on his own. She knew he had a job but she doubted a coffee shop job like that could adequently sustain a 16 year old boy's needs. Obviously he didn't have a house or even a place to sleep. Winnie wondered if he had friends, or if he even went to school. It was summer time but did he actually go to school when it was in session?