Please Don't Set Me Free // c.t.h

0.7

Frustrated and scared, I slammed my hands on the table hard enough to grab the boys' attention and shut them up. I stood up, grabbing my backpack from under the bench and slung it over my shoulder as I stormed out of the lunchroom. Lunch still had 7 minutes left. The thought of being near Michael when he's mad scared me enough to send shivers down my spine, I've never seen him so angry before. A familiar voice called out my name but I was too worried that it was Michael to turn around, even though I knew it wasn't him. I picked up my pace slightly to avoid them catching up with me. My vision blurred as tears built up in my eyes. I was fighting them back as much as I could. The footsteps got louder by the second, they were running to catch up. He grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to stop and turn around, pulling me into his welcoming arms.

Then I broke down, ruining his grey t-shirt and red flannel with my salty tears. Now, I knew exactly who was holding me and I felt safe with him.

"Shh.." Luke said, smoothing out my hair, "it's okay." His voice softened, shushing me like a 3 year old breaking down but it helped.

I eventually calmed down, my eyes red and puffy. I wanted to stand there longer with him but Luke pulled away, wiping away a tear clinging to my cheek with his thumb.

"You caused a pretty big scene in there Callista." His voice was still soft, cautious to not upset me.

"I know.." my voice drifted as I looked down at my vans, "I'm sorry.. that must've been embarrassing for you guys. I just had to get out of there.."

"Don't apologize. Why'd you leave so suddenly?"

Truth is: I'm terrified of my brother when he's pissed off. I was just overwhelmed with everything that's happened recently, the move, learning about Calum all over again, the sexual tension between Ashton and I.

My silence concerned Luke. "I'm sorry, it's not my place to ask."

I slightly interrupted him with my answer. "I've never seen Michael so heated about anything like that, not even when we moved away from our life in America. Seeing Michael mad has always made me either want to run away or towards him to comfort him. Normally I can collect myself enough to calm him down but-" my breath became shaky, "-being next to him when I think I can't calm him down scares me. I usually can calm him down but sometimes I just need to get away. Oh Luke, if you could just see the fire in his eyes back there, you would have done the same thing. What I'm trying to say is that I was- I still am terrified of Michael."

Luke didn't say anything, he just stood there, staring into my eyes while processing what I said. He noticed the pain in my eyes too.

He told me the guys are worried sick about me and that he'll tell them I'll be alright, just a little frightened.

He started to walk back to the lunch room, before I called out to him.

"Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you come for me?"

The bell rang before he could answer. He went back for his schoolbag. He eventually caught up with me as I walked to English, that's when he explained how the other two wanted to come check up on me but he talked them into letting him go. I'm glad it was Luke and not Ashton or Michael, I don't know if I could face them right now.

Before Luke walks off, I apologized for ruining his shirt but he said he didn't mind.