Pretend

9

"Just please let me talk to her." Lucas sighed, his frustration building up as the person on the other side of the phone just grumbled.

"And I said no." Daniel answered him and Lucas could hear him talking to someone but it's not quite clear enough for him to understand.

"Look, she's been through a lot and I think that you've done enough."

"Haven't you as well?" Lucas couldn't help but spout those words out with bitterness. He knows that it's not the right time to see whose side's right and whose side's wrong but he couldn't help it.

"Lucas." Daniel said, the way he called him out was calm and soft. Unlike Lucas, his tone doesn't have any bitterness or any hidden anger or disappointment. It was as if he was just tired of everything and he's just pitying him. "Between me and my brother and your family, which do you think caused more damage?"

It was a simple question really. Who caused more damage? In all honesty, Xendrix was already helping Samantha with solving her nightmares, he was giving her clues. Unlike them, Xendrix and Daniel's feelings for Samantha was never a lie. If they hate her then they hate her. His family have already lied to her, betrayed her and have made her think that she's just a doll that they would use when their grief becomes unbearable.

Daniel sighed on the other line. "I've also got mistakes, Lucas. I'm ashamed of myself for what I've done. What we've done, it..." Daniel paused for a moment, as if trying to find the right words to describe what he's feeling. "It just didn't sit well with me."

"Is that why you took Sam away from us?" He whispered, tears was starting to fall as he clenched his phone in desperation. Desperate to find a way to get his sister back, desperate to feel free from all the guilt and sorrows and all of the shame that's just tying him down.

But he deserves it, right? They all do.
"I don't want you to make the same mistake as we did, Lucas!" Daniel slightly raised his voice and he could hear a slam and assumed that Daniel have slammed his hand on a counter or something. "If I let Samantha stay with you and your family then you'll just neglect her and you know why? 'Cause you guys would fight and argue and then what? You're so used of being forgiven, Lucas. You don't even know the worth of someone's trust until you've completely lost it."

Lucas felt as if he's been slapped with reality. It's true that he's used to being forgiven that he's always taking advantage of a person's kindness. Daniel have experienced a familiar kind of pain and he wants him to make things right.

No, he's expecting them to make things right. To make things finally right.

"I'm sorry... " Lucas whispered.

"I'm sorry for you." Daniel said, his tone was soft but it held sympathy.

Silence fell upon them and Lucas have no idea on what to say next. Hell, he doesn't even have an idea on what to do next. Where will he start? How will he start?

"Is she o-okay?" He found himself asking and his voice cracked in the end. He doesn't know what pushed him to say this but he's worried. Despite knowing that she'll be in good hands, he can't let go of the thought of her going through the pain alone.

"She's been through worse." Daniel answered lightly. "But she's healing. I would definitely not say great but she's doing well."

Lucas' heart was crushed when he heard those words. It's because of them that she's like that. It's because of them that she's on the other end of their stupidity and selfishness. It's because of them that she have lost all sense of trust.

"What can I even do, Dan?" He asked desperately. "What should I do? How? Where should I even start? I-I don't know what to do."

"You seriously want my opinion?"

Lucas answered yes and Daniel sighed.

"You earn your trust through honesty." He said hesitantly and Lucas could definitely hear the smile in his tone. "We've been full of secrecy and if you want to earn someone's trust then you'll have to be honest, Lucas. She wanted honesty and you didn't gave her that. Do what you say you're going to do because if you don't then you'll be too late. Trust me... I know and have experienced it."

Daniel sighed once again. "We've been trying to be honest with her. I want to make up for our own mistakes too, me and Xen. I will never forgive myself for what happened in the past but you have a chance to make things right. You and your family and that's a start. You're already stepping ahead to getting her back. Lucas, you'll never know how much your sister's going to be important to you once you've lost her."

It was a heavy double meaning for Daniel. Lucas know that and he's right.

"Thanks Dan... "

"Good luck... " Daniel said before hanging up, leaving Lucas to think.

What could he do next to let her forgive him?

What could he do to help her?

He wants to help her, because of them, Sam might have to carry a scar forever. If he don't save her then she'll just have to live on dreaming about Lydia? She'll just have to live on a painful life?

Because of them?

"I guess that it went well?" Tyler asked, looking nervously at him and Lucas smiled, forced and tired.

"He's right... " Lucas mumbled, leaning back as Daniel's words echoed inside his mind. It made his feet and heart tremble as realization dawned upon him.

Tyler raised a brow. "Daniel?"

"You'll never know how much your sister's important to you until you've completely lost her." Lucas said, looking at Tyler. "Tyler.... How can we be so blind?"

"It's our stupid arrogance..." Tyler grumbled then changed the subject when he saw his older brother in daze.

"How can we help Sam?"

"Honesty... " Lucas said hesitantly, looking at him with fear dancing through his eyes.

"I've got a plan."