Lakewood: The Next Chapter

My friends have issues

While Luka was dealing with me and my issues, our friends were dealing with their problems. Niko wanted Abby to help him with Damon, and Damon wanted to live in denial as Jasmine got pulled into the mix.

"Why don't you talk to Damon?" Abby asked.

"I would if I could, but I can't," Niko answered.

"You both drive me nuts with your issues," Abby groaned.

"According to Damon, what happened between us shouldn't have happened," Niko told Abby as she arched an eyebrow at him.

"You should talk to him and figure it out," Abby said as she shoved Niko, who tripped and fell into someone. "And my work here is done." She brushed her hands off and walked away.

Niko looked to find himself lying on Damon. Damon looked at him curiously. Then Niko got off of Damon.

"Oops, my bad," Niko mentioned.

Damon stood up.

"So, I broke up with Taylor," Niko said.

"And?" Damon asked.

"And I was thinking," Niko started to say.

"Hold that thought," Damon interrupted as he walked over to Luka and me.

"Before you say anything, no, I don't want to get in the middle of whatever shit you two got going on with you," Luka said, gesturing to Damon and Niko.

"Luka," Damon said.

"No, Damon. You two need to figure it out and quit dragging people into the mix," Luka snapped as he walked away. I stood there, leaning on my crutches.

"Uh, hello!" I yelled after Luka, who kept walking.

"What's his problem?" Damon asked.

I looked at Damon and sighed. That's a good question, considering Luka was snapping at everyone, including me.

"Do you mind helping me with my books?" I asked.

"I will, but I have to take care of something," Damon answered, walking away. What the hell? My boyfriend leaves me hanging, and my friends are busy. Note to self, don't bother asking anyone for help because they leave you out in the cold.

Okay, I can do this. I managed to get my books in my bag and situated it on me, then hobbled down the hallway. I turned the corner, finding Luka talking to a girl. They seem friendly, and I sound pissed off.

I hobbled down the hallway towards them when I heard the girl say, "I'll see you later."

"Sounds good," Luka said as I stood there. Luka turned to see me standing there. "Malia."

I looked at him as I shook my head and hobbled by him.

"Malia," Luka yelled.

"I would flip you off, but I need both hands. Stay away from me, Luka!" I yelled back as I made it to class.

I know Luka is dealing with things, you know with his dead mother a serial killer and all, but if you break up with someone, tell them. I'm sure Luka broke up with me since he was seeing a girl later who's not me.

The rest of the day, I did what anyone would do and avoided Luka with the help of her friends. If they were dragging me into their issues, they could help me prevent my ex. That proved easier said than done since I was a turtle. The guys had to carry me so I could move faster.

Damon and Jasmine took me home. They asked what happened with Luka? I replied Luka is a dipshit. Did you think I would sit down and cry over a guy? Hell no, I'm not like most girls that blubber over a guy.

Damon helped me into my house and set my bag down as I hopped over to the couch. I sat down and threw my head back. Mom walked into the living room as Damon left.

"Where's Luka?" Mom asked.

I lifted my head. "On a date with another girl," I answered as Mom looked at me, confused.

"I would offer you a trampoline, but the doctor said no jumping until your cast came off," Mom remarked as I rolled my eyes.

Knock, knock, knock.

"I'll get it," Mom said as she answered the door. "Oh, look, it's the cheating scum," Mom told me.

I gave her an annoyed look. Luka walked into the house, and I tried to get up from the couch.

"Nope, you sit and hear him out," Mom ordered me. I sat back down on the couch. She left the room as Luka walked over to me. He sat down next to me, then I picked up my crutch and hit him with it.

"Malia!" Luka yelled.

"Don't Malia me! Why are you here? I would move away from you, but I can't," I said, pointing at my cast.

"Because I came to talk to you," Luka said.

"Shouldn't you be talking to your girlfriend?" I questioned him.

"I am, and she's so damn stubborn," he countered.

"No, your other girlfriend," I said.

"Do you mean the girl you saw me talking to in the hallway? She's my partner in class and has a girlfriend. We got paired on an assignment and have to work together," he explained.

"Oh," I said, not knowing what to say.

"Oh? That's all you can say?" He looked at me, annoyed.

"Well, you didn't have to leave me hanging. Plus, you've been bitchy lately," I said.

"Because I'm sick of Damon and Niko with whatever is going on with them. I get to hear Niko whine about Damon and Damon deny shit. It's exhausting," Luka groaned.

"So, that has nothing to do with your mom?" I asked.

Luka looked at me. "No, it doesn't. My mom was a whack job. I wish she would've stayed dead," he told me.

"I don't want what happen to affect us," I mentioned.

"Well, you're crazy and enjoy jumping to conclusions, but I love you too much to want to break up with you," Luka assured me.

That made me happy even though I sounded like a jealous girlfriend.

"Now that we establish that you're jealous," Luka mentions.

"I was not jealous," I exclaimed. Luka gave me a knowing look. "Okay, I was jealous, but go on," I said.

"I want to take you to the cabin this weekend. Just the two of us," Luka suggested as I looked at him and agreed. It would be nice to spend time alone together.

While we discussed that we didn't break up and our plans for this weekend, someone watched us from outside of the house. It was a matter of time before the Lakewood serial killer strikes again. We didn't know what was coming, but the killer would make their presence known soon.

The person turned and walked away, letting the snow crunch beneath their boots. He walked to his vehicle and got in, driving away.

I sat there as Luka looked at me.

"What?" He asked.

"Do you ever feel as if someone is watching you?" I asked.

"I think you're watching too many horror films," Luka said as I looked at him.

That was the thing I read about how your body made these vibrations when something didn't feel right. They say it's a gut feeling of something terrible happening, and you shouldn't ignore it. I had a feeling but was correct about this feeling.

I would find out soon enough how correct I was about this feeling.