I Hate You But I Love You.

I Hate You But I Love You. Chapter 26

**Lukas’ P.O.V.**

I’m so hungry, dammit.

I was sitting in my last class of the day, my stomach growling hungrily because I hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday. Every time my stomach would clench in hunger I would remind myself that children were starving in Africa and this would be nothing to them; but it didn’t really help.

To avoid any temptation I went to the library during lunch today and did some homework, but that started to make people curious. People like Mark. I know he’s concerned for me, but his constant nagging is just making me even more stressed.

The bell finally ran, signaling the end of the day, so I started to pack up my stuff when a granola bar landed on my desk. I looked up and saw Mark staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Your stomach hasn’t shut up all period,” he said, “eat something.”

I sighed, trying to figure out how I would lie about this without him yelling at me. I threw back the granola bar and we headed out into the hallway. “No thanks, I’m saving room for a big dinner my mom plans on making tonight.”

“Oh really, she’s feeling that much better?”

I shrugged, “She says the new medicine is really helping.” She was still having her bad days, but they were becoming less and less. Unfortunately for me though, she was going through a bad period.

“Okay then. So I guess you won’t be hanging out with us tonight?” he asked as we stopped at our lockers. It was Friday and I really did want to hang out with my friends, but I really didn’t want to take the risk of pissing Bill off even more.

“No, I won’t.”

~*~*~

So, of course I lied about my mom making some big dinner. As soon as I got home I started putting together a pot roast, and it was torturous on my poor stomach.

A bit later Jona came rushing into the house, “Luuuuukas!” he called, running up to me and latching onto my leg. Then our mom came in after him, I could have sworn she was in her room sleeping but I assumed she picked Jona up from school.

“Yes?” I asked him with a smile.

“Mommy and I are going on vacation!” he beamed up at me.

“Oh?” I looked from him to mom, who was taking a water bottle out of the fridge. She smiled softly at him and then to me.

“I have a doctor’s appointment up near where my friend Sally lives. I decided to take Jona with me because we might stop by his grandparents on the way. We’re leaving after dinner and will be back Sunday.”

I took a moment to take that all in. So she was taking Jona because she wanted him to meet our grandparents. Bill, being an asshole, hardly lets any relatives visit us or vice versa. But I was also upset that she was leaving me with him.

“Oh. Okay, have fun.”

Mom and I locked eyes for a moment, and without looking away she said, “Jona, why don’t you go pack?”

“Okay!” he said, detaching from my leg and running out of the room. As soon as he was gone, my mother engulfed me in a hug.

“I already know what you’re thinking and I’m sorry. I would take you, because I know you miss your grandparents, but if I took both of you then Bill would think we’re running away and all hell would break loose,” she said in a quick breath, her arms squeezing whatever life I had left in me.

I hugged her back but then pulled away so I could look at her tired face, “its okay. It’s important that Jona knows his relatives.”

She looked at me in such a heart breaking way it’s impossible to explain, then took my head in her hands and kissed my forehead.

She went to go pack after that and I continued making dinner until Bill came home. He came into the kitchen when I was setting the table. It was creepy really; he stood in the doorway as I put everything in place, of course minus a place for me.

“You didn’t eat anything did you?”

“No sir.”

He walked up to me and lifted the front of my shirt, revealing my flat belly. To help my case, it growled roughly. He chuckled a little and patted my shoulder, making his way to the dinner table.

“Make up some excuse as to why you’re not eating dinner.”

I sighed, “Yes sir.”

So when mom and Jona came in the kitchen to eat I told them I was skipping dinner so I could get a head start on my chores. Mom looked at me with a perked eyebrow and Jona looked at me with worried eyes.

“But Lukas, you skipped dinner yesterday,” He stated, as he folded his napkin over his lap.

Mom’s eyes flickered from Jona, to Bill, and then to me, “You did?” I opened my mouth to respond with some lie but Bill beat me to it.

“If the boy wants to do his chores early then let him. It’s good that’s he’s learning some kind of responsibility,” he mumbled with a mouth full of meat. I was starting to feel sick from lying and just being in there with all of the food I couldn’t eat so I quickly walked away and made my way into my room.

I collapsed on my bed with a heavy sigh. Chores my ass; my stomach was eating itself. Actually, a nap seemed pretty good right now.

As I lay there, I started imagining my life differently. That I wasn’t stuck in this fucked up situation. That I had a father that cared for his family and wasn’t crazy. That I could live in my own house without worrying about getting beat up for something stupid.

I guessed I laid there for a long time, because next thing I knew there was a knock on my door and mom was walking in. She sat on the edge of my bed and smoothed down my hair.

“Sweetie, we’re leaving now.”

“Have fun,” I mumbled into my pillow.

Then Jona walked into the room carrying a duffle bag. “Goodbye Lukas. I wish you could come with us.”

I sat up and pulled him into my lap so I could hug him, “Me too, Jona.” Then mom wrapped her arms around both of us and we stayed like that for a while. It was then that I realized how much I wanted our family to be just like this.

“Ehem.”

We all looked up to see Bill standing in the doorway with his arms crossed, looking at us with a pointed stare. “Lukas, there are dishes waiting for you.”

I untangled myself from the family I cared about and nodded. We all said our goodbyes and then I started with the dishes. At least there wasn’t any food to tempt me with. But as I finished up with the last of the dishes Bill walked into the room and pulled out the left over pizza. He picked up a cold slice and held it out to me.

“This is your reward for being such an obedient child. But this is the only thing you’re allowed to eat until I saw so.”

Without hesitation I grabbed the slice but restrained myself from eating it cold, “Thank you sir.”

He nodded, “I’m going out back but I’ll be back soon. Stay on the property.” Before I could question him he turned around and walked out of the house.

As I warmed up the piece of pizza, I put together that tonight was not going to go well for me. Well shit.

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A/N- I'm sorry this is short, but I didn't feel like putting in Scarlet's P.O.V.  :D