Again ~ A Luke Brooks Love Story

Chapter 37

LUKE'S POV:

It was a Friday night and as per usual, we had a group of friends coming over. It was Ava's birthday tomorrow and me and Paisley had been shopping for last-minute gifts. I was looking forward to it. She would open her presents on the morning and there would be a tea party for the whole family in the afternoon. She was going to love it.

But that was tomorrow and now Grace, Taylor, James, Daniel and Rosie were all coming round to watch movies. Paisley was already here of course and we had just put Ava to bed.

She seemed to be taking the whole Rosie-Sean situation almost too seriously to the point were she actually seemed to be enjoying it. She was expecting something to happen tonight. I hadn't wanted Rosie to come to the movie night but Paisley insisted. She said if Rosie was barred then the others would realise something was up. To be honest, I completely got her argument but I pretended to be doing it to humour her. Paisley was great, but she just didn't get the situation. Sean was dangerous: A psychotic moron who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

Therefore, it was with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I greeted our guests. The others didn't seem to pick up on my lack of hospitality but I knew Rosie did. She watched me sadly, a shadow of the person she used to be.

She looked awful: Pale and clammy with great bags under her eyes. Her brown hair was lank and greasy though she tried her best to hide it. Her usual smile was absent, replaced by a constant frown. She kept tugging at the mucky sweater covering her arms.

Even though we both knew something was up, I greeted her like I normally would and gave her a hug. She was second to last to walk in, leaving just me and Grace on the doorstep.

"Is she OK?" I cocked my head in the direction Rosie had just gone of in.

"I don't think so," Grace sighed. "She must be coming down with something."

"Yeah, she must be," I echoed before giving Grace her hug.

When I had walked in, I met Paisley as she was walking down the stairs. I waited patiently for her.

"I was just checking on Ava," she explained. "We don't want her disturbing our movie."

"Good idea," I agreed before swiftly changing the subject and lowering my voice. "Have you seen Rosie yet?"

"No," Paisley was quick to answer."Why, is she OK?"

I felt a strange burst of pride that my girlfriend cared so much about other people, even when they were pretty awful to her. It didn't last long though as there was a serious situation at hand.

"Well, I don't think so," I sighed, answering her initial question. "Sean's half-crazy. God knows how he treats her."

Paisley shook her head and tutted in contempt.

"I hate all of this," she said. "All gangs and drug dealers and people beating up their little sisters. Why can't everyone just get along?"

"That, my girl," I said, rubbing the small of her back. "Is a very good question."

When Paisley saw Rosie, I could tell she was shocked by her appearance but only because I was watching for her reaction. She masked it very well, better then Grace, who is supposed to be her best friend, and the others.

Grace, Rosie and Daniel were all sitting on the big sofa, leaving James in the armchair and the others on the floor on beanbags. The sofa wasn't really big enough for three people but Grace still managed to leave a gap between her and Rosie who was sitting isolated at the end. Paisley's face melted at once and even when Rosie was glaring at her, she still managed to smile. She put the baby monitor Mum had bought on the coffee table next to Rosie.

"Please tell me if you hear anything," she said politely, breaking the silence which had settled across the room. "I have a habit of sleeping during movies."

"We know," Jai said. "You snore."

"I do not!" Paisley protested, sounding outraged.

"Admit it Pais," Jai said, smiling and getting up. "You're not going to win this one."

Paisley looked at me for back up but I could only shrug. She does snore, I can't deny that but it's really cute snores not big old man ones.

Jai settled himself between Rosie and Grace on the sofa.

"I can't stay down there," he explained. "It's so uncomfortable."

I turned my attention back to the TV but not before I caught the little smile across Rosie's face. Thank god for my brother.

I rested my back against the sofa and wrapped my arm around Paisley. She snuggled into me, our earlier disagreement about her snoring completely forgotten. She sighed wistfully as Beau pressed play and the open sequence to Titanic started playing. I sighed inwardly. Really Beau? He had to play the cheesiest corniest movie he could find which was sure to make the girls cry.

His romantic plans in a nutshell.