leaked (l.h.)

8

"Grace?"

I hear his soft voice as beside me as my eyes flutter opened. I hang my head in front of me, slowly raising it as I feel his hand gently shaking my shoulder.

"We're home."

"Hmm?" I say, sitting up as I look at him. He kneels beside me, the soft hum of the open-door alarm in his car helps me wake up. I look at him, raising my eyebrows sleepily as I take off my seatbelt. "I fell asleep?"

"Yeah," he replies, taking a step back to allow me out of the car. "You must have been so tired."

"I am," I say, gulping softly as I stand. I hold onto the side of his car as I balance myself, watching how Luke closes it behind him. "Thank you," I say, rubbing my eyes as I stand beside him. Tyler would often shake me until I woke up. But Luke was gentle with me.

"You don't have to thank me," he smiles, walking me to my front door. He speaks hushed, and as I see how dark it is outside I can only imagine how late it is.

"Thank you for everything," I add, turning to him as I dig in my pockets for my key. "For letting me talk to you. And for distracting me from everything."

I don't go into detail, but as he stands in front of me I watch his smile grow even wider than I thought possible.

"Anytime," he nods. "And if you aren't busy tomorrow night, maybe you can come over to my house?" He asks, watching me as I realize that I had left them in my backpack upstairs.

"Dammit," I scoff, letting out a sigh as I realize that I'll have to wake up my sleeping family. But to his question, and how I get the feeling that he actually wants to spend time with me, I can't help but forget about my problems. Because I have a friend now, and I didn't three days ago. "I would love to," I begin, but as I remember my previous agreement with Tyler I feel my stomach drop. "But... I'll be busy. How about lunch? And then maybe we can plan out another day."

"That's fine with me," he says, looking down to my lips as I speak. "Only if you promise not to run out crying like you did this morning."

"Oh fuck," I laugh, shaking my head as I look to the ground. "I can't promise you that I won't cry, but I can promise you that I'll try not to leave."

"Well, I guess it's fine," he chuckles, rocking on his feet nervously. "I'll see you around, Grace."

And right before he turns to leave, I watch as my front yard is illuminated in the glow that comes from the front porch light. I shake my head, knowing what is about to happen as I feel Luke's eyes turn to me.

"You better go," I mouth, listening to the door click open beside me. "This isn't going to be pretty."

"Right," he laughs. "Goodnight, then."

As I watch him step into his car, watching his headlights turn on to guide him through the night I can't help but smile. Luke, the one dude who I had never imagined that I would get the opportunity to know, is the one person keeping me sane. And he doesn't even know it.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" I hear my Mother spit as she swings the door open. "And you didn't even tell us where you were going!"

I look down to the ground as her words fly through one ear and out the other. I don't want to go inside, I don't want to be hit in all directions by my Mother's insults and my Step-Father's condescending words - along with the PTSD of the night before. Not to mention the absolute panic that comes with the realization that I'll have to go through with this again.

I wish I was away, far away from here. Back at Calum's theatre where I seemed to have left my mind at the door. When all that mattered was watching Luke make faces at me from where he stood onstage.

I slam the door behind me, twisting it locked to avoid her from coming inside to only continue her rant. I am far too tired to deal with that right now, and if I am forced to hear it any longer I'm afraid that I'll snap.

"Hey, are you alive?" Luke texts me, and as I strip down to my undies and climb into my warm bed I watch the notification appear on my phone. "Your Mom didn't kill you or anything, right?"

"No, sadly." I type, tapping the screen in front of me as I feel my eyelids get heavier. "But I wish she would."

"Don't say that," he responds almost instantly. "I'm happy that you're alive."

"Thanks," I reply. "I'm glad you are, too."

"Are you sleepy?"

"Yes," I reply. "Very."

"Me too."

I smile as I read his message, knowing that he's just trying to find an excuse to continue the conversation with me. He's cute, but I know his game.

"Then go to sleep," I respond, smiling as I turn on my side. "I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Do you need a ride to school?"

"I'd say yes, but I know that I'd probably fall asleep again. You're a good driver. I feel safe beside you."

Truth be told, I didn't notice his driving. But for some reason, I did feel more comfortable beside him than I ever did with Tyler.

"Then I'll wake you up," his message reads. "But I'll make sure you're pumped with coffee before our first class."

"Coffee? Yuck." I tease, letting out a gentle smile as I write this. "How about tea?"

"Gross," he replies. "But I guess."

"Ha. Well, goodnight Luke."

"Goodnight GRace. 7:10 AM, don't sleep in."

"No promises."

And before I am able to put my phone to the side, I've passed out.