After Alex and I had our moment in the garage, I head into the house. Tio is at the kitchen table. He looks up and I sit down across from him.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself. We need to talk."
"About what?" I look up and happen to see Luke still passed out on the floor. So much for Alex waking him up.
"School. You aren't gonna drop out. I refuse to let you not graduate."
"I already thought of that." I turn back to him. "I have three weeks until I graduate, and I'm sending all my work to my old teachers. I talked to the school before I left and we created a loop hole. They're going to mail me my diploma."
"Smart kid, I'm proud of you." He smiles at me,
"I'm not about to let dad and Jack down."
"I know kiddo I know. How's your arm?"
"Sore. Alex got me to kinda mess around on the piano again. I wish I had both arms cause I would use them to play the acoustic guitar I saw out there."
"That's probably Luke's, I don't know if he'd let you play it but you could ask." I nod, looking back over at where he's sleeping. I double glance when I see he's gone. Wait, what? He was just sound asleep!
"Looking for me?" Someone whispers in my ear. I jolt and look. Luke.
"The boys playing pranks on you?" Tio asks.
"Sí. Ellos se burla de mí." I grumble in Spanish, knowing he'll understand.
"What does that mean?" Luke asks, sitting back confused.
Tio laughs and responds in English.
"That's what Julie does to them all the time. They don't know Spanish and so she makes them mad by speaking it."
I raise my eyebrows and look at Luke who looks super intrigued at what I said.
"I said that you guys sneak up on me. Chill."
"Wait, which one is here?" Tio asks.
"Luke."
"Darn it. I thought it was Reggie. I like that kid. He's like a man after my own heart."
I bust out laughing. What a goon.
"Emmie, can we talk?" Luke asks from behind me.
"I'm gonna go out to the studio again. I'm ahead in school until tomorrow because I wasn't sure how long it would take me to find a place I could do homework at." I explain to Tio. He nods, and says
"Have fun, but like I said check with Luke before you play any of the guitars out there, he gets very defensive of his instruments."
"Sí Señor." I smile, before standing and heading out to the studio.
Walking out the door, I feel someone grab my arm. I turn to see Luke. He's got a sad look in his eyes.
"Emmie, can we talk?"
"Of course. What's up? Let's go to the garage."
We walk, but he doesn't let go of my arm, working his hand down to mine. I don't resist, mostly because contact is nice for once because I'm naturally a person whose love language is touch. We get to the garage and we sit, me at the piano and him on the couch.
"Alex told me you sing."
"No. Not anymore. I used too."
"But you sang with him?" He asks.
"It was a mistake. I shouldn't have."
He nods slowly.
"Look, I know your dealing with a lot. But can you just do me one favor. Can you just sing one song with me." I roll my eyes, not wanting too.
"Fine. One song."
"Ok. You pick."
"Broken and beautiful."
"By Kelly Clarkson?" He confirms. I nod. He grabs the acoustic guitar and starts strumming. He sings most of it, and I join in on the chorus. Even though he tries to cue me in several times, I refuse to take the hint until I feel ready.
Can someone just hold me?
Don't fix me, don't try to change a thing
Can someone just know me?
'Cause underneath, I'm broken and it's beautiful
He continues the song until the end, me only hopping in on the chorus.
"You have so much talent, what are you talking about?" He asks.
"I don't sing without..." I hesitate.
"Jack, I'm guessing?" He finishes softly,
"Yeah. My brother. He went missing in action two years ago."
"I'm so sorry."
"He went missing in action and his best friend was killed in action. No matter what I do I can't get away from losing everyone I love."
"I'm so sorry." He walks over to me, sitting next to me on the bench. He drapes an arm around me, careful to not put pressure on my arm. Out of habit I lean into him like I used to lean into Laken. That's my brothers best friend. He always joked he was gonna marry me. Like that was ever gonna happen.
"I wish I could see Laken just one more time." I sigh, and I feel him looking down.
"Hang on, let's see if I can pull some strings. He says, before putting a hand over my exposed ear seeing how the other one is tucked into him.
"REGINALD AND ALEXANDER!" He yells super super loudly. Ughhh my ears.
YOU ARE READING
Finally Free | L.P.
FanfictionA broken teen running from a heartbreaking past happens to run into a ghost who says he knows her cousin. With time against her and in a severe amount of pain, she has to trust him enough to follow him to her family. What happens when her cousin hap...
