Fractured

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

That night, it sucked heading to bed early.  I didn't miss school one bit and now, I'll have to work my ass off to catch back up along with try to understand where we were in class.  I wasn't looking forward to it at all.  But hey, it was better than living as I had the past week I suppose: in anticipation of people coming to my house and killing me.  I no longer needed to worry about that.  However, it was a little strange knowing I had a better time during that period than I would at school. 

Getting under my covers as Jack wagged his tail and rubbed up against me before he sneezed, Luke appeared in the door frame I noticed.  He leaned against it casually with arms crossed he watched me.  Looking up to him full on and no longer watching him from the side, as if I could pretend he wasn't there, I saw him purse his lips and his eyes feel to the ground.  I was confused to be honest. 

Usually, he goes to bed the same time I do because he has to work in the morning.  Yet he didn't seem to want to for some reason.  In fact, all day after Francis left he's been acting weird and for reasons I don't understand.  If anything, he should feel the relief off his shoulders; he no longer needed to worry about people breaking in to try to kill me.  He could rest finally but that was the opposite this that was happening.  It seemed to only get worse when Clare got home.  His eyes were distant and he looked very nervous. 

Now though, looking at him as I sat there in my bed, I knew there was something wrong.  First of all, he was lingering, resting against the frame of the door - almost like he was avoiding heading to bed. His figure gave away that something was going on with him for how tense he was.  His face was pale too and at the moment, I thought he might get sick.  He didn't look good; his expression held... well, guilt essentially but I mean it was clear there was much more going through his head.  His lips were pursed and his eyes sad, when they would meet mine that is, and wasn't trying to avoid my stare.

"What's been up with you?" I asked the question that has been itching at me all day.

I saw him visibly swallow and at speaking, I received his full attention, something else that seemed vacant most of the day. "Hmm?  Nothing, nothing," he shook his head, looking down.  "Um, are you sure you are fine without me sleeping in here?" His words seemed heavy for some reason, as if this were very important. 

I raised an eyebrow.  Why did that matter?  "Well yeah.... It's not like I need you in here anymore," I pointed out.

"I know," he nodded and I noticed his eyes fade. Like his hope was now gone.  For what?  I was still trying to figure that out because this wasn't like him.  He almost looked scared to be honest. The next second though, he tried to hide it, hide what he must have realized were clear giveaways that something was wrong.  He smiled gently but other than that, showed me what was mostly a blank face.  "I mean, if you don't feel safe or if... if you just want me in here then I will stay," he said quickly and though I probably would have liked the thought that he wanted to stay in here, it only made me worry.

"Is there a reason you want to continue sleeping on my floor?"

His eyebrows lowered but from that I could no longer see any sign of distress anymore. More like just... hopelessness.   "No," he reassured me.  "I just want you to know I can stay in here if you need me.  Great to know you don't," he muttered, glancing back out to his side from where he leaned against my door, as if looking into his room for some reason where Clare was now sleeping, paranoid.

There was something wrong; I was sure of it but I didn't know what it was and it was obvious he didn't want me to know.  So what else could I do?  I didn't want to pester him on the issue because if he wanted to tell me, he could and it was clear he didn't want to.  Whatever this was, he wanted to deal with it on his own.  So soon after that I went to bed and watched his reluctant form leave my room as he shut my door behind him.