Our Little Secret (a Luke and Jai Brooks Fanfiction)

-16-

Luke POV:

"By the way...we're having a party tonight."

"Fuck," I sigh. "He knows we—I mean I hate when we host parties."

"It's okay, I hate them too," Jai shrugs, continuing his work on my back. He carefully places a bandage over the gaping hole in my back. I feel his fingers run slowly over the bandage, as if to prolong his touch against my skin. I shiver, sadness taking over me as I think about what he'd said to both Beau and me earlier.

"We're going to be okay, life goes on, yeah?" he had asked the both of us. It felt like a slow, unsure goodbye.

"Alright then," he says after a while of running his fingers on my back. "You're all set."

"Thanks," I know he can feel my body tense up once he says this.

"Luke," Jai is now laughing softly. "Calm down."

I do as I'm told and look at my toes.

"Let's just get through tonight, okay?" He's now in front of me. We're now making full eye contact. I don't say anything; I just hope he understands how much regret I'm experiencing. Jai nods before leaving me just the way I was before: alone.

10:30pm

Jai POV:

The house has pretty much filled up at this point. It's hard to get from point A to point B without a game plan.

From my spot in the kitchen I notice Luke has taken up his normal party-spot, guarding the bottom of the staircase in order to protect the upper level from the drunken madness. He looks sad—sadder than I've ever seen him. I know he wants us to be together; I know he regrets what he did. Most of all, I know he broke off what we had in order to protect me.

At first I didn't understand, but during the past two weeks without him I've gotten to thinking. Luke was right to break off what we had because I am, in fact, weak. We both have to move on now because I can't risk snapping at him like I did the night Beau found out about us.

I just can't.

Luke POV:

Jai has been watching me from across the room for quite some time now, looking like he's in extremely deep, remorseful thought. I know he's thinking about us—I can feel it in the way he's looking at me.

"Alright then?" Beau sneaks the way down the stairs, resulting in properly scaring the shit out of me.

"Fuck off, Beau," I shake my head and look back to Jai, who has now looked away from me.

"I can't keep my baby brother company?" he asks, taking a seat next to me.

"I'd rather be alone," I tell him. "It's Jai or no one for me," I mutter. Beau hears it, though.

"Right, fuck this," Beau says before starting to shout. "Jai, get the fuck over here!"

Jai turns his head. His eyes go wide when he realizes what's happening. He shoves his hands in his pockets and manages to find his way through a shit ton of people.

"Yeah?" he asks when he's finally standing in front us. Beau turns to look at me.

"You love Jai, right?" he asks, catching me completely off guard.

"Beau—" I protest, but Beau interrupts.

"Answer, the fucking question. You love Jai, yeah?"

I look up at Jai. He's looking at anything and anyone but me. I give up; I'm tired of not being able to tell him I love him everyday.

"Yeah," I say.

"Right. Now, Jai," Beau looks up at my twin. Jai looks at him, face unreadable. "You love Luke." Jai opens his mouth in confusion, Beau didn't even ask him.

"Your awkward, unreadable expression means yes I'm assuming?"

Jai looks down at his feet. His silence causes my heart to drop.

"Yes."

I can barely hear it through all of the noises that the party has provided us with, but I hear it nonetheless.

"Sorry, what?" Beau asks.

"Yes," Jai finally looks at me. "I fucking love you, Luke. But you've driven me mad—I can't risk hurting you."

He mumbles the last part, afraid of what I might say.

"You hurting me?" I stand up, almost angry at what he's just said. "I'm the one who hurt you, Jai. I made the terrible, terrible mistake that hurt the both of us."

"It wasn't a mistake. I'm only going to snap at you again, I can't handle the hate and shit, remember?"

What happens next is incomprehensible. Beau gets up out of frustration and walks over to the kitchen island. He jumps on top of the island and shouts:

"Oy, everybody listen the fuck up!"

The room quiets down very quickly; Beau has an impressive set of lungs.

"Now," Beau starts. "My brothers, Jai and Luke are dick and all in love."

There's a couple of gasps and giggles around the room. I feel my face heating up, but Jai just about looks like he's about to pass out.

"If anyone has a fucking problem with that, I'll fucking kill you. In fact, if you have a problem get the fuck out of this house, RIGHT NOW!"

I'm surprised to see that no one has left, Jai stands up a little bit straighter.

"Good. That's what I fucking thought. Thank you all."

With that, Beau jumped off the island and the party resumed. Just like that.

"There," Beau throws his arms around Jai's and my shoulders. "Now you fuckheads have no excuse. Either get back together, or break the fuck up for good and stop being miserable cunts. We're all miserable with the way it is now. Got it?"

"Yeah," we both nod, still in shock with what's just happened.

Jai looks at me with a smile—I smile back.

We're going to be okay.

A/N: What'd you guys think?? Thank god for Beau, eh? Until next time. xx Sarah