Falling For My Stepbrother

Chapter 20

A/N

NOT edited

Chapter 20

His eyes turn icy and his skin becomes a shade darker. "Do you think this is funny?" He demands in a harsh tone. 

"Luke," I say softly. He's angry; extremely angry. "Give me the phone."

He ignores me. 

"This isn't a joke," The officer says. I can hear the loud siren and multitude and people talking on the other end. "I don't have a reason to lie to you, sir. Your father commited suicide by jumping off his balcony ten minutes ago at Crystal Clearings appartments."

"Luke," I try again, touching his arm, "Give me the phone."

He freezes at my touch but doesn't respond to me. "My father can't be dead. I only saw him twice before-" His voice breaks. "I was just there a few minutes ago. He did it...he did..." His bottom lip quivers and his eyes turn glassy, "He did it right after I left I-" A sob escapes his lips and the phone falls from his fingers.

I pick it up. "We'll be there in the short while."

"Who is this?"

"I'm Luke's girl-" No I can't say girlfriend. "Stepsister."

"Okay ma'am," The officer says, and the line goes dead.

I shove the phone into my pocket and grab Luke's arm. He stands in a rigid posture, staring at the wall. A tear slides down his cheek and I wipe it away with my thumb. I tiptoe and pull his face down to meet my eyes. "Luke, hey." His eyes look dead for a second before they focus on me and another tear escapes his eye. 

"I can't believe that he-" His voice breaks again. 

"I'm sorry," I breathe out and hug him. He hugs me back tightly, burying his face at my neck. I can feel it getting wet from his tears. My heart drops down to my stomach. It's painful to see him hurting like this.

He releases a particularly loud sob and his chest heaves. I rub his back, my fingers running down the muscles on his back, in what I hope is a soothing way.

"I'm sorry," I say again.

He pulls away and wipes his face on his sleeve. "It's not your fault."

"I know. I'm sorry that you have to go through this."

"No," He shakes his head, "He's not dead."

"Luke..."

"He isn't," He says, more confident this time. "I'm going to go over to his apartment and prove it."

He grabs his car keys from the table and walks out of the house. I follow him. "Are you sure you are stable enough to drive?"

He nods and starts up the car. I slip into the passenger's seat just as thunder rumbles in the sky and heavy raindrops fall. Great.

We reach the apartment in less than ten minutes, just in time to see three paramedics carry Collin Calmberg's body into an ambulance. Luke exits the car quickly, the rain turning his white shirt transparent, but I don't even stare at his muscles, my attention is on the ambulance.

People stand around, gaping at the scene. Even the children clutch their mothers shirts fearfully. An old weeping woman with stands of white hair among the other dark blonde ones grabs Luke's arm as he walks past her. He stops walking and stares at her through glassy eyes.

"Nana?"

He hasn't seen her in some time.

"Luke," She cries, engulfing him in a hug. He hugs her back tightly.