What Now ⇔ Muke ✓

[16] Police tape

MICHAEL

My eyes open groggily to the view of a pair of bright blue eyes, sparkling in the light of the morning sun. They pull away once they see that I am awake, revealing a cute, straight nose and lips pierced with a ring.

"Hey, babe." Luke says, smiling down at me before moving away from my line of vision. I am left with the view of the sky, a vibrant blue. "We should probably get moving, if that's alright."

I blink slowly, breathing a lungful of fresh air before sitting up, squeezing my eyes closed at the sudden brightness. I exhale lightly, letting the serenity of waking up in the woods sink into my bloodstream, since this is our last morning hidden between the trees.

I let the sun shower its warmth over my pale skin as I get to my feet, surveying the area around me. Luke has already packed up everything, standing a little ways away from me. The backpack sits at his feet, and I watch him bend down to pick it up. The muscles in his broad arms clench under his skin as he hoists it over his shoulder, turning to look at me expectantly.

"Are you ready?" He asks, walking over to me. He has gotten much better at walking along the edgy soil, no longer tripping over his own feet. He extends a hand to me, the sunlight dancing off the tip of his nose and eyelashes.

I tentatively left my own arm, not as tan and not as smooth as his, and slide my small hand into his large one's. They are rough from grabbing wood and making fires, but I love the feel of them inside my smooth ones. I stare at our skin as we walk. My bruises have faded immensely, but you can still see the hint of blue to my skin. The scars on my wrist have faded as well, more tan than red now. I haven't had the urge to drag the blade across the thin skin ever since Luke has been by my side, and I hope that never goes away. I'm afraid of what I might do to myself if he is whisked away from my side.

We walk hand in hand across the woods floor, stepping over tree stumps and snapping twigs under our feet. I begin to recognize a few intricate trees as we step closer and closer to the woods that I am so accustomed to. I feel torn in half, wanting to step back into the cold embrace of the woods I have grown up in, but also wanting to stay hidden among the woods of the cave. The woods that Luke and I have claimed to be ours.

The further the walk, the more I notice the things that make these woods mine. I suddenly notice that we about near my house. My hand tightens against Luke's, and the blonde glances over at me, noticing my stricken face.

"Its alright. It will be okay." Luke says to me softly, squeezing my hand. I force a quick nod, just to comfort the boy. My heart hammers against my ribs, like a beast trying to escape its cage. My palms sweat as I near the area where my house it. I can hear the faint hum of people talking from the town, and the distant rush of the river.

Something neon yellow catches my eye, so unnatural for the woods. Luke notices it as well, and together we walk forward, noticing a long strip of the neon yellow.

Police tape.

The air that was in my lungs is knocked out, and I gasp for breath as I take notice to what once was my home. The entire house is destroyed, holes struck into the wood walls and the window shattered. Police tape with WARNING boldly written across the paper is wrapped around the house, and is guarding the area around it. I let go of Luke's hand to touch the thin material, feeling completely drained of emotion.

This must mean that my dad isn't here. Perhaps they have taken him away. Locked away in some cell for child abuse. I'm surprised to find a dull hurt inside my chest, slowly chewing up my lungs until my throat is shut off, and I feel like I am suffocating. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to live with my father and let the bruises form over my skin. I was supposed to sit on the stone and dream of my cave, staying silent and letting my tongue swell with words I hadn't been able to say.

I was supposed to live like that until I turned eighteen. My life changed for the better, but my dad's changed for the worst.

I begin to feel Luke's fingers on me, tugging at my arm. I look over at him, blinking out of my thoughts and watching his face contort with worry.

"C'mon, Michael." He says quietly, nearly a whisper. I break my gaze from my destroyed home that wasn't really home and huddle beside the blonde as he leads me through the leaves, heading towards town. We walk silently, only the birds calling each other filling the afternoon air.

The sounds of the little town grow in proximity, and the two of us battle our new instincts to cower away at all the voices. Luke grips my hand and tugs me along, through the outskirts of the town and towards where his house is. I see it at once, the huge white building. Our feet hike up the steps to the front door, and I can vaguely remember the last time we set foot on these steps. I was tangled up in Luke's arms, bleeding and wishing for death as the boy's tears leaked onto my bruises.

This time I am walking on my own two feet, my legs sturdy and strong under me, finally able to support the weight of me and all my emotions with ease.

Luke leads me up a tall staircase and through a long hallway, to a bedroom at the very end of the hall. He walks inside and I follow him, peering around. I've never actually been in his room before, and that seems surprising to me for some reason. Perhaps it is because we have lived together in a cave separate from civilization for such a lengthy time period, that it seems as though our hearts are strung together as one, throbbing together in one mass of blood and love.

Inside his room, I am surprised to find it is very plain. His suitcase it sprawled out in the middle of the floor, clothes strewn across the floor and still packed inside of it. No picture frames sit on the empty bedside tables and the closet is empty, aside from a few dusty hangers and a couple of unworn jackets that obviously aren't his. It seems as though he hasn't even unpacked from when he first arrived. He hasn't done anything to personalize it- no Green Day posters or pictures of his family or friends. The only thing in his room that marks something of his personality is the cajon drum in the corner.

This scares me for a second, so vivaciously that my bloodstream turns cold. It appears that he hasn't felt at home here in this large house, here in this town. He hasn't bothered to even unpack. It makes me think that leaving would be more easier and welcoming for him than I expected. Easier to leave this life he has weakly built here in Greenwood.

Easier to leave me.

I force the hellacious thoughts from my mind and walk over to the drum in the corner. Luke watches me, sinking down onto his bed. I plop down on the drum, spreading my legs and placing my hands on the surface on the smooth wood. I start out with a few simple beats, getting a feel of the instrument.

I move my hands more comfortably against the drum, parting my lips and letting the beginning words of a Green Day flow from my tongue. I clench shit my eyes as I focus on my singing, bouncing a little on the drum as I pound my hands on the surface.

The bed squeaks and I open my eyes, seeing Luke staring at me with his eyes darkened. His fists are clenched against the bed frame, his chest rising and falling. My hands stop moving on the drum and I still, my pale eyes watching Luke as he carefully stands up, his knuckles white from the force they were gripping on the railing. His height towers over me even more as I am sitting, and I wilt a little as he hovers over me.

Without warning, Luke bends down and presses his lips against mine, his lip piercing sending electrifying chills down my spine. I lift my hands, unsure of what to do with them as he forcefully moves his lips over mine. He grabs my wrists in his large hands, enclosing them in a hard grip so I can't move them.

He pulls me up by my hands, not cutting off the connection of our lips. I feel small compared to the tall boy, who takes his height and strength to advantage as he turns me, pressing me flat against his blank white walls. He bites down on my bottom lip and I let out a small whimper in reaction, feeling Luke pin my wrists against the wall, my fingers gripping at nothing but air.

Luke's lips move to my neck, his teeth nipping at the skin under my jawline as my knees slowly give out from under me.

"What the fuck?" says a rough voice from Luke's doorway.

---
A/N slowly getting my updates back on time

how are you guys? doin good?

pls vote and comment ily guys to the moon and back !

THANKS FOR 12K READS !!!!!!!!