Always

11| theodora

LUCAS

The downpour was so heavy that to be caught unawares meant being drenched to the skin. Each drop was as large as a cartoon tear and they fell like gravity had been turned up a notch. Every person able to run picked up their pace holding futile hands skyward to fend off the worst and the world was cast into more sombre tones.. It was a gift to the dehydrated flora and the animals, but for me, it meant a long drive home. Great. 

I pull out of the school driveway and throw my gym bag in the back before taking a sip of my hot chocolate. Anything with chocolate is good. 

I was about halfway there when I stopped my car, slamming on my breaks before I could hit whoever it was. The sky was stormy and grey and there was no one on the street. Except for her. She was standing in the middle of the street, shaking, shivering, crying, cold. Her eyes met mine and my heart got stuck in my throat. 

Theodora. Fuck

I immediately got out of my car and towards her, pulling her into my embrace and walking her towards my car, opening the passenger door for her. I helped her sit in before running on the other side and getting in myself. 

I didn't question her. I just simply gave her my hoodie from the back of the car and then grabbed my spare towel. I put my hand under her chin and wiped her tears away with my thumb, not that I could tell with all the rain droplets. 

Then I proceeded to dry her hair as much as I could with my spare towel. Once I was done, I softly wiped away all the water from her face, neck and shoulders before throwing the towel in the back seat and sitting back down on mine. 

"Here, drink this. It'll warm you up." I handed her my hot chocolate before starting driving.

"Why are you doing this? I was fine." I clenched my jaw. 

"Fine? You could've been seriously hurt. What were you thinking standing there in the middle of the road?" I don't usually get angry, but it was a life and death situation.

"My dad died." Her voice was very quiet, I felt like an asshole for shouting at her. 

"Fuck Thea, that's rough." She nodded and buried herself in my hoodie as we drove the rest of the way to my house, as an awkward silence blanketed us. 

I drove the rest of the way to my house, not knowing where she lived and not wanting to leave her alone at her time of grief. I stopped in my garage as she finally looked up and gasped in surprise. 

"Where are we?" She asked me, curling into a tiny ball. 

"My house, come on, we'll warm you up." I got out of the other door and opened it for her. 

"This is your house?" She squeaked out looking at the garage. 

"Yes Thea. Come on, we don't want you getting sick." I held my hand out for her as shook her head. 

"I don't belong here. What if I break something? I don't have money to pay for that stuff. And it's late, I don't want to bother your family with my troubles, just drop me to the diner please." She begged me with her big doe eyes, but I couldn't just leave her like this. 

"Thea, even if you break something, which I'm pretty sure you won't, you won't have to pay for it and I'm sure my family wouldn't mind, okay? And don't ever think that you don't belong. Now come, you're shivering." 

She hesitantly got out of the car and stepped out. I pulled her towards me to share as much body heat as possible. Entering into the house, the guards looked at Thea in surprise and then made a face at her muddy clothes. I glared at them and told them to leave immediately. 

Thea shifted closer to me as we went up the stairs. No one was in the kitchen or the living room so I took her straight to my room. 

"Here, sit, I'll get you something to change into." I patted the bed and went inside the closet. I grabbed a warm hoodie and some shorts for her. 

"Here you go, the bathroom is right there. You should probably take a warm shower." She nodded before scurrying off into the bathroom.  

Five minutes later, I heard a quiet voice from behind the bathroom door. "Hey Lucas?" My cheeks turned red. "Yeah, is there something you need?" I asked her.

"Canihavesomeunderwear?" I choked on my own spit. 

"Ye-yeah, sure lemme uh, grab some." I ran out of my room and towards Layla's room.

"Hey Lee, I have a problem-" she sat up. "Yeah. Of Course, what is it?" 

"Um, so Theodora is in my room? She was muddy and wet from the rain, so I told her she could take a shower and she needs-" 

"Yeah sure, here." She handed me some stuff. "What's she doing here?" Lay smirked at me, wiggling her eyebrows. 

"Oh, um she didn't have a place to go? And are these clean?" I asked her, scratching the back of my head. 

"Of Course asshole, those are new. Now get lost." She pushed me out of her room. 

"Thea, here you go." I handed her the stuff from the crack in the door. She grabbed it and shut the door. 

When she came out, my breath hitched. Her face looked cute with her wet hair around it, my clothes looking so cute on her body. I grabbed another towel and quickly started drying her hair once more as she stood there. 

"So, um. How'd it happen?" I asked her. 

"He was fine. He was coming back from work and the next second he had a heart attack and was dead moments later. The doctors don't know what caused it." Her voice broke and my heart plummeted just hearing that. I pulled her in a hug. I'll be here. For as long as she needs me to. 

"Thankyou Lucas. You're a great friend."