Proxy [l.h]

8. Surprises and Unanswered Questions

Ahaha sorry, I'm back! I totally forgot to update this story !!

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«DAY 6 cont.»

Lissa

"Can I ask you a question?" Luke asks me, his body draped over the chair. The hotel pool is empty and dull, the only noise being Dustin jumping up and down in excitement. He makes the water splash up at Luke's ankles, and he folds them under himself with a grunt. I tell him he's only allowed in the shallow end, but my heart still fills with uneasiness. Dustin did learn to swim before the accident, but I don't know when or where he might break down, have a seizure, or worse.

"How did he, you know..." Luke trails off, and the two of us look out at Dustin, who squeals and claps his hands together like a little boy.

"Become this way?" I finish for him. "Car accident."

"Oh." Luke shifts his eyes down. "That's...sad."

He doesn't say he's sorry, but I don't expect one. Luke's not the type of person to say sorry. Not an apologizer. And I like that. I ease in my chair a little, glad that he's not asking any more personal questions.

"Aren't you going to swim?" Luke clears his throat, running his fingers through his blonde hair. It's grown so long it's touching his ears now, but there are no stylists to cut it for him here.

I cross my arms over my stomach by instinct. "I don't want to take my shirt off," I mumble.

"Cool with me," He sighs, leaning back on the recliner. "Do they have bottle service here?"

I shrug.

Luke stretches his arms out, and motions for a staff member in white who's walking by at the exact moment. She's got a pile of towels in one arm, her heels clacking loudly against the wet tiles.

"Can I have a drink?" He asks.

The woman smiles politely. "Of course, sir. Would you like a menu?"

"No, a tequila's fine, give me whatever," he replies with a dismissive wave of his hand. The woman nods curtly. "And you?" She says to me.

I can feel my face go pale as I recall the splitting headache I'd had; the night I'd seemingly lost control and drank... for the first time. Drinking with Michael was bad enough, but to give into it so easily just to forget my problems... Oh god, never again.

"Um, orange juice is okay, if you have any, please," I reply with a smile. The woman nods again and walks away, much more hurried this time. The sound of her clacking heels disappear around the corner.

"Can I ask you a question now?" I turn towards Luke when she's gone.

"Okay," he says, folding his arms behind his head.

I lean back in the wooden recliner just like Luke is doing, and gaze at him. "Tell me a story about a good day."

"That's not a question," he says stiffly, looking forward.

"Still. Tell me about a good day."

"To be honest, I don't have many."

"Come on," I press. Luke turns his head towards me and makes a face of exasperation.

"A good day?" he grunts, crossing his arms.

"Yeah," I say excitedly, with wide eyes. Luke doesn't say anything right away, he just blows out the air in his cheeks, indulging in thought. Our silence is interrupted by the clacking of heels once again. The woman returns with two small glasses.