The Heartwarmer

Chapter 10

"Well, we can't have you dying now, can we?"

***

"Luke, you idiot, I told you that I'm fine without getting in the water. You didn't have to sacrifice your time in getting me to do something that you know I won't do." June tried to argue as she tried to wrestle away from him. But his grip remained like steel.

Luke sighed in exasperation. "Look around you, June. Our world is made up of ninety percent water right now. You better learn to embrace it."

"I will keep to my ten percent of land, thanks. No ocean bullshit for me, no sir."

Luke laughed. "June," he shook his head, "that's not how this works. I will carry you into the water. All you have to do is sit still. I will literally do all the work for you. Just make sure you don't punch me by accident, alright?"

"Luke, please, no. I don't want to do this and I don't want you forcing me. If I ever want to come and swim with you, I will. You can go ahead without me." She almost whined. "I don't want to turn this into a whole thing, like last time. Just let me be in peace, okay? You can go and like, frolic in the waves as much as you like. Just don't make me."

"Well, alright, if you say so." Luke said, his voice turning soft.

"I do say so. Thanks for understanding, Luke."

His smile became artificial all of a sudden, almost plastic. "Hey, it's no problem. If you don't want to, you don't have to. You know what, I'm tired too. I don't think I need a swim right now. I'm drenched already, anyway." He said, shrugging.

***

Luke walked away towards the forest. He was angry, but too afraid to show it. The last time he tried to drag June into the waves... He shuddered to think about it. He had finished his quota of sympathy for the year. If June threw a fit again, tough shit for her because Luke would not agree to deal with that and comfort her again. It drained all of his energy. She drained all of his energy.

What was the deal with her, anyway? Why did she keep relapsing into her 'moods'? Like last time, all he wanted to do was lighten the mood. Have some fun. Do something other than talk about feelings. Let the waves do the talking for once.

But obviously, fun was out of the picture.

Everything was dreary, everything was monotonous for the 'I Miss Layla Club'. The 'Layla Left Me Heartbroken And Dysfunctional Club'. The 'Layla Was My God Club' had only one person who was insane enough to be part of it: June. Luke saw what a shenanigan Layla had started. June only saw the empire that Layla had left behind.

He shook his head. He didn't know how all his internal rants ended back at Layla. He needed to keep reminding himself that it didn't matter now. He didn't know her, she didn't know him. She was dead. She was dead.

Focus. June is our current problem.

Right. June.

Why couldn't she make up her mind? Why couldn't she separate her emotions into black and white? Why did everything have to have a chain reaction with her? Why... Why was she so complicated? Luke was a simple man; he couldn't follow the complicated emotional path that June wandered on. In fact, it wasn't even a path; she had to cut away at the undergrowth and forge a new trail. She was a mess. Lost in the thick jungle of chemical misfiring in her brain, with Layla's dappled sunlight filtering through occasionally.

Maybe that's what she was made of. A chemical cocktail gone horribly wrong.

Luke's breath became ragged. He knew that he needed to stop. Negativity wouldn't get him anywhere. He had to live with June. He couldn't do that if he hid his thoughts and feelings about her. If Luke had a problem, he would need to address June about it. That's what Corporate Luke would do. That's what the Real Luke would do.