Fractured

Chapter 33

It was time to fill him in.  "She put me in the worst possible place.  She specifically choose that place for me because she must have known the type of things they would do to me.  It couldn't have been random.  Especially if there was already suspicion about that place, why would you take your daughter there?  Why not any other place?  Because she knew what they would do.  And I think she knows that doctor.  Mark's uncle. I think they were working together."

Luke looked down from my eyes and I saw him purse his lips, closing his eyes for a moment.  I was on his side though with that reaction.  He was seeing that as a real possibility now and it honestly sucked to have so much evidence supporting that that was true.  It means she has connections we aren't aware of.  It means she is ahead of us. 

That thought made my heart spin in distress and pain.  What else could she do to me?  What other people are tied in to this?  What else did she know?  Did she know Luke is now on my side?  I wouldn't be surprised, honestly, after that cold hateful stare Luke gave her.  Now that he hit her... things are crumbling.  Things are breaking apart and I could feel this wasn't going to be good. 

After I heard him take a deep breath, he finally looked back up and to the side at me.  Head tilting towards mine, eyes searching, I rose a hand and delicately ran my fingers up to his cheek, rubbing my thumb across the smooth plains of his skin.  So beautiful... he didn't deserve any of this drama.  I wished as if I could just take it all away from him.

"You're right.  You must be right," he said, glancing away and becoming lost in his overcrowded thoughts at such an idea. 

I nodded, recalling something that could only verify just how sure I was and how true it was.  "Apparently, my therapist was in on it.  She approved for me to go and I think that was Clare's excuse to put me in there."

His eyes shot back to mine and widened.  "Your therapist?  You're sure?" he asked, as if in hoping I would say I was only joking.   Voice broke, I hated what I had to say next.  I just wanted to tell him I was lying or something because I am so sick of him dealing with everything.

I bit my lip and nodded, denying him such a hope.  "Yeah," I swallowed.  "I think Clare paid her from the start."

Closing his eyes again, I watched his face and saw his eyebrows dip in frustration.  I also felt his hand in mine tighten.  All I could do was squeeze back; I couldn't make him feel better, especially when it was essential truth.  It only made me question everyone else I knew.  If she could have gotten the therapist on her side, that doctor... who else did she have?  And was it anybody I knew?  I wasn't sure.  Who knows, maybe not. Those two people were the connection to the mental hospital.  That, as far as I know, was her only goal.  She might not have anyone else.  But all it did was raise suspicion in me. 

"Do you know what I would love?" he asked, his voice holding a tired humor and I felt myself slightly smile at him in curiosity and because he began to lightly chuckle. He was happy to take things off topic after something like that that bothered him.

He answered to my eyes.  "Just to runaway with you.  That would be so nice...." he said, eyes closed and smiling at the thought and it made my heart swell within me.  But it also made me laugh to be honest at the same time; I couldn't help it.

Letting out a small amount of laughter, his eyes opened and met mine once more, eyes questioning and not sure how that was funny.  Smiling sadly to me, I needed to respond to him.  "That was the most... typical teenage thing I've ever heard you say."  I paused. "I kind of liked it."

He chuckled slightly at my words, pursing his tilted lips a moment later.  Sighing, he nodded slowly and said.  "Most girls would say 'awe that's so sweet,'" he teased me.