stepbrother ➼ luke hemmings (REWRITING)

37 - YET TO BE REWRITTEN

"Mom? Dad?" he calls, pulling away after a short while. He takes my hand. "We just got back from-"

Upon entering the kitchen, our eyes land on our parents, who are sitting opposite each other on the table.

My mother's stirring a mug of tea with a tear-stained face, my dad trying to reassure her as he holds a hard expression.

Their hushed whispers quickly cease to a halt when Luke and I come in through the door.

Clenching his jaw, our father's cold gaze flickers from our mother to us.

Their eyes land on our clasped hands and they freeze.

Still stirring the liquid in her cup, my mom sighs shakily.

"W-where have you two been?" she asks us.

"Michael's." Luke answers, taking no notice of her skeptical behaviour. "We spent the night there."

"And you didn't care to inform us?" my dad intervenes roughly.

"I sent you a text." Luke frowns.

"Who else was there?"

My eyes flicker from my mom to my dad, whose fists are balled up so tight that his knuckles are slowly turning white.

"Uhm, the usual people," Luke replies, going over to the fridge and taking two cans out. Opening both in each of his hands, he slides one down to me. "Calum, Ashton, Michael, Ashley."

"What were you and Sophie doing?"

"We just watched some films, ate some pizza," I respond for him.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, mom." I say honestly. She nods her head uncertainly, settling my nerves for a split second.

We share a small smile- hers forced- before the sound of a chair scraping against the tile floor echoes throughout the kitchen. "I don't believe this," my father says angrily, standing up from his seat.

"Don't believe wha-" Luke asks in confusion, before a hand is wrapped around my arm. "Dad? What are you-"

He's interrupted when I'm yanked towards the door, making me stumble a bit. "What the hell are you doing?!" Luke's tone changes.

My dad ignores him, his jaw clenching even more as my mother cautiously stands up from her seat. "Andrew," she warns.

"Don't try to stop me." he orders, glaring at her.

"I'm not, trust me, I'm not," she swallows. "But dear, you need to calm down." she finishes firmly.

"Are you seriously telling me to calm down?!" he yells. "Have you any morals, Elizabeth? You know this is wrong!"

"K-know what?" I stammer, scared. Luke's eyes lock with mine and his gaze hardens at our parents.

More specifically, at our father.

"Dad, you're hurting her," he says, as his stare lands on my arm. He then starts to make his way towards us, but he's violently pushed back before he can get within arms reach.