Not Your Average Girl

Chapter 9 - Let's Get Outta Here

★ Tori's POV ★ 

LUKAS LOOKS BACK AT ME. 

His blue eyes are full of so much hurt and anger. I feel so bad for him.

He tries to act like the stares and whispers don't get to him, but they do. I can tell they do. The more you try to hide your hurt, the more you realize you're hurting. I keep my hand on his shoulder, hoping to steady him in some way.

I was such a jerk to him this morning, little did I know, he's going through much worse than I ever could. He doesn't open up to anyone, he keeps himself caged off like an animal in a zoo.

"Are you okay?"I ask. Are you dumb, Tori? Of course he's not okay! I yell to myself.

Lukas shakes his head. A tear runs down his cheek. Before I can grasp what I'm doing, my hand is on his cheek, wiping away his escaped tear.

"I'm so sorry-" I say once I realize what I did, but Lukas cuts me off.

"It's ok." He says, his eyes still two deep pools of sadness. I smile and wipe away another one of his escaped tears.He smiles back.

"Let's get out of here," I say, pulling his hand to the classroom. We get our stuff and leave the school. He insists on taking his car and I let him.

I sit in the front seat, my hands folded in my lap. The radio is playing rock music softly. Lukas' fingers tap rhythmically on the steering wheel. We settle into a comfortable silence.

Lukas still looks sad, so I put my hand on his knee. He flinches, almost like I burned him, so I take my hand away. A few seconds later, Lukas takes my hand and places it back onto his knee. He smiles slightly, his eyes still focused on the road. I smile back, my eyes looking out the window watching the passing trees.

~~~~

We reach a restaurant near the gym where I fight. We sit at a booth and Lukas sits across from me, his hands in his lap. His hood is still over his head and he doesn't make any motion to take it off. Then the waitress comes.

"Can I get you two something to drink?" She asks.

Lukas looks at me. "Ladies first," he says like a gentleman.

I smile. "I'll have a Coke please," I say.

The waitress smiles. "Of course! How about you?" She asks, turning to Lukas.

Lukas looks up at her, his scar hidden completely behind his hood, he gives her a sweet smile and clears his throat.

"I'll have the same," he says, then turns back to me.

The waitress leaves with our orders and Lukas scratches his ear that is hidden in his hood, exposing a strand of blonde hair. He smiles at me, crossing his arms across the table.

"So, Coke, huh?" He says.

I giggle. "Yeah, I practically live for soda," I say.

Lukas laughs, his white teeth shining under the dim restaurant lights. "Me too. I like them all. Especially Coke." He says.

The light appears to have grown back into his eyes. "Thanks for doing this, by the way, I needed to get out of there." Lukas says.