Hidden Behind Everything Happy

Lies and deceit

I had called Lukas mobile three times and I was starting to get worried about him, he very rarely didn't answer his phone, and even less regularly did he not answer it to me. It scared me and sent something writhing in he put of my stomach, was I going to lose him? What if I'd selfishly been blaming him and having a blast all day when he was wrapped around a tree or in a ditch face down? It didn't bear thinking about... But I couldn't stop thinking about it now that it was spinning through my mind.  

Should I get a yellow phone book and go trough all of the hospitals to see if he'd been admitted last night? And if worst comes to worse shall I call the morgues and funeral homes to see if they'd heard anything? No- don't be stupid Sophie... Before any of this irrational behaviour I should just go to his house. If he's not there then I can worry.  

I called Scott. It got no answer, he was either still pissed I'd hit him or he had scored and didn't care enough to want me I'd have to get home by myself, I thought it was probably a bit of both. I ran to be bus depot and found that the last bus had been thirteen minutes ago. God damn it.  

I hailed a taxi from the street corner feeling more than a little exposed as it had started to rain and a killer wind was ripping me sideways. My top was white and I could feel the eyes of the taxi driver as he craned his neck to see my cleavage that was rapidly becoming exposed. Why couldn't I have found a nice gentleman taxi driver... Oh yeah, this isn't fiction.  

"19 freight lane please" I got googly eyes from the driver a he pulled off, and I half expected it to be like a kidnap movie where the locks on the doors would go down and I'd be stuck in the back of the moving vehicle fearing for my life. Man I was on edge today. 

He was a greasy man with small beady eyes and a large mouth with huge blow-fish lips. I looked out of the window positioning my arms so that he couldn't see anything more than was decent. I noticed his eyes stopped looking at me in the mirror then but instead stared at the road and where he was going, I thought patronisingly in my head 'good boy, your learning',  

It took only ten minutes and exactly thirteen pounds, I was not impressed that most of my days workings had gone on getting me here, surely Lukas should be the one chasing me around, after all he was the one who needed to apologise.  

I knocked on his door and stood in the front garden thinking how Lukas' had never invited me back here. He never mentioned his home life, and now I was faced with the distinct possibility that I wouldn't be welcomed here. I breathed in and knocked three more times, I saw a curtain move in one of the upstairs windows just as the door opened to reveal a heavily overweight man wearing a dirty vest and khaki shorts staring at me while holding a half empty bottle of vodka. Terrified I had the wrong house I opened my mouth to speak but he spoke before I could get a word out. 

"Are you here to take my family away?" I was now officially confused, and I really had no idea what to say to that. And I could see no sign of Lukas running to my rescue, I would have left because part of me was feeling uneasy and scared that this drunk was looking at me ravenously, but I had to know Lukas was alright. That single urge spurred me on. 

"Does Lukas live here?" I said plastering a fake smile on my face to hide the fact that this drunkard human being completely repulsed me, I didn't think showing him my disgust was a good idea. 

"He does, but I don't know why you look so pleased, he won't be doing anything for you" I didn't understand what he meant by that, then their was a crash and a few dull thuds followed by a groan as I saw Lukas fall down the stairs tucked into a tight ball, my heart jumped to my throat. I took a step into the house as a reflex, I wanted to help him. 

"I wouldn't if I were you deary, I wouldn't want you getting caught in the cross fire" Which was obviously what he wanted because those dark eyes swept down the curve of my body and I realised once again that my top was showing more than it should in the wet weather.  

"Sophie go..." I heard the little squeaky croak from the foot of the stairs and wondered if he'd broke anything in that fall, I sure hoped not.  

"Sophie go... you pathetic little rat!" He turned to Lukas and launched a kick at ribs, but I grabbed his arm feeling sick. Was this his dad? I pulled against him but in his drunken state he was strong, and he didn't like being interrupted. I couldn't help but feel like gagging being this close to him... this man didn't deserve to be a dad, and yet he was still alive, and my dad who had never done anything to anyone died needlessly. The cruel hand of fate.

"Please let me get him out of your way, then he won't bother you" I hoped I wasn't underestimating his intelligence in thinking that this might make him want to let Lukas come with me.  

"No, but your starting to get in my way now Sophie" he grabbed my hair and I wasn't suspecting it, I was pushed up against a wall breathing quickly, nobody had ever handled me with this much force. Certainly not a parent, this was so wrong. I noticed how his eyes were fixated on my cleavage and I felt like throwing up right about then, a pervert was touching me; there was nothing I could do about it. 

"Get off her Jack" It was little more than a squeak and sent Lukas dad Jack into fits of laughter before turning to a colossal rage. I was terrified. 

"Or what you little pig! You pitiful disgusting excuse for a man!" He kicked him again and I squealed at the pain, I felt so sorry for him being kicked in the ribs. I bet they'd be broken.  

"Please leave him alone!" I screamed so loud I was sure that half of the street heard, he covered my mouth with his hand and I panicked, I started screaming. But what he didn't realise was that I had my phone in my hand and I'd dialled the number 999. I held the phone up and showed him that the police were probably recording his yells, he grabbed my wrist and twisted it making me scream out.  

Thankfully at that moment a fourth voice joined the barrage in the shape of Lukas' mother who came Through the door holding bags of groceries from the local shop. What she must have seen was her husband pinning a teenage girl against a wall by her hair and her own son in a state on the floor.  

"Put her down Jack!" As if hit by an electric shock he dropped me and I hit into he shelf that ha been holding me upright sticking out from the wall. I felt hot blood running down my back.  

"Sophie take Lukas upstairs" I was not taking him upstairs, I didn't care if she was his mother, he was my best friend and I wouldn't leave him in this hell home of a house.  

"No, I'm taking Lukas to my home" I'm sure she could see my anger and hatred glowing In my eyes. What kind of Mother could let this happen to her only son? "Don't even bother" I cut her off before she could even begin to get her opinion out. Jack collapsed through the door into what I guessed was the living room, it smelled like beer and stale sweat. I gagged in the back of my throat and I saw colour rise in Lukas' mothers cheeks. She should be embarrassed.

I bent down and placed the back of my hand on his face, he winced and I could see a purple bruise coming out on his cheek. I petted his face and felt eternally guilty for blaming him for not calling or texting me back. His eye was nearly closed and glowing a blackened blue. I felt tears prickling in my eyes and falling down my face. It felt so tragic that someone as good as Lukas had to go through something so terrible.  

I half carried half dragged him out of that house feeling a sense of achievement of getting him out of the firing line that was his own home. He didn't speak and I could hardly work my fingers from shaking so much, but I managed to get my mums number. I hadn't spoken since we'd made it out of his house, we were halfway down the street and Lukas was leaning on a flowerpot with this look of innocence and defeat.  

"M-mum, please come and get me, please I'm at Lukas' house " She didn't ask many questions apart from why are you crying , but I couldn't bring myself tell her over the phone so I just hug up with this sick feeling in my stomach.  

"She said ten minutes" We got into the car ten minutes later with a heavy feeling in my heart. I saw the alarm in my mothers face, and I knew we both looked a state.Lukas looked like he'd gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson and I looked like I'd been dragged through a hedge backwards.  

We drove to my house in silence. I made him lie in the back with his head in my lap with this feeling of numbness in my heart. I couldn't believe this could happen right under my nose without me even knowing.  

"Don't leave me" Lukas was looking at me desperately. I thought in my head while stroking his hair. I wont...