BOXER

sixteen

Luke thought about commenting about how it didn't matter since soon it would be covered in her ex-boyfriend's blood, but he refrained.

"Don't worry about it." He said as he smiled at her.

She still made the effort to dry it as she patted slightly on the wet spot.

"Come on." Luke removed her hand from his shirt before turning around and continuing to walk to the shop, this time with Brielle directly next to him. He looked down at her hand and thought about intertwining it with his, but loses his chance once she grasps her own hand and lets her arms dangle in front of her.

The bell above the door rings when the two of them walk in. Calum, who was at one of the registers, notices them almost immediately.

"Luke?" Calum called out from behind the counter. He somehow managed to have a big grin on his face while also looking confused.

"Hey fucker!" Luke yelled, a little too loud, before making his way to him.

Brielle followed Luke closely as he walked towards Calum. She didn't see Tyler and of course she was relieved, but it also made her quite nervous. Where could he have gone?

"What the hell are you doing here? With Brielle?" He questioned, gesturing to her. Calum was too focused on the fact that Luke was here, to ask her why she was gone when he got out of the bathroom.

"I gotta talk to you about something," Luke stated as he leaned his elbows against the counter.

"Did something happen?" He asked, glancing at Brielle before looking back at Luke.

"Yeah. Can we talk in the back room or whatever?"

"Uh, yeah." Calum hesitatingly responds, kind of nervous over the fact that his best friend who he hadn't seen for a few weeks and his co-worker who ditched work this morning were suddenly standing in front of them. He was completely unaware they even knew each other.

He nodded towards the back door, and Luke looked at Brielle before following Calum. She noticed how Calum just completely abandoned his register, although she didn't say anything.

The break room was completely empty as the three of them walked in.

"You want something to drink?" Calum offered, but Luke shook his head almost immediately. Brielle gave Luke a glare, even though she was behind him and he couldn't see. She could've used a refreshment after crying possibly all her tears.

"How do you guys even know each other?" Calum sat at one of the round tables, and Luke and Brielle sit next to each other across from him.

"It's a long story," Luke stated, avoiding that subject. He wasn't sure if Brielle was okay with him going into detail.

"Oh. It's crazy that you guys do."

"Yeah."

He opens his mouth to talk again, although closes it and rethinks what he's going to say.

Luke hadn't really put much thought into how he was going to bring up Tyler to Calum. He realized how stupid it was to think that he was going to walk in here and just have him fired.

"I feel like I'm about to be interrogated." Calum scratches the nape of his neck, and Brielle could tell by his facial expression that he was uncomfortable. God, she was uncomfortable too. She had yet to see Tyler, and all she could worry about was where he was.

She was also confused on why Calum hadn't brung up the fact that she completely bailed on her job this morning. Or the fact that she hadn't said anything since she arrived.