And I, You

24

"Hey how was Lucas last night?" Zay asked me once we sat down at lunch "better. But still quiet" I reply "they're all kind of just sitting in bed not eating" I add. A few of them frown "I feel bad for him" Sofia sighed. I nodded, I feel bad for him too.

"I'm going food shopping today can you come with?" I plead to Riley, not wanting to go alone "Yea let's go after school" she replied giving me a small smile.

I waited for Riley after class, outside by the front gate "hey sorry I had um something I had to deal with" she said out of breath, fixing her clothes. I gave her a disgusted look, not wanting to know what she had to deal with "yeah ok" I said.

We headed to the supermarket where we picked up a few things like milk, eggs and bread. "What else do you think they need?" Riley asked while browsing the isles "I dunno. Let's just get a whole bunch of junk food" I reply, throwing bags of chips and lollies into the cart

"Thanks for coming with, Riley" I say, giving her a hug at the supermarket door "do you need help taking the bags to his house?" She asked "no I'm okay. You go hang out with Farkle" I smirk. She laughs, heading in a different direction to where I need to go.

I get to his house, unlocking the door and closing it behind me. The house stayed pretty tidy overnight, no one downstairs. I go to the kitchen and unpack the groceries, placing them where they should go.

I head upstairs to Julia's room, she was sitting on the bed. Her face still swollen, I can only imagine the headache she must be having. "How are you today?" I ask sweetly. "I'm doing okay" she smiled a small smile, wiping her face. "Let's run you a bath" I tell her, going into the bathroom and running the hot water.

I chuck in some lavender bath salts, along with different types of bubble bath to create a warm, relaxing feeling. I took the lighter from the bathroom cabinet, lighting a few candles around the bath "it's in there running" I tell her, coming back into her room. She pushes herself off the bed, going to the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

I decide to go straight over to Lucas' room figuring that Zoe will be fine like always. I open his door gently to see him sitting up in bed, a movie playing on the tv across from him. He paused the movie "you came later today" he said quietly "yea I'm sorry I went grocery shopping" I replied

I stood there unsure of what to say for a few moments before coming up with an idea "Your friends give you their love" I inform him. He nods a little bit, taking a deep breath in. "Are you gonna sit down or what?" He said, turning back to me.

I sat next to him gently on the bed "are you ready to talk about it?" I say quietly. Lucas moved so that he was lying down on me, his head resting on my chest while I was still sitting up. I used my arm that he was lying on to stroke small designs into his hair while he sat there thinking for a bit.

"I'm-I'm more relieved then upset. My father had huge expectations. He was all Lucas you must do this you must do that and when you know you can't live up to those expectations it-it hurts you know? He would control the whole house, shout at me for everything I've done wrong, before I've even don't it while braiding Zoe's hair and rubbing her feet" he started

"Moving to New York was hard because it was like finally I can live without him controlling me but when you grow up in that environment..you stay in that's place. So I turned to things like smoking and drinking, girls and going to parties because it was the only thing I could control. I'm rude to people, I don't help out my family, I say sexual things that make girls uncomfortable and I have a reputation at school that not even I like" he continued, pausing a few times to think

"It's all those things you've said to me, that I don't help my family and that I need to say thank you to Zoe. I got mad but you were right, you're the first person to tell me, to be honest with me. That's why I've kept you around, while I attach myself to you. Because you make me want to be a good person" he confessed, mumbling the last sentence

I instantly felt bad, regretting all of the things that I said to him before without knowing his past "why don't you decide to change..? To work on yourself" I ask quietly "I will. I will try to" he replied. "Well that's the best you can do, you don't know until you try, and if you try you might surprise yourself" I tell him

"Once this very rough stage of your life passes, you'll be able to focus on better things. For now, you need to focus on helping out your family, being there for the parent who stayed. And healing, let yourself be upset Lucas. You don't have to be tough all the time! Especially not around me, your friends or your family " I add quietly, continuing playing with his hair.

He broke down silently at my words, his body jolting from the tears coming out of his eyes. I pulled the duvet back over him, up to his shoulders and turned my head so that it was resting on top of his, using my spare hand to hold him closer to me while he hurt.

He cried softly for a few minutes, until calming down but not moving from his position, staying in my embrace. "Do you want anything..?" I ask quietly "Cheetos" he mumbled from tucked in the crook of my neck

I couldn't help but chuckle at his response, pulling away from him "well lucky for you! I bought you some today" I tell him excitedly. A small smile grew across his face "you have to come downstairs with me though to get them" I reason.

He nods, getting up from on top of me. I get up too l, heading over to Zoe's room and knocking on the door "we're watching a movie if you want to come" I whisper to her quietly. She jumps up from her dolls on the floor, holding my hand and coming down the stairs with Lucas and I

He goes to the kitchen to collect the snacks while Zoe and I sit on the couch together. Lucas comes in, sitting on the other side of Zoe so that we are all snuggled in close to each other, wrapping ourselves up in blankets

"Let's watch Barbies mermaid life!" She shouted happily seeing it pop up on Netflix. Lucas chuckled quietly, putting on the moving. He straightened his arm that was resting on the back of the couch toward me, catching my attention

"Thank you" he mouthed, a small smile on his face. I smiled back, hoping that it helped him out in some way.