x marks the spot {Completed}

Chapter 13

•~••~•~•~•*change in POV*•~•~•~••~•
The book I subconsciously took was a horror. Just my luck. After about ten minutes I couldn't force myself to read, or rather pretend to read it anymore. Plus some guys at the table behind me were giving me some real odd glances. Luke when down the far left row of bookshelves. I hadn't seen or heard his trolley since. To put it slightly, I was worried, I had no reason to be, but I was. I've always been kinda paranoid.
"Well hello there missy."
He was behind me. His voice made my pores raise. He was not good news.
"Oh come on, I know you can hear me."
I turned.
"Hi?"
"I was just wondering if you were here alone,"
"That isn't you're concern. But I'm here with a friend."
His eyebrows shot up.
"Well what do you say to sitting with us until you're 'friend' comes back."
His voice was bey suggestive, and his table of only guys didn't make the pill any easier to swallow.
"Thanks but no thanks."
I grabbed my book and dashed to where I had last seen Luke. I continued walking in and out of lanes of books. That guy's footsteps were still following close behind. I had to lose him. I retracted my steps and made a silent left. I watched him follow the steps I had previously made, until he was well out of sight before continuing to look for Luke. It didn't take long. He was four lanes away. I was about to make my presence known when I realized that he wasn't alone.
"I know you're lying."
"Rex I don't know where Keith is. Zac threw a party but he didn't even show up. How am I supposed to know where he was?"
"You better be telling the truth because the boss wants him asap."
"Get out of here before someone hears."
Luke was whispering. 'Rex' was practically yelling. After letting out a low menacing growl, he made attempted to make his exit, only to bounce right into the guy that was following me.
"I thought I told you to seat and watch guard?"
"A girl slipped passed us..."
My breath hitched. What was he supposed to watch guard for? I was left to Luke. Rex and the other guy was to the right. I couldn't see Luke's expression when Rex responded.
"She can't live then."
He made it sound like he was talking about a doll or something insignificant.
He continued.
"She could've heard our conversation."
Luke interjected,
"What if she didn't?"
Rex looked taken back, but he quickly masked his emotions when he replied.
"You should know that we don't take chances in this line of business."
What line of business was he referring to? What line of business entailed that killing people from overhearing conversations in a public area was completely fine? Nothing about this sounded right.
"Is she pretty?"
Rex's crony was next to respond.
"Yeah, a real beaut."
"We'll find her. Maybe she'll replace that girl, what's her name? Maddie? Candy?"
"Maggie?"
Rex hadn't expected Luke to propose a option, far less for the right option.
"How do you know?"
"What did you do to her?"
Luke sounded pissed.
"Oh well, you know how it goes. We were holding another meeting between the books and she stumbled in uninvited."
"She works in here!"
"That's really unfortunate. It didn't help when a little birdy told us that she was working for the other side."
"I don't believe you."
"You don't have to, now I'll take my leave. Maybe I'll bounce up that pretty girl again."
It could've been my imagination, but I could've swore I saw Luke's face twitch from the side view. Rex turned to leave, his crony followed behind him. When they were about four lanes away I heard Luke sigh. I sighed back. He turned. I moved from behind the shelf. He walked towards me. I walked towards him. He engulfed me in his embrace. I melted to his touch. Then he pulled away.
"How long have you been there?"
"Since he asked you for Ben's son."
"This is bad. Their gonna be looking for you now... why didn't you stay by the table?"
"His cronies were giving me real hard stares, then that one that was just with him came to get me to go with them."
"What did you do?"
"I grabbed my book and ran off... he came after me and you can fill in the rest."
He nodded. His trolley was empty. He didn't try to make any kinda conversation with me. I was worried.
"Where does this one go?"
His eyes snapped to mine, then to the book I held up.
"Last row, to the left of Lock & Key and Dreamland."
I followed his directions and placed the book back in its place. He was waiting with his hand out when I was done. Without questioning it, I took his hand in mine and surprisingly we fell into comfortable silence as we exited the library. He opened and closed the door for me in silence, sat in his seat in silence, started the car in silence, started driving in silence and pulled into the car park of a shoreline ice cream parlor in silence. I should've spoken up. I should've told him. But I didn't. He looked spooked. He was still thinking about that encounter. I could see it on his face. Maybe ice cream was his way of calming his nerves. So instead of telling him something I probably should've, I followed him into the parlor. Wind chimes announced our arrival and made our presence known. He walked to the furthest booth and sat down. I followed him, slipping in on the opposite end.
"This booth has the best view."
He informed me, without moving his eyes from the ocean. It's push and pull seemed to calm him down. So I stayed silent.
"I know you have questions, and you deserve answers. But it isn't my place to give you those answers. If you could just hold on until school reopens..."
"Okay."
I didn't know what to tell him. Who am I to decide which secrets stayed hidden? Sure we were friends six years ago, but now we were both different people. He had his secrets and I had mine. A waitress came to take our orders before he could respond.
"Good afternoon. Welcome to Shores Ice Cream Parlor. What can I get for you today?"
I looked up to the order board, positioned right above the cashier.
"Double scoop chocolate cookies and cream, waffle cone."
Luke had definitely not expected me to order first. He opened and closed his mouth numerous times before creating the most unoriginal order ever.
"I'll have what she's having."
The waitress scribbled on her notepad before telling us the total. He paid, partially because he was a gentleman and mostly because I forgot my clutch home. I'd promise to pay next time. Our orders took five minutes to prepare, and was delivered by a strawberry blond waiter. A strawberry blond waiter that I knew.
"Jason!"
"Amber!"
"Dude I haven't seen you in forever!"
"Yeah well you didn't make it easy to find you, Kent is worried sick."
He took that moment to realize that I had company.
"I'm on work, I'll leave my number. Call me, we need to catch up."
He took out his pen and scribbled down his number on a napkin before handing us our waffle cones. I thought we would've eaten it there, but Luke had other plans.