PICTURE OF SAM
Song: This Place Hotel (AKA Heartbreak Hotel)- Michael Jackson
All he could remember was the shock, followed by the pain, in her dark brown eyes. Everyone else was a blur. he didn't even feel the pain of her slapping him. Luke felt extremely bad for what he said about Jaylee, and truth be told, he didn't mean a thing he said about her. Every word he uttered was out of anger towards Miley.
Luke knew Jaylee was trying to help him. She was trying to care, but he had to be a dick and run his mouth. Why didn't he think before he spoke? Why didn't he apologize? Better yet, why didn't he say nothing at all? Luke knew she was concerned about who had hurt him. He knew she just wanted him to be okay, but he was stupid. He was mad at other people, and Jaylee just happened to be in the path of that anger. He knew he more than likely made her feel insecure, and he hated himself for it. Jaylee had nothing to be insecure about. She was perfect, even with her heartbreaker ways. If she hated him, good. He deserved the hate. It was all his fault.
For some reason, Luke wanted to hit himself for everything he did that day. He couldn't understand why. He was about to apologize, but she slapped him, and honestly, he was glad she did. He deserved all the hits in the world for everything he said to her. When he watched her drive away, a part of him wanted to run after her, but his feet were glued to the ground. He figured he should let her cool off. She needed some space.
Was he stopping the game? Of course not. His main goal was to break the girl's heart. She deserved to feel the pain that her victims felt. He still wanted to make her vulnerable, and break her heart, but he had to be a little nicer to keep the game going.
Luke was about to hop in his own car when someone grabbed him from behind. He whipped around to see Collin. He knew he was dead as soon as he saw Collin. He had been torturing him for days. Collin's hand met Luke's other eye, and then his nose. Luke tried to fight back, but he failed because he was pinned to the parking lot, repeatedly getting punched in the face. Luke could have fought back. There was no doubt; he was strong enough to fight back, but Luke let Collin hit him over and over. Luke deserved it for hurting Jaylee. Collin finally stopped after he sent a hard kick right into Luke's stomach, knocking all the air out of him.
As soon as Collin was gone, Luke painfully stood up and limped to his car. He slowly got in and drove away from the school. He couldn't go to Jaylee this time. There was no doubt she hated him.
And if she did, Luke could never blame her. It was all his fault.
***
Jaylee finally reached her house. Hurt and confusion were running through her mind-- through her whole body. Everything Luke said was replaying in her mind like a broken record. His words hurt. He thought she was worthless. He thought she wasn't good enough.
The sad part was, Jaylee agreed with him.
She knew she wasn't good enough ever since she was with Eric, but she easily got over being insecure once she became a heartbreaker. Luke entered her life and gave her a damn good reason to feel insecure again. Was she heartbroken? Hell no, but she was the one trying to help Luke get Miley back, and he had the nerve to say those things to her? Jaylee never wanted to see him again.
Jaylee walked into the kitchen, and Sam was sitting at the island with his face buried in her hands. Jaylee grew worried. Sam only sat like that when he was getting deployed, or his favorite TV show was canceled. Jaylee hoped for the ladder. Sam couldn't leave again-- at least not right then.
"Hey, bro. What's wrong?" Sam looked up at her, his eyes sunken. Whatever had him down, she knew it couldn't be good. Sam was always cheerful or cracking a joke. He was never sad.
"I have to go to Vietnam." He muttered, and Jaylee walked closer to him. Sam stared at the ground.
Jaylee swallowed the lump in her throat. "Well, surely you can't be leaving too soon, right?"
Sam glanced at Jaylee, and her heart wrenched. She hated seeing her brother sad. He was always the light in her dark world, and when he was sad, she was sad.
"They want me to leave Friday night. I-I won't be back for six months." Jaylee felt like a knife had gone straight through her heart. Six months without Sam? He just got home. He couldn't leave again. Jaylee needed him so much.
"W-what are you going to do?" Jaylee questioned, her voice cracking, but she knew she couldn't cry. She had to be strong for Sam.
"I'm not sure yet. I have been in the military for five years, maybe I could ask for military leave and stay home for a while." Jaylee nodded, hugged him, and walked up to her room. She laid on her bed and placed her headphones in her ears, blasting her music to forget the dark, bitter world. She must have fallen asleep, because she was awoken to someone shaking her. Her eyes fluttered open, and Sam stood in front of her.
"What's wrong?" She panicked, and Sam smiled at her, which increased her mood a little.
"I talked to the Lieutenant, and he said I could stay home a little longer." A smile crept across Jaylee's face, and she reached up to hug Sam.
"Oh, Sam! I am so happy for you!" Sam smiled at her after letting go, but then his smile transformed into a look of worry.
"Now, sis, who is this Luke you were screaming for in your sleep?" He questioned, and Jaylee instantly paled. What. The. Hell.
Screaming Luke's name in her sleep? She had heard of different types of crazy, but that broke the crazy scale. She couldn't even remember her dream! This is so messed up, she thought.
"W-w-what do you m-mean?" She stuttered, and Sam busted out laughing. Jaylee could feel heat creeping up her face, all the way up to the tips of her ears.
Once Sam calmed down, he stared at Jaylee with a funny look. "You were screaming his name, and now I want the juicy deets. Who is he?"
"Sam--"
"Is he hot?"
"Now--"
"Does he have a nice bod?"
"I don't--"
"Is he a good kisser?"
"Well--"
"Wait, don't answer that. I might kill the kid."
"Okay--"
"WAIT. Did you sleep with him!?"
"Sam, I swear to God above if you don't shut up, I will kill you in your sleep." Sam's face paled, but he instantly covered it up with a smirk.
"Ah, so you have slept with him."
The look Jaylee gave him was enough to put him six feet under. He slowly backed up from his sister and swallowed hard, keeping his eyes locked on her and her eyes of terror. Jaylee relaxed and laid back on her pillows, but her eyes still shot daggers through Sam.
"He's this guy I go to school with. I don't know why I would be screaming his name." She looked away from her brother as tears welled in her eyes. "We got in a fight today, and right now, I couldn't care less if he drove right off a cliff. I absolutely hate him."
A knowing smile grew on Sam's face, and Jaylee shot him a confused look.
"Maybe you were screaming his name because you were hurt. Or maybe, you're in love with him."
"Sam!"
"What!? I'm only stating the possibilities." Sam wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she glared at him. Jaylee chucked a pillow at him, but he caught it. Damn him and his stupid cat like reflexes.
"Okay, go to your room before I actually decide to kill you."
Sam stood up and sent Jaylee a salute, "Sir yes sir!"
He darted out of her room, and Jaylee giggled at him before she slowly started to fall asleep again. She was almost completely asleep when someone knocked on her balcony door. She rolled out of bed with a groan to see Luke standing at the door. She rolled her eyes and started to walk back to her bed.
"Jaylee, wait!" He shouted through the door, and Jaylee groaned, opening the door.
"What the hell do you want?" Luke walked in and sat on her bed. He knew she would probably have a reaction like this, but he had to come to her. He had to be the one to try to fix things.
"I know you hate me right now, and-"
"Damn right I do. Can you leave now?" She interrupted, and Luke glared at her. She glared right back.
"...If you would let me finish my damn sentence. God, Jaylee. You are such a bitch sometimes." Jaylee rolled her eyes. "I need you to heal up this black eye a little. My mom will kill me if she sees it."
Jaylee bitterly laughed. Was he serious? Did he seriously think she would help him after everything he said? If he did, he was completely and utterly stupid.
"Let her see it! You probably deserved it!" She yelled, and Luke stood up, walking closer to her. Jaylee backed up. He wouldn't physically hurt her, would he? A part of her was kind of scared, and Luke saw that. He would never lay a hand on her. He knew better than to physically hurt a girl. He tried to calm himself down before he actually spoke to her.
"Dammit, Jaylee! Can't you just help me instead of being so self centered!?" He yelled back, and Jaylee's body turned stiff. Her mind was somewhere else. Luke grabbed her arm and dragged her to the bathroom. He sat on the edge of the bathtub, and Jaylee grabbed the first-aid kit.
As she was getting the stuff ready, Jaylee noticed Luke was discreetly gripping his stomach. She grabbed a wash cloth, made it wet, and placed it on his eye. She then squatted in front of him and lifted up his shirt, only to see way too many bruises. A huge brown bruise covered half of his abs, and Luke flinched in pain whenever she touched it. As much as she hated him in that moment, she still hated to see him in so much pain. Curse the good piece of her heart, she thought. Jaylee grabbed another rag and placed it on the bruise. Luke could see she was concerned about him, even when she hated him. It was a nice thought. Once she was finished cleaning his cuts, Luke grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. Luke gazed into her eyes.
"Thanks. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here to help me." Jaylee rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. She knew he was just trying to suck up so he could keep the game going.
"Yeah, whatever. You probably would have went to Miley." Luke looked down, and then back up at Jaylee. His eyes held a lot of regret, but she didn't want to forgive him yet, if ever. Luke sighed as Jaylee pulled away from him, and the two walked to her balcony. They stood there, the wind gently ruffling their hair, and Luke walked closer to her. He attempted to kiss her cheek, but she turned away.
"Why are you turning away?" He whispered, and Jaylee shook her head.
"Why do you care? I mean, you know what you said, Luke. Obviously, you meant every word of it." Jaylee faced him again, walking closer. "I was trying to help you get your stupid slut back, and you, being the bastard you are, got mad and said what you did! Do you honestly think I want to be around you right now?"
No, and I don't blame you. His mind said, but he stayed silent. Jaylee let out a frustrated sigh, but he could see the hurt in her eyes. Oh, those eyes. How beautiful and honest they were.
"Whatever. Just leave, and don't talk to me." Jaylee walked back into her room, slamming the door. Luke watched as she grabbed her headphones and placed them in her ears, and he let out a sigh. Jaylee slid into her bed, instantly falling asleep.
Jaylee was so asleep, she didn't even know she muttered the words, "Luke.. why do you do this.. to me..."
Luke crawled down the latter that led to Jaylee's balcony and started his walk home. A part of him wanted to grab her, pull her back, and assure her he didn't mean a word he said. Luke loathed that part of himself. He didn't want to give in. He didn't want to fall for her. He had to be the one to break her heart, or else their feud would go on forever. Luke knew he made her really mad, but most of all, he hurt her.He screwed up big time. Why did he have to be so stupid and say the things he said? Why did he feel so bad about what he did?
He didn't.. like her...
Did he?