Chapter: Broken
Prom is today and everyone is getting ready, besides me. I have better things to do at the moment. Things that I don't need my boyfriend to know.
"Hack into this," I said to Calum, holding the thumb drive in his face.
He raised a brow. "What is it?"
"Proof," I stated.
"Of what?" He asked, taking out of my hand, then sitting in front of his computer.
"That someone killed her and I think it's Max's dad."
"Didn't Luke tell you not to go looking anymore?"
I rolled my eyes. "That's why he isn't here. I need to do this, even if I get arrested for it," I muttered the last part.
"Where did you get this from?" He asked, plugging it in and typing away.
"Max."
He stopped typing and faced me. "You got this from the son of the guy you think raped and killed your best friend? Not to mention, the guy that's trying to steal my girl."
"Yeah," I nodded.
"Haven't you ever thought that this was tampered with?" He started typing again, but in a fast and aggressive way.
"I asked if it was. What are you doing?"
"Seeing if they planted a tracking device on it. The hack won't be traceable, but opening the file might trigger something." He pushed his chair back and gestured me towards the screen.
"What am I looking at?" I asked, confused with all these hacker things.
"That is a tracking device on the file. If I open it here, it'll set off an alarm."
"For who?"
"The person Max got this from."
"How could he open it the first time?" I looked back at him.
"The tracker was put on the file recently. A week ago to be exact." He pointed at the screen.
He was right, there was a time and date set on the screen. "Can you get into it without setting off the alarm?"
"No. If I open that file, that alarm would be set off and you'll be in prison in the next twenty-four hours." He tapped his chin and rocked on his chair. "We can't open it here, it's too obvious that it's you opening it," he muttered.
"How is it obviously me?"
"Because the guy has everything on us." He rolled away and grabbed the papers. He rolled back handing it to me and I scanned the list of people on it. It wasn't a long list, but the people I care about the most are on it. "He has a list of people helping you. Lulu's even on the list," he mumbled.
We were silent. I kept staring at the screen, trying to find away for me to get into the file without knowing it's me. I can't do it here, I can't do it at anyone else's house. I need to do it somewhere it isn't obvious that I'm the one opening the file.
"Tonight," I said when an idea popped into my head. I looked back at him and he raised a brow.
"What about tonight?" He asked.
"Tonight's prom, right?" He nodded, leaning forward. "I'll use the computers in the library and open the file there. The gym will be filled with students. They won't suspect it's me. I'll print all the things on the file and I'll give it to the police."
"The question is, will Luke allow you to do that?"
"Luke doesn't need to know," I muttered bitterly.
"He's going to be pissed when he finds out you're doing this."
I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "I know. That's why he can't find out."
"So when you go to prison, you're hoping he won't find out?" I nodded. "He will find out."
"Just not now." I started to smile. "Take off the hack and I'll open the file tonight."
"What happens when Luke notices that you're gone?"
"Enough with the questions already," I snapped. "I get it, he'll find out. But he won't tonight. Tonight's prom and he'll be surrounded by a lot of people."
"He'll notice you sneaked off."
"That's why I need a distraction."
Who could distract Luke for me? I need someone who's loud and a major distraction. Vance! Vance is the most distracting person I've met.
He rolled his eyes and started taking off the hack. "Speaking of prom. Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
"Yeah, I'll get ready at three. Piper's helping me with my look for tonight."
"It's three-fifteen."
My eyes widened and I pulled out my phone. He was right, I'm fifteen minutes late. "Damn it!"
"I can drop you there."
"Don't you have to get ready?" I asked, taking the tumb drive out.
He shrugged. "Does it matter if I go or not?"
"She hasn't talked to you yet?" This wasn't like Lulu. This wasn't like any of us in my family, besides mom. They usually forgive the person they're mad at the day after, depending on the situation. Lulu's never been mad at someone for more than a few days.
"I saw her with Max today, I think he's taking her tonight."
"Didn't you ask her to be your date?"
"Yeah, but how can I go with someone who can't stand being around me at the moment?"
I shrugged. "I don't know, just show up to her house with all that sappy shit normal girls like, then take her to prom. Simple."
"Easier said than done," he muttered.
"Where did you see them, anyway?" I asked, shoving my phone and thumb drive in my pocket.
"At Wendy's."
I rolled my eyes. "Are you going drop me off or not?" I asked, getting away from the conversation.
"Yeah," he said getting up and grabbing his keys.
I rushed to get inside Piper's house. She got mad because I was late and she was almost done with her hair. She sat me in front of her vanity when she was done and starter curling my hair. I couldn't keep still when she was applying makeup. It feels weird and I constantly touch my face, so I don't know how I'm going to look at the end of tonight.
"Stop touching it," she said, looking at me through the mirror.
I'm currently sitting in her bed and trying to get some of the clumps of mascara off. "It's bothering me," I complained.
She rolled her eyes and started to apply eyeliner on herself. She curled my hair to half-up-half-down style. We spent an hour getting ready me ready and thirty minutes to get Piper ready. I didn't have heels, or flats, or sandals to wear, but her mom has shoes I could fit. Here I thought I could wear my boots.
"You look gorgeous," Piper beamed.
"Can we just go?" I asked impatiently.
"Pictures first," Mr. Lee said, shaking the camera.
I sighed and was stuck in a never ending series of picture taking. The doorbell rang and I rushed to open it, getting out of picture taking. Ashton stood there in his tux with a bright smile.
"Hey, Lulu," he greeted.
I rolled my eyes and punched his arm. "Wrong twin, Ash."
He rubbed his arm. "Sorry, you just look like her."
"She looks like me," I snapped, reminding him that I'm older.
"Just because you're older by nine minutes," he mocked.
"It matters!"
"I knew it was you," he smiled. "I'm just buying him time."
I raised a brow at him. "Buying time?" I questioned.
He nodded and moved out of the way. Luke was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, muttering things to himself. He tugged at his hair then fixed it in the sideview mirror. He started to pace again, biting his lip ring. Is it weird that I find it adorable? He pulled at his hair again and I chuckled. I walked up to him and smiled.
"I'm Lola Heart," I said, trying to make his nervousness go away. I held my hand out for him. Also recreating a proper way we should've met.
He stopped pacing and looked at my hand, then at me. He smiled. "Hi, I'm Luke Hemmings," he said, shaking my hand.
"Are you nervous now?" I whispered to him.
"Whenever I'm around you," he smiled widely. "Oh," he went back to his car and pulled out a flower in a box. "It's a corsage," he said, taking the flower out.
"What is it for?" I asked. I'm really confused with all this prom stuff. I mean, heels, make up, dress? It all seems a bit too much for one night in the school gym.
"For you," he said, slipping it onto my wrist.
"Lola, Luke!" Ashton yelled. "Let's take pictures!"
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Luke laughed and held his arm out for me. I wrapped my arm around his and walked inside. I stopped walking and he looked at me confused.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
I shook my head. "Nothing." I smiled and let out a breath. "Remember me like this, okay?"
"Of course. Why?"
"Just remember me like this, in this dress, how I look, and that I'm smiling with you. Just like this."
He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and smiled, cupping my cheek with his palm. "I'll never forget you," he whispered.
When we arrived, people were staring at me, whispering to one another. I rolled my eyes and kept walking with Luke. My arm was strapped tightly around him, mostly for support in these heels. What person would make these dreadful things? It's torture walking in them.
"You okay?" Luke laughed.
"This is a torture device," I muttered. "Why would girls wear this?"
"At least you're as tall as me now," he joked.
I rolled my eyes and slapped him. Calum came into sight, he was leaning against the table next to the punch bowl.
"Hey," Luke said, nudging him, causing his drink to fall out of his hand.
"What the fuck, man?" Calum said through his teeth. "That was spiked," he whispered.
"You got anymore?" I asked, excitedly.
"No, if I can't drink, you can't drink," Luke scolded me.
I rolled my eyes. "This is going to be a boring night then," I muttered.
"No, it won't. We are going to dance," he said, dragging me to the dance floor.
"Luke," I said, trying to dig my feet into the floor of the gym. "I don't dance."
"Neither do I, but you're going to dance with me." He smiled. Suddenly, he had super strength and pulled me like I weigh nothing. I fell into his arms and he just laughed.
"You are the most cliche guy I've ever met," I chuckled.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, bringing me back to my feet.
"You didn't even let me ask Calum if he came here with my sister," I said, fixing my dress.
"Tonight isn't about that, tonight is about us. You look stunning in that dress by the way," he whispered the last part in my ear as he brought my left hand on his shoulder and my right hand in his palm.
I stepped on his shoe a few times and kept looking down at our feet. I hate these shoes. I hate dancing. Why did I ask this guy to prom again? Oh, yeah. Because I'm actually showing my affections now.
"Please, tell me we're not staying the whole night," I whispered in his ear.
"Why, do you have other plans tonight?" He laughed as we kept dancing in a tiny circle.
"Just to burn these shoes and jump into bed."
"Well, I have other ideas," he whispered. I rolled my eyes and he just kissed me.
"You know," I said, resting my forehead on his, closing my eyes. "You cloud my judgment when you do that."
"You always cloud mine," he whispered. I opened my eyes and stared at his blue ones. "I love you, Heart."
I smiled and swayed with him. I rested my head on his shoulder. "How much longer are we going to keep dancing in a circle?" I chuckled.
"Until your feet hurt," he laughed.
"Then we're done dancing." We walked to the table with Vance and Calum with their jackets off and looking like sore losers. "What's with you two?" I asked, sitting next to Luke.
"I don't have a date," Vance answered.
"And that," Calum pointed to the dance floor.
I looked back to see Lulu dancing with Max. I looked back at Calum, he looked crush, like, he lost everything. "Did you do what I said?" I asked him.
"I was too late, he beat me to her house." He got up and grabbed his jacket.
"Where are you going?" Luke asked.
"Home, there's no point of me being here."
"You can't go," I said quickly. They all stared at me. "I mean, not now at least. You should stay at least ten minutes. I mean, you might miss something good."
"Now to announce your prom king and queen," Tina said, interrupting the whole prom.
Perfect distraction. I smiled then stood up. Luke stood up too. "I'm just going to the bathroom," I said.
He nodded. "Okay," he said, sitting back down.
"I'll be right back," I whispered in his ear.
Once I was out of the gym, I rushed to the library. I dodged a few teachers and students on the way. I finally got to a computer and logged in. I pulled out the thumb drive out of the side of my heel and plugged it in as I calling Vance.
"Didn't I just see you?" He asked.
"Forget that. I need you to distract Luke for me." I open the file and quickly printed all the documents and pictures. Everything popped up and so did an alarm on the side of the computer. "Got to go." I hung up and covered my mouth when I saw the sketch.
Finally, I finally caught the guy. I knew it was him ever since, but I finally have proof. Mr. Owen, raped, beat and killed Diana Marin on July 23, 2008. Diana, I did it.
I heard some rustling and looked st how many copies I had. Twenty more and I'll have his ass in jail. I heard someone walk in. I turned off the monitor and peeped to see who it was. It was Ashton and Max.
"What are you doing here with her?" Ashton asked.
"I want a second chance," Max said. I rolled my eyes and scoffed. They snapped their heads in my direction and I ducked. "I gave Lola the thumb drive with the everything on it," Max continued.
"And you think giving proof to the sister of the girl you love will get you a second chance?"
"I know it seems ridiculous, but I just can't picture my life without Lulu anymore. I hate it and I hate the fact I broke up with her, because of my dad."
"You know, you're dad's going to go to jail after she turns him in."
"He deserves it," he snapped. "I had to go through hell just to make sure Lola stopped looking, I even had to break up with Lulu because of it. My dad raped and killed Diana. He got my brother to delete all evidence down at the precinct. Diana's finally going to get justice."
I clenched my fist and crawled over to grab the thumb drive, putting it back in the side of my heel. I grabbed the papers and took the back exit out of the library. I can't go back into the gym with these papers. I ran to Luke's locker and opened it, placing the evidence in the locker.
My phone rang and I quickly answered it. "Where are you?" I heard Luke say.
"I'll be there soon, just freshening up," I said, rushing to the bathroom.
"Okay, well, Ashton won king and Lulu won queen."
"That's great, I'll see you outside." I hung up and sighed, looking at myself in the mirror.
"You know, you're nothing but a fake," I looked to see Tara in the mirror, crossing her arms with a scowl at me.
"What makes me a fake?" I turned to face her.
"You think changing your look and being more 'civil' will get people to like you? It won't."
"I didn't do it to be civil, I did it for myself." I walked past her and yanked open the door.
"Luke deserves better than you," she said before I left the bathroom.
I hate to admit it, but she's right. Luke does deserves better than me. I'm nothing but a problem and he'll realize it sooner or later.
"Lola," I turned to see Calum walking my way. "You set off the alarm." He showed me a map with the school on it and it was beeping red.
"I know," I said, grabbing the thumb drive then handed it to him.
"The cops are coming."
I nodded. "I printed all the evidence already."
"But you're going to get arrested soon."
Tears started to well up. I swallowed the lump in my throat. My heart ached at the thought of leaving Luke. "I know."
I walked back into the gym, wiping some tears. I spotted Luke talking to Vance. I sighed and smiled. I walked up to him and held his hand. He gave me a worried look once he saw my face.
"Let's go outside," I said. He nodded and followed, never letting go of my hand. We sat on the steps of the school, me shivering from the cold. He took his coat off and wrapped it around me. I held onto it and took in the scent of his coat. It smells just like him.
"Are you okay?" He asked, breaking the silence. I held his hand and rested my head on his shoulder. "Something's wrong," he whispered.
"I'm sorry, Luke." I started to cry. I broke our promise. I broke something that was actually good for me. I broke myself.
"Why are you sorry?" He asked, turning to hold my face in his hands.
I licked my lips and blinked my tears. He wiped them and caressed my face with his thumbs. "I broke our promise."
"Which one?"
"The other day, you told me you love me."
"Because I do."
I grabbed his hands, holding them on my lap. "It wasn't the first time you told me, you said it to me at the motel before you fell asleep. I thought about it ever since."
"Where are you going with this?"
"I never said it to you."
"Because you aren't ready to say it."
I shook my head. "I didn't want to get attached, because I lost everything I loved. Whether it was a choice or not. I didn't want to lose anyone else again, but now I'm going to lose another."
"Lola . . . "
"I love you, Luke. I really do, but I did something that I can't take back anymore."
"What are you talking about?"
"Why couldn't you just leave me alone?" I hiccupped. "If you haven't talked to me that one day, I wouldn't have fell in love with you."
"Be in love, don't fall," he smiled.
"Like I said, whatever falls breaks. But I didn't break, I was already broken. You fixed me, but I broke again."
"What happened?"
I pulled him in for a kiss, feeling my heart pinch. I tried to remember the way he kissed me, the way his lip ring makes it better, the way he cups my cheek, the way he pulls me closer to him. I wanted to remember every single thing about him, every touch, smile, laugh. I pulled away when I heard sirens.
"I love you, Luke. I'm so sorry." I hugged him then gave him a long lingering kiss on the cheek. I rested my forehead on his. "Goodbye."
The cops pulled up rushing out of the car. I pulled away from Luke and stood up. I gave Luke his coat back and walked towards the cars. An officer walked up to me and cuffed me. "Lola Heart, you're arrested for trespassing and defacing private property. You have the right to remain silent . . . "
(A/N): Late update and a messed up ending. I'm a horrible person, I know. Classes have been kicking my ass lately and I wish college didn't caost so much.
There's three more chapters left and this story will be finisher, but I'll have a new one, like I said before. I honestly can't wait for you guys to read this new story I've been writing.
So Luke and Lola are broken up because of the promise she made him. If he gets hurt, then their relationship will be over. If you had the choice to stop looking for the guy that killed your best friend for your boyfriend, would you? Because I wouldn't. As much as I love the dude, I need to do what I set my life on first.
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