I feel Luke freeze beside me at the man's words. From what I knew about Luke's father I could tell that the fact that this man was a friend of his meant that he was not a person of good judgement.
"You were his friend?" Luke seethes through gritted teeth. I put my hand on his lower back in an attempt to calm him down but the touch has no affect whatsoever on the angry boy beside me.
The man lets out a chuckle. "I guess he never talked about his friends did he? I'm Gabe" he says, holding out his hand to Luke as if he expected that he would take it.
"Get your filthy hand away from me" Luke states and I can tell in his voice he is straining to keep calm.
The man Gabe pulls his hand back slowly before leaning back on the souvenir rack. "How's your old man doing by the way?" he asks.
"He's dead" Luke states with no emotion in his voice.
"Is that so?" Gabe asked, tilting his head slightly but otherwise not looking very surprised at the news that a friend of his was dead.
"He died 4 years ago to this exact day" Luke says.
I look up at him, shocked, but he keeps his fiery gaze on the man in front of us. Suddenly it dawned on me why he was so mad tonight. Not just because of Zack and I being partners, but also because on this day four years ago was the night of the event that pushes itself into every nightmare he has. The night his father tried to kill him, his mother and his siblings.
"Well shit, no wonder I haven't heard from him in years" Gabe states in a slightly humorous voice that makes me want to step away from him. Who laughs at the news of the death of a friend?
"He was a good man, son" he states, looking back up at Luke.
Luke's fingers curl into fists. "He wasn't a good man at all. He was a bastard that deserved to die and don't fucking call me 'son'" Luke growls back.
Gabe glances over at him. "I guess you and him had some issues" he says.
"If you count him trying to kill me, my siblings and my mother as issues then, yeah, we had a lot of fucking issues" Luke says.
Gabe finally glances over at me and I can practically feel my skin crawl. "Now who is this little thing?" he asks in a taunting voice that makes me want to punch him straight in the face.
Luke steps forward so that he is in front of me. "You keep your disgusting eyes off of her unless you want me to put you in the same place my father is right now" Luke growls in a low voice and I can practically feel him shaking from anger.
"She looks like her" Gabe says, still trying to look at me, ignoring Luke's threat. "Like Amanda. She has that scared look in her eyes your mom always held, and the same fit body that made me want to throw her onto a bed whenever I saw her".
It takes all of my strength not to let go of Luke's wrist and let him loose on the man, but as Luke steps forward, I grip his wrist with one arm and wrap my other one around his waist. "Don't" is all I can manage to say.
Gabe lets out a sickening laugh. "She is even holding you back like your mother used to do with Adam when he got mad at someone. Of course he would later brag about putting her in her place for holding him back".
I step in front of Luke and step closer to the man so I am a foot away and can smell the cigarettes on his breath. "If you know what is good for you, you will walk over to the back of this store right now before you end up in more trouble than you already are" I say to him, no hint of fear in my clear voice.
"Freedom of speech sweetheart" he says, shooting me a grin that makes me want to both run far away and shove his head down a toilet at the same time.
"I'm warning you now, say another fucking word about-"
"What is going on here?" a voice interrupts me and I turn to see Mr. Solender standing behind Luke and I. Luke takes my distraction as an opportunity to pull me back to his side protectively.
"Is this the girl's daddy?" he taunts, and I turn back around to tell him where he can shove his questions but Mr. Solender speaks before I can.
"I am their teacher and I suggest you don't talk to my students like that unless you want a law suit" he says strictly, stepping forward so he is in front of Luke and I.
"Relax man, I'm friends with the boy's apparently deceased father" Gabe says. Luke snarls at him. "You say that information like it's reassuring".
Gabe looks over and for the first time his sickening smirk turns into a frown. "You are a very disrespectful boy, no wonder your father always talked about having to discipline you and that mother of yours".
Luke takes a step forward and I hold him back but I only have two arms and seeing as I am preoccupied with Luke, I am not able to stop Solender from taking a step forward towards the man.
"If you say one more thing about Luke or Amanda I won't hesitate to-"
"Oh shit! You're on a first name basis with Amanda?" Gabe lets out a sickening laugh. "What, are you some sort of savior for her? I can't blame you though, I've wanted a piece of that woman since the moment I laid my eyes on her".
Solender moves but I am faster. I quickly lunge forward and pull Solender away from the man. I hear Gabe laugh as Solender stumbles back into Luke, red faced with clenched hands.
But Gabe's laugh quickly stops as I pull my arm back and aim my blow right at his throat. He coughs and stumbles back and I take the advantage I have to shove him into the keychain rack. He falls with a loud clang and I quickly place a hand on his throat and bring my mouth to his ear.
"You aren't the first scumbag I've met and you probably won't be the last but I hope you now realize that I'm not going to just live with it. You may have met girls in the past that would put up with your shit but I won't and I'm sure as hell not going to listen while you insult the strongest woman I know.
"Now, we are going to leave this store and you are going to get up, fix the rack to how it was and then go back to behind the counter. I don't want any more trouble from you but I swear if you try and say one more demeaning or crude remark I will personally see to it that you will never be able to say another word. Got it?".
The man nods his head in a fast motion and I release the hold I have on his neck and stand up. Mr. Solender and Luke are staring at me with shocked expressions.
"What are you two looking at?" I ask them. "Let's get the hell out of here".
As soon as we are outside of the store and back into the cold winter air Luke pulls me into his chest. "You didn't have to do that" he says softly, resting his head on top of my head. I wasn't a short person but Luke was unnaturally tall so whenever he hugged me I could hear his heart thump on my ear.
"If I didn't, you or Mr. Solender were bound to do it instead. I figured there would be less of a chance he would call the police if I was the one that hit him instead. It's not like the guy didn't deserve it, the way he was talking" I say, resting my head on his chest.
Luke pulls me away slightly so he can look into my eyes. His are gleaming with what looks like admiration. "Always thinking two steps ahead of everyone else" he states in awe, shaking his head.
Mr. Solender walks over to us and Luke straightens back up to his full height. "Luke" Mr. Solender speaks, nodding towards him. "Solender" Luke blankly says back.
Mr. Solender shakes his head slowly. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for not telling you that-"
"That my teacher and my mother secretly have a thing?" Luke interrupts. I watch Solender grow slightly redder so I and shove Luke with my shoulder slightly. He doesn't acknowledge it.
"I don't expect you to-"
"You were about to punch the guy" Luke interrupts yet again. He continues this time. "If Claire didn't act when she did it would have been you that punched that bastard square in the face. Then you most likely would have been fired because the guy would have definitely called the cops. You would have lost your job. Because that asshat insulted my mother".
Mr. Solender nods his head this time. "You're right about me punching that man in the face if Claire didn't intervene" he agrees.
Luke looks over at me. "I blame you" he says but there is no hint of coldness in his voice.
"Blame me all you want, I would have done it again if it meant Mr. Solender kept his job" I say back. Luke turns back to Mr. Solender but remains silent for a while.
Mr. Solender is the first to break the silence. "Luke I-"
"I'm still pissed at you so don't think that I'm not" Luke interrupts for the third time. "But I admit, I wouldn't feel 100 percent great if you got fired. You still did teach me a lot. Most of it was useless shit, but I did learn a few important things" at this, Luke shoots me a quick glance, probably thinking I wouldn't see but I don't miss it.
"So I'll make a deal with you. I don't see you in the kitchen with my mother ever again and I won't act like a total asshole in your class next semester" he finishes.
Mr. Solender is stunned for a moment before nodding. "I would like that Luke" he says.
Luke scrunches his nose slightly. "You know, Mr. Evans was starting to grow on me" he says as his farewell before wrapping an arm around my shoulder and tugging me into his warm chest. "Lets go Sleeping Beauty".
"How do you know that you'll have him next semester?" I ask him.
Luke scoffs. "Please, the guy has followed us since Junior year. No way he is letting us go through our last semester of high school without spewing more inspirational shit than a Hallmark movie at us. He's our Mr. Feeny".
"He's our Mr. Feeny" I repeat, smiling softly to myself.
The rest of the walk is silent and as we walk back into the loft, I see our 5 closest friends sprawled out on the couches in the lobby, all of them fast asleep.
I laugh softly before putting a finger to my mouth and walking with Luke down the hall. As he opens his door I walk in with him. He cocks a brow at me. "I forgot my key in my room" I answer, shrugging my shoulders before grabbing one of his shirts that is laying on his bed and slipping into the bathroom to change. I hear him laugh at my actions.
I take my time in the bathroom, slipping the big shirt over my body and brushing out my snow covered hair. After I use the bathroom I open the door, ready to start a light hearted conversation with Luke, but I stop when I see him.
He is sitting on the far side of the bed, the moon shining down on him through the window. His back is facing me but I can see that his head is in his hands. I've known Luke long enough to tell that by the look of his back, that is moving up in down at different speeds, he is trying to calm his breathing.
I slowly walk over to where he is sitting but he doesn't bother looking up. I take a seat next to him on the bed and bring my legs up to sit cross legged on the bed.
I don't say anything. I don't need to. Today is the anniversary of the day Luke's dad almost killed him and the rest of his family. Tonight was the night that etched itself into his skin and his soul that will never be erased. Scars from his father on the inside and the outside.
"4 years ago" Luke says simply, his head still buried into his hands.
I take a deep breath. "I'm not going to pretend like I know how you feel right now, because I don't" I say honestly. I wasn't going to bullshit it and act like Luke wasn't the only one who knew how it felt. Let him grieve about his demons. Who the hell was I to act like this wasn't something that leaves wounds?
He laughs at that, a laugh so bitter I am almost surprised it came from my sarcastic and carefree Luke. "You should have heard Lea's screams Claire" he says, shaking his head so that his hands messed up his hair.
The day after Luke told me what happened I looked back through my pictures, wondering why I didn't hear the screams. We had only lived a few doors down. Apparently my father and I were actually at a ski resort when that happened.
I stay silent, knowing Luke would continue. "Darren's eyes were full of more fear and rage than I had ever seen in my life. I was terrified for a moment that he would attack me as well as my father. Charlotte's small body was shaking like she was in the middle of a snowstorm. I can see all of their eyes. I can see the fear in all of their eyes.
"But nothing was worse than hearing my mother struggling to breathe. She still has marks, you know. She hides them with her hair but if you look closely you can see the purple marks on the sides of her neck that almost look like fingerprints".
He looks up now and I can see that his eyes are aligned with red veins, his face is red and I can see a tear or two imprinted on his cheeks. I reach over and brush the tears off of his face.
"If I could feel the pain for you I would. I would feel all of it if it meant these demons inside your head would go away" I say back, meaning every single word. If it meant I never had to see this broken side of Luke, I would feel every shard of glass in my stomach. Every punch and kick and insult. Every single look of fear that ever passed Luke's sibling's faces. I would endure it all.
Luke brings his hand up to mine that is laying flat on the side of his face. "Why does it scare me that I know you mean that?" Luke asks, his voice more broken than I had ever heard it.
"Because you love me" I say softly, leaning closer to him. "And nobody loves you more than I do" I say in a whisper before bringing my lips onto his wet ones.
It takes him a second to respond but he does and I keep the gentle and passionate kiss going until I can't breathe. Then I move to his cheek and kiss the wet spots. Then the skin beside his eye. Then back down to his jaw.
"You are the only thing holding me together right now Claire" Luke breathes out. I move closer until my lips touch the shell of his ear. "Then let me put you back together" I whisper before letting my hands wander onto his body.
How can someone feel so put together, like they are in one piece when you know that inside they are nothing but shattered pieces of memories and muscles that have been strong for too long? I think to myself as my hands lower to the hem of Luke's shirt.
"Claire, you don't have to-" Luke starts but I stop him by pressing my lips to his. "Let me help you forget" I breathe out onto his lips.
Slowly but surely, Luke nods and brings his now warm lips to mine. I can feel the traces of his wet tear streaks on my face. I slowly move Luke's shirt until it is over his head and on the floor.
"Claire-" he starts again and I can tell he is about to say the same thing. About how he doesn't want me to believe that I have to do this but I don't want to hear a word of it.
"Don't say anything Luke. I love you" I whisper softly as I push Luke softly back until his back is resting on the post at the top of the bed.
I look down at his torso and my eyes immediately go to the faint white marks littered across his chest. If you weren't looking closely, you could easily miss them or mistake them for an innocent childhood accident.
I place my lips on each of the small scars. Luke finally stops trying to fight me and rests his head back on the board behind him. I continue kissing the marks, getting lower and lower on my journey.
I finally kiss the last one visible, peeking out of the top of his boxers. I bring my hands up and hook my fingers tenderly around the material. Luke's hands enclose on mine.
"Just know-"
"Luke, I love you but, seriously, shut up" I state before pulling the material down, along with his pants, until they join the shirt on the floor.
I look back at Luke and realize that this is the first time I've ever seen him like this, completely bare in front of me. The trust and assurance in his eyes gives me the strength to reach down at slightly squeeze his member.
He lets out a hiss as his eyes squeeze shut. I repeat the action, loving the reaction I was getting from the slightly broken boy in front of me.
I slowly move my hand up and down his member a few times until his head is tilted back and his eyes are closed. Then, I lower my head until the tip of him is in my mouth.
His eyes immediately snap open in surprise as he looks down at me in awe. I swirl my tongue around him once before taking him further into my mouth.
The groan he lets out is like music to my ears. "Jesus, Claire" he mutters as I bob my head, taking him in deeper and deeper.
I tenderly squeeze his balls in my hands as I continue my head motion. His hands instinctively go to my hair. I look up at him, loving the effect I was having on him. Loving how he was laid out in front of me, bare and wholeheartedly trusting me.
"This can't be your first time doing this" Luke is able to say through his soft moans. When he looks at me I innocently bat my lashes at him, continuing to hallow my cheeks and take him in, making him hit the back of my throat.
"Don't look at me with that innocent look you troubling girl" he breathes out. I gag as his member hits the back of my throat again and he lets out a deep groan at the action. "You are so fucking good, Claire. So fucking good".
I smile slightly as I continue massaging the bottom part of his dick that I can't get into my mouth as my head bobs faster and faster. I want to make him come undone. I want to see him lose control over his body from my touch.
His legs are starting to shake and his moans are getting longer so I take him in further, gagging every time. This makes Luke spew out a string of curses.
"Claire, you should stop now. I'm about to come and I don't want to-" but he stops when my movements become even more fast as I increase the hold on him slightly.
One final squeeze from my hands and I feel hot liquid shoot to the back of my throat. "Fuck!" Luke curses as he climaxes. I continue moving my head up and down until he comes down from his high before swallowing the warm substance and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
Luke slowly gets up and grabs his boxers, sliding them back on before lying back down on the bed. "Come here" he softly urges me and I move over to his warm embrace.
He wraps his arms tightly around my body, bringing me to his chest. He combs his fingers through my hair as I listen to his heartbeat slowly start slowing down from the frantic state it was in a few moments ago.
"I've decided something" Luke states, his voice vibrating on my cheek. I smile at the feel of him. The warmness of his body, the feel of his fingers in my hair and the soft vibrations of his voice that seem to go straight through my body.
"And that is?" I ask, moving my head up so I can look at his face. He cups a hand gently on my face.
"You're either going to end up being the thing that gives me life, or the death of me" he whispers in a low voice, those honest blue eyes piercing deep into my own.
"Maybe I'll become an easy and sweet in-between instead" I say. Luke lets out a chuckle at this.
"There is no such thing as an easy and sweet in-between. Not with you" he says in a voice so soft I almost miss his words.
"My troublemaking boy" I say back, smiling softly at him, taking in the image of him staring back at me, still looking somewhat broken, but happier and calmer than I have seen him in a long time.
"My angelic devil" he replies back. My eyelids start to droop down but I continue to play the little game.
"My infuriating neighbor"
"My annoying tutor"
"My unexpected love"
"My Claire".