i didn't sleep last night, memories of jason flooded my mind. i got out of my bed and showered and remembered i told daddy i'd go to his office for lunch today. it was only 10 so i had a couple of hours before i had to be there.
carm popped her head into my room. "hey girl, are you ok?" she asks.
"no." i slowly break down "jason's back, he's moving here," i tell her and she come over to hug me.
"it's ok," she tells me "jason doesn't have any power over you anymore and luke is a sweet guy," she says running her hand through my hair. i pull away from her and wipe my tears away.
she leaves me alone and walks downstairs so i pull out my sketch pad and start drawing home, lots of mountains and nature. it calms me down a little.
i get a call while i'm drawing and see it's my dad, what does he want.
"he-"
"what the hell happened to you clare," he sounded angry.
"what are you talking about?" i asked.
"clare you're very dumb if you don't think i have people following you out there. i know your back to your old ways, selling drugs, getting in fights and did i hear right that you saw jason again. good to see you continually fucking everything up for me," he yells.
"none of this is on you," i tell him.
"maybe i should send you back to missouri or maybe i should just send to a different school that will teach you to respect me," he yelled again.
"dad what was the point of this call?" i ask him.
"what happened to you, clare you look bad," he says calmer.
"i got in a car crash," i lied. he scoffed.
"do you owe money to get the car fixed? you're so worthless," he said angrily.
"no."
"listen clare, you will stop all your bad habits. i'm trying to win an election here and you're not helping at all, understand?" he asked but didn't wait for my answer and hung up.
i sighed. does he really have people following me? he's so mental he thinks i'm gonna fuck up the election but he shouldn't even be running for governor. i look at the clock and it's 11:30, i should probably leave soon for luke's office.
luke's pov:
jason walks into my office with a smug look on his face. "hello, sir," he says and shakes my hand.
"hello, jason right?" i asked and he nods. i ask him the normal interview questions for a while but pay close attention to his body language. it shows that he's very cocky and expects to get what he wants.
all of a sudden clare walks through the door and her eyes lock in with jason. for the look on her face i can tell... she still loves him. i get angry and first but then i remind myself that this is what i wanted to know.
"jason? what are you doing here?" she asks quietly then looks at me confused.
"have you guys met before? he's interviewing for an internship here," i tell her and smile.
she looks down at the ground then walks up close to me and lays a hand lightly on my chest. "can we talk, privately," she whispered.
"jason, we will inform you of our decision later," i tell him and walk him to the elevator, leaving clare in my office.
"are you and clare dating?" he asks me hurt.
"yes, we're in love," i tell him. he walks into the elevator looking crushed. perfect. when i walk back into my office i see clare quickly wipe away tears.
"baby, what'd you want to tell me?" i ask walking up close to her.
she takes a step back. "i don't feel good. sorry, i can't do lunch today," she said quietly.
"ok baby, but here," i place a key to my house in her hand. "in case you want to come over when i get home from work around 5:30," i tell her. she smiles and places a gentle kiss on my lips then she leaves.
i sit back in my chair and start going over paper work again. it really hurt seeing clare and jason look at each other like that but at least now i know since clare won't tell me. i thought she was going to but then she just left.
i call calum over the pa system and he quickly arrives in my office. "tell jason we don't want him here, please."
"is this really all because you're jealous?" he asked.
"now."
clare's pov:
i get home and start crying again. i can't believe i haven't ran out of tears. carmen quickly comes to meet me and wraps her arms around me.
"what's wrong?" she asks.
"l-luke is going to hire jason. how can this be happening it's like he already knew him," i sob. carmen tenses up.
"um clare i have something to tell you... i told luke about jason when he saw him come over here the other day," she said.
"luke saw him here the other day? he didn't tell me any of this," i said now angry. how could he be playing with my mind like this. he set the interview and us having lunch up so jason and i would run into each other so i'd tell him about us. he's so manipulative.
"clare, i'm sorry i thought you knew," she said. she seem scared that i would be mad.
"don't worry i'm not mad at you, i'm mad at luke."
i spent the entire afternoon replaying the past couple of days and getting angrier at luke. i waited until 6 so i knew he'd be home and stormed into his house.
"luke!" i yelled. he walked into his living room looking angry.
"you don't need to raise your voice sugar," he said in a husky voice.
"luke, you're a manipulative liar and i can't take it anymore," i yelled. he walked close to be and i backed up into the wall.
"that's a hell of an accusation, anything you wanna back that up with?" he growled.
"you knew that jason came to the door last week and didn't say anything!"
"first off all, there's no need to yell. and second, you didn't exactly tell me he came to the door," he defended.
"then you had him at your office so you could have us together and i'd tell you the truth, you can't just manipulate me like that,"
"baby, you've been lying to me all week. how else am i supposed to get some fucking answers." he said now very angry. "in fact you're the one in trouble here, why the hell did you lie?" he said pushing me against the wall.
"it's not your business," i stated clearly. he punched the wall right next to my head which causes me to jump. his face showed only anger.
"yes it is. if it concerns you then it concerns me. got it clare? i want to know everything," he yells. i know luke has trouble controlling his anger and sometimes it scares me.
"he's my ex boyfriend. i'm not ready to talk about him, ok?" i say.
"ok then what about your dad?" he asks. what is luke doing.
"what about him?"i ask.
"why did he move you here? what are you keeping from me about him?" i sigh and try to push past luke but he doesn't let me move.
"what about your parents luke? why haven't you told me anything about them?" i ask.
"this is not a debate, clare tell me now!" he growled. i don't say anything and just stare at him. "god why are you being so difficult, why won't you just tell me?" i look at him and study his face.
"i'm s-scared you're gonna think i'm a liability, just one problem after the other that you have to talk me through and that not your job so you don't need to know," i tell him.
"i don't know how many times i can tell you this, i love you clare and i'm not gonna leave no matter-"
"i destroy people luke. i destroyed jason and turned him into who he is today and it's probably gonna happen to you. it's just better if i don't concern you with my shit," i cut him off.
"don't cut me off and you shouldn't have to deal with it alone that's why i'm here. i want you to always tell me what's going on," he said pulling me closer to his body. "do you understand?" he growled.
"yes daddy."