Chapter 23: 22
So sorry for updating late. I was nowhere near my phone yesterday.
Luke's POV
I walk through the halls looking for Linda. I know I've sworn to stay away from her and willy but it's not like l can find out much about her without staying close to her. So here I am searching the halls for her.
The first thing I see is her dazzling smile and her beautiful chocolate eyes but they're looking up at Liam.
I turn around only to see Alex staring at me. He glances at Linda and Liam, then sets his eyes right back on me. He cocks an eyebrow in a way that seems like he's asking the question really? '
We don't say a word to each other just staring on like our life depended on it.
" why are you guys holding a staring contest in the middle of the hallway? " Linda asks stepping in between us.
" just a guy thing right Luke? " Alex asks with a smirk.
" yeah just a guy thing " I reply not quite certain about what is presently going on in his mind.
" you can do your guy thing which I can see would most definitely earn one of you a black eye but not on school grounds, I don't want you getting demerits for fighting or something, so off to class with you troublemakers. " she says pulling us towards homeroom.
" I don't think I'm the one he wants to fight with. " Alex says still smirking like a fool.
I pull my hands out of hers and leave them in the hallway, heading towards class myself. I spend the whole day pretending not to feel Alex's gaze on me or the inquisitive stare from Jack or see the way Liam continues flirting with Linda.
It all feels like this never ending pressure, weighing down on me and which I fear will soon make me crash like a car going too fast.
After school we head over to Linda's as we had earlier decided to meet there for the general group study we all decided to start holding. Esperanza and two friends of hers would also be meeting us there.
I knock on the door and a girl of about 5'2 with brown skin surprisingly like Linda's opens the door. " and which one are you now. Aye! forget, I'm probably not going to remember." she says in her thick Mexican accent leaving me in the door way. " First a Liam, a Ruse, Alec and Jason. Oh mami when am I supposed to remember all these. " she continues mumbling, swinging her hips as she walks towards the kitchen.
I enter the house, closing the door behind me, to see Jack edging towards the arm of the chair while a hot looking strawberry blonde girl wearing a body fit gown reaching her mid thighs with extremely long legs and tanned skin, grabs Alex's hand while edging towards Jack.
When I say long, I mean long cause God knows I can't take my eyes off them.
" so you are single and you are also single. " the hotty with the long legs says to Jack and Alex in a very sexy Mexican accent.
" uh huh " Alex replies eyeing her up and down appreciatively.
But my dear friend Jack keeps stuttering and looks very scared of her. " yeah...uhm...I...uhm...I think I hear Esperanza calling me! " he says in a rush while running off to the kitchen.
I barely hold back my laughter cause I have never seen that guy being scared of anything. Well apart from the girls, considering what they did to us. I still haven't forgotten the torture they put us through. Reminding me once more of the reason why I'm here. Due to the fact that I'm barely paying attention I almost run into the long legged beauty who is surprisingly right in front of me.
She steadies me with her hand, as well as checking me out at the same time. " so you single too? " she asks running her hand over my chest. She bites her lower lip, corking her head to the side, it's then I realize she's waiting for an answer.
" uhm...well " it's at this time I start regretting laughing at Jack.
" come on baby, I don't think you're the one he'd be interested in. " Alex says patting the seat next to him, with his eyes gleaming mischievously.
She seems like she wants to say something more to me but at that moment, Linda comes down the stairs with Liam.
My forehead furrows into a scowl unknowingly.
What were they doing upstairs?
" ah! It seems you're right Alex. " the girl before me says sighing, then winks at me heading off to Alex after taking one last look at Linda.
I try to speak but find it difficult to form words when looking at Linda. I focus my attention on Alex instead. " so where's Russ and Dave? " I ask him as I remember that I haven't seen them yet.
" well Russ is in the kitchen trying to well...uhm...hide from Cassy over here" he says grinning at the girl beside him.
" you're exaggerating Alex, after all the only thing I did was to ask him if he liked French kisses. " Cassy says with a glint in her eyes.
" then he fled out of here like the hounds of hell were chasing him. " Alex says laughing loudly.
" what about Dave? " I ask smiling just imagining Russ being as speechless as Jack and I had been.
Cassy has a very dominating attitude so I wouldn't blame him.
" yeah, he and Leah are on an errand. " he says shrugging his shoulders slightly.
" thanks, well it was nice meeting you Cassy. " I say meaning it but also trying to make an escape from the living room where Linda and Liam are talking and smiling at each other
I head into the kitchen to see Esperanza putting the guys to work, the short Mexican girl from earlier as well.
Russ is basically the perfect example of a fish out of water with his eyes turning red and slightly large, tears brimming out of his eyes as Esperanza teaches him how to cut an onion properly. Even more hilarious is the fact that a scowling Jack is wearing an apron while washing vegetables at the sink.
But the Mexican girl is even more hilarious chopping fish and meat into huge chunks while glaring at Esperanza and her mouth moving so quick with the profanities she's saying in Spanish.
I can't help myself but to start laughing once more
The little Mexican girl starts to glare at me instead, looking me straight in the eye while chopping off fish with more force than before.
I bet she imagines that is me right there while she chops off my flesh bit by bit. I wince as I realize that isn't a fun image.
I smile warily as I see the familiar glint in Esperanza's eyes.
Something is up.
She suddenly flashes me a grin.
Yep, she's planning something and I'm not going to like it.
" Luke you're standing in my kitchen, doing absolutely nothing. " she says smiling and moving closer to me while I'm tempted to step back " do you see anyone doing nothing in my kitchen? " she asks in her deep Spanish accent.
For some reason I quickly look around the kitchen trying to see if there really is anyone being idle, it's then I spot Becky and Dave's siblings, Chris and Joy huddled together playing card games. " well they... " I say trying to point them out when I'm immediately interrupted by Esperanza clicking her tongue at me " ayeee! Luke you're really disappointing me. Really? comparing yourself with little kids. " she sighs deeply. " well you can't stay in my kitchen doing nothing so you'll have to excuse us capable people doing our chores. After all we don't have use for people who are less capable than children. " Esperanza says turning around while everyone starts snickering at me.
I can feel the heat in my cheeks which means I'm probably as red as a tomato.
Just great!
" I didn't say I am less capable than the kids! " I say with frustration lacing my tone.
" well then stop standing around do something. " Esperanza says turning around to shove a broom into my hands. " you can start by sweeping the floor, though you'll have to do it again as soon as you finish clearing up the sink and the mess Russ and Mia are making over there. "
As soon as she says that a long line of Spanish profanities are heard from the little Mexican who I'm guessing is Mia.
That only earns her a cuff on the head from Esperanza who continues to smile like she did nothing wrong.
I look around the kitchen to see the mess they'd made. I groan out loud regretting that I'd succumbed to Esperanza's manipulating skills. As I bend slightly to start sweeping, I catch Becky smirking at me. " you're not allowed to prank me " I tell her with a warning glare.
" I didn't do anything " she says with a bored expression on her face.
I glare at her once more before I continue my sweeping.
When we're finally done with the work in the kitchen, we all step outside to leave Esperanza to the main cooking while the kids continued with their games.
Dave and Leah come running in, with bags in their arms, looking a bit flushed.
Dave's hair seems like he ran his hand through it but tried to hide that fact while Leah's lips are void of lipstick but she has mascara on.
Why do I smell something fishy? Probably because Leah always puts on lipstick.
I and Jack exchange a look that says one thing, Dave has a lot of explaining to do.
Jack grabs the bags from Leah so he can have an excuse to grill Dave while I on the other hand glare at Dave until he turns beetle red heading into the kitchen.
Leah sees this as an escape and bolts upstairs but I see the calculated and wary look in Linda's eyes as she casts a glance at Dave's retreating back before bolting after her friend.
I get into the living room to find the others putting on a movie. I take a sit on an empty couch just as the kids come running out of the kitchen and bumping into Mr Gail as he comes out of the basement rounding the corner that leads into the kitchen.
" woah! Kids watch it. " he says ensuring that they don't trip over themselves.
" sorry " they all say at the same time. But nevertheless, still continue running to jump on the couch I'm sitting.
Mr Gail only chuckles lightly as he heads out driving away from the house in his blue Camry.
Becky elbows me into creating space for her at my right side while Chris and Joy elbow me into creating space for them at my left side.
What is it with this kids and their need to see me in pain?
Dave later joins us, avoiding my gaze as he explains that Esperanza coerced Jack into helping her set up the food.
He's barely done explaining when Jack and Esperanza run out looking frantic, her eyes brimming with tears and her hands flailing around. " where's Linda? " she asks to no one in particular with her voice trembling slightly.
" I'm here " Linda replies running downstairs, looking very worried.
" they just rushed Nana to the hospital " Esperanza says biting back a sob
Linda gasps deeply and for a minute, I'm scared she would actually faint.
" I have to go. " Esperanza says wiping the tears on Linda's cheeks.
" let me come with you. " Linda says finally finding her voice.
" no, you have visitors. You can't leave them here like this. " she says grabbing her bag pack from the table. " call your dad and tell him what happened, I'll be fine. " she says racing out the door.
" but... " Linda says still trying to convince her but stops short as she realizes that she's talking to Esperanza's back.
Jack runs after her claiming that she'll need a car to get to the hospital. Within minutes, they're both gone driving off into the street that always seems deserted at this part of town.
It's then I notice that everyone had abandoned the movie all standing up looking confused. Apart from the kids who remain seated but I don't miss the grief stricken look that passes over the face of Dave and his siblings.
Just what could have happened to Dave's family that I don't know about? They always seem to be affected whenever something like this happens. I wish I knew what it was and I wish I could help. He's one of the very few trustworthy friends I have.
I realize that Linda is still tearing up but making no sound whatsoever.
I'm about leaving my position so I can go comfort her but Liam beats me to it and pulls her to his chest where she breaks down into fitful sobs that seem to vibrate all over her body.
This reminds me of the day I'd held her in my arms while she cried her heart out for her grandmother who had been sick.
Was this the same grandmother she had cried for? Why does it feel like I've been replaced?
It was my arms she once cried in but now that she's found solace in Liam's arms, mine feel empty and at the same time weighed down with lead.
It hurts to see her cry, it hurts that I'm not the one holding her as she cries and it confuses me that I don't want to see her hurt.
Author's note
So sorry for not updating yesterday. I had to leave the house and forgot to take my phone with me. I'll be posting two chapters today. Thanks for being patient.
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