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How Cliche to Have My Heart Stolen
Chapter 15 - Family Obligations
When we let one another out of our embrace, Luke took my hand in his. It was now my turn to ask a question. I didn't want to know who he'd been with. Not yet. Not when I could easily get upset with him and ruin everything. I stuck to asking about Luke's dad.
"What are you going to do when you turn 18?" I figured it to be a safe topic.
"I don't know. That's still a couple months off," he said. I've only been with them for a short amount of time. In retrospect, I suppose a couple months would make a big difference.
"Do you want to stay with your dad and them?" I asked, ignoring that my turn was technically over.
"It just depends. A lot of stuff can change. If we were to stay together, I don't think it would be a bad idea. Especially if we make it to the hideout. There will be no worries. It will be safe. We won't have to worry about money."
"You can't be serious. Luke. They are criminals. Murderers," I reminded him. "How do we know they won't try to hurt us?"
"Have you forgotten that I'm a criminal too? A crime is a crime. Yeah, I haven't killed anyone. But I'm still a criminal." His fingers loosened. I'd offended him.
"What if we decide to have a family at some point?" Would raising kids in that kind of environment be good for them? Would it destroy them? How could we teach them morals when defying them was how we got by?
"Like I said, I still don't know what my plans are," he was getting irritated. "Still, I grew up there. They take care of each other. They'd make sure the children were safe. They love kids." Heaving a sigh, Luke said, "Can't you just see how it is? You might actually like it. I know they'll like you."
At this point I just decided to agree to disagree. "I suppose I can give it a shot." Considering they were going to take me there regardless. I still had no idea when they were going to let me go. I guess I was hoping if Luke decided to leave his dad, then I could go with him if we were still together and we'd be free.
"My turn?"
"Yep," I said, void of excitement or dread.
"Does my family make you think negatively of me?"
Oh, crap here we go. "A little."
He didn't just loose up. He let go of my hand entirely.
"But," I took his hand back from him. "It also makes me realize that a person doesn't just become like their parents. You're you. No matter how many people you've seen your dad rob, assault or kill, you've made your decision to not be like him. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't even give the hideout a chance. If it weren't for you, well, I might have run like Rachel did. Might have. You're the saving grace of being dragged through God knows where."
His head hung low. Luke was still feeling bad, like I was judging him entirely based on his family.
"After all, it's you I love not them," I smiled. "Isn't that a good thing though? That I dislike your family but put up with them for you?"
His crooked smile returned. "Yeah. I guess you're right." Quickly, he gave me a peck on the cheek.
"Bacon!" Rachel shouted.
"Ew. No thanks. I don't like bacon. It's too greasy," I said.
The look I got from Rachel told me I was the stupidest person on the planet. "No," she said. "BACON. As in police. They're outside! There's a couple of them."
"Let's go," Luke said. "Put on the fake piercings and whatever kind of disguise you guys have. We have to get out of here."
"Are you serious? What if your dad comes back?" I didn't want him to think we were running off.
"I have a couple quarters. I'll call him from a pay phone and we'll establish a meeting place. But if the cops see you, even if it's just for a second, out of disguise, Dad will get arrested. Not only that, but someone might have reported us and know that you're here. So we're going to beat them to the punch and leave. Now get dressed!" Luke, now in charge, was just as business oriented as Lalean or Matt had been.
I was worried. Scared he might react as they would if I didn't obey. So, I put on my wig and tried to put on a lot of make up and put in the fake piercings, trying to place them exactly where Lalean had. The way he yelled frightened me, so when he rushed me out of the door, I didn't fight him at all. Even Rachel was scared. When someone who is quiet, kind and reserved starts yelling, it's scarier than when someone who's normally loud does it. It takes you by surprise.
"What are you going to do when you turn 18?" I figured it to be a safe topic.
"I don't know. That's still a couple months off," he said. I've only been with them for a short amount of time. In retrospect, I suppose a couple months would make a big difference.
"Do you want to stay with your dad and them?" I asked, ignoring that my turn was technically over.
"It just depends. A lot of stuff can change. If we were to stay together, I don't think it would be a bad idea. Especially if we make it to the hideout. There will be no worries. It will be safe. We won't have to worry about money."
"You can't be serious. Luke. They are criminals. Murderers," I reminded him. "How do we know they won't try to hurt us?"
"Have you forgotten that I'm a criminal too? A crime is a crime. Yeah, I haven't killed anyone. But I'm still a criminal." His fingers loosened. I'd offended him.
"What if we decide to have a family at some point?" Would raising kids in that kind of environment be good for them? Would it destroy them? How could we teach them morals when defying them was how we got by?
"Like I said, I still don't know what my plans are," he was getting irritated. "Still, I grew up there. They take care of each other. They'd make sure the children were safe. They love kids." Heaving a sigh, Luke said, "Can't you just see how it is? You might actually like it. I know they'll like you."
At this point I just decided to agree to disagree. "I suppose I can give it a shot." Considering they were going to take me there regardless. I still had no idea when they were going to let me go. I guess I was hoping if Luke decided to leave his dad, then I could go with him if we were still together and we'd be free.
"My turn?"
"Yep," I said, void of excitement or dread.
"Does my family make you think negatively of me?"
Oh, crap here we go. "A little."
He didn't just loose up. He let go of my hand entirely.
"But," I took his hand back from him. "It also makes me realize that a person doesn't just become like their parents. You're you. No matter how many people you've seen your dad rob, assault or kill, you've made your decision to not be like him. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't even give the hideout a chance. If it weren't for you, well, I might have run like Rachel did. Might have. You're the saving grace of being dragged through God knows where."
His head hung low. Luke was still feeling bad, like I was judging him entirely based on his family.
"After all, it's you I love not them," I smiled. "Isn't that a good thing though? That I dislike your family but put up with them for you?"
His crooked smile returned. "Yeah. I guess you're right." Quickly, he gave me a peck on the cheek.
"Bacon!" Rachel shouted.
"Ew. No thanks. I don't like bacon. It's too greasy," I said.
The look I got from Rachel told me I was the stupidest person on the planet. "No," she said. "BACON. As in police. They're outside! There's a couple of them."
"Let's go," Luke said. "Put on the fake piercings and whatever kind of disguise you guys have. We have to get out of here."
"Are you serious? What if your dad comes back?" I didn't want him to think we were running off.
"I have a couple quarters. I'll call him from a pay phone and we'll establish a meeting place. But if the cops see you, even if it's just for a second, out of disguise, Dad will get arrested. Not only that, but someone might have reported us and know that you're here. So we're going to beat them to the punch and leave. Now get dressed!" Luke, now in charge, was just as business oriented as Lalean or Matt had been.
I was worried. Scared he might react as they would if I didn't obey. So, I put on my wig and tried to put on a lot of make up and put in the fake piercings, trying to place them exactly where Lalean had. The way he yelled frightened me, so when he rushed me out of the door, I didn't fight him at all. Even Rachel was scared. When someone who is quiet, kind and reserved starts yelling, it's scarier than when someone who's normally loud does it. It takes you by surprise.