The Best Of Both Worlds

TRACE'S POV
Lumiere finally opened her eyes. She looked at me and then gasped.

"Trace?" she said softly.

I smiled at her. "Hey." She sat up and her arms went around my neck. I almost fell backwards. I wrapped my arms around her . "What are you doing back?" I raised my eyebrow, but didn't let go. "It's been two months sweetie."

She pulled away from me. "Serious?" I nodded. "How long have you-" She shrugged and looked down. I sighed. "Lumiere, your mom told me you ran away from school...why?" she looked up at me with watery eyes. Oh, I didn't want to make her cry, but I wanted to know. I tightened my arms around her.

"They hate me," she said finally.

"Who?" I asked.

"Them. The people at school. They pick on me." I pulled away from her. "I had to leave...I didn't like it there...I had to leave...especially after..."

"After what?" I asked quietly. She looked in my eyes. She looked afraid. "It's okay Lumi, I'm here," I said hugging her. She took a breath. "...after that guy in the locker room...he tried to rape me...he nearly did."

I knew what was going to come out of her mouth next. Her mom had told me. I just wanted to hear it from her. I hugged her tighter and she cried. I didn't want to let go, but I had to. I had to take her home. I pulled away. "Come on Lumi, your mom is worried." I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed her home number.

"Trace?" her mom said.

"Yes Miss S, I've found Lumiere. I'm bringing her home now."

"Oh my god, really? Thank you Trace."

"Your welcome Miss S, I'm on my way."

I hung up and then looked at Lumiere. I placed my hand on her cheek. She had nearly invisible scratches on her face. I sighed and grabbed her hand and led her out of my room, down the stairs, out the door and to my car.

Her mom hugged her tightly when I brought her home. She was waiting outside. She didn't argue with Lumiere. Not just yet. Maybe after I was gone she'd start the yelling. I know now she was only grateful that Lumiere was alive and home. Lumiere hugged her mom back. "Go and get cleaned up, I've made dinner," her mom said letting go of her. Then she looked at me. "Would you stay for dinner Trace?"

"Um..." Lumiere looked at me with a hopeful look. "Yes ma'am," I answered looking into Lumiere's eyes. She smiled. Well, tried to. I gave her a half smile and picked her backpack up and followed her up the stairs. I sat her backpack on the bed and she went to the bathroom. I looked around her room. It was green and purple. We painted it together. I remember her getting paint everywhere but the walls. I smiled at that. She had pictures and posters hung up everywhere. I spotted a picture of me in her from last year. We were at a water park. We were both all wet of course. Her hair was the long black waist length hair. She had it up, but I told her I liked it better down and pulled the ponytail holder off. Her mom snapped a picture, she was crazy with the camera snapping pictures of us every second. I walked over to the picture. She looked really cute in her green bathing suit. It was lime green. Her favorite color.

"That day was really fun."

I turned around and saw Lumiere. She was standing in the doorway with just her under clothes on. My eyes widened as she walked in and grabbed something out of her drawer. I watched her carefully as she pulled a shirt on over her head. A hello kitty shirt, hello kitty was her favorite character. Then she pulled on some shorts. She walked over to me and smiled up at the picture. She tilted her head slightly.

"Do you think my hair was better long?" she asked.

"I liked it long, but you still look beautiful." She looked up at me. We stared at each other. Like that day when I was ordering pizza. The day when she called me pretty and I had no time to reply because Erica came into the room, but now I had the time. "Lumi-"

"Dinner is going to get cold if you two take any longer!" her mom called up to us.

"Come on," she said walking past me and out of the room. I sighed and followed behind her.