Peace Chapter Three

"Oh, come on please come watch a movie with us," Hazel begged.

"I'm sorry I have plans," I said.

"What's going on with you," Sammy asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"Of course, there is," Sammy shouted.

"Sam," Leland tried weakly.

"No Lee he needs to hear this. I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm worried about you. It's not just the not wanting to hang out with us thing. You look sick Lu, you haven't been eating, you look as if you haven't slept in weeks, you moved out, you changed your major, the accidents, the bruises, you never come by the restaurant anymore, when you do your always in a rush. I'm worried about you," he said almost reaching out to me "please just tell me what's going on."

"There's nothing going on. I'm sorry that your ego is so big that you don't understand that I'm busy," I said, "I have to go," I raced out the door.

***

"Hi baby," Aaron said ruffling my hair "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I said smiling up at him. That's when I noticed three other guys in the room.

"Who these guys," I asked.

"Listen baby I made a bad deal," he said, "and I need you to do that thing again."

"No please," I shouted backing towards the door "please let me go."

"Baby you have to do this for me," he said grabbing me "they're going to hurt me if you don't."

"No, I can't please I'll ask my uncle," I said.

"If you won't to listen to reason," He said motioning to me "do whatever you want. We could have done this the easy way if you just listened." The three guys moved forward threateningly.

"No please don't," I cried running away towards the room, but I felt someone grab me pulling me violently back.

After everything happened, I stood up quietly packing my duffle bag with my most important items. I placed the bag outside the window on the fire escape leaving it cracked open. I stared at the wall blankly until I heard the door open and the party downstairs end. I heard footsteps coming towards the room. The door squeaked open, and I heard the footsteps come closer to me. I felt the bed dip as he climbed into bed with me Lying down beside me. I still hadn't moved for the longest time. But after I felt like he was asleep I stood up opening the fire escape climbing out. I pushed it down closing the window. Was I really doing this? Yes. I can't take it anymore. Why? Why did it have to be this way? Why can't we just be happy?I raced down the stairs all six floors of them. Where do I go? I guess home my uncles won't mind. I started heading towards the house, when as I was crossing the street, I heard a loud screech. I looked to the offending obstacle to see a motorcycle. A motorcycle with two people on it stopped beside him. The rider got off walking over to me.

"What do you think you're doing this isn't a crosswalk I could have killed you," The man shouted pulling off his helmet. It was a guy from college that I occasionally seen hanging out with Maddox I'm going to call him jeff. I felt tears start welling up in my eyes. "Are you okay?"

He walked over to stand in front of me, his hand made its way to my face lightly touching my bruised face. I don't know why I did it, but I couldn't help it. I leaned forward wrapping my arms around him crying into his chest. He pushed me back slightly, bringing his hand down between us then brought it up to look at it.

"Where are you bleeding from," Jeff said I didn't answer the question "we have to take him to the hospital."

"No hospital please," I begged pulling myself back into the hug.

"Who is it," asked either Ajax or Callum.

"I don't know bur he looks like he just fought a bear," he said. I heard footsteps walking closer.

"Are you okay," this was a female voice and was either Ally's or Ava's. I turned toward the voice making eye contact with Ava but quickly turned back "shit I think I know who this kid is."

"Who," Jeff said.

"I'm pretty sure he's Hazel's younger brother." She said "you know Hazel Tyler from the soccer team's girlfriend. In the majority of our classes. Hot girl Lisa's best friend."

"Oh, shit yeah I know who you're talking about now," the other male said.

"Well call her," Jeff said.

"I don't have her number," Ava said.

"I have Lisa's we were in a project together last year," the other male said.

"Hey, let's move out of the road you can keep crying on me once you're safe," Jeff said.

Taking a step forward causing me to take a step back and continuing that cycle till I hit a curve. I didn't know how long it was till I heard the squealing of tires. I was content to stay here, this was the safest I felt in at least a year. But I looked over anyways to see the doors of my uncle Gage's old beat up van open. I saw Uncle Gage first and the tears had started to well up in my eyes again. But at the sight of Uncle Dennis, I was running.

He opened his arms for me, and I was met with a "my sweet boy."

"Can I go home," I asked.

He pushed me slightly back to look in my eyes "you can always come home."

"We weren't really sure what happened to him to be quite honest I almost hit the kid," Jeff said, "he's bleeding from somewhere I tried to take him to the hospital, but he refused."

"We weren't really sure if we should call the cops or not," Ajax or Callum said.

"I thought I had seen Hazel and him sitting together in the cafeteria a lot and they look similar, so I put two and two together," Ava or Ally said.

"I just happened to have Lisa's number from a project," Callum or Ajax said.

"I'm just here for moral support," Jeff said.

"I'm going to call a customer of the store who we call anytime we need a police officer," Uncle Gage said.

"Layne, can you move the car please," Uncle Dennis said I stepped back and saw Westin standing right beside me, so I wrapped my arms around him.

"Let's move off the road," he said.

"Sorry to call you this late at night Chris," Uncle Gage said "were on the corner of 56 street and Duck street something has happened to Lucy. You know the situation that happened with his mother, and we figured it be better on him if were you," he paused to listen to Chris "he said to wait here as we don't know where this took place."

***

It was a few grueling week's of talking to the police before I was allowed to go back to school. As I walked in it felt like everyone was watching me. In fact, those two were definitely looking at me. Now they're looking away and whispering. They're looking back so I give them a little wave.

"Don't worry about what they're saying," an arm wrapped around my shoulders. It was the guy from the street that I met a few weeks ago.

"Walk," I took a step forward nervously "where are you going to stranger."

"My Renaissance English Literature class," I said.

"Then let's go lead the way," he said.

"I'm scared," I said.

"It's okay if they have anything to say they can come say it to my face," he said loudly so everyone can hear. I saw several people turning their heads away from us. I started taking a step forward several times until finally I was making my way to my class.

"You're doing good," he said, "Just keep going," finally we reached the door "this it."

"Yes."

"Okay I'll see you later," he said.

After my morning classes I made my way to the lunchroom grabbing some food and sitting at a table by myself. I started to play with my food when I felt someone sit down beside me. I didn't look up they knew by now what happened. I don't want to see the look of disappointment on their faces. I saw a ringed hand knock on the table. I looked up to see my savior.

"Why are you all alone," He asked."

My family will be here soon I'm just not sure if I'm ready for their judgment," I said.

"Oh, hey Lucian I didn't know that you would be eating in the Lunchroom," It was Oli's voice.

"Where are the others," I asked.

"They've been eating at the soccer pitch since the fight," He said sitting down beside me "Don't look at me like that you've been eating in the library. We all just figured with you not riding with Sam, Tyler, and Lee it'd be the same as always."

"I had an earlier class, so Westin brought me. I didn't want to bother anybody I planned to take a bus, but he wouldn't let me," I said, "and I guess I didn't want to be alone today."

"Well, you don't have to you have me and this guy," Oli said, "who is this guy?"

"Oh, I'm‐ uh yeah I," the stranger said.

"This is the guy who almost hit me with his motorcycle," I said.

"I guess we haven't introduced ourselves yet," The stranger said "my name is Red."

"Lucian."

"Oli."

Someone came into my eyesight sitting down in front of me. It was either Ally or Ava. But it was the same female from that night I'm just not sure of her name.

"Hey kiddo how are you," she said.

"I'm here," I said.

"Well, why don't the three of us do something fun after class you can even bring your friend," she said I looked towards Oli he nodded.

"Sure," I said.

"Cool," she said, "we can go to the mall."

"Yeah, sounds good," I said.