Chapter 44

**SCARLET**
Luke wasn’t on his side of the bed when I woke up. I checked the desk clock and found that it was only six-fifty. I stepped out of bed and then went straight to the bathroom.
After a cold shower, I couldn’t stop thinking about my dream. Luke was with me, Mom and Thomas, and they knew about our relationship. We’re all happy. In reality, I knew that it would be impossible.
When I came downstairs, Mom was already preparing breakfast. Thomas was in the living room, reading a newspaper. I couldn’t even look at him. He knew about my past, and I wasn’t expecting him to treat me the same.
I greeted Mom first. She was settling the food on the tables, then Luke’s face appeared as he closed the fridge. His wounds weren’t swollen anymore as it was last night.
“Darling, sit there,” Mom instructed. “It’s good to fill up your stomach before school.”
I sat in the middle part, and Luke sat across from me. He put a plate in front of me and the other utensils.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
“Darling? Breakfast is ready!” Mom called Thomas to join us. I glanced at him to see if he would come to the table.
“I’ll join you later,” he answered, but his gaze was still on the newspaper.
Mom sighed and turned to Luke. “What happened to you last night?”
“You know him.” He clenched his jaw. “He still treats me like this.” Mom rubbed his back fondly.
“Let me check your face before you go.”
Luke smiled but didn’t touch his eyes. “I’m fine.”
After breakfast, Mom brought Thomas’s breakfast to the living room. I watched her as she began a conversation with him, gesturing her hand in the air. Her expression was concerned. Thomas put down the newspaper on the table.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen them argue,” I said.
“You’ll witness that again when you come home after you graduate.”
I sighed a deep breath. “That again,” I whispered.
“What?”
“My graduation.”
“So that’s why you have to think about it.” He said out of nowhere.
I frowned. “Think of what?”
“When are you going to give me an answer?”
“I don’t think I understand…”
“I think you do. I also think that you heard me. I made sure that you heard it.”
I blinked. What’s he saying?
He rolled his eyes. “I really hate repeating myself.”
“Repeat… what?”
“Do you want me to break the two-month agreement? Because I decided to stay.”
I stared at him, unsure if I was hallucinating. Did Luke just ask me to break the two-month rule when we just started? What’s gotten into him now? So, what I heard last night was real?
If we break the rule, there will be no more time. Our relationship would continue even after I graduated. We would be together under the same roof, betraying and lying to our parents. It was too dangerous.
I thought he didn’t lie? Was he willing to give up his virtue just to be in a forbidden relationship? What kind of relationship would it be? Was he asking me to be his girlfriend?
I couldn’t stop worrying about my feelings—knowing that I might get hurt in the end.
But what is this? He was suddenly asking me to stay with him?
If it wasn’t two months, then until when?
I kicked his foot under the table and checked if our parents were close. How could he openly talk about it in front of them?
“Shh… they’ll hear us.”
“Hey, that hurts.”
“Are you even serious?” I hissed.
“Do I look like I’m not?”
“Fine. Let’s talk about this later.”
“You just have to answer me with yes or no. There’s no need to talk.”
“What you’re saying isn’t simple, Luke.” What was I worried about? Wasn’t this what I wanted?
He stared at me but eventually gave up with a sigh. “All right, just finish your food.” He put his utensils on the table. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up.
“You didn’t finish yours.”
“Didn’t I promise you a drive today? Hurry up, I’ll wait for you.” He marched away.
“But—” I still hadn’t taken a shower…

***
I didn’t say much in the car until we arrived at the school. I had a lot to think about because I knew it wasn’t wise to stay in a relationship with Luke.
Luke turned off the stereo and glanced at the window. “I’ll see you after class.”
“I still have to talk to Katherine,” I informed him. “I didn’t get to talk to her last night.”
“You really have to make this hard for us, don’t you think? You said we would talk,” he reminded me of my earlier statement, which I’d momentarily forgotten. Luke gripped the steering wheel hard. “Call me when you’re done.”
“Yep, sure.” I pushed the door open and stepped out of the car, and he pulled away.
When I got inside our information systems class, I spotted Katherine, and she was in our usual spot. Nate was in the front row with his class partner in front of a laptop.
My heart felt tight and guilty the moment I saw his face. Luke hit him pretty damned hard. My conscience was telling me to inform Katherine, but I was embarrassed.
When I sat next to her, she had a gloomier expression than me and had dark circles under her eyes.
“Katherine?”
“Oh, Scar.” She hugged me. “Where were you last night?” she asked in her hoarse voice.
“Mom and Thomas came. They’ll be staying at Luke’s. Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t text you. What’s going on?”
“I fought with Nate.”
“Why?” I glanced at Nate from afar; he was laughing like an idiot as if nothing had happened. I sometimes wondered if he was still the friend I used to know. “What’s going on with him now?”
She sighed, and she looked like she was about to cry again. “He said it’s about his dad. His dad’s condition is critical, and he’s easily upset about something. I thought we already talked about it and decided to tell his father his plan, but I think there’s something else.”
I frowned. “What do you think it is?”
“I think he’s seeing someone else,” she said.
My heart skipped a beat. Katherine had reached this point. “Why do you think so? Nate wouldn’t do that to you.”
“I know, but I’m going crazy. This is the first time he asked for space.”
“Think about this. You asked him to break up with you when he suddenly proposed, but you didn’t mean it, right? What if he’s just going through the same thing?”
“I don’t know, Scar.” She shook her head. “Can you talk to him? You’re the only one he’ll listen to.”
I nodded. “I’ll try to talk to him after class.”
“No, not after class. He’ll think that I asked you. I need you with me, Scar. Can you stay with me tonight?”
“I’ll tell Mom.”
She forced a smile and hugged me again. “I know family comes first, but I need you right now.”
This was not the time to tell her about Nate’s encounter with Luke.
After a few hours of boring classes, I asked Katherine to come with me to Starbucks; she had been following me like a lost puppy. She was in a black hole, and her problem was also beginning to eat me up.
My thoughts were interrupted when something popped on my screen. A message from Nate.
Can we talk? This is urgent – Nate
I replied with a simple ‘no’ to his text, and my phone beeped again. I rolled my eyes, but I still read the text anyway. Why couldn’t he just come here? I told him about our location, and his girlfriend was crying her eyes out because of him.
Get your ass up here, Nate. I swear, I’m going to smack you so hard you’ll see double.
He replied right away. I guess Katherine already told you. Can I call you? But please don’t let her hear it.
I rolled my eyes.
Fine. Call me. I replied.
“Katherine. I’m just going to the restroom, and I’ll be quick.”
She sipped on her Frappuccino and nodded like a zombie.
I excused myself once more and rushed to the restroom. Nate’s call came right away.
“Be quick. I’m with Katherine,” I said as soon as I answered.
“Is she next to you?” he asked anxiously.
“No, don’t worry. I excused myself. What is it?”
“I’m sorry for what I did to Katherine, Scar.”
“Don’t you think you should be telling her that?” I grunted. “What’s your game now, Nate? Is this really about Katherine—”
“I love Katherine,” he inserted, “and you know it, but something’s been bothering me. It’s not just Dad.”
“Why are you saying this to me now?”
“It’s nothing for you, but…” he paused. “I guess I’m worried about a lot of things. You and your stepbrother in particular…”
“What does this have to do with Katherine?” I exhaled. “If this is about your encounter with Luke, I apologize on his behalf—”
“No!” he snapped. “God, why is this so hard to explain? Fine.” He sighed sharply. “I’m worried about you. I’m confused about this, Scar. I’m confused about myself. Why do I have to save you all the time and…”
I caught my breath. “Stop right there, Nate.” Damn. Please let my intuition about this be wrong. “Are you really pressing this on me? Were you an ass to Katherine because of this?”
“I guess,” he admitted. “You know what we were before me and Katherine, Scar,” he pointed, and I understood even if he wouldn’t say it. However, there wasn’t an us. I stopped before it even happened, and then he met Katherine.
Right. He was confused.
“I don’t think there’s still a point to open that,” I scolded. “You have every right to be worried about a friend, and you are my best friend, Nate. That is what we are. Don’t mix things up.”
“And your stepbrother might like you for now, but do you think your parents will like that?” he questioned. “I just don’t think I can watch you go through the same thing. Look at what happened the other day? He beat me for hugging you. Is that the kind of man you like? Who could easily hit someone?”
Now I knew where he was coming from. “He’s wrong, I know, and thank you for keeping it low. But Nate…” I breathed. “He would never physically hurt me, I promise. But shouldn’t you be apologizing to Katherine and trying not to worry about me? Because I’m going to kill you for hurting her.”
There was a long silence on his line, then he exhaled. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I’ve been an ass to Katherine. But it’s about my dad, why we fought. You know the situation, but my anger is mixed up. I couldn’t believe your stepbrother would do that.”
“Again, I apologize for that. But make it up to her, and we’ll tell her about what happened between you and Luke because I don’t want her to misunderstand.”
But, of course, I don’t think he’s capable of hurting Katherine. Nate had always been soft and compassionate with the people around him, and he would go to any measures for those he cared about, especially his friends. I was glad we cleared that up.