**
"I can feel something inside me say
I really don't think you're strong enough"
- Cher from "Believe"
**
"What now, Lucky?" I asked angrily. I swatted his hand away and turned to confront him. I left my right hand on the door handle.
"I don't want you in go in there today." His voice deepened with his concern.
"Well, guess what, Lucky?! This is not about what YOU want. It's my life and I can do what I want!"
His eyes never wavered from mine.
"I know it's your life, but I don't think you can take facing school after last night." His voice was very controlled. He must've learned it from his dad.
"Lucky, you have no idea what happened last night," I said. My voice was close to a whisper and I felt tears prick my eyes once again. I blinked a few times. "Just because you came along to play hero, and save me from WHATEVER, that doesn't make you an expert on my problems!"
I watch his control crack.
"Elizabeth, I think I know what happened-"
"You think?!" I cried, cutting off his carefully chosen words. "Is that what you told your dad? Everything that you THINK happened? Did you tell Sarah, too, before you came running to 'rescue' me again? Huh?"
His face held such confusion and hurt I couldn't stand it anymore.
"I don't need you!"
I wrenched the door open and left him with that parting barb.
**
I don't know what force propelled me through my first three classes, but by lunch hour, I felt as if I would throw up. I found myself in front of my locker, depositing my Biology book inside. A glance in the mirror I had taped to the inside of the door revealed my true state.
I looked a fright. No wonder everyone had been avoiding me. My hair was mussed, my eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep last night, and my face was pale. I ran a hand through my hair.
"Ooh, did Lizzie have a bad after-party experience last night?"
The voice was unfamiliar, and when I turned to confront the person, they were gone.
If only they knew.
Before my thoughts could return to the events of last night, I felt a familiar presence. I looked up from my open locker into those intense blue eyes. What did he want now?
"I wanted to check and make sure you're okay."
I nodded, averting my eyes from him. His eyes had glittered dangerously at me.
"We need to talk."
His simple words were the final blow to my trembling hold over my emotions. I collapsed into my open locker, holding on to it in order to stay upright. A loud sob escaped my lips. I felt Lucky's hand on my back, as he lifted me slightly and turned me to face him. He slid one arm around my waist and used the other to support my back.
I heard giggles from somewhere down the hall. Lucky looked over his shoulder and then turned his body slightly.
He was blocking me from their view.
My tears were flowing freely down my face, although I was able to stifle my sobs. Lucky took another look around the hallway. He moved me away from my locker and pulled my coat -- his coat -- out. He banged the door closed. He slipped the coat around my shoulders while leading me to the doors.
"Lucky, I still have classes-"
"Not anymore."
He was pushing one of the doors open for me when a loud crack of thunder shook the building.
"Guess that storm moved in," Lucky said. He paused, still holding the open door and with the other arm supporting me around my waist. "You wait here, and I'll go get the car, okay?"
His eyes watched my face closely. I looked past him. It wasn't raining yet. I could wait five minutes in the dark by myself.
I nodded.
Lucky settled me on the wide concrete ledge at the edge of the stairs. He disappeared into the pseudo-night.
I couldn't believe how dark it was; I had never seen storm clouds so thick as to block out the sun at noontime. Lightning flashed above my head. I jumped, and then almost shrieked when its accompanying crash of thunder boomed. It seemed to shake even the earth under me.
I shivered. The wind was biting through Lucky's coat.
A pair of headlights shone on me in the darkness. Lucky shouted something to me. I couldn't understand him over the wind, but it sounded urgent. He reached me and grabbed me up into his arms.
I screamed. The thunder drowned me out. I squirmed in his grasp, trying desperately to escape the terror that was flooding my system.
"No!" This time my scream was heard. Lucky almost dropped me right there. He stopped moving completely and set me gently on my feet. I backed away as fast as my feet would go, once they were on solid ground. I cried out as my feet hit a step and I stumbled to the ground. The bandages on my hands were ripped off and I felt the skin on my knees tearing through my jeans. My teeth were jarred in my head when I hit the stone.
Lucky bent down, and reached out for me. I swung at him. He moved out of the way, but not far enough. I swung again and felt my first connect with his jaw. He yelped and fell onto his backside on the steps.
"Eliz-" Half of my name was cut off by thunder. "I was trying to get us in the car before it started-"
The heavens opened and poured buckets of freezing water onto my already cold body.
"Raining," he finished.
The ice cold water brought me back to reality. I looked at Lucky. He was holding onto his jaw with one hand, pushing himself off of the ground with the other. Soaking wet.
I forced my shaking legs to hold me up, and I stood. He watched me without saying anything.
"I-" I started, but a cough of a sob cut me off. He motioned to the waiting car.
When we were both safely inside the confines of the Beamer, he turned to me.
"Elizabeth, you can't tell me nothing is wrong after that."
End chapter ten.
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