Once Upon A Prostitute

CHAPTER 24 - HE'S NOT MINE

Luke's POV

I've never had this deep desire to protect someone before like I feel right now. I've never really had a reason to.

Last night she didn't want to talk about the dream, so I just rubbed her back and shoulder in a comforting manner until she fell asleep again lying on my chest. I woke up this morning to find her arms wound tightly around me. I just lay there in her cosy, warm prison and stared at her for some minutes. Her features we're relaxed now, a huge difference from the terrified one I saw yesterday. And it's not something I see often.

People around me are often so put together. There's usually little or nothing to be scared about. Maybe it's the crowd I surround myself with or the fact that everyone is such a good liar, but no one I know has ever been this vulnerable and scared. It's not that our lives are perfect. Maybe we just have different kinds of problems and fear isn't one of them. Loneliness maybe, but not fear and vulnerability. I'm used to girls sitting pretty and playing perfect, and I liked it. If I'm being honest, I think vulnerability is a sign of future attachments, and then things start to get clingy and messy. I should have taken this as my cue to walk away.

But I'm still here, liking her clingy limbs around me.

I don't know why I want to make her feel better, but I do. I'm also now more curious than ever. I need to know more about this girl snoring lightly on my chest. Why did she come to Twinhills? Could she have been running away from something, or someone? What bad things may have happened to her that caused her to have a nightmare so frightening.

Feeling some deadness in my arm, I slowly entangled myself and slipped out of the bed. She stirred a bit but didn't wake up. I walked to the kitchen and drank some water from the faucet, trying not to think of how clean it was. I stared out the window for a while loving the way the rising sun made the sky more vibrant with each passing second.

"Good morning".

I turned to see her standing at the kitchen doorway. Her braids we're all over the place and she reminded me of Bob Marley...lol. Don't ask me why I listen to reggae music. The sound is just so deep and soothing, it creates a certain peace within me.

"Hi. Sleep well?" I asked casually, leaning on the cabinet.

She nodded and cleared her throat. "Yeah...erm thanks for staying with me. You really didn't have to". 

I noticed her eyes were trained on my bare chest. I had taken off my shirt  sometime in the night to get more comfortable. I smirked and winked. "Well I didn't want to, but you just wouldn't let me go".

She quickly averted her gaze but I could see the embarrassment all over face and I chuckled. She mumbled something about needing to brush her teeth and rushed off to the bathroom. I went to the room and began wearing  my t.shirt. I needed to be at the board meeting by 9am. It was the reason why I came in yesterday being Thursday. I suddenly noticed her backpack sitting by the corner, and It looked stuffed.

"Going somewhere?" I asked as soon as she came into the room.

She followed my gaze to the bag on the floor and shrugged. "Just sleepover with Violet. But I guess I slept off".

I had a feeling she was lying. "That's a pretty big bag for a sleepover".

"I was going to spend the weekend as well." She said, looking everywhere else except at me.

And leave me hanging? I thought, but I just nodded.

"So about the nightmare..."

"I don't want to talk about it" she cut in sharply and went to sit on the chair by the desk. I turned to face her and regarded her. I could see she seemed a bit shaken again, like the memory of it was scaring her all over.