Break My Heart Slow

Chapter 9 | When Things Got Rocky

Chapter 9

When Things Got Rocky

"I'd rather you'd be mean than love and lie. I'd rather hear the truth than have to say goodbye. I'd rather take a blow, at least then I would know. But baby, DON'T YOU BREAK MY HEART SLOW"

~

Luke's POV

Brandon pinned me through the hospital corridor wall – he literally did - the moment he took sight of me, saying those unfriendly, almost like we've-never-been-friends words, "If something bad happens to Lily, YOU'RE DEAD. Hear that Thompson? You're dead." He doesn't even let me explain my side or ask first, what really happened.

I didn't even know what those medicines Lily took earlier were for. What's even worse – no, it's the worst - was he looked at my mom like some kind of a monster. He totally lost respect for my mother, he didn't say anything, yet his eyes speak for him, he looks like cursing my mom at the back of his mind, that filthy discourteous jerk! I never looked at my mom like that; it means nobody in this entire universe could look at my mother that way. I am someone who can put himself up properly, I can control my impulses as hard as I could, but when it comes to protecting the ones I love, that's when I lost my patience. Brandon definitely reached the limit.

"Don't you dare look at my mother like that Tomlinson!" then I pushed him with both of my hands real hard. He stumbled, still keeping that furious look on me. "We both don't expect this to happen!"

"YOU don't expect this to happen, because you don't know her illness!" he shouts back.

Well of course I don't. I mean, how will I know? How will I know about her illness?

Wait.

She's ill? Lily was ill. That's when the realization hit me, I calmed down so as Brandon. He squats at the floor, scraping his shaky hands through his hair - breathing unsteady. "I-I am sorry Mrs. Thompson." He breathes out, gesturing his apologies to my mom. He obviously didn't know what to do, he's worried, seriously worried. Lily was really important for him, anybody can see it in him – through his eyes and the way he rushed here in the hospital on his pajamas, with no shoes on. I held my mom, rubbing her arm with my hand as I let her sit on the steel chair, waiting for the doctor's news.

Lily's family came as well, asking us what happened, with those worried look Brandon had earlier – and still had. I told them the story – that Lily drank beer and had too much of it. There's no room for defending myself, I know I was somehow wrong even if I tried to stop her. But we had no time on blaming who's wrong either. Lily's safety was all we've been praying that time.

I still had no clue what was Lily's real condition, until the doctor came out. She's safe. She didn't die now. Now. A single word that gives me a complete explanation about everything.

Lily's dying.

She was ill.

And she's lucky- her family and friends are lucky - , now was not her time.

I didn't know what to do anymore. I don't know what's right. The picture of Brandon almost like ready to give his own life just for Lily to be safe gives me a tingly feeling. I thought about El, maybe this was the reason she went to me, asking help. She wanted me to keep Lily away from Brandon and so I did, no questions asked. Not because I am heartless but because I actually have a heart, for Eleanor. I saw pain in El's eyes and she, the good-hearted girl I know, the girl I wished was mine, doesn't deserve to be treated like that – to be secondly needed.

Now that I can't have her, what I can just do is to protect her from getting hurt. That's what I instantly thought of, that night, when she went at my house ,before her squad leave for their competition. I thought this might be a good opportunity for me to prevent her from hurting. My action right then was selfless. I didn't heed for what I feel, all I know is I wanted her to be happy, to be the only girl in Brandon's eyes. That's why I came for Lily, I tried to take her attention away from Brandon.