How Could You Know - Luke Morrow

Part Two

Luke P.O.V

I walked into the dive bar with the boys, Frankie leading us in as he eyed the waitress with dark hair she turned around with excitement on her face.

"Frankie!? No way. Cal, get your ass over here." My eyes flicked to the girl with red hair whose head shot up before she made her way over here, as she got closer, I realised who it was almost instantly. I never thought I'd see her again. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Frankie, she jumped on him squealing in joy as he held her close. That used to be me that got those kinds of hugs from her, I could almost feel her body pressed against mine.

"It's so good to see you too Ope." I heard him chuckle. I crossed my arms as I took my eyes away from them and turned to look at the other boys. "These are the guys, we're shipping off to Iraq in two weeks." The other guys were giving me questioning looks as Frankie pulled her closer to him as he introduced us.

"Since when have you been a Marine?" She asked him and punched his shoulder. I couldn't take my eyes off her. The last time I saw her, her eyes were sunken and hollow, and she was deathly skinny. She looked good. Maybe she went to get help too. Frankie hadn't mentioned her for as long as we had been in the Marines together. I noticed that she actually hadn't looked around at the rest of us but the guys couldn't take their eyes off her or her waitress friend that knew Frankie as well.

"Guys, this is Calliope, my very best friend in the whole world. Cassie used to babysit us." I watched Callie follow Cassie's eyesight and her eyes locked with mine. Everything around us became a blur as I saw the signs of her having a panic attack. She pushed Frankie away and started backing away. I watched her chest heave, and her eyes tear up, she was struggling to breathe, and I pushed myself passed Frankie and reached out to her just as her knees gave out. I grasped her shoulders gently and knelt in front of her.

"Callie, hold your breath, you're having a panic attack." I instructed her trying to get her to look at me as she was looking at the ground. She gasped as her eyes met mine, effectively causing her to hold her breath. I wiped away the tears running down her face, something about this felt nostalgic and it terrified me. The last time she looked like this was when she nearly overdosed. It was my turning point to get sober. Seeing her like this again I could feel my own panic set in. Her breathing started to even out as she looked over my shoulder. I gently helped her up off the cold hard concrete ground and she leaned slightly on me as I guided her back over to our table. I helped her sit at one of the stools just as the other waitress, Cassie, came over with our drinks. As I was making sure she was able to sit on her own Armando spoke up to Cassie.

"So we're good enough to fight for your ass but not good enough to touch it?" Cassie scoffed and turned away shaking her head. I looked at Callie one last time before Frankie came and took my spot beside her. I followed Cassie, Brandon called out something along the lines of 'don't do what he did' and I shook my head leaning against the bar next to Cassie.

"I just want to apologise for our friend, he's a bit," I stop and chuckle not being able to find the words needed to describe Armando. She doesn't look up from cleaning glasses. I look back over to the boys and Callie. She laughed and poked Frankie in the chest when her sister came up. I shook my head slightly to get her out of my mind when Cassie scoffed.

"Okay."

"Uh, I'm Luke by the way, what's your name?" I held my out, trying to be a gentleman, I knew she meant a lot to both Callie and Frankie. I needed to try and get on her good graces for them.

"Your waitress/bartender. Have a fun night Luke. And stay away from Callie, she doesn't need your bullshit again." She pushed off the bar and moved to walk away around me. I looked back over to Callie and noticed Frankie was standing by her sister. I swallowed my thoughts about Callie and trying to keep her happy. I was getting pissed at Cassie she wouldn't even allow mw to apologise for Armando, I didn't even need to he's a dick but here I was at least trying to.