Twins Come First - 𝒮𝓊𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝐿𝒾𝒻𝑒 𝐹𝒶𝓃 𝐹𝒾𝒸

Chapter 11: Luke

Zack walked into the suite after Mr Moseby kicked him out of the lobby for distracting Maddie. 

"Hey Mom. Where's Cody?" He asked.

"He went to the park sweetie. You should go check on him, dinner's almost ready." Carey said.

"Alright."

"I've got an important show tonight at 7 so If i'm not here by the time you guys get back, dinner's on the stove."

"Okay Mom. I'll be back."

Zack left the suite and took the elevator down to the lobby. When he stepped out, Mr Moseby was waiting for him on the other side, miraculously. 

"Didn't I tell you to leave my lobby," He said

"Relax relax, I'm just going to the park."

"This time, don't bring mud back." Mr Moseby said in his posh voice.

"You got it Mr M." Zack said as he walked out the Tipton's grand doors.

* * *

"Cody, wake up. Wake up little dude." Luke said. He was shaking the kid that Drew had ruthlessly pushed off a drop in the middle of the woods.

 Luke felt bad for this kid―he seemed so nice to everyone and he knew deep down that this kid was unable to hurt anyone. Any other kid Drew had ever picked on, at least tried to hit him back. No one had ever just accepted what Drew was doing to them; and he had to admit, what Drew was doing to this blonde boy, was just too much. That's why he came back for him.

There had to be a reason why Cody never fought back, he thought.

Luke saw Cody begin to blink slowly. He looked at his watch before he saw who even woke him up.

"l-luke?" Cody asked. Luke thought he sounded like he could've been 5 years old. "please don't hit me anymore.."

"I'm not here to hurt you. Come on man, I'll help you up."

Luke put his hands under Cody's arms and pulled him away from the thorn bush. Then he pulled him up.

"why d-did you come back for me?"

"Don't mention it; let's get you to a picnic table."

Luke began walking back towards the park so they could find a table. Cody tried walking before he fell down on one knee. Luke turned around and saw him struggling.

"I got you man," Luke said as he put Cody's arm around his shoulder and helped him walk to the path. Cody limped his way back out of the woods with the help of a member of the Drew Crew. He couldn't believe it. They made it out the tree line and walked towards the collection of picnic tables. Luke took Cody's arm off of himself and gently set him down on the bench, holding Cody's chest and left shoulder so he didn't fall. Cody winced.

"What's wrong?"

Cody pointed to his chest.

"Your chest hurts?"

Cody lifted up his shirt. The whole left side of his chest was bruised and swollen. His skin slowly started turning into a blue and purple looking rash. It looked like an infection was taking over his body.

"Oh my," Luke began.

Cody put his shirt back down and breathed slowly to calm himself down. Luke sat down on the other side of the picnic table. They both just sat there for a few minutes, not talking. Luke felt bad for the kid; he saw himself when he looked at Cody. Back when Luke was in fifth grade, he went to a summer camp where some sixth graders use to push him around and make fun of him. That led him to start basketball and become a different version of himself. But when he looked at Cody, it was different; Cody didn't have any fight in his heart; any anger.  When Luke looked into Cody's blue eyes, he saw innocence. He was getting lost staring at Cody when he finally said something.

"why d-didn't you leave me there?" Cody asked hesitantly.

"I couldn't."

"i'm sorry"

"What are you sorry for?" Luke asked, confused.

"you didn't have to come back. all I do is drag people into my p-problems."

Luke was astounded. This kid was just beaten up for the fourth time by the same person and all he could say was i'm sorry?  No; there was no way. No way a kid could be this accepting to such brutal treatment.

"Cody, I have to ask you something." Luke said.

Cody looked up slowly. All of a sudden, he looked scared again.

"yes?"

"Why do you let him do that to you?" He asked. Cody looked back down. He couldn't say anything; he refused to let his brother down and say it was to protect him.

"Cody?"

"i h-have to go Luke," he said. He tried to get up and make it to the pathway to the sidewalk but he took four steps and began to stumble. Luke quickly got up and ran to help him before he fell down. 

"It's okay Cody," he said as he helped him back to the picnic table bench. Just then Luke saw Zack walk through the park entrance and spot the both of them. He ran over as fast as he could when he saw Cody. 

"luke y-you can't tell him anything okay?" Cody said.

"What? Why?"

"p-promise me. please."

"I think we shou―"

"please Luke."

He sighed. "I promise."

Zack ran over and sat down next to his brother.

"Cody where were you? We have dinner in twenty minutes." He said.

"I-I.." Cody began to answer.

"I saw him here a few hours ago and I decided to help him with basketball." Luke said.

"What? Really?" Zack asked his brother, looking at him.

"Yeah Zack, I wanted to get better; for you. Then maybe we could play more. I was no good at it so Luke helped me a little." Cody said. Lying to his brother hurt his soul. 

"That's awesome Cody!" Zack said. "Thanks Luke."

"No problem. He was going for a layup earlier and he fell on his leg so you might need to help him get back." Luke added confidently. Zack laughed and threw an arm around his brother; it took everything left inside of Cody not to wince at the pain.

"Good ol' Cody―don't worry we can work on layups some more. Thanks again Luke." Zack said before getting up.

Cody mouthed 'thank you'  to Luke before getting up and following his twin brother to the sidewalk. He sucked it up and tried his best not to fall back down with Zack here.

Luke stayed at the table, thinking. Cody avoided his question. It drove his brain crazy trying to figure out why Cody just accepted what came to him. He became determined right then and there, to figure it out himself.

You are a mystery, Cody Martin.