𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐄𝐒 • Luke Dunphy

xvi . rebound

this chapter contains very brief details of sa

"I hate men," Tiana said, walking to the Dunphy's kitchen.

"Ron didn't work out?" Luke asked. He acted disinterested, but he was slightly amused by his friends dismay.

Ron and Tiana had been talking for a while, and his family had moved next door. "He asked me to be his girlfriend."

Luke's eyes widened, and he placed down his phone, his full focus now on Tiana. "That's a bad thing?" Alex asked.

"Not inherently," Tiana said, "But I told him I'd need time to figure it out, and he got all annoyed and practically kicked me out."

"By 'kicked you out' you mean got really distant with you and didn't say anything when you decided to leave, right?" Haley said.

Tiana smiled at her. "I love how much you understand me. Luke, help."

"Why do I have to help?"

"Because you're a guy! I don't know what to do, and whenever I do what Haley tells me it ends up bad. I don't think she understand boys our age."

"First of all, Ronnie isn't our age."

"It's a one and a half year age gap, get over it."

"Second of all, it makes sense. I mean, you guys have been pretty serious for a month, right?"

"Not that serious. The furthest we've gone is making out."

"Not hooking up with a guy within the first month means it's serious," Haley said.

"Oh. Wow."

"How much do you like him?" Luke asked.

"A lot. I think I'm just scared of commitment."

"Listen, Tia. You fooled around a little... earlier than most. Maybe this commitment thing isn't all that bad. If you like him, go for it."

"You're right, Luke. I'm so glad you're always here to give me boy advice. In fact, I'm gonna go talk to him right now."

Tiana left, seemingly in a hurry, and Luke dropped his head onto the kitchen island. "You okay?" Haley asked.

"That stung," Luke said.

"Oh my God," Alex said, "You like Tia?"

"Only a bit. Still, seeing her get a boyfriend is sad. I'll get over it, but right now I just wanna mourn."

"If you want my advice-"

"I don't."

Tiana knocked on the door of the Lafontaine's new house, and Amber answered. "Hey, sweetie! You hear for Ronnie Jr?"

"Yeah," Tiana said, "He home?"

"You know where his room is."

Tiana flushed. "Thanks, miss-"

"Call me Amber."

Tiana had never called anyone's parents by their first names, except Luke and Manny's. "Thanks, Amber."

Tiana walked uk the stairs and down the hall to Ron's bedroom. She didn't bother knocking. She'd seen him change before, what's the worst she could walk in on? She underestimated the possibilities.

"Ron, I was thinking, and-" Tiana began as she opened the door to (what she thought would be) her 'future boyfriend's' room. "What the hell?!"

Tiana walked in to see Ron on his bed with a girl, making out, both shirts on the floor. "Holy shit! Knock, Jesus," Ron said.

"I don't know what the fuck this is but i know for a fact that Jesus isn't involved. You asked me to be your girlfriend less than two hours ago!"

The girl picked her shirt up and threw it on. "I'm so sorry," she said, "I didn't know he had something going on with someone else."

Tiana smiled at the girl. "Trust me, gorgeous, he doesn't."

The girl left, and Ron also threw his shirt back on. "Listen, Tia. In the past, when someone's told me they'll think about something, nothing's ever happened. I thought I scared you off, this was just a rebound!"

"I was gonna come in here and accept your offer, but if one bad thing happening in our relationship leads to a make out session with another girl, I'm out."

Tiana began to walk out, but was met with Ron's hands on her waist. "Come on, baby. It won't happen again."

Tiana shoved his hands away. "Damn right it won't. I don't take shit, and that's what you're giving me right now."

Again, Tiana attempted to walk away, but was met again with Ron's grip, much harsher his time. "Let me just show you what you're missing."

"Ron, you're hurting me."

Ron moved his hands from her waist, revealing red marks where they'd been, and down to her hips. "What do you say? I'll see if I can convince you."

"Ron, stop."

"Come on, just once. I've been waiting a month."

"I said stop!"

Tiana pushed ron away and ran out of the house, not bothering to say anything to Amber, who looked more than confused at the crying girl running from her sons room.

She ran straight into the Dunphy house, and up to Luke's room where she assumed he'd be. "Hey, don't just- Tia, what's wrong?" He said, noticing who had barged into his room. He examined the girl in front of him. The tears running down her face, the marks on her waist. They didn't look like they were gonna bruise, but they definitely looked like they hurt.

"Luke, he-" Tiana began, but couldn't get through it without crying again.

"I swear, I'm gonna-" Luke said, seething with anger. He was about to walk out of the room when Tiana stopped him.

"Please."

He unclenches his fists, and instead turned into anger into sympathy, wrapping his arms rightly around Tiana. "Did he?"

"I pushed him away before he could. But he was going to, Luke. I walked in, and he had this other girl, and I said things were over, and he just switched. I didn't know he was like that. I was really scared. Nothing like that's ever happened to me."

"I know, I know. We don't have to talk about it, we can just stay here." Luke tightened his arms around his friend. "That's never gonna happen to you again, I promise."

"Thank you."