You Left Me | l.h.

Knock, Knock

Lena's POV

"You brought two different coats?" Luke asks as we get ready for the day. "Actually three. One for each outfit." I say. "I've never seen this girly side of you Lena." He teases. "Are you calling me a boy?" I ask, pretending to be offended. "Yes." He replies.

This time I'm actually offended. I whip around to look him in the eye. "Don't joke about fashion." I giggle. "Or about me being a boy." I add. "Who said I was joking?" He says casually with a smirk. Okay that's it.

Without warning I chase him into the bathroom. Unluckily for me, he's speedy, and it's a small room. His circles out bathroom and jumps around the corner. At this point I want nothing more that to take him down. He spins around so he's facing me, right as I jump on top off him.

I wasn't expecting this to happen. As I feel the cold mattress on my hand, I feel the warmth from his skin next to mine. My head lands right in the crook of his neck. I don't how, but he smells so good, whatever he puts on is literally intoxicating. I quickly get off him and smooth down my sweater. "I win." I whisper fixing the ponytail on the top of my head. He laughs, feeling my ears with joyous sounds. "You don't look like a boy...like at all Lena. You're..." He trails off.

For some reason I remember last night. How he pulled me closer, how good it felt to be next to him, and then what he whispered. He said he liked me. I kind of knew that we like each other, but hearing him say it, for real, was earthshaking for me. I fell asleep right after he said it, so maybe I was dreaming.

Of course. It was my imagination. My silly little brain playing tricks of me. "I'm what?" I ask defiantly turning away from the mirror. "You're breath taking." He breathes out not breaking eye contact with me.

I wanna say that he is too. I wanna tell him that I find him irresistible and that I like him more that he likes me. I wanna tell him that I'm scared of losing him and that's why I'm scared to tell him I like him.

But I don't. I smile small and sadly as his eyes lose their hopeful luster. Silence is among us for t next few minutes until he clears his throat. "I called the taxi service and they'll be here in like...now." He says looking at his phone. I grab my gloves and bag, "Crap, let's go."

•••

"Should I knock?" Luke asks as we stand outside the large house. I step over a large snow pile to get on the front step. "Well, there's a door bell." I say. "I know but I feel like those are informal you know? Like what kind of impression are we trying to make? Formal, casual, curious, maybe mysterious?" Luke stalls. "Luke!" I interject. "Yes." He answers. "Why are you stalling? Don't you want to find out if-"

The door opening cuts me off. A tall blonde boy that looks a couple years older than me and Luke stands before us. "Um hi?" He says. I look over to Luke who as pulled his beanie over his eyes and nose. I roll my eyes, "Hi we're friends of Maya Tricket and were wondering if she ever lived here." I say politely.

"Ben, who's at the door?" A lady's voice yells out. "Someone looking for Maya!" He yells back. "Come on in guys." He whispers as I walk through the door.

Luke's hat still covers everything but his mouth, so he can't see. "What are you doing?" I whisper through my teeth. Without a word he blindly steps into the house and I follow. "Can I use your restroom?" Luke asks the tall boy Ben, in a terrible British accent "Yeah sure down the hall and make a right." Ben says. "Lena would you guide me there?" Luke asks nonchalantly and britishly. "No! Ugh, fine." I say. "I'm sorry about him." I whisper over my shoulder to Ben.

Upon reaching the bathroom I rip the beanie of Luke's head. "What the hell are you doing? You're ruining our chances of these people actually giving us answers!" I whisper yell. He shakes his head. "Lena I'm sorry. It's just that....that's my brother." "You're what?" I say. "My birth brother. Blood related. That's him. And I have another one who's here too." He says.

"Okay great, family reunion. Why are you talking in a accent and acting crazy?" I ask. "I hate them. Back in Australia, I got separated from them when I was a kid. But when I got older, I realized that even though I'd been going from Foster home to Foster home, they'd been adopted by some rich American Foster family." He says scoffing. I nod. "Sounds like a good reason to hate them." I say.

"So that's why you were stalling." I say raising an eyebrow. "I realized that my brothers lived here once we got in the taxi." He says. "Okay I have a plan. But you're gonna have to cooperate." I say. "I'll do anything." He says desperately.

Five minutes later, thanks to my backup makeup kit, Luke looks like, well a girl. "I don't want to see myself." He says rubbing his eyes. "Stop! You'll smudge your eyeliner." I giggle running my thumb under his eye to clean up the makeup he smudged. "Shut up." He's says trying to hold back a smile.

When we walk out of the bathroom we're greeted by Ben, and a tall old woman. "Hello there young ladies." He croaks. "Weren't you a boy when you got here?" Ben asks Luke. "Ben! That's so rude! I'm sorry darling you look wonderful, don't listen to him." The old lady says to Luke. Luke nods sadly, playing along.

My laughter almost bubbles over, but I let it pass as a fake cough. "Well we were wondering if a girl named Maya Tricket ever lived here." I say. "Maya...oh yes! Blonde and skinny, always wore black or grey..."

"Yes! That's her!" Me and Luke say simultaneously, as my stomach bubbles up with excitement. "She was only here for a few weeks, but she was a joy. She made us lasagna, painted our back wall, she even taught me how to nay-nay! Would you like to see?" The old woman winds up and starts to dance, until she groans in pain. "Oh my back! Woo! I'm not as young as I use to be." She laughs.

I smile. "Did you know about her background?" I ask. "Not at all." She says sitting down. Of course, they only covered her disappearance on the local news, not national. I forgot we were in Delaware.

"Do you know where she went?" I ask. "She left a note saying she would love to stay, but had to get back to her life in New York." The lady says.

"New York? Are you sure?" I ask. She nods and opens a droor pulling out a green sticky note.

Valerie-
I left but maybe we'll meet again soon. Come visit me in NY

126 Crosby St.
New York, NY 10092

-Maya

"C-can I have this?" I say my throat feeling tight. "Yes darling, take it." She says noticing my sad state. "Can we see the painting Maya did?" Luke asks in a girly voice, which brightens my spirits.

"Oh! Yes!" She says shuffling out the door. We walk into the snow mounds and around the corner until we reach the backyard.

There, on the wall, in black in silver, reads: "GOODS GIRLS ARE BAD GIRLS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CAUGHT"

"That's Maya alright." Luke whispers in his normal voice. And the something covers over me. I don't know if is the cold air, or the way the fuzzy collar on my coat is strangling me, or maybe it's just supposed to happen.

But I wrap my arms around Luke's neck and I don't let go. He eventually hugs me back, holding my lower back. "I miss her sense of humor." I giggle sadly.

He rubs my back and says, "Me too."

•••••••••••••
OKAY WOAH Idek what this is. Honestly I didn't even plan this chapter I just kind of happened so excited the weirdness but I need a little bit of a Segway to the next conflict. Also picture from his chapter and last chapter are Lena's outfits. So anywayyyy hope you enjoyed!
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