The Great War

Chapter 6

Joel POV

I was starting to think that there was something wrong with Luke. Why wasn't he following the plan he'd set up? He was changing everything. Was this ℎ𝑒𝑟 doing? Did 𝑠ℎ𝑒 want to see him fail? It would have to be. Luke's not one to do things when it's not organized or written in the script.

I put my hand on Taylor's back, and wrote I was walking Taylor home on a piece of paper. She couldn't stay here. Not with Luke. It would be difficult to follow what 𝑠ℎ𝑒 was telling me if Luke kept interfering. But we walked out the door, and Taylor went inside her house.

Finally, I could go see ℎ𝑒𝑟. 

Luke POV

Why wasn't she listening to anything I was saying, I have no idea. Why did she find me stalker-like, because I so am. Joel's probably thinking I'm crazy, I slightly am. I'm definitely getting killed sometimes this month. No way I'm escaping this alive.

"Luke?" I looked up. My mum interrupted my thoughts, which is really mean.

"Uh, yes Mum?" I questioned, unaware what was happening.

"Are you gonna agree to anything Mrs. Swift is saying?"

"Uh sure, it all sounds good."

"Are you even listening?"

"No! I'm trying to find a way that we can't both make it out alive." I mumbled, hoping nobody hears me.

Taylor POV

Joel walked me home after comforting me about Luke. I decided all I was gonna do until my mom gets home is binge watch CSI and Law and Order, while eating some snacks. I hate when I stress eat, but sometimes it has to be done. And now it is a pretty good time for the occasion.

My mom got home and she told me everything Luke agreed to. Apparently, he agreed to not being in the same room as me when I was over, avoiding me at school, any touch and my mom has the right to call the cops, so basically we can never talk again. Oh yeah, and one more note, and my mom is considering it a threat.

But something felt wrong while my mom was talking. No way Luke agreed to all that, without his mom forcing him to. I find it hard to believe that he's actually gonna commit to not sending me any notes. But as long as he says he's not going to, then I have no choice but to believe it.

~~~

It was the next day at school, and Luke didn't come up to me at all. I found that a shocker. And it continued for a few days. No harm, no notes. For the first time in forever, I feel safe. I feel that Luke might not be a stalker. But it's all not making sense how my mom was able to keep Luke away from me. And the way my mom did it so easily is what scares me most.

It had been almost a week since Luke talked to me, rather coming up to me. When I would see him at his house, he'd walk away with a curt nod every time. The question still lingered inside me: how did my mom convince him? I really hope she didn't threaten him in any terrible way.

It was as though I jinxed it with my enthusiasm. Luke walked up to me. "I'm gonna send you a note tonight, don't freak out."

"You're not allowed to. Do you want police all over you?"

"Look, I'm not gonna hurt you. One last note, and no more. Okay? This one's not gonna say anything about a killing, I promise." I wanted to scream. Those famous words of Luke Smallbone. I was so scared of the note now. But if he's right about it not being scary, then maybe his 'I promise' has really turned into one.

~~~

I waited anxiously in my room. If I just stay here, maybe I could finally catch him planting notes. I saw Luke across through my window, writing something. He looked like he was highlighting and writing, so he's probably doing English annotations. He looked over the sheet, and made sure it was perfect.

Then I realized that whatever he was doing, might be for me. He put the paper in an envelope and sealed it like a normal person. I saw him take a deep breath and he walked out of his room. I raced down to the kitchen. I looked through the window to find Luke putting the envelope in my mailbox.

I was too scared to go to the mailbox. Luke probably lied to me about saying this was the last note. I took a deep breath, and walked outside. I grabbed the note, the only thing in the mailbox, and opened it.

It was long, and there were two highlighted lines. At the top it said, "I wrote this a while ago, but just read the highlighted lines because the rest of it is irrelevant."

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐼 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑛'𝑡 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 

Luke was right. It wasn't as bad as the others. It was nice and calming actually. I know he didn't write this for me, but the fact that he wanted to make things right, and gave me a beautiful song that he probably loved. Can I trust Luke when he makes a promise? Does this prove to me that he actually has always been truthful?

I went inside. It was almost dinner time. My mom was just about finished making it. I went up to my room to put the song on my desk. And just when I thought I could trust Luke.

A paper, folded neatly, was on my desk. And it's just when I thought I could trust Luke is when I get a note. Unfolding it, I realized that the handwriting was different. It was incredibly neat, about thousands times better than most people. I started to think that this was from someone else.

"Luke's a little bitch, and he's gonna pay for messing up everything." It read.