Serenity to Souls

Special Chapter: Guilt

Luke's POV:

"I'm so-"

With a flash of emotion - a mixture of fury, sorrow, and injury - Danielle retracted her hand from my grip. Genuinely shaken, I just stood, rooted to my place. What just happened? Why did she run away, again? I was too caught up in my shock, forgetting prior events.

Then it hit me.

She cried.

The cold-hearted - or so I thought - Danielle, cried.

Right before my eyes.

And...

...it was all my fault.

But...why did she react so harshly to my words? I just told her the reason for her loneliness. Did she have some sort of trauma with those lines? Something like that?

Snapping back to reality, I grabbed my belongings and exited the cafe. My heart rate had decreased, my eyes schooling themselves into a half-shut manner. My brain, however, was a flurry of senseless emotions.

Sure...many people have asked me why I refuse to part ways with her, but I've never told them the reason. Ever. 

Come to think of it...I might have forgotten the reason too.

Mmm...the memory has to be there somewhere. I know it is. It's somewhere in my heart. But where? Come on. Why did I refuse to leave her side? Why do I find it easy to put up with her attitude? Why-

My eyes lit up.

Oh...I see. 

So this was why I've been the way I am.

-----FLASHBACK-----

I was always popular. I was, however, only treasured by my 'fans' for my looks. Perhaps a little for my well-built structure, but otherwise, nothing more.

"Hey! Lukie! Wanna go out for coffee sometime?"

"No way! Go out with me instead!"

I sighed, fed-up of their callings. "I've told you guys for the millionth time, I'm not interested."

"Hey, Luke, buddy! You should join our club! It would give us more glamour."

They only wanted to use me for their own gains. "No thank you...I'm quite busy."

"Busy, you say? What could you possibly be busy with?"

They doubted me when I said I had work. They were fake. Each and every one of them.

As I walked into my class, I noticed an unhealthy number of girls surrounding someone's desk. Curious, I walked towards them, wanting to hear what they were rambling about.

"Why so serious? You wart."

"Don't try to think that you're special just because you could answer all the questions teacher gave us."

"What's going on here?" I intervened.

Immediately, all their eyes laid on me. Their faces - much to my internal disgust - turned from furious to seducing ones. "Oh...hi Lukie!"

I felt two hands wrap my upper arm. It was that girl - I believe her name was Blake. Much to my unease, I gently told her to let go of my arm. Of course, she didn't comply. "Sweetie, this girl is trying to make me look bad by making herself look smart." Blake's voice was coated in poison.

I blinked several times. "Sweetie?" I questioned, dazed. No girl I had known had ever stooped to such extents as to call me by those sort of names. Suddenly, I heard the new kid scoff.