Rough Drafts | Luke Hemmings {Sequel to Papercuts} ✔

thirteen

Luke sat with Lilah at the kitchen table when his phone began to ring. "Who is it?" he heard Corrine call to him.

"It's Ashton." he called back. Luke picked up his phone and answered it. "Hey Ash what's up?" he asked.

"Hey, Lauren invited us all to dinner, so I thought I'd see if you, Cory and Delilah were up for it?"

"Where?"

"Lauren's place. Family style." Ashton said.

"Alright, hold on." Luke looked over at Lilah. "You want to go to Lauren's for dinner?" he asked. Lilah nodded.

"I'll go ask mummy."

"Lilah's in. She's asking Corrine now."

"Alright." Delilah came running back into the room.

"Mum said okay."

"We'll be there. What time?"

"7:00." Ashton said.

"Okay, thanks Ash."

"No problem." Luke hung up his phone, and set it back down on the table. He glanced over at Lilah who was busy colouring. He smiled at her. Delilah lifted her head slightly to find Luke staring at her.

"What?" Lilah asked.

"You look a lot like your mother." Luke said softly.

"Really?" Lilah asked. He nodded.

"Mum says I have too much of you in me though." Lilah pointed out. "But that's okay with me." Luke laughed.

"You really are a bright girl." he said.

"That's what all my teachers say." Lilah said. "They say I'm too smart for first grade." she joked.

"What about your friends? What do they think?" Luke asked. Lilah set down the purple pencil crayon in her hand and picked up a light blue one. She looked up at Luke.

"I don't have any friends." she replied, her blue eyes staring at him. "None of the girls in my class talk to me, and the boys always tease me for reading." she said. Luke's smile faltered. Lilah giggled at his reaction. She hoped off her chair, and walked over to Luke. He lifted her up into his lap.

"You really are like your mother." he replied.

"Why?"

"Corrine didn't have many friends in school either. She was always alone, reading a book." Luke didn't like the thought of kids picking on his girl. He was upset that none of the kids would talk to her, and that made him think back to his senior year in high school. Lilah shrugged.

"I don't mind." she said. "I mean, it's no fun doing math problems by yourself, but I'm okay." she said.

"You sure?" Luke asked.

"I'm sure."

"Why don't the girls talk to you?" Luke asked. "You're an amazing girl."

"I'm weird." Lilah said. "I read to much. I enjoy classes. I eat carrot sticks for lunch. I really like carrots." she giggled the last part. "I'm okay with being weird." she replied. "I'm me. And Mummy says that's all that really matters." Luke kissed the top of her forehead.

"You're way too smart for me." he laughed. Lilah kissed Luke's cheek.

"It's okay dad." she said. "You're smart too." she hoped off Luke's lap, and walked out of the kitchen. Luke sat, stunned in his chair. Corrine walked into the dinning room, and stared at him funny.