We sat in the floor across from each other in total silence. Arzaylea kept fidgeting with her car keys and looking down.
I had no clue on what was going on, she hadn't been saying anything at all. "Arzaylea, I have questions."
"I know. I have answers, but I'm scared they are listening." She said looking at me.
"Who?" I ask tilting my head to the side.
"The five men, well, three men now." She said stammering. "Nova, I didn't mean those things on the telly. I just wanted attention, but I got different attention then what I intended."
"What do you mean?"
"Our father was part of things that were bad, drug deals and gangs. You know how he was an international stock marketer? Well he wasn't actually. And your mum? She was drug into the mess. She didn't do anything wrong."
I just nodded and continued to listen.
"The plane crash? It was suicide. The reason you weren't allowed to go outside? Was because of dad's gangs. Luke found you in just enough time, if he didn't, then you would have went on the plane too. I was always around your house. Even the day you lit the house on fire. I was the witness that told people about the five men. They are not only after you, but after me too.."
I had started to cry knowing now that my parents had committed suicide. Knowing that my dad was involved with terrible things. Even knowing now that my mum was an innocent person.
"And worst of all of it? Nathan Black is one of those five men." She says, "The one who gave you those hickeys tonight."
"Wait.. how'd you know about that?" I asked dumbfoundedly, wiping tears from my eyes.
"I told you, I keep an eye on your every move. I am your older sister, you know." She says.
"Why didn't he attack me then? Why didn't he attack you?"
"Because, Nova, I am his friend. He might not attack me, but one of the others will. Nathan won't be able to stop them. He didn't attack you because he wanted something else from you."
I wasn't dumb and knew exactly what he wanted. "So, about Luke?" I trail.
"Trust me, I know cute little lovebirds when I see them. If you are wondering if I have feelings for him, I don't." She says winking at me.
"You people and winking." I say giggling. She stands up and hugs me good-bye as I walk out of the room and back too mine and Luke's room.
I knocked at the door and Luke opened it. He didn't hug me or greet me, he looked lost. The door closed behind me as I awkwardly walked to the room and changed into an oversized t-shirt and some Nike shorts.
I laid down in the bed for a little bit, but all I could wonder is why Luke was silent. He was normally up in my business. I decided to get out of bed and ask Luke what was wrong.
Luke was laying face up on the couch, scrolling on his phone. I straddled over him, sitting on his stomach as he tensed up. He looked at me, but then stared back at his phone.
"Luke, what's wrong? You haven't said a word since I came back from Arzaylea." I say clicking the button on his phone to turn the screen off.
"I know what happened at the party.. It's all over the internet." He says starting to sit up. I wiggle down to where I was sitting in his legs.
"What do you mean?" I say hoping that it wasn't about Nathan.
Luke ran his hand over my neck, moving my hair. "Nathan. You." He said in an almost whisper.
"It wasn't your fault." I say fixing my hair, then placing my hand in his hand.
"But if I were with you, it wouldn't have happened and even worse, I didn't notice even out near the car. I'll put him in his place." He said getting mad.
I couldn't help but to think about what Arzaylea had just told me. I didn't want Luke to get involved more than he was already. "That's not a good idea. Trust me."
Luke furrowed his eyebrows saying, "Nova, you are so naive. That was sexual harassment and you don't want him to pay for what he did?"
"I'd be a bad friend if I didn't tell you what's going on." I say standing up.
The puzzlement on his face told me that he had no clue. I spent a few minutes explaining to him what Arzaylea had told me.
After a couple of minutes of retaining the information, Luke frustratedly stutters, "H-How long did you k-know?"
"Since that note." I muttered.
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Disappointment crossed his face as he walked to the room and shut the door. I never bothered to go in and talk to him, or even to sleep.
Instead, I curled up on the couch a tried to fall asleep. Although the couch was big and comfortable, I couldn't fall asleep, my thoughts were on overload.
Luke hates me now, just what I thought would happen. Nathan is part of the people that were on the prowl just to get revenge, two can play at that game. Arzaylea was my sister, she knew things I didn't. And my parents committed suicide just to escape the gangs and drugs. Hmm... Let's make a big scene boys..
****
When I woke up, I didn't realize I even slept. Luke was shuffling around the room doing things, I didn't open my eyes all the way, so he didn't know I was awake.
"Nova" he shakes me, "Come on, we are going somewhere today."
Getting up, I sighed and changed my clothes into light blue skinny jeans, a pink t-shirt, and my grey vans. We were out of the door as soon as I got dressed. As we got in the car, put on his sunglasses to block the sun.
All I could think about was whether or not Luke hated me. I could have cared less on where we were going. Truth is, I liked Luke a lot and I would hate it if this is the thing he holds against me forever.
It was about noon as we got to the place. "It's a Japanese Garden." Luke says before getting out and opening my door.
We walked around, looking at all different types of Japanese style gardens until we found a little pond that had a dock. Luke walked on to the dock and waved me over.
"Nova, it was just hard for me to process you kissing another guy, him marking you, and then what you told me last night. It was terrible." He said as he took a seat on the dock.
I sat down in front of him, "You're the only boy I've thought about for the last couple of weeks." I say pulling him closer to me before giving a small kiss on the cheek.
