Knightly in Shining Armor

Lukas

Sometimes, your life can change in a matter of seconds. For me, it was the worst possible time. In the middle of my fucking horror movie.

"Lukas Gregory Emrys, come here immediately," my father yelled from outside the cinema. I looked over to my best friend, Luann, who was sitting beside me.

"You may want to go home, Lu," I whispered. "This could get ugly." She nodded and slipped out the other exit. I stood up, running a hair through my mop of messy hair, and headed into the corridor. My father was tapping his foot, and I knew it was something I'd done. But what?

"Yes, dad?" I asked, a little annoyed. After all, I was busy.

"Your behaviour has become impertinent. You continue to act out towards your mother and me," he scolded. I shook my head. So the pot had finally boiled over, huh?

"Okay? So nothing specific? Can I go?" I asked.

"No. Your mother and I have been discussing consequences and we've come to a decision." He crossed his arms, his eyes boring into mine. Well, this was new. "We've decided we're cutting you off. You'll be going to stay with someone until you can learn respect and how to be independent on your own."

My jaw hit the floor. "You can't be serious!" I exclaimed. They had threatened to cut me off before. I never considered the fact that they might actually follow through with it.

"We've already contacted a family friend in the US. We're expecting a reply soon." He turned his back to walk away, leaving me in utter shock.

"America?" I called after him. "Are you insane? I can't go to America! You can't kick me out, I'm your son!"

"You're 19 years old, Lukas. It's time you learn some responsibility." He left me standing in the corridor.

My father is Ivan Emrys, one of the richest people in the world. He built his company from the ground up. It's pioneering technology, investments, and the way the world works. He married my mother and they combined their assets. This lead to them taking over the business and fashion worlds.

My mother is one of the most successful women of our time. She started from the bottom, with a poor family and next to nothing. By chance, she got hired by a modelling agency and rose in ranks. She started her own fashion company once she retired from modelling. Her brand is international, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. She married my father and had me and my 11 siblings.

But the money and the kids can't save their failing marriage. They argue about everything, and my siblings and I get caught in the crossfire. There is only one positive thing coming out of this. They put millions upon millions of dollars towards charity trying to show each other up. It all looks good and well in photographs, but inside the home, my family life is collapsing.

I rushed down the corridor to find my mother in the kitchen. She was pouring over design plans for her next line of clothing at the island. I crossed my arms, leaning in the doorway.

"So. Shipping me off is gonna solve your problems?" I asked, my voice low. She looked up, her steel grey eyes meeting mine. One thing about my mother was that she can break someone's composure with a single glance. Something about her eyes is so dark and terrifying, it's impressive. And one of the reasons she's so successful.

"Lukas, you've left me and your father no choice," Her voice was soft yet firm, and it set me on edge.

"Well, at least the two of you can agree on something," I muttered. Her eyes hardened to a glare. I almost flinched back. "What's shipping me off gonna do, anyway. It's not like I'll get anything out of it."