Still the One (Book 2 in the Four of Us Trilogy)

8 | Listen

It's nothing, it's so normal
You just stand there, I could say so much
But I don't go there 'cause I don't want to.

-Matchbox 20, "Back 2 Good"

Luke

I lied to Miles and Rachel. I definitely didn't find a place this weekend. I mean, I found a few I liked, but nothing set in stone.

So, here I sit at the Waffle House at midnight, and classes start tomorrow. This is not how I wanted to start the semester.

"More coffee, sweetheart?"

I looked up to see my waitress standing next to my table, holding the coffee pot.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I muttered, pushing my mug toward her.

She poured the coffee swiftly and smiled.

"Thank you," I said, but I couldn't muster a smile.

"You're welcome, honey," she said sweetly, walking back behind the counter.

I took a sip, not bothering to add cream or sugar. All I could think about was what Miles and Rachel said about Brooke. I didn't want to believe that Brooke could ever even consider shooting up.

But now, I remember something... something that happened a few months ago that I never gave a second thought... until now.

"Brooke?" I called through the bathroom door. "Are you okay? You've been in there a long time."

I heard a scuffle and then the toilet flush. "Y- Yeah, I'm fine," she answered back. "I'll be out in a second!"

"Okay," I said, sitting in my desk chair to take my shoes off.

"Sorry," she said, her eyes a little glazed. "I wasn't feeling so good there for a minute."

"It's okay, babe," I said, gesturing toward my lap.

She grinned lazily, straddling me and kissing my neck.

What I remembered most about that day was making love to her... it was different than it had ever been – like everything she felt was magnified, intensified.

I never bothered to figure out why she was in the bathroom so long... but now, I'm pretty sure I know why.

I swallowed and pulled out my phone.

I'm ready to listen.

Rachel

Beep.

"Ugh," I groaned, reaching blindly to the nightstand for my phone.

Miles stirred next to me. "What is it?" he mumbled sleepily.

I sat up suddenly. "It's Luke. He wants to talk."

"Where is he?" Miles asked, sitting up next to me and looking at the screen.

"Hold on, let me ask," I said, typing furiously.

Where are you?

Waffle House on Monroe.

What? I thought you were going to your new place.

Uh, I lied. I don't have a new place yet.

I showed my phone to Miles, and he rolled his eyes. "Damnit, Luke."

Get back here you doofus.

I stretched my arms over my head. "What time is your first class tomorrow?"

"Not until 10:15, luckily," he answered, yawning.

"Mine is at 9:00. But oh well, we have to deal with this tonight," I said, getting up and wrapping my silk robe around my scantily clad body.

Miles sat up and pulled a t-shirt on over his boxers. "Wait a minute, you can't go out there wearing that," he said, gesturing toward my robe.

"Why not?" I asked, looking down at myself.

He cocked his head to one side. "Luke may be my brother, but he's also a man. A lonely, vulnerable man."

I snorted. "You can't possibly be serious," I said, laughing. But Miles' face betrayed no amusement. My mouth dropped. "You are serious. Do you honestly think that Luke would do that to you?"

"Just put these on," he said, throwing some sweatpants and a t-shirt in my direction.

I shook my head but did as he asked. I didn't really want to sit and have this serious conversation with Luke in my lingerie anyway. But I still thought Miles was being ridiculous.

knock knock knock

"That's him," Miles said. "I'll get it."

"Okay," I said, pulling the t-shirt over my head. "I'll be right there after I get my burka on."

"HA!" he barked sarcastically, opening the bedroom door and disappearing down the hallway.

I decided to forego the sweatpants for some PJ shorts – it's August, for God's sake.

I came into the kitchen and when I saw Luke sitting there at the table, I rushed to him, hugging him around the neck. "I'm so glad you texted me, Luke."

"Are you ready to hear this, Luke? Because it's... it's a lot to take in."

I sat down next to Miles and pulled my knees to my chest, waiting for Luke's answer.

"I said I was ready... and I meant it. Just tell me."

So we did. We told him everything – well, almost everything. I didn't tell him about the guy I'd heard over the phone that night. I wasn't 100% sure that really meant anything, so I didn't want to make things worse.

And things were bad enough. Luke cried for over an hour, and only stopped when I forced him to go to the guest room and lie down – he fell asleep almost instantly.

When Miles and I finally got back into bed, I bit my lip as I stared at the ceiling. "Is he going to be okay?" I whispered.

Miles shifted so he was facing me. "He will be, eventually. We just have to be here for him. That's all we can do."

"Do you think we should ask him to stay with us?" I asked. "I don't really think he should be alone right now. With all of this with Brooke and classes starting, he needs us."

Miles thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea."

"Okay, we'll talk to him tomorrow."

Brooke

I felt guilty for blowing Rachel off. I really did, but I couldn't go. I just couldn't – I wanted to get high. As much as I hated myself for it, it was the honest truth.

I turned over and watched Jordan's easy breaths as he slept. While it was true that I didn't love him – not even close – he was a decent enough substitute for Luke, at least in the bedroom. And he could hook me up whenever I wanted.

Was I using him? Absolutely... but he was using me too.