the boxer // lrh au

twelve ; swimming

"so, why haven't you learned how to swim?" luke finally asks after i had agreed to play his game of questions with him.

"no one ever taught me." i shrug- and that was the truth. tyler never learned either, but he was a natural at everything so of course, he caught on real quick. me, on the other hand, am only a natural at binge-watching tv and scrolling through twitter for hours on end.

"what about your parents?" he asks.

"nope, it's my turn. why do you box?"

luke rests his hands against the rock right in front of me and lays his chin on his arm. he was looking right at me while pondering the question.

"i needed money. i was already getting into unnecessary fights because of my anger problems so it was just the perfect solution at the time. now, tell me you're most embarrassing story."

i think back to what could qualify as my most embarrassing moment.

"i know!" i suddenly remember. "one time, i was going to calum's house to drop something off and i didn't think anything of it because i've gone to calum's house so often that i have a key, so i just let myself in. when i entered, i looked around for him to ask him how he was and all that so i go to his room where i thought he would be and-" i shudder at the thought of what i was about to say next.

"calum was there with a girl and there were both not clothed and she was..." i trail off, debating on if i should finish my sentence.

"please finish your sentence." there was a smile playing along luke's face and that was the only courage i needed to finish the rest of my uncomfortable sentence.

"she was handcuffed to the bed!" i blurt out. as soon as i do, luke begins to laugh loudly. this wasn't like the chuckle he sounded in the car. no, this laugh was much different. this laugh could make everyone around him smile as it did to me.

my smile widens as i watch the boy continue to laugh, but i begin to wonder how i got in this situation. why am i sitting in my underwear with a shirtless boy who my brother has told me to stay away from me as he laughs about some old story i had told him?

"your turn." luke's laughter had subsided, but the smile on his face didn't go away.

"why am i here?" i ask, playing with my fingers.

"is that a question for me or for yourself?"

"both." i whisper.

"well bella, i quite enjoy your company. you're the first girl i've come upon who doesn't fall at my feet and i like that. big brother tyler won't get mad if we're just friends will he?"

"i think we've safely established that big brother tyler doesn't own me anymore." for the first time, i had felt good. i had felt free from tyler's constant grasp on my life.

"well then, shall i see you for swimming lessons tomorrow?"