Prepsworth Academy

Chapter 56 - "We've got work to do."

Amy

I repeated the words I'd rehearsed in my head to Jake, trying desperately to be cold and unfeeling. Lukas had told me I needed to break things off with Jake and I obliged, as long as it kept Jake safe, I could do it. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Jake stared at me with a hurt expression on his face, tears filling his eyes. I steeled myself against his hurt, there were bigger things than Jake and I, like exactly why Lukas had set a house on fire. But when Jake stared at me, his heartbroken expression burning into my brain, I somehow felt empty and distraught all at once. Empty and distraught...and defiant. When Jake's footsteps grew silent, Lukas burst out in manic laughter.

"That was better than I ever could have imagined." Lukas exclaimed, in between laughs.

"How so?" I asked coldly. Lukas smirked at me.

"Well, it was nice seeing his face just, crumple. He saw you and was happy and then all of a sudden – bam." Lukas explained, his eyes alight with a cruel fire, talking as if he were describing a beautiful piece of art.

"You're crazy. You've gone completely insane." I exclaimed. Lukas smiled unnervingly at me, leaning forward, as if to tell me a secret.

"Amy, we've all crazy. I'm just the only one who knows it." Lukas said, suddenly serious. I glared at him.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I murmured.

"My poor, little Amy. You still don't understand, do you? Let me spell it out for you, since you cant put on your big-girl pants and figure it out: I don't care that you dumped Jake. I don't care that the house was set on fire. I don't care if you're hurt or upset, or if Jake goes and cries to everyone about it. Compared to the real world, you are nothing. You are a tiny speck of insignificance in a desert. That was what you are to me, that is what you are to the world. So if you got hurt by my fun little game, I don't care." Lukas said coldly, a mad delight crossing his face. I recoiled, shaking. His words were hrash and cold and they struck me, one by one, the pain, and the truth, coating me in poison, tearing away chunks of me until there was nothing left. Compared to the real world, you are nothing. Compared to the real world, you are nothing. Compared to the real world, you are nothing. The words hit me again and again, sinking blades deep into my mind, into my heart. Lukas began to walk out of the room.

"Come on Amy, we've got work to do." Lukas commanded. Against all of my better instincts, against the screaming in my head, I followed. I am nothing.