"You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane, comes a rainbow

- Katy Perry

°^°^°^°

"Hello Luke!" My mother beamed at Luke as we walked in. Today, she was in her kitchen clothes which consisted of a red apron with a pizza on the front with the caption 'I tried' written in bold. Her hair was tangled up and I noticed flour just below her chin. I mentally rolled my eyes at her messy state.

I always considered my mom to be beautiful. She could pull of any look with her smile and kind eyes. Anybody who met her immediately fell in love with her. Ironic that I turned out to be her daughter isn't it?

She then turned towards me and came closer and hugged me. "Hey, baby," she whispered as my senses were flooded with the smell of chocolate. "How did school go?" She asked pulling away from me, directing the question to both of us.

"As horrible as it always is," Luke said smiling at her.

"Hmm, I think I can make it better," my mom said with an amused expression. She knew us too well.

She then walked into the kitchen and we followed her inside only to have an amazing warm smell hit us on the face.

Luke's face immediately brightened up as my mother removed freshly prepared chocolate cake from the oven.

The kitchen was a mess as usual. My mom was simply an untidy cook. I rolled my eyes at the usual state of our kitchen as I went to sit down on the table.

Luke's eyes were shining with happiness as he devoured two pieces of the cake.

My mother entered the kitchen and gasped before walking over and swatting his hand away. "At least wait for me to put the icing." She scolded as Luke have her a sheepish smile covering his mouth with his other hand.

"I can't decide whether you come here for me or for the food," I sighed dramatically as my mother left to get the piping bags. Luke turned to me before smiling at me.

"I luv yo mosht Ally" he said playfully, with his mouth still full. I rolled my eyes at his behaviour before getting up to take my spare glasses.

However, as I was passing by Luke, he suddenly stood up and held my wrist,"what the-" I started but was yanked into his hard chest. Putting one hand around my waist and the other at the back of my head, he squeezed my body into his chest.

"You're my bestest friend in the whole wide world," he said swaying from side to side.

"Oh, god no! Ple-" I started as I pushed my face out of his grasp but he simply pushed my face deeper into his shirt.

His extremely 'stinky from sweat and dirt' shirt.

"What did you say, I couldn't hear you over all the love," he said loudly.

I held my breath and pushed as hard as I could but he didn't budge.

Damn it, I should work out!

I internally snorted at the sheer ridiculousness of that statement.

"You pig, let me the hell go!" I said using both my hands to push him. Luke took this moment to let me go and he leaned against the table behind him, laughing his ass off.

I scrunched up my face wiping off his sweat from my face.

"Damn you Luke, there is a shower room right across the court!" I grumbled.

"I was just hugging you," he said innocently before shrugging and turning away.

°^°^°^°

"Ally, sweetheart, can you go get me some batteries?" My mom popped her head into my room just as I was finishing homework. "The remote isn't working and you know how your dad gets when he can't watch the news," she said shaking her head at my dad's antics most probably.

"Yeah, mom sure" I said with a smile. She smiled back at me and handed me her card.

Getting up, I pulled my hair into a ponytail and picked up the card. I pulled on a scarf since it was getting chilly. Walmart was a few streets away but I liked walking in the evenings.

I made my way over to the shop quickly and found the batteries. Scooping it up, I decided to take a few extras just in case. After paying the lady at the counter, I made my way outside.

I groaned as I looked at the weather. It was becoming windy and the sky was covered with grey clouds.

I started walking quickly, wrapping my hands around myself to keep my body a little warmer. I turned into the next street when suddenly three guys dashed out from the nearby alley almost pushing me down. I had a near fall, but regained balance. I put a hand up to my chest in shock. I refrained from shouting at them as they looked kind of dangerous and shook my head lightly.

Suddenly, I heard a groan from the alley they had come out of. Startled, because this neighborhood is pretty safe, I pulled out my phone immediately. But deciding that I should at least see who it was, I slowly but cautiously made my way inside.

I switched on the flashlight on my phone and took hesitant steps inside. I had expected to see a man but instead I saw a boy, maybe my age.

"H-hey, ar-are you okay..?" I stuttered going closer. The person turned and a gasp left my lips as I recognized those grey eyes which looked silver in the light I was flashing at him.

"Adrian!" I exclaimed as I rushed over to him, suddenly feeling 'not so scared' anymore.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked me with steely eyes. I flinched back at his tone but my eyes strayed to his shoulder which was bleeding.

Profusely bleeding.

"You're hurt," I whispered shakily as I put my hand over it as a pathetic attempt to prevent loss of blood.

"F.uck off." He mumbled swatting my hand away.

I should have showed him the finger and walked away, I wish I could but let's face it, I would never have the guts.

Exhaling out, I pulled off my scarf. Avoiding eye contact, I held his wrist and raised it slightly before tying the scarf around his shoulder. I kept my head down and thanked the gods that I knew basic first aid. I tied the knot tightly as I let out a shaky breath.

1st rule: Stop blood loss.

I tightly closed my hands before pulling them away and hiding them in my shirt.

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't leave him here! I didn't like him or anything but that so does not mean I'll leave him here when he's hurt.

Plus, those buffy dudes could come back anytime. I couldn't risk that!

I hesitantly raised my eyes to see him staring at me. I immediately looked back down, clutching my T-shirt and he let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly. Not really expecting him to say anything, I snapped my head up to his only to bump my nose against his.

When did he get so close?!

He stared at me, with a small frown on his face. After a few seconds, he pulled away a little, all the while I was frozen. I held my breath until he moved away.

I was generally scared of people, no doubt there at all. But I wasn't scared of Adrian for some weird, psychic reason. I was just really intimidated by him but not because I thought he'd hurt me. That was extremely ironic because I suspected he was the reason for all my fears but...

My thought process stopped short when his hands engulfed mine, for the second time in the day and he pulled it out of my shirt. My breath hitched in my throat, and my hands became clammy. Not breaking eye contact, he pulled out the fist I had made.

My breathing heightened and my heart was beating a hundred miles an hour.

Oh god! Why do people touch me?!

He left my hand and glared at me.

"Don't." He stated to which I just blinked.

"W-what," I whispered, not completely understanding what he asked me to do.

Clenching his jaw, he leaned in closer, I reflexively moved back, "That. Don't do that," he clarified.

"Well, I, um.." I stuttered, which just seemed to make him angrier.

"Don't be so scared of me god dammit!" He said glaring intensely at me.

Me being me, I flinched away at his words.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, not really knowing what else to say. I didn't know if I was shivering because it was cold or because he intimidated me.

A lot.

His eyes immediately softened and he sighed.

"Look, I didn't-" but he wasn't allowed to finish as my phone took this second to ring. I looked down at it to see my mom's picture flashing on the screen.

Fuzzy slippers! Closing my eyes tightly, preparing myself for the verbal lashing I was going to get, I slid the answer icon and put it to my ear.

"Mom..." I said hesitantly and then it began.

"Alyssa Jennifer Hart! Where are you?! I have been so worried about you and your dad is already home. The fact that you didn't reply to the first two calls does not help your case at all!" She let out in frustration.

Huh? What?!

Pulling it out of my ear for a second I looked at the cursed notifications. Shaking my head, I placed the phone on my ear again.

"I'm okay, mom-" I started off but she cut me off immediately.

"Well, you better be! Where are you?! What is taking you so long huh?!" She asked sternly.

"Well, I'm in..." a dark alley? Yeah, that wouldn't go well with her.

I finally looked at Adrian and my cheeks became warm as I saw him looking down with amused eyes and tilted lips on the verge of laughing, most probably.

Oh fuzzy slippers!!

"You know what, I don't want to know. I want you home in ten minutes? You hear me?!" She asked and I nodded. Realizing my stupidity since she couldn't see me, I managed a timid 'yes' before she hung up.

"You should leave, I'll be fine," a deep voice pulled me out of my reverie. He was just staring at me waiting for me to leave most probably but he made absolutely no move to get up himself.

Trying my best not to stutter, "what about you?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"None of your business," he said, haughtily, pushing his hand through his jet black hair.

"No!" I said immediately in determined voice, I didn't know I had.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "What?" He asked, daring me to give him the wrong answer.

"No," I said crossing my arms across my chest. "There is no way I'm leaving you here alone in an alley when you're so badly hurt." I said in a stern voice.

"Sugar, I've had worse," he said with a short humourless laugh. "It's really cute that you think I care about your opinion." He said looking at me again.

I bit down on my tongue. One of us has to be the mature one.

"I'm not leaving you alone," I repeated stubbornly.

I am persuasive, always have been, I just don't show it that much.

"Fine, suit yourself," he gave me a tight lipped smile.

"Where do you live," I sighed out after a short pause.

"I told you to f.uck off." He mumbled and I sighed again.

Moving slightly closer to him I inspected his shoulder.

"Adrian," I whispered out. He didn't answer me. "Does it still hurt?" I asked quietly, gently touching the scarf tied around it, so much so that I wasn't even sure he would hear me, but he did and he turned around to stare at me with those piercing grey eyes.

I mentally slapped myself. Of course it hurts!! What kind of stupid question was that anyway?!

His eyes were hypnotising to put it in the least. It completely captured me, I couldn't look away. He furrowed his eyebrows and continued to stare me down.

He opened his mouth to say something and for a second I thought he was going to swing another obligatory curse my way but then, as if reconsidering again, he closed his mouth and looked down at his lap before rising his eyes up to mine again.

"Only you, sugar," he said, his lips tilting up into a slight, almost defeated smile. He used an uninjured hand to lift himself up and I scurried up immediately after him.

Once we got back on our feet, he just waits for me to make a move and I quickly move out of the stupid alley. I absentmindedly walk forwards, towards my house, with him closely behind me. I'm thankful for the slight amount of warmth that radiates off of him.

Who were those guys?

Why did they stab him!?

Did Adrian do something wrong..?

My mind buzzed with questions which only the boy standing next to me could answer.

I rub my now, extremely cold hands on my jeans trying to make them feel warm when suddenly he took my hand in his. My eyes snapped up to him but he was just walking ahead casually as if he didn't even realise, what he was doing. I narrowed my eyes at him as he slowly intertwined our fingers but his innocent face gives nothing away.

This is the way we walked back quietly until we reached my house. He observed the house I had come to a stop in front of with his curious eyes.

"This you?" He asked still looking around.

"Yeah..." I said, walking ahead.

He pulled me back by my wrist. Turning me so I'm facing him, he looks down at me.

"Go in, get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow." He said in a deep voice, not leaving any room for argument.

I shook my head immediately, "Wait, but-" he didn't let me finish as he placed his palm on my lips.

"You'll see me tomorrow. In school, and in one piece." I made a move to remove his had but he didn't let me. "I promise," he whispered at the end. Looking up at him, I couldn't call bluff and I stopped struggling.

He gently removed his hand from my face and pushed a loose strand of my hair behind my ear, using the back of his hand. My breathing became shallow as he continued his slowly agonizing moment. He sighed at the end before removing his hand.

Holding my shoulder, he turned me towards the door and gave me a slight push.

I slowly walked towards the door until I stood right in front of it. I turned around hesitantly.

"Goodnight, sugar..." he said with a lopsided grin.

I turned back and pushed the key into the lock to open it. Pushing the door, I entered and turned back to still see him standing there.

"Sweet Dreams?" He tried again and I shook my head before shutting the door.

'Bye Adrian..'

**********

An: so how do you guys like this so far?

Questions: what are your thoughts about Adrian?! What has he gotten himself into?!

Do you like Luke? What is his problem with Adrian?

Do let me know your thoughts on this story so far, I'll really appreciate it!!

So long!

Bye!!

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