Boris and Har clearly had their own agenda that night. It wasn't about me; I was just a pawn in their game. They had their sights set on Kol from the beginning. I inadvertently got tangled up in something I never signed up for. Now, they wanted Kol, probably to harm him or worse, and they believed he was my boyfriend. I had to hand him over to them or face dire consequences. It was a twisted situation. Why was I dragged into this mess? I wasn't supposed to be part of their plans. I had no desire to be their delivery boy, especially without any compensation.

Did I really like Kol enough to risk my life for him? The answer was a resounding no. I didn't like him. We had sex once, and they were building this absurd narrative around him leaving my place that one morning. We barely knew each other. I was entirely irrelevant in this equation. So why was I forced to play this role? Why did I have to be the one to deliver him? I don't like Kol but I don't hate him enough to take him straight to the guys who want his head.

I needed answers. Why did Kol owe Boris and Har money? How much did he owe them? Did he get involved in something similar to my dealings with Monster? Or was it an entirely different mess?

My thoughts were interrupted by Lukas, bringing me back to the present. I needed to see Kolton. But before I left, I needed to gather some information. I turned to Lukas, asking, "What do you know about your brother and his... friends?"

Lukas shrugged, "Kolton doesn't talk about his social life. I don't even know if he has friends. Why do you want to know?"

"Because... I-" Before I could finish my sentence, Lukas interrupted.

"You were with him last night?" he asked, catching me off guard. My cheeks flushed as I stammered, "What?"

"He came in this morning, smelling completely like... well, you," Lukas said, his eyes fixed on me. My heart raced at his words. How could he possibly know how I smelled? I didn't even wear cologne. My scent was nothing special, a mix of cigarettes, weed, and perhaps a hint of beer. Why had Lukas memorized it?

"How do I smell? Not bad, right?" I inquired, trying to hide my embarrassment. Lukas smiled and shook his head. "You smell like soap and deodorant and smoke. It's not a perfect combination, but it works for you." A warm, unexpected feeling washed over me. Lukas' comment had an oddly endearing effect, and I couldn't help but smile.

"That's weird," I chuckled, and my mood suddenly lifted. "I kind of like it. Remember more things about me. It makes me feel nice." Lukas furrowed his brow, his cheeks tinged with red, but he didn't comment further.

"Anyway, uh, Kol went out today. He won't be back until later," Lukas informed me. I sighed, disappointed that I wouldn't see him anytime soon. I had so many questions and concerns.

"Hey, Luke," the bedroom door swung open, and in walked Donald, as impudent as ever. I shot him a friendly smile, but he responded with a rude gesture. Before I even opened my mouth to say something he flipped me off. "Rude."

"What's up, Carl?" Lukas inquired, completely unphased by his younger brother's attitude. Carl strolled past me, not quite reaching my height. He seemed to have gained a little weight since I last saw him during Lukas's hospital stay.

"Give me five bucks," Carl demanded without a hint of politeness.

"Seriously?" I couldn't help but speak up, my incredulity evident. "Dude, your brother could've been fucking dying in here, and all you care about is five bucks? Ask him how the fuck he feels." I narrowed my eyes at him, but he seemed entirely unfazed. He turned back to Lukas, who nonchalantly retrieved the money from his jeans pocket and handed it over to his ungrateful sibling. Carl clutched the money without so much as a 'thank you' and exited the room.

I shook my head, my irritation evident, as I continued to observe Lukas. "Kol may be an asshole, but he'd never let anyone walk all over him."

Lukas offered a quiet defense of his brother, "He's my brother. What else was I supposed to do? Leave him hanging?"

My frustration persisted. "He left you hanging! You've been cooped up in here for nearly two weeks, and not a single person bothered to check up on you. You could have been on your deathbed, and it wouldn't have mattered to anyone outside of this room. Your family really sucks."

Lukas sighed, offering no rebuttal to my assessment. I plopped down on the sofa in his bedroom, a place I had never dared to occupy before, as Lukas had always expressed his disdain for it. However, today he didn't protest. He kept a watchful eye on me, and when I considered putting my feet up on the sofa, he gave me a subtle warning glance, prompting me to keep them down. I couldn't help but ponder, "What could he possibly do? He's been bedridden for so long."

"You hungry?" I asked Lukas, shifting our conversation away from his frustrating family situation.

He responded with a questioning look, "Why?"

"Maybe we could head out," I suggested, "You've spent the entire day cooped up here. It wouldn't hurt to get out for a bit. I could buy you a pizza, or you could buy one for yourself."

Lukas couldn't help but tease, "And you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?"

I shrugged, avoiding eye contact and instead gazing towards the door. "Who knows?" I mumbled with a bit of playfulness in my tone.

Lukas emphasized my supposed misbehavior, saying, "You're not supposed to be enjoying yourself."

With a playful tone, I quipped, "Try not to be happy when you're around, right? Impossible." I smiled but noticed Lukas's intense gaze. He was watching me intently. I smiled again, deciding to break eye contact momentarily. When I turned my attention back to him, Lukas was closing down his laptop, a very very small smile on his face. I grabbed the device for him, eager to see what plans he had in store. "This better be good."

"It will be," I assured him with a smile, his eyes shifting downward. I walked him to the bathroom, giving him some privacy to freshen up.

__

Rizonni's was a cacophony of round tables and raucous chatter, accompanied by wide, grease-slicked grins. Orders rang out in loud, spirited voices, bouncing between the waitresses and the bustling kitchen staff. The atmosphere was teeming with energy, making it nearly impossible to have a proper conversation.

Yet, there we sat, across from each other, a pepperoni pizza occupying the center of our table. I had consumed only two slices so far, as Lukas had just revealed he was a vegan after purchasing the pizza.  Now, we were faced with an uneaten pizza that I'd likely have to tackle on my own. I wasn't a big eater, which made this quite the challenge. I had managed two slices, and the prospect of finishing the rest loomed large. Additionally, the awkwardness of the situation had intensified. Lukas, having opted out of eating, gazed around the bustling eatery, creating an uncomfortable dynamic. I felt compelled to offer him a slice, even though he had declined, and this added an extra layer of discomfort. So, I resorted to a subtle strategy: I began dissecting a slice, meticulously removing the meat and cheese. Fortunately, Lukas didn't seem to notice my culinary alterations, sparing me the need for an explanation.

My attention was momentarily diverted by the arrival of a group of teenagers, presumably aged between 15 and 17. They embodied that familiar blend of hormonal fervor and adolescent emotionality, donned in their high school football and cheerleader uniforms. A soft scoff escaped my lips, and I turned back to Lukas. "I can't stand high schoolers."

Lukas responded with a teasing smile. "I'm fairly certain high schoolers aren't particularly fond of you either." I rolled my eyes in response. "Their opinion of me isn't of much concern because, honestly, I don't care for them."

"All right..." Lukas trailed off.

"Since high school, I hated high schoolers and teenagers," I continued.

"Let me guess," Lukas interjected, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "You were bullied in elementary school and high school too?" I shot him a wry smile before playfully extending my middle finger. A grin accompanied it. "No, asshole, I wasn't bullied. I simply found them insufferably attention-seeking."

Lukas raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

A flush of embarrassment crept over me, but I couldn't help but smile. I averted my gaze to the pizza. "I'm nineteen." Lukas chuckled softly and shook his head. "Interesting."

"Look, the point is," I continued, "teenagers need to learn some self-restraint. They're too rowdy, inconsiderate, and seem to lack empathy."

"You've just described yourself," Lukas retorted, a smirk playing on his lips. I rolled my eyes, returning my focus to the pizza. I was nearly finished removing the cheese, with a growing pile on a napkin I intended to discard later. "Knock it off," I said to Lukas with a playful smile.

Lukas laughed, scanning our surroundings. My gaze wandered to the group of teenagers who had taken a table near the entrance. They were still exceptionally loud and boisterous, their volume surpassing that of other people here at Rizonni's. I blinked down at the now naked pizza then passed it to him on the plate. He furrowed his eyebrows at it. I guess I have to explain it. "You're vegan. I don't know what the dough was made of, but everything else that was un-vegan is off."

Lukas blinked down at it then up again at me. He smiled. "I don't believe the dough is completely vegan, but I commend you for your effort." He passed it aside. My brows went up. "You're an asshole. I spent the entire time picking that off."

"Sorry."

I shook my head and for some reason, I smiled. Lukas furrowed his brows. "Is this you being a dick because of what I did?" I asked him, "Still? You really hold a grudge."

"No, I hold crotches, and it's because of you."

"Ouch," I replied.

"But I like that you're somewhat changing. You're thinking of me."

"So, this is all some huge lesson, right?" I asked him and leaned my elbows on the table. "You're just doing all of this to hurt me in the end and I'll learn not to mess with people? Is that it?""Something like that..." He answered. I nodded. We both fell silent for a moment, just absorbing the absolute chaos that surrounded us. It felt like we were in the middle of a circus. It kind of reminded me of a high school cafeteria, you know, where everyone's talking loudly, trays clattering, and it's just pure teenage energy unleashed. Picture rows of tables filled with students, some huddled together in groups, others laughing, and the occasional teacher trying to maintain order amidst the youthful hubbub. Very annoying if you ask me.

"So, you don't like me at all?" I questioned Lukas, redirecting my attention to him. We locked eyes, and a part of me wanted to blush and look away, but I chose to maintain my poker face.

"Do you believe I do?" Lukas countered.

"Do I believe you do?" I chuckled. "I know you do. I've seen the way you look at me and how you remember details about me. And let's not forget how jealous you were when I slept with your brother."

Lukas seemed taken aback by my assertion. He hesitated for a moment, but jealousy was a subject he didn't address directly. The unspoken acknowledgment, however, spoke volumes. I nodded slowly and looked away once more, silently acknowledging the underlying tension.

"Do you really think I like you, Daniel?" Lukas questioned, his tone taking a more serious turn. "Don't you think you're exaggerating just a bit? I only remembered what you smelt like because you're always close to me, and I don't look at you in any specific way."

"Seriously?" I laughed lightly, setting down a pepperoni slice on my plate. I held his gaze. "We're practically on a date."

Lukas seemed momentarily flustered, glancing around as if just realizing we were in a public place surrounded by others. His gaze returned to mine, and I noticed a hint of a smile. Got him.

"I'm joking," I said with a grin. "This is just two friends sharing a pizza, right?" I retrieved my phone from the table, when I heard the soft 'ping', switched it on, and sent a message to Kol, letting him know that I'd be returning to his place soon. I texted Kol earlier that I needed to see him, and he just texted me back. I wanted to roll my eyes at him--his entire existence is an eye roll.

I looked back at Lukas, offering a warm smile. "We should go?"

Lukas hesitated briefly before replying, "Um, yeah, sure."

As we strolled through the dimly lit streets, an idea nagged at me. Lukas had mentioned his brother earlier, and the mysterious air around his family life intrigued me. My mind wandered back to the earlier encounter with Carl. He had boldly asked Lukas for money, and Lukas had handed it over without hesitation. During my entire time as a 'caregiver', I realized Carl had never shown up to visit Lukas. His sister had only dropped by once or twice and Kolton was pretty much the same. It seemed that they all shared a similar lack of interest in his brother's well-being. The realization gnawed at me, making me wonder about the dynamics of their family and the reasons behind their apparent indifference.

"So, Lukas," I began, my tone sharper than before, "what's the deal with your family?"

Lukas glanced at me, his eyebrows raised in response to my brash inquiry. He let out a wry chuckle. "You're pretty nosy, aren't you? It's none of your business, really."

I shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring his attempt to deflect. "Just trying to make conversation, but if it's too personal...I get it. I mean, y'all are a messed up bunch..."

Lukas shot me a sidelong glance, clearly irritated by my persistence. "Look, we all have our issues, okay? What's it to you?"

I couldn't help but grin at his growing annoyance. "Oh, nothing. Just curious, that's all. You know, trying to figure out what makes you tick."

Lukas rolled his eyes and shook his head, clearly not in the mood to delve into his family history. "Well, good luck with that. You might find it's not as exciting as you think."

Our conversation drifted into a tense silence, and while I knew I hadn't made any progress in learning more about Lukas' family, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd struck a nerve. Despite his resistance, there was clearly something beneath the surface that he wasn't ready to share, and it left me wondering just what secrets he was guarding.