24

Luke's POV

After telling Jack what I heard from Linda about Esperanza and making quick stops to pick up certain things, I finally make my way over to the Gail's.

I drive in just in time to see Mr Gail head out the door, looking worried but his expression changes to a smile that appears forced in a way.

I pick my school bag as well as the two other bags I'd recently made stops for, quickly locking the door as I head for Mr Gail. " good afternoon Mr Gail "

" good afternoon Luke " he replies trying to sound cheerful.

But I still notice the strain in his voice and his eyes

He's probably stressed out by the whole situation going on and Linda refusing to eat. Or maybe something else entirely...

I shake that thought from my head as I also smile at the man. " I'm here to... "

" to see Linda, I know. " he says smiling brighter. " you should go before she makes a hole in her room. "

We both turn our eyes to look at the door as soon as we hear it slam open to reveal a pissed off looking Linda.

" or not " Mr Gail says chuckling under his breath as he unlocks his car. He gets in and as Linda starts striding towards me he says, " thank you Luke, for taking care of her. " with that he zooms off leaving dust behind.

I turn my face to find Linda glaring holes into my head. " you said twenty minutes, it's thirty. "she says showing me the time on her phone.

I just roll my eyes and walk past her, heading for the door as I pull her along with me.

When we're finally in the house, I shut the door behind me and once again pull her along with me into the kitchen. The kitchen is practically gleaming.

If Esperanza's at the hospital then who cleaned?

" So your dad hired someone else to take care of the house? "

" no , I take care of the house by myself. " she says seating on the island.

" are you having mental issues? Cause I understand that with all the stress and everything... " I say talking to her like she is a five year old. But the next thing I feel on my scalp is pain, the most excruciating pain ever.

I look at her hand to find a steel iron pan and at her face to see her looking pissed off big time. " are you calling me mentally deranged? " she asks with the most dangerous gleam in her eyes.

I think about the pain which I'm presently feeling and the pan still firmly held in her hand. " uhm no? " I ask not quite sure what she expects me to say when she used a freaking steel pan to almost knock the life out of me!

Fine I'm still alive but still...

" Maybe I should knock you senseless before you sound sure. " she says raising the pan.

I quickly hold her hand and after a bit of a struggling, I take the pan off her hand. " you are not giving me another bump on my head! " I shout, mad that she'd once again tried to hit me.

" I invited you here to help me and you're just making me mad instead! " she shouts as well but with trembling lips.

" well you don't exactly look like you can do anything for yourself! " I shout trying to defend myself.

She does the most unexpected thing that leaves me defenseless. She crumbles on the floor and cries her heart out. " that's why she doesn't want me there with her! " she lies on the ground and looks at me with her red eyes still gleaming with so much unshed tears despite the fact that she'd already let some loose. " because I can't do anything for myself, I let her do everything and now that she's going through a hard time with Nana's condition, she... She won't let me help her cause she thinks I'd just be a burden! " she says crying harder than ever.

I sigh and bend to pick her up, carrying her bridal style. I look at the things discarded on the floor and leave them there as I carry her into the living room.

As soon as I'm seated, she curls into my chest and continues to cry.

I hate seeing her cry. Why did I have to be the one to hurt her?

I rub my arms down her back soothing her like a little child.

I wonder what I can say to her. After all I started this, I should be the one to stop her tears.

" I... " I manage to croak out still unable to form any other words. " I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said like that. I was just kind of teasing you. I'm sorry I didn't consider how you'll feel. "

I look down to find her beautiful brown eyes looking up at me, her face wet with tears and her eyes still gleaming but thankfully she'd stopped crying.

I decide to finish what I'd been saying, as I look into her eyes. " I don't think you're helpless or a burden " I realize how truthful the words I'm saying actually are.

When did I forgive you Linda?

" and I know Esperanza doesn't think so either cause she loves you just like a sister. She's just protecting you from her problems like any big sister would do. " I wipe her tears, but it's almost like she isn't even aware as she stares up at me.

She sits up, still on lap and pecks me on my right cheek. " thank you " she whispers quietly but loud enough for me to hear.

I feel my heart beat going wild and wonder if I'm having a heart attack. I look at the girl sitting on my lap and it's then I realize how special she is to me.

Oh God help me! I think I'm falling hard for her. This shouldn't be happening.

Yet, as she stands up, no longer sitting on me, I feel like pulling her back and holding her down, never wanting to let go of her. I push back those thoughts and the onslaught of feelings I had earlier.

I can't think of this when I'm with her. I'll think better when I get to the house.

I force myself to smile and look at Linda who is standing looking awkward. " so about your to-do list thing, we'll get it done but you have to do something for me first. " I say dragging her into the kitchen once again. I pull out one of the seats placed next to the island and force her to sit on it. I pick up my school bag and the two other bags which thankfully didn't get ruined. I pull out the food I'd bought earlier and place it in front of her.

I see her eyes already reject my notion of her eating. " I don't think I'll be..."

" you'll be able to eat it. It's either you eat by yourself or I'll feed you. " I say daring her with my eyes.

She huffs out loud but succumbs by taking one burger out and gradually eats it till it disappears. Thankfully her appetite seems to be back as she pulls the second one out as well and pushes the other two in my direction. I get her a drink from the refrigerator in the kitchen and myself one as well, I take one of the burgers and bite into it and soon enough, I'm grabbing the second and gulping down my drink. Immediately we finish with that, I pull out the packet of cookies and box of chocolate I'd gotten as well.

Linda smiles brightly and takes out two cookies and chocolate bars each, putting the rest away. She hands me one of the cookies and chocolate bar.

As soon as we're done with that I pull out the list we'd made and painfully mark number one.

List of things I've never done.

1. Never dated. √

2. Never gone against school rules except fighting. √

3. Never put much effort into my looks.

4. Never gone shopping.

5. Never been open about my opinion.

6. Never gone against the law.

7. Never gone on a fun trip.

8. Never gone on a fun trip with friends.

9. Never tried making friends.

10. Never hosted a party.

11. Never been to a party.

12. Never forgotten my first crush.

" I think we should mark number five as well " I tell her feeling disappointed that we'd been unable to accomplish up to five at least.

" no, I know what I meant when I said I've never stated my opinion. " she says stubbornly.

" fine, but with everything going on now, the only thing you're gonna be able to do right now is to go against the law. I don't just mean once, maybe twice or thrice but you must get caught. " I say smirking thinking of all the things I can make her do. " and it's going to be in nonstop motion.

~ ~ ~

" ah!!! " Linda screams as we run out of the store where she just shoplifted a hand bag and Prada shoes. We run into her Ferrari and she drives off towards our next target, leaving the guard who had been chasing us completely astonished.

We reach an elderly home and I throw the spray cans, I had actually bought with my money towards Linda.

She uses it to write ' Linda rules and you suck ' on the wall, while I shout and jump around like a mad person to gain attention.

As she gets to the last letter, the security guard comes around to see what the ruckus is all about. As he realizes what Linda has done, he starts chasing us but Linda throws the spray cans at him and once again we run into her car and drive off smiling like lunatics.

We drive into a particular street where we know street cops patrol every single day, she drives with full speed when she sees a cop car. Soon enough about two cop cars start chasing her and I have to admit it, the little brat drives like a demon. She drives around a tight corner and through a narrow lane but when she comes out, another police car blocks her. Linda looks a bit afraid but I already promised her that this wouldn't affect her student record.

The officer who looks splitting mad unlocks his door, gets out and slams it shut with all force, then takes long strides towards us. " he moves to the driver's window and knocks on it.

I can basically feel the fear coming off Linda in waves.

As she opens the window, I grab her trembling hand and lean into her ear, quickly whispering " go along with me on this " she agrees, shivering slightly as I pull back.

" Miss, did you just drive this car above the required speed. "

" y...yes sir " she answers stammering slightly.

" but sir, it was all my fault " I quickly cut in.

" and how is this your fault young man? " he asks raising a brow.

" well, I was teaching her how to drive as she'll be turning sixteen anytime now and getting her driver's license. I was trying to teach her how to drive faster cause she was driving slower than my own granny. " I feel Linda's finger nails digging into my skin.

" call your parents miss, I want to confirm this from them. "

she immediately lets go of me in fear.

" that's the thing sir, she's trying to surprise her dad so if he finds out now, you'd be spoiling the surprise the kid's planning for her dear father which would only make her sad. Imagine if someone made your daughter sad by spoiling... "

" I don't have children. " he says glaring in my direction. " not married either, and by the way I understand what you were trying to say no need to get all sentimental about it. " since this appears to be your first time committing such an offense, I'll let you be. I suggest you find somewhere secluded to learn your driving miss. Good day. " he says striding back to his car.

" okay that was close " Linda says breathing in and out like she hadn't taken a good gulp of air since she was ten. " and never you say I drive slower than your granny. " she says hitting me.

" ouch " I yelp out loud. " jeez, I was only making sure you don't get a ticket or criminal record. "

She still continues to glare at me like I am her worst enemy. Suddenly, her phone rings and she picks the call, looking a little pale. " Esperanza? Hi, I hope everything is fine. " she visibly relaxes and so do I, which makes me start to wonder when they all started to grow on me. " sure I'll be there. " I hear Linda say affectionately before ending the call. It's then I realize that I'd basically blanked out, through her entire phone call from Esperanza.

" so that was Esperanza, I'm guessing. " I say clearing my throat. " so how's she and her grandmother? " I ask truly concerned about their welfare.

" well Esperanza sounded fine and also said Nana has woken up but I don't know why, I just have this dreadful feeling in my heart. " she says looking like a scared little pup. She does remind me of how Gabriel looked when I'd shouted at him.

I hold her hand and she looks at me, a little bit less afraid and it makes my heart flutter at the fact that I can calm her down. " it's going to be alright, trust me. "

She smiles slightly in my direction.

After exchanging seats, I quickly drive us to the hospital where we make inquiries and quickly locate the room of her Nana.

I see a tired looking Esperanza place her hands on the face of a beautiful woman who looks to be in her seventies but my guess would be that she's actually younger. Esperanza's not even aware that we're here but solely paying attention to the old lady who looks at Esperanza with anguish and at the same time comfort.

Linda walks forward, places her hand on Esperanza's shoulder and smiles warily at the woman she calls her Nana. " Nana I've missed you. " she says with tears glistening in her eyes.

" Linda I've missed you too. And I'm sorry for telling Esperanza to not let you visit. " she says in a strong accented Mexican voice filled with tears and dry from not talking for a long time.

Reminds me of how she sounded before she died, when she begged my forgiveness for leaving me alone.

"I have so much pride on the fact that you have always seen me as a strong woman " she says as a tear drops down her eyes. " appearing weak isn't a good image for a woman like me and most of all I didn't want to see you whom I love so much watch me fade away. It already hurts that my Ranza has to see this. " she says clinging to their hands with hers which looked frail. " now that I know my time is near, I want to give you something. It's the gift I'd prepared for you and Ranza's birthday. " she says turning to get something by her bedside.

But Linda stops her and looks into her eyes with determination " no Nana, you will not be giving me that gift today. On our birthdays and no other day. I won't accept it. " she says her voice cracking at the end.

" So you want me to wait, is that it gattina? Fine I'll wait. " with that they weep badly pouring out their hearts all the while holding hands knowing that her time has come and they can do nothing about it.

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