Chapter 18: Lucas

It takes me a while to compose myself. Anastasia’s words hurt too bad. I cry my pain out and then I splash cold water on my face, I wish I could stay hiding in here until it was time to go home, but I refuse to let Anastasia know that her ill-intended comments had such a strong effect on me. I take a deep breath before I open the bathroom door. I start to walk back to the store Irina and Anastasia are at, but unexpectedly someone clasps my hand and drags me behind a vending machine where no one can see us.

“Why you didn’t want me to approach you, Vicky? Who are those women that were with you?”

I know who it is before I look at his face, his voice, his scent…  Lucas looks at me nervously as he places me between his body and the mall’s wall. Lucas puts his hands on the wall to my sides, he leans toward me, his eyes holding mine, I am warmed by the fire in his eyes. I can’t beli