Hot Geeks

Geek day, tomorrow.

I screamed my head off and the pizza box dropped from my hand.

"You just ruined our food!" Luke whined again.

"Geek emergency!" Scott burst through the door.

"Yeah, I saw the text," I raised my phone to him.

"I had no idea that it was tomorrow," he sprawled out on the couch cross-legged.

"You guys are still having this childish tradition?" Ryder said, pursing his lips.

"It's not childish," I snapped. "By the way, why did you come back?" I turned to Scott.

"My bike's here. I left it in your garage the last time I brought it. I'll get it and leave."

I nodded and he walked out.

"So, you're gonna dress up as a geek tomorrow?" Luke smirked.

"You too," I smirked back.

"What?''

"That's your test. If you can make it through tomorrow without being embarrassed of your appearance, you're free to be my friend."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"She's gonna make you feel embarrassed tomorrow, trust me." Ryder turned to Luke.

"Goodnight," I said and walked upstairs.

I took a quick shower and sat on my bed thinking about Aunt Tiffany. Something seemed odd. Why would Ryder want to take me to the wedding himself? He could have came from college and then,we would meet there.

Then,it hit me.

I rushed as quickly as possible downstairs and both guys were still awake.

"What's got you running?" Ryder took a bite out of the pizza he was holding.

"Are my parents going to be at the wedding?"

He turned pale and blank immediately.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Tessa," he tried to talk.

"Don't you dare! Did you think I wouldn't find out? After everything they've put me through, you still want me to be associated with them? I trusted you and you broke it."

"I wasn't gonna take you to the wedding!" He growled. "I was just trying to play along with them! Do you really think I would betray you?"

"Yeah! I do," I stormed upstairs.

I felt tired,frustrated and hopeless. Everyone wants to be associated with my parents without knowing what they are.

Trash, monsters, that's what they are. They act nice and warm in public while in the real sense, they're really filthy.

When I went to the dinner they had invited me to the other day,I was forced to sign a paper.

Whenever they needed my signature,they would always find a way to lure me out.

I was just a tool that they had to take whenever they needed it. My head was pounding fiercely. It felt like I was being hammered in the head.

I reached over to my table to take a tablet but it wasn't there. Ivy had left it in the kitchen.

I groaned at the thought of going back there and facing Ryder.

Someone knocked on the door.

"I don't wanna see anyone right now!" I yelled.

The door was opened and Luke helped himself in. He had a tray of water and medicine with him.

"I thought I said I didn't wanna see anyone," I stood up and glared at him.

"I know you have an headache,so just take the tablet." He pushed the tray towards me and laughed.

"What's so funny?" I inched closer to him.

"You're easy. When I first saw you at school,you were like a rock. Hard,emotionless but I can see that you're just like all the other girls."

If a kettle was placed on my head, the water would have probably been boiling.

"What? Easy?"

I searched the room for anything I could find and laid my eyes on a fork. I took it lunged forward to his abdomen.

He let out a sharp gasp of pain as the metal utensil explored his stomach. I pulled in and out several times.

Then my senses returned.

"Luke?" I breathed out as he collapsed. "RYDER!" I screamed my lungs out.

I could hear feet running up the stairs and the door to my room burst open.

Ryder looked at Luke's unconscious body and the fork in my hand.

"Shit," he muttered.

"It wasn't intentional," I started shivering. "I swear,it wasn't!"

He slung an arm around Luke's neck and helped him up. He practically dragged him downstairs. I followed like a dog.

We arrived at the hospital and the doctors were attending to Luke. I sat in the waiting room biting my nails furiously. It's been three hours.

"You're going back to therapy," Ryder said with a straight face.

"Ry, I can't go back. That place is hell!"

"I don't care what it is, you're going back!" He glared at me.

Tears streamed down my face into my lips. Salty. Therapy, I thought. I had became a regular there.

"Luke Henderson," a man in a lab coat called out.

"Here," I raised my hand anxiously.

"This way,"he motioned to us.

We walked through a hallway before he led us to a room. We entered and saw Luke on the hospital bed completely covered up to his chest with a blanket.

He had a weak smile on his face. I could tell he was merely enduring the pain.

The doctor left the room.

"Hey guys." He croaked out.

"You okay?" Ryder moved closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded slowly. He strained his neck to look at me.

"Hey Theresa." He smiled at me.

"I..I .. wa ... wanna.." I stuttered.

"Am I that hot in these patient clothes?" He smirked at me.

I broke down finally and went on my knees in front of him.

"Theresa, what are you doing? Come on, get up." He tried to sit up but jerked down.

"I'm really sorry. I know I seem like a monster to you but please forgive me. It wasn't intentional." I pleaded. Ryder sighed and sat on the couch.

"Theresa," he said and I interrupted.

"I know. I'll leave to make you feel comfortable but please let me handle your bills and make sure you're okay."

I stood up and ran out to the reception. I signed some papers and left for the doctors office.

"He's gonna be fine in week or so, don't worry."

I texted Ryder to please meet me outside his room.

"What?" He crossed his arm across his chest.

"I settled his bills."

"So?"

"The doctor said he's gonna be fine in a week. I'll stay with Scott for that period. I think it's better to stay away from him."

"You're running away from him?"

"Yeah. That's the best option." I turned to leave. "And please tell Lucas about it."

"Scott." I knocked on his window for the third time. I had climbed up on a tree to his window. The light were turned on and the window was opened.

"Tess, what are you doing here?" He rubbed his eyes with his left hand and held out his right for me.

I climbed in and closed the window. I was still sniffling. He noticed my eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"What happened?"

I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his chest. The tears sprung freely on their own this time.

"It's okay." He patted my back.

"I almost killed him," I whispered into his ears.

"Who?"

"Luke. I stabbed him repeatedly with a fork." I disengaged from his embrace. "It wasn't intentional,I didn't mean it."

I started to explain to him but he cut me off and pulled me back into his arms.

"It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be fine." He said into my hair.

The door to his room opened and his mother walked in.

"Tanya," I hugged her fiercely.

"It's okay dear. You'll be fine."

I really wanted to believe those words. It's okay. It's gonna be fine. Empty words. It wasn't and isn't going to be fine. Not when Luke was lying in pain in the hospital.