Page 71 of One Shot

“Right, but I don’t understand how that has anything to do with me?”

“She can’t hide behind swearing off love and not working through her trauma . . .” Bren pauses for a beat “. . . not when she wants to be with you.”

Her words stop me in my tracks, looking Bren wide-eyed and hopeful.

Bren puts her hand on my shoulder and whispers, “She loves you too, Lucas.”

My heart takes over my body, and I sprint the last block to the house. My feet automatically led me where my heart knew I needed to be.

“I’ll let you talk to her.” Bren is breathless from trying to keep up with me “Liam’s already started to walk back to his place. He’ll meet me walking there.”

“Thank you for taking away a tiny part of her pain by being her voice.” I squeeze Bren tight.

“I needed to hear that.” She sighs. “I just wish I could do more.”

“Me too.”

“You take her pain away too, Luc, just by being you.”

Bren squeezes my arm as a goodbye. She turns to leave. I’m about to yell at her to remind her to text me or have Liam text me when she meets up with him safely. I hate when any girl is walking alone at night. But then, I see Liam down the block.

Slumping down to the porch, I pull out my phone to send Laur a text.

Lucas: I’m sitting on your front porch

I quickly type another text.

Lucas: If you want to talk. If you don’t want to, I completely understand.

I can’t help but send another right after.

Lucas: I’m here for you however I can be and however you need me to be.

My train of thought is all over the place. I’m about to send another text to tell her I should have called first and will just leave, but the door of the house slowly opens.

“Hi, Lucas.”

Within seconds, I have my arms wrapped tightly around her. I never want to let her go. This beautiful girl who has already hurt so much from the loss of her brother was carrying around more pain than anyone knew before the accident even happened. I want more than anything to take it away.

“I’ll be okay,” she whispers into my chest through tears. A watery tinge overtakes the world as my tears fall into her hair.

“I wish I could do something. I can’t put into words how angry I am, how much pain and disgust are in my heart, and I didn’t even experience it. Lauren, I am so sorry.”

My embrace tightens around her, as if trying to protect her.

“It’s okay.” Her voice cracks in agony.

“It’s not okay, Lauren.” I pull away from her and look into her stormy blue eyes. “What he did to you is the furthest thing from okay. If I knew who he was, I would beat the living daylights out of him until he passes out, then do it all over again when he’s conscious. You do not deserve that. No one deserves to be abused. Especially the girl I love.”

Her eyes turn from the stormy blue to more of the bright ocean wave color they typically are.

“We don’t have to talk about it. You don’t have to go to any hockey games ever. I’ll quit hockey. Just know I will do everything I possibly can to help you through this. I will show you how much I appreciate you every single day. I will show you how special you are, not just to me and your friends and family, but to the world. I’m here. For whatever you need. I’m yours.”

Holding Laur at a distance, I check to see if tears are still running down her angelic face, but her eyes are closed.

“Laur?” I whisper.

“I love you too, Lucas.”

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