Diary of a Runaway (BOOK #3)

The Fall Out

Ava

            As soon as Derek and Jane left Luke and me in the car at the Hunters' compound, I made a move  to get out. No way in hell Derek was going to leave me sitting here like some useless human. Then Luke quickly grabbed my wrist.

            "What are you doing?" he asked, his blue eyes wide. "They told us to stay here."

            I pushed open the car door. "Like I'm going to listen to that. I came all this way, Luke. It wasn't easy, and I'm not just going to sit here and wait for them to come back. I'm going in there whether they like it or not."

            I turned away from him as he muttered, "I guess some things haven't changed."

            Then I whipped around to face him, my expression probably similar to that of a mental patient. "What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

            He held himself higher, very different from the boy I once knew who always seemed like an sweet-but-awkward soul in a boy-cute body. "That you are still the stubborn girl you've always been. You don't listen to anyone, even if the advice they give could save your life. "

            "I--"

            But he wouldn't take whatever I wanted to give. Hell, I didn't even know what to say. He seemed to have everything rehearsed though, as if her memorized the words just in case I ever needed to be put into my place."I really don't know why I was ever in love with you. It seems like a hard job. Especially when you're out there doing stupid things--"

            My insides ignited. I wanted to throw him across the road. Never had I expected sweet, harmless Luke Hartman to admit something so low-blowing to me. Not the boy who'd had a crush on me since the eighth grade. Not the boy I compelled to get over me all that time ago.

            "Says the boy falling for a vampire!" I hissed in his face. "You and Jane don't have a chance. It's not going to work! Not when you grow old and die and she moves on. I'd hate to see you get hurt, Luke. But right now, you're the one walking into the line of fire."

            His features hardened as he lowered himself from the car. "Thanks for your input and everything. You know, I'm really glad you feel the need on telling me what I should do after you rejected me. But I can look out for myself."

            I bit my lip and stared down at the ground. "Look," I started, my voice low. "I know she makes you happy, and you make her happy. But that doesn't mean you two should get together. You're too different. You deserve the right to normal life, after everything you've been through..."

            He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I can't believe you." But his voice held steady. "I know things might not work out between us, I'm not stupid. And she's tried pushing me away, trust me. I've tried forgetting about her. But the way I feel... It sort of reminds me of how I felt about you."

            My heart lurched in my chest. I swallowed deeply avoiding that constant pulse in my stomach. "Just be careful," I told him. "Don't get your heart broken too badly. I'd hate to see you like that."

            "I would, too."

†††

            We pulled into the drive way of the house. I sat in the back seat in between a knocked out Chris and an drumming, anxious Luke. Jane seemed completely unstable in the passenger seat though she insisted she was fine. I personally still didn't fully understand what happened when Derek and Jane were in the compound.