Chapter 3



The Bad Boy and the Visit



I clutch my book closely to my chest and walked out of the double doors of the school and headed for the parking lot. I let my eyes wander to the corner of the parking lot where I would find the person I would have to photograph standing around with his gang. I slowly started walking in that direction and saw many people look at me curiously and some girls even glared at me, but I didn’t pay any real attention, I just kept walking. As I got closer I saw Ash look at me and smile. He walked towards me and slung his arm over my shoulders making me flinch. I really didn’t like people touching me so suddenly. As I flinched I saw Luka look over at me and frown, something flashed in his eyes and I could have sworn I saw concern, but it was gone before I could be sure. Luka was leaning up against his black motorcycle smoking another cigarette. His hair fell into his eyes once again as he tilted his head to the side studying me, his dark green eyes intense as he looked me in the eyes. I shivered. I felt as if he could see through all my walls and protective barriers and see the real me, the broken and scared me, and that frightened me.



“What do you need beautiful” Ash asked. I slowly pulled my eyes away from Luka to look at him.



“I need to tell Luka something” I whispered. Luka stood up to his full height and towered over me, his 6’5 frame towering over my small 5’4 frame. He threw his cigarette on the ground.



“Alright, what do you want” he asked, a bored expression on his face. I lowered my head and tried to back away. I didn’t like how close they all were, it was putting me on edge. Ash tightened his grip on my arm, I winced in pain knowing I would have a bruise there later tonight. Luka glared at Ash but Ash just smiled down at me, ignoring Luka’s glare.



“Go on sweetheart, you can say it in front of all of us. We’ve all heard it before. How much you love our boss and how you want to be with him” Ash said. I made a disgusted face and Ash laughed.



“What’s that face for sweetheart” he asked.



“I don’t love Luka, to be honest I don’t even like him, but I have to do a project with him or I fail my class” I said, my voice hard with anger. Ashes eyes widened in surprise.



“You’re not in love with Luka” he asked. I shook my head and sighed in annoyance then turned to Luka.



“I don’t know if you know or not but the photography class has to learn about one person or group and take pictures that represent the life of that person or group. If we fail this project we fail this class, and I CAN’T fail” I said looking up at Luka with pleading eyes. Luka looked down at me and sighed.



“I knew about the project, and I’ll let you follow me around, but I will not open up to you. You will never understand me, is this understood” he asked. I nodded. He sighed.



“Alright I’ll take you to my house Friday. That’s the only day I’m free” he said. I nodded.



“I still have to take pictures of you in school” I mumbled. Luka chuckled, the sound low and calming.



“So I’ll have a little stalker” he said smirking at me. I looked down at my feet and heard others start to laugh. I tied to get away again.



“I have to go” I mumbled, but as I backed away Ash tightened his hold on me making me hiss in pain and yank my arm away. My fighting instincts kicked in, but before I could do anything Luka had Ash and held him by the collar.



“What have I told you” he hissed in Ash’s face. Ashes eyes widened and he started to shake.



“Don’t treat women like there trash or I’ll end you” Luka hissed before letting Ash fall to the ground. Luka turned to me and I backed away. I saw Lukas eyes widen then fill with sorrow before becoming unemotional again, he waved me away.



“Go, just remember what I said. You are not my friend and never will be” he said. I turned and walked away.



“I never wanted to be” I mumbled under my breath. I heard someone chuckle and turned to see one of Lukas friends looking at me with an amused expression. I blushed and turned to walk out of the parking lot not looking back.



I walked down the sidewalk and looked at the sky, it looked like it was going to rain. I sighed and continued walking, I couldn’t go home yet. I had to go somewhere first. I turned down a different street and headed in the direction of the children’s hospital.



I walked through the sliding glass doors and was met with the sound of beeping machines and nurses talking to one another. I walked up to the front desk and smiled at the nurse, she smiled back.



“It’s nice to see you again Anastasia” she said.



“You too Amanda. How is everyone” I asked. She frowned.



“Trever is getting sicker. We can’t find out what’s wrong” she whispered. I frowned and nodded.



“I understand, and I’m so sorry” I said. She shook her head.



“It’s not your fault. It helps a lot that your here now. Come on the kids are waiting for you” she said as she stood from the desk and started walking in the direction of the children’s music room. As we walked down the hall I looked at the familiar drawings and paintings on the wall, the bright flowers and fast plans and cars zooming around on the canvas made me smile. We came to a set of blue double doors. I pushed them open and smiled as a bunch of little children came running at me. I bent down and hugged them and talked with them. I smiled as they giggled and told me about their day and all the things they had learned and saw in the hospital. I giggled and laughed with them. Then one little girl walked over to me and looked up at me with her beautiful hazel eyes.



“Are you going to sing today Angel” she asked. I smiled. They always called me Angel because they heard the nurses say I was such an angel for coming to sing for the kids, so the name just stuck. I don’t think they could say my real name anyway. I looked down at the little girl and smiled.



“What do you want me to sing” I asked. She thought for a moment before answering.



“Beauty and The Beast” she squealed. I laughed as others squealed with her. I sat down on the floor and waited for them to gather around and sit down.



“Alright, but you have to sing with me” I said. They nodded and we started to sing together. Their voices were happy and calm as we sang. I smiled and felt true happiness well up inside me. I loved to see there smiles and know that for a little while they weren’t thinking about how sick they were, or how bad they felt. They were happy and having fun, and that’s all I could ask for. After we had finished I stood and told them I had to go. They frowned but I promised I would come back soon. They nodded and I walked over to the nurse.



“Can I see Trever” I asked. The nurse nodded with a smile.



“He’s been asking when you would come back” she said. I smiled and followed her down the hallway to his room.