Roxy stood in the middle of the kitchen, gripping the counter with trembling hands. The shouting from her parents rang in her ears, their harsh words cutting deeper than she thought possible. She felt her chest tighten as Evie screamed again, her voice venomous and unrelenting.
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“How dare you embarrass us like this?” Evie hissed, her face flushed with anger. “You’re selfish. Do you even care what people will think of us?”
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“Selfish?” Roxy’s voice cracked as she lifted her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted to feel like I had no way out?”
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Axel slammed his hand on the table, making her flinch. “Don’t you dare raise your voice to your mother. We didn’t raise you to be this—this dramatic little attention-seeker.”
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Roxy felt her blood boil. “You didn’t raise me at all,” she shot back, her voice shaking with both anger and despair. “I’ve been on my own since forever! You don’t get to suddenly act like you care now—because you don’t.”
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Evie sneered. “If you’re so miserable here, then leave. Go! You’re not our problem anymore.”
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The words hit like a punch to the gut. Roxy swallowed hard, her hands trembling. She opened her mouth to respond, but her voice caught in her throat. “Fine,” she whispered at last, her voice cracking. “If that’s what you want, I’ll go.”
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Before she could take another step, the front door burst open, the sound echoing through the house. Heavy footsteps pounded against the floor, and in an instant, Luke appeared in the doorway, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His hazel eyes blazed with fury, his hair slightly damp from sweat.
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“What’s going on here?” he demanded, his voice sharp and commanding.
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“This doesn’t concern you,” Evie snapped, crossing her arms. “Get out of my house.”
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“Oh, it absolutely concerns me,” Luke retorted, stepping into the kitchen. He positioned himself in front of Roxy, blocking her from her parents. “What are you doing? Kicking her out because she’s hurting? Because she’s struggling? Do you even hear yourselves?”
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Axel stepped forward, glaring at Luke. “This is none of your business, kid. Stay out of it.”
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“No, this is my business,” Luke said, his voice rising. “Because Roxy is my family. And while you two have been too busy tearing her down, I’ve been watching her try to hold herself together. You’re supposed to protect her, not be the reason she’s hurting.”
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Evie rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with disdain. “You think you know her better than we do? You’re just a teenager playing house in a band. You have no idea what it takes to raise a child.”
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Luke’s laugh was bitter. “Raise her? Don’t kid yourselves. She’s been raising herself this whole time. And honestly? She’s done a way better job than either of you ever could.”
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Roxy’s throat tightened as she listened to Luke’s words. He wasn’t just defending her—he was fighting for her in a way no one else ever had. Before anyone could respond, Luke turned to her, his gaze softening. “Let’s go.”
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Roxy hesitated. “Luke... I don’t want to cause more trouble.”
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“You’re not causing trouble,” he said firmly. “You’re getting out of a toxic situation. Come on.”
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As he turned to lead her out, Luke caught the glint of something in Roxy’s back pocket. His heart sank. Without a word, he reached behind her and slipped the small red knife into his own back pocket, his movements deliberate but gentle. Roxy froze for a moment, her gaze meeting his, but Luke gave her a small nod as if to say, *I’ve got you.*
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Without another word, Luke took her hand and led her out of the house. The cold night air hit her like a wave as they walked briskly through the dark streets, heading toward the studio.
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By the time they arrived, Alex and Reggie were already waiting outside, their faces filled with worry. “What happened?” Alex asked, stepping forward.
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Luke placed a gentle hand on Roxy’s shoulder. “She’s staying here for a while,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Her parents kicked her out.”
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Reggie’s jaw dropped. “What? Why?”
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Luke hesitated, glancing at Roxy before answering. “Because of... everything she’s been dealing with. They found out, and instead of helping her, they blamed her. They yelled at her and told her to leave.”
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Alex’s face darkened with anger. “That’s horrible. How could they do that?”
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Luke took a deep breath. “We need to step up for her now. She’s one of us, and we’re not going to let her feel like she’s alone anymore. Reggie, can you go to the store tomorrow and pick up some essentials for her? Clothes, toiletries, stuff like that. We’ll figure out the money later.”
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Reggie nodded immediately. “Of course.”
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As Luke finished speaking, Alex’s sharp eyes drifted to Luke’s back pocket, where the handle of Roxy’s red pocket knife peeked out. His gaze flicked back to Luke, who subtly shook his head. Alex’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t press the issue, instead muttering, “Oh,” and stepping back.
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Reggie, oblivious, looked between them. “Oh, what?”
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“Nothing,” Alex replied quickly, brushing it off. “Let’s just focus on helping Roxy.”
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Reggie nodded, still clueless. “Yeah, of course. Roxy, you’re not alone. You’ve got us now.”
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Luke placed a reassuring hand on Roxy’s shoulder, his voice soft. “You’re safe here. We’ve got your back.”
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