3 and a half years ago. That's when Luke was 15. That's the year Luke went to a park alone and came home 'evile'. It all makes sense...
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I've got to get out of here. Time to get on my acting.
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"Officer..." I say in a weak voice. "I'd really like to be alone right now. Could you and your people please leave?" And they obey.
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So I wait for five minutes and 29 seconds. That's the new symbol of my life.
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I get up slowly and I creep to my door. I open it, stick my head out, and look both ways. The coast is clear. I ever so cautiously walk out and slowly try to get to the main entrance and LEAVE.
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Once in the elevator, I feel safe. That is, until the officer walks in right after me. Crap.
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I turn around so that my back is to him. The elevator goes down... and I know when we reach Lobby.
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"Uh... Miss? This is the ground level, if you're getting out on this floor..." he says to me.
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"Uh... No. I mean, yeah. No. Yeah. Ugh! Goodbye mister," I attempt to say in a deep voice, which ends up sounding like a blue whale in need.
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He walks out. I sigh in relief as the elevator closes, until I realize it's going up to floor 12. I desperately click the 'Open Door' button but it's too late. We're in motion. Up we go.
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~
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After a looong ride up, I'm finally going down. As I'm about to walk out when we reach Lobby level, the doors open and guess who's standing there? The officer with coffee in his hand, staring right at me, the girl who's supposed to stay in room 529 until she or someone else pays the charge against her.
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I run and push past the officer, spilling his coffee on his jacket. The main entrance is only a few yards away...
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And out I am! Along with maybe 100 people chasing me. Well that's what it feels like.
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I push the valet guy out of the way and hopped into a Mercedes that was turned on and had the key in the ignition. I drive away from the hospital haunted with 529's everywhere: my hospital room number, the price for a pack of gum, and more. Where am I going? Of course. I'm going to stand up to my bully.
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As I drive to the school on this Saturday afternoon, I pass by Everest Park, The Park-That-Took-Away-Luke's-Humanity Park.
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... Wow I must be insane. I laugh to myself in this car. For a second I thought I saw Joey in the park beating up Lawrence. I glance one more time.
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I slam on the brakes when I look through my window at the park, causing the car behind me to slam into my trunk.
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Luke may have somehow taken Lawrence from the lounge when he was with me, but he must have set him free and let me believe he had him all this time... Oh my god.
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Luke never said he had Lawrence with him... Did he? He may have said 'you'll hear the gunshot’ and things like that but he never said 'I have Lawrence with me'… He could have just shot a chair or something and have me mortified, thinking he shot Lawrence...
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And I know that for a fact. Because the limp body in Joey's hand is Lawrence.
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Luke let me believe Derek works at Brandsmart.
Like let me believe he had Lawrence with him.
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Wait! If Lawrence is free... Why did he never try to contact me?! Oh! Stupid me! I took his phone...
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I rush out of the car to where Joey is with Lawrence.
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"Joey!" I yell, and he looks at me with a gleam in his eye.
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"Hey cupcake! What's shaking? You know, besides this pitiful freak."
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"Leave him alone!" I say, launching myself to him. He lets go of Lawrence, who falls to the ground. I stop abruptly and run to Lawrence instead. I study his face... blood blood blood.
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Thank gosh someone had called 911 before I ever got here because I can hear the ambulance nearby. I look up to where Joey was but he's gone.
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I grab my backpack and run to the only place he loves more than himself: the isolated alley behind the café he loves. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6hArR30Al
