Thing- Chapter 3

"I'm sorry," the figure wailed. I couldn't see properly due to the bright summer sun shining in my eyes. All I could see was a tall, d.ark shadow of a person standing in my front garden. I had a feeling I knew who it was but I wasn't too sure. I didn't live in the greatest of places so for all I knew it was the cat lady from down the road apologising loudly for letting her cat eat all my dogs food after we left the back door open last week. Lucas walked ahead in front of me to make sure it wasn't some loony trying to hurt wither of us, after all, I wasn't the most loved person in my neighbourhood, and it wasn't the safest.

"Who is it?" Lucas shouted back. The figure obviously recognised Lucas' voice because it started to walk towards us.

"What are you doing here with Emma?" Okay, so the figure obviously knew the both of us. I really started to hope is wasn't Becca or one of 'her' lot. They were the ones who made everyone think I was different because I dyed my hair red and I wasn't into The Wanted or 90210 as much as I used to be. The mind was racing with possibilities of who it could be. It wouldn't be my Aunt apologising for calling me fat, especially after that last comment, the voice sounded too young anyway.

"I don't think it's any of your business," Lucas answered. That was one of my favourite things about Lucas, he was incredibly protective of the people close to him. I started to hope he didn't class Gem as one of the people he was close to anymore, he didn't seem to, he seemed to not care about her at all after what had happened. I still felt so sorry for Lucas. He has always treated Gem so well and she had to go and repay him like that, just shows how much peoplecould change over time.

"I think it is," the figure stepped close enough for usto see it. My eyes were on the floor so I slowly looked the figure up from it's feet. Strappy heels, okay so it definatly wasn't the crazy cat lady. Orange legs, yet again, I highly doubted it was Mary, unless she had recieved a drastic makeover from Gok Wan or Trinny and Suzannah. Mini denim skirt, the legs were far to skinny to be Becca's, her legs were like cheese puff the size of tree trunks. I got the the stomach, far too thin to be Auntie Maggie, she had five kids and the weight doesn't come off very easily when your not willing to do anything about it. I looked up quickly then, a smirk on the face and big bouncy brunette curls. Gem.

"What do you think you're doing here, you ditched me one too many times now Gem, I don't care if you're sorry or not. Just go." Her cheeks had rivers of black streaming down them and her eyes were red and puffy like when we were 6 and tried to pull an all-nighter but ended up falling asleep at 11. She said she was going to be with Joe all night, I wondered what happened, she wouldn't have left him for anything. Joe was to Gem what Lucas was to me.

"He told me he didn't want to be used like everyone else, I don't use people, do I Em?" Yes. Yes you do.

"I don't even care what you have to say anymore, get away from my house and never come back." And that was it. She had gone. Forever. Well, hopefully anyway, I really couldn't be dealing with her crap anymore, I had my own life to sort out too. Gem and Lucas exchanged a which could only be descibed as angrily awkward. I was right, Lucas really hated her, thank God. I opened the door as quickly as I can but it didn't seem quick enough, Lucas was devastated just by seeing her. I told him to sit on the couch and put some telly on while I went to go and pack for that night. Hairbrush, toothbrush, clothes, maths stuff, dvds, magazine and a pilliow, that seemed to be enough, I was only going forone night after all.

I went back downstairs with my bag and found Lucas in tears. It killed me, I hated seeing him like this, he was the single person I believed hadn't done a thing to deserve pain like he had. Myabe except my mum, but she's my mum, that doesn't count. I dropped my bag by the door and ran over to him, hugging him tight. His tears made a wet patch on my shoulder but at that point I really didn't care, it was an old top anyway. I got him some tissues and wiped his eyes. Right then I really wished I hadn't told Gem to go away, I needed to hurt her for what she did to him, she was already hurting emotionally because of Joe (which wouldn't last very long because she had probably already found another lad to chase after within that half an hour) but she deserved to be physically hurt too, I'd have to get Lucas to hold me back in school, but I doubted that would actually happen.

"It's going to be alright," I attempted to sooth Lucas with words, it was never going to work, it never did.

"Em, I thought I loved her," he choked out through his tears, "I thought I had found the one girl who actually liked me back too," I like you back I thought, not the right time though, "Em this is going to be so hard to get over, I already had it planned how I was going to ask her to prom on Friday too, nobody knew about it though because I was too shy and scared that my friends would just laugh at me." He was so adorable, even when he was crying he was perfect.

After Lucas had calmed down, we decided to put some music on and cheer ourselves up before walking back to his place. It was so loud that the pictures on the wall near the speakers were vibrating but we didn't care, we needed some therapy to help us forget that ignorany bitch that liked to ruin lives. 30 Seconds to Mars, Paramore and All Time Low were blasting though the house, and the neighbour's houses, until we were both laughing and dancing around my livingroom. It was true, music really could play with your emotions.

We walked out the door and the sun was setting, I had never seen it so beautiful. Lucas had offered to carry my bag even though it was incredibly light, like I've said before, he was a complete gentleman. We walked around halfway in silence, just enjoying each others company, and it was amazing. You know when you're comfortable around someone when you can stay silent for at least 5 minutes and not feel like it's awkward and you're obliged to say something.

"Em, do you want to know something?"
"Yeah I suppose so," I was completely confused, what was he hiding from me?
"You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met."
"Thanks, you too," OHMIGOD!! I couldn't believe he'd actually said that! But I had to hide how I was actually feeling, I would've probably freaked him out.
"You're welcome," he smiled. It amde me smile too that I had cheered him up enough to make him smile after
everything he had been though. Forget the bloody Monday that we learnt about in history, this really was the worst Monday I had ever heard about, ever. "Don't let her get to you," he added, "She's really not worth it, and I heard you in maths asking her to make you 'girlier', don't do it, I think you're epic the way you are," then my heart began to pound, he really knew how to cheer me up with just words, something I completely failed at.

We strolled to Lucas' house and by the time we had got there the stars had become slightly visable. It really was a beautiful night, the clouds were dusted pink like candy floss and it had become slightly warmer, but I wasn't sure if that was just me blushing.

"You see that star there," Lucas whispered, pointing to the brightest star in the sky, "that one reminds me of you, bright, different in a good way, a natural leader, and a natural beauty."