Unhinged

Chapter 26

Luke shrugged, "Maybe in your eyes."

Gabby was sputtering in anger.

"I never understood why you didn't want to meet my best friend Nicholas. You and I dated for four months, broke up for three, and even now you still don't want to meet him. The only thing I can think of is that you're embarrassed."

"Get out!"

"This is my apartment too. You get out!" Luke yelled at her.

Gabby ran towards him and tried shoving him out the door. He held his ground, making it difficult for her. She wouldn't be able to open the door and push him out. Gabby threw her hands up and attempted to scratch his face. Luke cursed and pushed her up against a wall, holding her arms above her head, "What the hell's the matter with you?"

"Let go of me!"

"You need to calm down," Luke muttered.

"Let me go!" she shouted, trying to kick her leg up to hit him in the groin. Luke threw his weight against her and said in a deep voice, "I'll leave, but I'm getting my stuff first. If I were you, I wouldn't piss me off anymore right now."

Gabby was frozen in fear and anger. She wasn't afraid of Luke but this was the angriest she had ever seen him. She rubbed her wrists where he had held her and whispered, "Hurry up. Get your stuff and get out Luke."

He called her a few curse words as he gathered some clothes in an overnight bag. His parting words to her were the same ones he gave to her the last time, "You'll regret this."

~Home of Alexis Reyna~

Alexis was making some hot cocoa and her brother Nicholas was standing next to her holding a bag of tiny marshmallows.

"Remind me again why we're making hot cocoa when it's hot outside?" Nicholas asked.

"Because it's delicious."

"Does your boyfriend know what a weirdo you are?" Nicholas asked.

"He's not my boyfriend," Alexis said softly.

"Really? You could've fooled me. He comes over all the time now," Nicholas said while eating a handful of marshmallows.

Alexis slapped his hand, "Stop or we won't have any for the cocoa!"

"Marshmallow Nazi!" Nicholas cried after she took the bag away.

"Before I was adopted, we used to make hot cocoa in my foster home. I used to love drinking it. Even in hot weather, I'd drink it," Alexis smiled.

Nicholas nodded, "Yeah yeah...I've heard this story before Alexis."

"So rude," she laughed.

"You're lucky though. You had a good foster home and mom and dad adopted you."

"They adopted you too Nicholas," Alexis reminded him.

He gave a thin smile, "Yeah but I still had to see some rough parts of life before they adopted me."

Alexis pulled out two mugs and placed them on the counter. She stayed quiet to let Nicholas continue talking. It was very rare for him to discuss his life before the adoption. Alexis had only really known him as her obnoxious but lovable little brother. She couldn't imagine him suffering as a young child. The thought made her heart ache.

When he didn't continue, she asked, "What was it like Nicholas?"

He started outlining the rim of one of the mugs with a finger, "I don't know."

"I only ask because mom and dad never really told me and you never told me. It's weird to think there's this entire chunk of your life that I don't know about. I'm your sister. I should know everything about you."