Captured: Luke's Perspective

Chapter 6: Awkward Love

She wore a red t-shirt, jeans, and black boots. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail. I noticed that she stopped wearing blue clothes and dyed her hair a brownish black ombre.

"I haven't seen you at lunch today," Cole said. Her tone was a little bit sad. "Sorry about that," I said, not looking at her. "I was just caught up with some schoolwork."

"You weren't in the hallways, classes, and even in the gymnasium." Cole replied. "Were you sick or something?" "Yes," I lied. I was grateful Cole changed the subject.

"What's the address of the hospital?" Cole asked. After I told her, Cole's eyes widened. "That's next to my dance studio." "What time does the nursery or hospital open?" I asked.

"It opens every twenty four hours," she explains. "That's good," I exclaimed. Cole took a sharp turn and drove straight. She swept her bangs out her eyes and stared at the road. She looked like she was about to ask me something.

"Hey Luke," Cole began softly. "Yes?" I asked. "Do you think I'm pretty?" she asked. Cole stopped at a stoplight then rested her back against her chair. "Yes," I answered truthfully. "Why do you ask?" Cole thought about it for a moment. "Because," she sighed. "I overheard you, Seth, and Josh talking about me."

I blushed at this. "Oh," I answered softly. "Also, I have some feelings regarding to someone." Cole added. Zach. "Do you ever wonder if you like someone and you don't know if you like this person back?" I glanced at Cole then swallowed a gulp.

It was kind of like that when I first met Madison until she turns out to be spoiled. "I did," I admitted. "Since the moment I met Madison, she was understanding and nice. I wanted to tell her how I feel, but I didn't know how would she react."

Cole leaned a bit closer. For a minute, I could smell her vanilla bean perfume. "So, what did you do?" she asked. "I walked up to her," I explained. " I told her how I felt, how we should get together sometime, all that mushy stuff." "I never knew that you were the romantic type of guy," Cole giggled. I blushed fiercely.

"Does this have to do with Zach?" I asked. "No," she lied. I gave her look. "You wear different clothes now," I observed. "You dyed your hair, and you are wearing actual perfume." "I wanted to do something different," she shrugged. "Technically, my mom did. She and I went to the store and bought some clothes and hair dye."

"The perfume?" I asked. Cole rolled her eyes. "Mom wanted me to be a girly-girl," she sighed. I noticed something on her forehead then leaned a bit closer. It was red and has a couple of polka dots. "What?" Cole asked. I plucked the ladybug off of her forehead and released it through the crack of my window

"Ladybug," I said softly. "Oh, thanks." Cole replied. We both stared at each other for a moment then leaned over. Just when I was about to kiss her, someone honked the car horn. We both sprang up in shock. Cole flashed an apologetic smile at the driver and accelerated forward.

When I looked back, the light was already green. Cole swallowed hard. "That was...embarrassing," I said. "Yep," Cole agreed. She drove until she saw a tall grey building surrounded by a swarm of cars. The windows looked broken, the door has lost its hinge, and there were painters trying to cover red graffiti with white paint.

"Is this the place?" I asked. Cole glanced at the cheery purple building with yellow smiley faces on it. It has a huge window that shows the dancers doing their stretches. "Rumors have it that the hospital building exploded for some reason." Cole explained. "I think it was on the news."

My eyes widened. "Did they ever found out who did it?" Cole shook her head. Weird, I thought. "Thanks for the ride," I said. "I called the receptionist of the hospital awhile ago." Cole said. "June's room is on the second floor. Go straight down until you see room twenty-two.

"Thanks," I said. As soon as I left, Cole parked in front of the studio and closed the car door behind me. The painters gave me a strange look when I entered the building. "Hey kid," one of them called. I backed out of the entrance and looked at the painter. His grey t-shirt and pants was smeared in white paint.

His greasy black hair was pulled back in his baseball cap. "Hey," I said casually. "Are you sure you want to go in there?" he asked. "That place isn't reserved for niceties." I walked up to him and asked, "Do doughnuts have holes?" "Yeah?" the painter scoffed. "Maybe the kid is a lunatic," the another one laughed. The men laughed along with him.

"Maybe I am a lunatic," I agreed shrugging. "A kid going to a messed up nursery is the same as your girlfriend breaking up with you." One of the painters looked at me angrily. "How did you that I have a girlfriend-" he started to say.

"Messy hair, probably from the lack of sleep," I explained. "A tattoo that has the name Charlotte inside a heart, and most importantly most men don't smell like trash." The painters just stared at me.

I gave them a wave then entered into the nursery. The insides of the building was recovering from the explosion. Bits of wood were falling onto the floor, the receptionist desk was empty, and the waiting room looked like an earthquake happened on the floor. The walls and the floors were bleached white.

Funny, it sort of reminds me of my first foster home. The lights suddenly turned off by itself. Sighing, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a flashlight. I turned it on and begin my trail.

"June Hilton?" I shouted in the darkness. No response. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I picked it up and glanced at it. I groaned when I saw the social worker, calling me in the middle of my job.

Pressing the Call button, I held it up to my ear while walking down the dark hallway. "What?" I asked, darting my flashlight at the damaged paintings until I found an elevator.

I used my finger and pushed the Up button. The silver doors opened on my command, allowing me to go inside. "It's me, Ms. Caroline," the woman said. She has a sweet, patient voice.

"You remember me, right?" "Yeah," I said without enthusiasm. "You're the psychopath who keeps putting me in terrible foster homes." I heard her sigh. "Luke," she said. "The parents tell me that you have been distant lately. Have you been skipping therapy?"

"I have been busy," I replied. "Can I hang up on you?" "Luke listen," Ms. Caroline said patiently. "I understand that-" "No, you don't," I interrupted. "Goodbye." "Luke-" Ms. Caroline began. I hung up on her.

I pushed the second button and waited for the ride to stop. My phone buzzed again, but this time I didn't pick it up.