Caught

Chapter 5: Bad Dream

"I need some pants," I mumbled, rummaging my drawer. Luke was sitting on my bed, looking at the laptop screen. "Don't look," I instructed, unzipping my stupid uniform.

I glanced to see that Luke was still looking at his laptop. "I'm not a pervert, Cole." Luke sighed, closing his eyes. He knew that I was watching him. I threw the dress on the ground then slipped into some pants and my favorite red t-shirt.

"Aahh," I said. "Much better." "Cole," Luke began. "It's been one day since you worn that thing." I glared at him. "I know," I said. "But it felt like six weeks, I am tired of giggling, squealing, and my back still hurts from doing those somersaults."

I walked over to Luke then rested my head against his lap. "Do you want me to massage your back for you?" Luke asked politely. "Yes please," I moaned. Luke's hand rested on my back then rubbed it back and forth very gently.

"What did you find?" I mumbled. "Nothing," he replied. "Just garbage." I smiled when the pain finally subsided. "Keep playing along," Luke insisted. "I'll look into some files, I am probably going need Seth's help." "What kind of files do you need?" I asked. "School records, security footage, and other things."

"Tonight," I said. "We need to get into the file cabinet." "Yeah," Luke agreed. "It's in the school office besides the lockers, but the door is locked under a multi-digit passcode." "Tomorrow," I sighed. "I'll see if Madison can move her 'spectacular' slumber party for Saturday or Sunday."

"Good luck with that," Luke said, stroking my ponytail. "She doesn't take no for an answer." "But since I am now her current best friend, I am sure she will think it's a good idea." "I hope you're right." Luke said, kissing my nose.

"I'm George Payne, remember?" I snickered. "You're my one-of-a-kind George Payne," Luke snickered back, kissing my cheek. Luke packed his finished work in his backpack and crawled out of my bedroom window.

Surveying my cheerleadering uniform, I picked it up and tossed it in the hamper. It was a good thing that cheerleadering season is will be over soon. So now, I can stop looking like some girly moron and focus on my dreams of getting into Princeton, become a detective, and marry my Toby Cavanaugh.

I collapsed on the bed then stared hard at the ceiling. Just then, my phone buzzed. I took my phone off of the nightstand then stared at the white screen. It was my father, calling me from prison. "What?" I asked on the phone. "Hello to you too," Dad answered. "What do you want?" I asked.

"I just want to know how you and Mom are doing," he said. "You're voice is high-pitched," I explained. "You are breathing heavily, and the last time I checked, you never called me since you tried to kill me."

I heard Dad scratching his head. "Let me ask you again: what do you want?" I sighed. "I want you to help me out with something," Dad said. "I am supposed to owe Dennis' friends some money." "Because I am a famous private detective now?" I asked. "Didn't you call me weird and not normal when I ask you about Stacy?"

And speaking of Stacy, I haven't heard anything recent about her recovery of the accident. "I told you that I am sorry," he snarled. "And I told you that I don't forgive you or trust you," I snarled back. "You are wasting my time here. I am working on another case right now, and the last thing I want is bugging me."

"Cole, I am still your father." Dad begged. I let out a bitter laugh. "Don't you get it?" I said. "You aren't my Dad, you are just a criminal." I hung up the phone then placed it back on the nightstand. I was still mad at the cheater for practically ruining my mother's life as well as mine.

Of all the cases me and Luke worked on, Treasured was my least favorite case. My favorite case is Kidnapped, because it talks about the time where I first met Luke and solved our first mystery together.

To me, it was like our secret anniversary. Flipping the pages of my old notebook of Captured was like going back to January. Was it wrong to join in Madison's stupid clique and become like her?

Closing my journal, I turned off the lights then shut my eyes. I dreamt that I was ten years old, playing hide and seek with my mother. She had long wavy blond hair, she didn't have bags under her eyes, and she wore a green cotton dress.

She caught me hiding behind the tree then collapsed on the ground. Dirt was in her hair. She was laughing until tears came out of her eyes. All of a sudden, Mom was crying hysterically and buried her face in her hands.

The next thing I knew, I saw Dad holding Stacy's hands. She had a wedding ring on her index finger. I turned to see Zach, putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger.

"Hey," Luke said, squeezing me tight. "It's okay." I woke up in Luke's warm arms. "Luke?" I whispered. "You were screaming like a banshee," he explained. "Your mom lets me stay here for the night."

"What about Seth?" I asked. "He needs you more than ever." "He doesn't mind," he said. "What's wrong?" "A bad dream," I said. "About my stupid father and Zach's suicide."

Luke stared at me for a while then sighed. "Don't worry about it," he said. "That's the thing," I responded. "I keep worrying and worrying if I was in Zach's situation, would I still live?"

"I mean, do you have nightmares about things you are not proud of ?" "Pushing a pig down the stairs and putting him in the hospital was my worst achievement," Luke admitted.

"There was me, running away from juvie to find Seth, getting sent back to juvie, and the worst part is, beating up by the foster kids and adults, especially the police."

I stared at him for a moment. "Sorry," he said softly. "Why did you push someone downstairs?" I asked. "He was going to strangle Seth," Luke explained. "So, I did what normal big brothers do, intervene."

"But the i***t keeps pushing me back and tried to finish the job, so I grabbed Seth then pushed the i***t down the stairs. Ms. Caroline thought it was a reckless move."

"You were trying to protect Seth," I reassured. "You were only just a kid." "But that doesn't mean that people are going to look at me the wrong way."

I scooted towards him then hugged him. "Leave the morons to me," I said. "They don't know how amazing you are." We kissed for a brief second then buried ourselves under the covers.

I took a sneak peak on Luke's bare shoulder and saw a tattoo. It was the words, Rest In Peace Aaron, with a skull on it. I tapped on his grey fabric shirt then got his attention.

"Who's Aaron?" I asked. Luke's face immediately turns pale. He said something that was very confusing. "He was a nobody," he stated.