The Bodyguard

Black Lives Matter

Chapter 8

"Our true nationality is mankind." - H.G. Wells

•••

Chapter 8 - #BlackLivesMatter

Lucas POV

"Good morning John!" I said practically running into the building to get changed quickly.

"Well this is new...Good morning" John replied seeming quite confused as I made my way in the dressing room and changed.

I made my way out of the dressing room and looked out the window to see Stella parking my gorgeous car.

"What got you in such a good mood today?" John asked, standing beside me and looking at where I was looking before he saw Stella.

"Ohh.. I missed something didn't I?" He asked making me shake my head.

"No not really. I just followed your plan and we went out for drinks. She's quite.. cool"

"Cool?" John said raising a brow confused.

Cool?

That's what you came up with, Lucas? f*****g cool?

It felt like I was in first grade all over again.

"Look nothing happened if that's what is on your mind. We just got to know each other a bit"

"Then why is she driving your car?" I asked and Stella made her way inside.

"Morning guys!" She said seeming as excited as I was.

"Good morning" a bunch of us replied as she made her way into a room to change too.

"Damn, special treatment much?" Kyle whispered looking at the car.

"Kyle. Watch it" I spoke sternly as he cleared his throat & turned back around.

"Anyways, I got too tipsy to drive yesterday so she dropped me off and then took the car back home. Nothing happened" I whispered back to John who was still waiting on an answer.

"Oh okay. You aren't hungover though, are you?"

"Not really. Just a little headache. We should get gathered" I said turning around and walking to the middle of the room, where Kyle stood talking to Michael.

"Y'all reckon I could get a car like that if I sucked him off too?"

That was f*****g it.

"Kyle?" I said making him turn around & I don't think I ever punched someone as quickly as this. Without hesitation, my fist made contact with his face making him stumble to the side & fall over.

"You should have f*****g watched it. Get your stuff and get out of here. Don't ever show me your face again"

"What the hell?" I heard Stella, who had just entered the room, whisper.

"Alright everyone.. Uhm let's gather around" John said taking over & putting a hand on my shoulder.

The rest of the training went by quite smoothly.

No one was in the same mood as earlier, but no one mentioned it either. Up until I went to talk to Stella to drop her off at home and heard her talking to Chris.

"Wait he kicked him out for saying that?" She asked as Chris cleared his throat.

"What..?" She asked confused before she eventually turned around and saw me standing behind her.

"I have to leave now. I have work to attend to" I said as she nodded.

"Let me just call Becca to come pick me up after"

"Don't. I'll drop you off" I spoke but she seemed hesitant.

"Otherwise I can follow you and drop you off later, Stella?" Chris asked making me roll my eyes.

"I'll drop her off. Let's get going" I said as she sighed and eventually followed me.

"I'll see you tomorrow" she said to Chris before we walked outside.

We both hopped into the cars and drove to my house before she parked my car there and jumped into the other one I was driving today.

The first few minutes of the ride went by pretty quietly, until she cleared her throat and spoke.

"You didn't have to fire him, you know?"

"No, I actually don't know. He was being very disrespectful Stella. He deserves it"

"Don't get mad, and no offense but the first time I met you, you weren't that respectful either"

"Non taken. I am well aware & you are right. However, I didn't go to the lengths that he did, and if I remember correctly, you didn't go easy on me either that day" I replied but she didn't seem quite convinced.

"Stella.. don't feel bad. He was going to get fired eventually anyways. I have never seen someone so f*****g horrible at communicating"

"Just look in the mirror, Timothée" she said using my middle name.

"Ha Ha.. very funny"

"Could you drop me off at a cafe near my house by the way?" She asked as I nod.

"Just type in the address" I replied before she typed in 'Eduardo’s' in the GPS.

The rest of the drive went quietly but for some reason it didn't feel awkward. It was kind of peaceful.

Once we arrived and I parked for Stella to jump out & she seemed to freeze.

"Everything alright?" I asked but she didn't move or reply.

"Stella?" I asked again and saw her eyes focused on a group of what looked like teenagers.

"They're gonna hit him" she said and not even a few seconds later a kid was in fact being hit and kicked. We both jumped out of the car and ran over to the group of boys who were hitting him & calling him all kind of names, and the second the saw us, they ran away leaving him coughing on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Stella asked kneeling down to him as he couldn't get the words out.

"Where does it hurt?" She asked again and he groaned and managed to get out the words "my foot" as he grabbed his left foot.

I quickly rolled up his jeans enough to be able to examine his ankle and foot and thankfully it didn't seem broken.

"It doesn't seem broken so far. You probably twisted your ankle. Let's get you checked out"

"No no.. I can't. I don't have any insurance" he said making me sigh.

What is the f*****g world we live in where a young teenager can't go to a hospital because of the cost?

"Why did they beat you up?" I asked as he sat up.

"Look at me. I'm black homie. I'm black and I live in America. Of course, I'm going to get beat up if not killed. Look thanks for the help but I need to get to work though" he said attempting to stand up before his knee gave out on him making me quickly help him as he leaned on me & we both sat down again.

"We are going to the hospital" Stella said standing up.

"No. I can't pay"

"You aren't going to. I will. Now let's go"

"Ma'am I'm fine. I just twisted my ankle. I'll bandage it up and get out of here"

"You could have a concession. We need to be sure.. Uhm.."

"Luke. My name is Luke"

"Wait you're Luke? As in Eduardo's Luke?" She asked raising a brow as the kid nodded confused.

"More reason to head to the hospital.. come on I'll talk to Eduardo and we will head there. Can you just stay with him until I get Eduardo's car?" She asked looking at me.

"Stella we can use mine" I said.

"Are you sure? I thought you had work?"

"This is more important. Come on dude let's get you standing up" I spoke as he threw his arm around my shoulders and leaned on me for support as we both stood up.

"I'll talk to Eduardo quickly" she said as I nodded, and she made her way inside the cafe.

"Alright how are you feeling?" I asked.

"Slightly nauseous" he replied as we walked over to the car, with him jumping on one leg to not put pressure on the other one.

"Don't throw up on me now. If you need to throw up, I'll leave the car window open"

"Dio mio! Are you okay?" Yelled an older looking, bigger man walking out the cafe with an apron around his waist and Stella behind him.

"Told ya you shouldn't hire me big man" Luke spoke with his eyes still closed as who I'm assuming is Eduardo & Stella walked up to him.

"Nonsense. s**t happens. Now we should get you to the hospital. Fast" Eduardo said with his thick Italian accent.

"You have done so much for me man. I don't want you to pay even more" The kid named Luke said.

"You must have hit your head pretty damn hard then huh? Of course, I'm going to f*****g help. You're my son! Now stop with that bullshit and let's go" Eduardo said making me smile. This man is amazing.

He hoped into his own car and looked up.

"Stella are you coming?"

"I'll ride with Lucas & Luke" she said making me smile as Eduardo nodded and started his car.

For some reason it made me happy, even if she picked my ride for Luke, it still made me smile.

"How are you feeling?" She asked Luke turning around and looking at him.

"Confused" He started saying.

"That could be a concession.." she sighed.

"Nah. I'm confused at what the f**k I did to get people like y'all to help me in my life" he said and Stella just smiled as if she remembered something.

After a few moments of silence she spoke again.

"I'm glad Eduardo hired you that day"

"So, you're Stella? Eduardo always talks about you"

"I am. He told me about you too"

"Eduardo has a big mouth huh" Luke said making her laugh.

"Now try not to move so much and just relax. Breath but don't fall asleep alright?" Stella said.

"Alright" He replied and eventually we reached the hospital. We went to the emergency room and told them the situation.

They called the police shortly after & asked if Luke would like to press charges.

At first he declined but Stella snapped at him like an old mother & said she'd like to have a word with him before he made up his mind.

"Why the hell aren't you pressing charges?" She asked as soon as the two officers made their way outside of the hospital room.

"Not really friends with cops... and those people probably had something going on in their lives to feel the need to do what they did"

"That's not right though. Just because some kid’s mommy & daddy are fighting doesn't give them the right to be racists & attack you. You go through s**t too, you don't end up attacking someone for it, do you?"

"I did though. That's how my mom ended up unable to pay for her medication. Cause she gave everything she had when some dude pressed charges"

"What did you do?" She asked.

"Stole food. And a pair of jeans"

"Why did you do that?"

"We weren't exactly rich before either. If I wanted something I couldn't ask my single mother for it & make her sad about not being able to afford it"

"Luke you do realize that what you did & what they did are two different things though. They attacked you and insulted you for no reason. If you let them do this once, they will do it twice. They won't stop & learn that this is wrong. Had it been you, you would have been shot-"

"I already got shot though! A cop shot me for running away after stealing some food & clothes. You know what happened then? The owner pressed charges and my mom barley had enough to pay the hospital yet my charges. Then she got sick herself. I can't cost her anymore. Police are never with us. I'm black. If I press charges they will end up making me lose somehow"

"Luke that won't happen-"

"Like hell it won't! They shot a black man for running once. They shot another because he had f*****g skittles with him. This is how the world we live in is. I'm not pressing charges. I'm sorry if that angers you but that's my final decision"

"No need to apologize. I'll go check with the doctors to see if the test results are back" Stella said before walking out of the room with Eduardo behind her.

•••

"Take it easy, Stella. He has been through a lot" Eduardo said as soon as we got out of the room.

"I know. I just don't want those bastards who did this to him to get away without any consequences"

"Look at it from his perspective. It isn’t easy"

Fuck this system..

Eventually we got a hold of his doctor and she told us that his tests and scans came back all normal and it was okay to discharge him. His ankle was only twisted and thankfully there didn't seem to be any head injury. We headed back to the room to talk to them & Lucas said he had to leave for 5 minutes. Meanwhile me & Eduardo helped Luke to his feet & when Lucas came back he had the signed discharge papers with him.

"You signed?" I asked confused as he nodded.

"It's the least I can do Stella. Now is everyone ready?" He asked and went to help Luke.

"So, this is the man who captured your heart?" Eduardo whispered as Luke and Lucas got out of the room.

"Oh, don't be dramatic uncle" I smiled, shaking my head.

I wouldn't say that he captured my heart. He did capture my mind though. He was one hell of a drug.

•••

#BlackLivesMatter