Scarred (Scarred #1)(5)
Author: J.S. Cooper

I looked at the clock on my dashboard and sighed. I had to go home now. I knew that my parents would be waiting for me. My loving mother was beyond ecstatic that I was home and in one piece. She lived for me and I had broken her heart when I had gone away. She had written me faithfully, every day. I knew that she lived for my responses just like she had lived for my games, and my report cards and my college acceptances. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her, to see if I could get through to her. I wanted to scream and shout and tell her to get a life. To tell her that I wasn’t worth it. That the pills weren’t worth it. That we all knew that the water she sipped all day was vodka. But she was my mother and so I didn’t.

All my life people had envied me being the Mayor’s son. Not just because my dad was the mayor, but because he was charismatic, rich and funny and he captured people in his spell. My doctor said that he was the root of all of my problems. The catalyst to that night. That, if I hadn’t found out what he was doing, I wouldn’t have done what I did. Lexi Lord wouldn’t have been a target.

Whenever I thought of her, I wanted to forget everything. She probably didn’t even know who I was. She and her friends weren’t caught up in the drama that was Jonesville High. She was special. And I had nearly ruined that. Nearly ruined her. And for what? As I drove into my driveway and turned off the car, I knew that I had to make things right. Ultimately, the only person who could do that would be Lexi. No matter the cost to me, I had to speak to her, even if she had no idea who I was asides from the night. I needed to absolve things properly. Going to war had been the coward’s way of trying to fix things. I needed to do it right this time.

I bit my lip as I thought about what I should do next. And then it hit me. What better way than to invite her to my party? She may think an invitation out of the blue was odd though. I had three days to figure out a way to get her to my party without it looking suspicious.

I jumped out of my car with a vigor I hadn’t felt since being back in town. I had a plan and I hoped that I was making the right decision bringing everything up again.

Chapter 3

“Are you going to tell Luke?” Anna grinned at me as we pulled into my driveway.

“Well, duh.” I grinned and played with my long blonde hair as I jumped out of the car. “There is no way that I can keep this a secret.”

“Keep what a secret?” Luke looked out of his window and I groaned.

“You are a serious stalker, Luke Bryan,” I laughed up at him.

“I’ve been waiting on you to get home and so I had my window open.” He laughed and I noticed his black hair flopping across his eyes. “Now stay there and I will be right down.”

“Okay, stalker,” I shouted and Anna and I went and sat on the swing chair on the front porch.

“You are soo lucky that you live next door to Luke.” She smiled at me and, before I could answer, a big golden dog came leaping on me.

“Bongo!” I screamed as the dog sat in my lap and slobbered my face. “Luke Bryan, come and get your dog.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” he laughed. “Bongo, down boy, down.” Bongo didn’t even turn his face but continued to leave saliva all down my face.

I jumped up and pushed Bongo off of me and hit Luke in the arm. “That’s for getting a dog without asking me.”

“I didn’t know it had to go through you, mum,” he grinned.

“You know, I’m going to be the one who has to clean up after him and walk him,” I pouted.

“I’ll come over and help Luke,” Anna said, softly.

“Lexi, stop being so dramatic.” Luke rolled his eyes and grinned and me and I laughed at his goofy face.

“I wouldn’t keep your face like that, Luke. If the wind changes and it gets stuck like that you’ll be sorry.”

“It can’t be worse than my face now.” He made an even more grotesque face and Anna and I laughed. I cocked my head and looked at him carefully.

“You could be right.” I laughed and he grabbed and we fell to the ground as he tickled me. “Luke, stop, stop!” I shrieked, as we rolled around and we both burst out laughing as Bongo jumped on top of us, trying to join in the fun.

“Well, when my best friend calls me ugly, what do you think I’m going to do?” He grinned and blew into my ear and I shrieked again with laughter.

“Stop, it tickles.” He stopped and I stared into his green eyes with laughter in my eyes. He looked down and me with a gleam and held my arms to the ground.

“Take your words back then.” He stuck his tongue out at me.

“You’re not as ugly as a gargoyle,” I squealed and he made a sad face. I burst out laughing and looked into his face again. “Come on now, Luke, you know you’re hot.” I laughed. And it was true. With his jet-black hair, hazel green eyes and nicely toned body, Luke was one of the hottest boys in Jonesville. Only he really wasn’t a boy anymore, he was a man. Only I could never really see him that way. He was always going to be my childhood pal, snotty nosed Luke.

“Wow, a compliment from hard nosed Lexi Lord.” He grinned and pulled me up from the ground with him. “Come here.” He brushed the grass off of my trousers and smiled at me.

“Are you guys done?” Anna walked towards us with a forced smile and I rolled my eyes.

“Anna, please tell Luke to stop manhandling me.”

“You wish, Lexi.”

“Yeah, right.” I laughed and sighed as Luke pulled me into his arms to give me a hug. “What’s the hug for?”

“Can’t I hug my best friend?” His eyes sparkled.

“You want me to look after Bongo already, don’t you?” I sighed and looked up at him with slanted eyes.

“How did you know?” he laughed.

“I always know, Luke.” I poked him in the stomach. “When?”

“This weekend?”

“Why, where are you going?” I looked at him in surprise. Luke, Anna and I usually spent the weekends together.

“To Boston.”

“Oh,” I frowned. I guess maybe he was serious about this MIT thing. I tried to ignore the sad swell in my stomach. “Guess what.” I changed the subject, not wanting to think about the fact that Luke may actually move away from Jonesville.

“What?” He studied my face and we all walked into my living room. My mom wasn’t home and I sighed with relief. I didn’t want her to overhear the conversation.