Wall of pride [Karalie]

[Lucas Blacke]

It had been a few days since they had last seen each other, and Luke needed to see her. If not for just his fix of hotness but for other things too, he just needed to be close to her. He had been on the phone with her, asking her if she could come over to the pond because.. it was what boyfriend and girlfriends did, right? Hang out together?

He took place on a bench slightly in front of the pond, overlooking the entire thing including the forest they ran in on his birthday, which was oddly also the day she became his girlfriend. He thought the symbolism was cute, but he wasn't all too happy what it was meant for. He needed to both see her and talk to her. He had picked a quiet time of day so she could yell at him, and he at her if it came that far, which he was sure it would.

He looked over the area and forced a smile on his face, and out of all the smiles he had ever worn this one would be distinctly fake. He wouldn't like what he was going to do that day, but deep down he was more disappointed in the fact that it had taken him this long to ruin things, why didn't he just push her away when they first met?

He picked his phone from his pocket and looked at the time as he wondered where she was, surely it wouldn't take her this much time to come over? But maybe she had figured things out from the way he spoke on the phone. Wasn't all that much that someone sternly told you they needed to talk to you without it being something bad.

Maybe the fact she expected something bad was a good thing..

[Karalie Heise]

Karalie didn't think too much about why Luke wanted to meet at the pond, though he did sound a bit somber when he mentioned needing to talk.  She wondered if maybe he was second guessing coming home with her for Thanksgiving.  Now that the holiday was getting closer, and she would need to book plane tickets soon, she could understand his fear of meeting her parents.  Surely he felt inadequate, and in some ways he was, but she could twist him to seem better than he really was.  Sure, it might get awkward, but it would be okay! Then she wondered if maybe he was having some home issues, or maybe he'd gotten a better offer for the holidays? It could be any number of things.  What she didn't think it would be was a breakup.

Lucas adored her.  He had helped her with her powers more than any single person had.  He was patient and understanding, pushing her without going too far, and letting her stop when she needed.  He cared for her.  He loved her.  And the way he looked at her..  He would never breakup with her.  He was waiting for her! If that wasn't love from a horny teenage boy, what was?

She told him she'd be there soon, she just needed to finish up what she was working on.  Thirty minutes later she was getting her leather boots on and slipping her fuzzy knit sweater over her head before heading to the pond.  When she arrived she saw Luke waiting by a bench.  A small smile sread over her lips, hoping he wouldn't tell her anything too disappointing.  Surely it wouldn't be nearly as bad as he suspected.

"Hey baby." She cooed, slipping an arm around his neck and pushing her rear onto his lap before her lips pressed against his scruffy cheek. She kept her hands inside the long sleeves of the oversized sweat and moved her face to meet his lips with her own.  "Now what on earth d'yall havtuh talk to me out here about when yer rooms much warmer." She asked in an almost teasing voice, having no idea what she was in for.

[Lucas Blacke]

She didn't know. She had no idea. Why should she? She was his everything and she knew that, he had been happy to get invited with her to go see her parents and now he'd miss that. He'd spent weeks looking forward to that, wanting to see the people who turned his life around by giving him Karalie. The way she looked at him, touched him while always covering her hands, the way she walked, her accent, everything about her was more than enough to get any boy, and yet she settled for him, and he fucked it up.

He had been wanting to see her every day, until that day came to pass. '''Hey.'' He simply offered her as she sat down in his lap, arm around him and inside the sleeve of her sweater as she gave his cheek a kiss. She had no idea how hard she made it for him. He let out a sigh and just looked at her face without saying or doing anything about the fact she was so close. He was still trying to find a good way to say it.

Was there? Was there a good way to say you cheated on someone? Would it be okay to say it wasn't what he wanted, that he was forced? No, boys couldn't be forced to have sex, not as far as he knew, this was all his choice, he consented. Something he could never rectify. Right now, he just had to tell her, he owed her that much. To say 'Hey, I've been a dick and didn't keep myself to my promise to you and cheated. Wanna kiss and make up?' without hurting her.

Fact is, she would be hurt, fact was, Luke already was. He knew how it would all go down, he had known since the day they met. He fucked up everything, why did he do this? Why did he insist on being a guy who hid behind his walls of maybe-nevers? He sighed as he looked down to the ground.

''Because out here you can yell at me all you want..'' He told her as he looked up slightly, trying to smile as his eyes began to tear up.

[Karalie Heise]

Luke told her out there she would be able to yell at him all she wanted, words that suddenly made the playfulness in her demeanor slip away.  Why would she yell at him? Obviously he felt like he'd screwed up, but how badly had he screwed up? A small screw up or monumental? She knew Lucas was capable of monumental.  She'd glimpsed into his life, he wasn't the brightest bulb in the shed, but surely it wasn't as bad as he thought, was it?

He was forcing a sad sort of smile and his eyes were glistening with the beginning of tears.  Karalie felt her stomach clench suddenly.  What was so bad? What could he have possibly done?  Granted, she'd yelled at him before, plenty of times.  Their relationship was far from perfect, but for him to be acting like this and not jumping right to the defensive, told her he had really screwed up. 

Slowly she slipped off his lap and sat beside him, folding her hands on her lap, the long sleeves slipping over her clenched fists.  "What happened, Lucas?" She asked in a grave voice, a frown creasing her lips as her brow furrowed gently on her youthful face. Surely he was blowing things out of proportion..

[Lucas Blacke]

Finally she slipped from his lap and accepted it wasn't a fun deal what he was needing to tell her. It made him feel a slight bit more okay with what he was going to do now that she wasn't so close anymore and was looking at him with a serious face. By god it was hard. He had gone over this time and time again in his head, but he could never have prepared for that moment he looked up at her and saw nothing but her questioning, cute face. He nearly broke down then and there but kept the wave of emotion back a while longer.

''I..'' He began as she asked what had happened. He knew exactly what happened, why it happened and with who. He now just needed to tell her. And those words were hard to find.

He swallowed some sadness and cleared his throat as he turned his head down and scooted away from Karalie a little before closing his eyes. Maybe he couldn't cry if his eyes were closed, maybe it would be easier if he couldn't see her; but he knew she was there and waiting for him to speak up. He loved nothing more at that very moment to just leave her hanging, but that was not what she deserved. She deserved someone who, unlike Lucas, kept his promises.

''I.. I fucked up, Kar.'' What he had been trying to hold back had finally shot forward as a single tear fell down his cheek. ''I.. I finally did what we all knew w-was going to happen.'' Speaking became hard for him as he came closer to the truth. ''I f-fucked up b-beyond anything I could have e-ever imagined.''

''I was w-weak..'' He said with a sigh, trying to calm himself down. ''Y-you don't deserve m-me.. You don't.. deserve this..''

[Karalie Heise]

Karalie grew tense as Luke began to cry a little.  It wasn't really crying, more like severe sadness and disappointment.  His body didn't heave like hers did when she cried.  He just sat there, clearly upset over something, and she had no way of comforting him.  He told her he'd fucked up, his voice quivering as he spoke.  How he'd done the unimaginable, he was weak, she didn't deserve him..

A mixture of terror, frustration and rage suddenly embodied her.  He was stringing her along, wanting to tell her whatever it was, but not actually telling her. Why couldn't he just spit it out already? Why was he keeping her in suspense? It couldn't b that bad, could it? Unless he.. No.  Luke wouldn't do that, he was waiting for her, he'd said so, and he'd been happy to do it.

"Well, what'd yuh do?!" She snapped, asking maybe a little harsher than she had meant to.  She didn't like not knowing what was going on, and she needed to either a) begin arguing, or B) console him and tell him it wasn't that bad.  It probably was nothing, he was getting worked up so she wouldn't lash out so severely. It couldn't be that bad, right?

[Lucas Blacke]

He sighed deeply and gathered what little nerve he had at this point. All the preperation for this hadn't helped, he was still as unsure as he would be before getting his power.

No way could he hurt such a girl as the one he called his girlfriend.. and later on possibly ex girlfriend. But deep down he knew he had to, as dumb as it sounded he needed to hurt her, make her see what had happened because Luke thought that while she didn't deserve a cheating boyfriend, she did deserve the truth. And unlike other things, he would give her that.

''I cheated.'' He finally got out of his mouth in a near-whisper. ''I cheated.'' He repeated, and it did feel good to have out of his system but was still saddened by the fact he had done it. There was no excuse, none at all, for what he had done.

She didn't deserve to be told like this, she didn't deserve to be told either way. And yet here he was, this son of a bitch telling her the one thing she didn't need to hear from anyone.

''I'm sorry..'' He whispered as a single tear dropped from his cheek.

[Karalie Heise]

He was hesitating and it only served to anger her further.  What on earth could he have possibly done? When the word slipped out of his mouth, though, she wished she didn't know.  

He'd cheated.

Her worst fear had come true, and that hot, numb, tingly feeling swept over her, where the world around her dimmed and a strange sort of whining noise was going on in her head.  He'd cheated..  Karalie gulped and stared at him, unsure she'd heard him correctly.  Surely he hadn't really cheat.. He wouldn't have really cheated on her, not in the worst sort of way.  Who would have slept with Lucas? No one.  No one was having sex with that boy.  Maybe.. it was just a kiss.  He'd gotten carried away, he was with some friends, a girl was being flirty and it happened.  Surely that was all! She'd be pissed, she'd make him work for her forgiveness, but a kiss wasn't the end of the world! She told herself it wasn't the worst case scenario, that he was blowing this all out of proportion.

"Define cheated." She drawled in a low, clear drawl, her eyes boring into him like lasers as she sat perfectly still, desperate to keep her composure.  This wasn't the end of the world! This would be okay!!

[Lucas Blacke]

She was just sitting there, still as anything, as she would to prevent her emotions from showing. He'd seen this before, and seeing it again now was once again aiding nothing more than his guilt. Sure, he had told her but she wanted him to define it, explain it, tell her what he meant by cheating. She did that, not knowing that it all made him want to run away or spontaniously combust. At least that way he wouldn't have to do this.

''I.. I..'' He wanted to explain, he wanted her to know the truth but the words didn't find the way out of the maze his brain formed. He just wanted to sink right into the ground then and there, but even if that happened he'd leave her behind without telling her anything. No, that wasn't an option. Time for him to man up.

''I slept with someone else..'' He muttered. He looked up slowly and into her eyes, which were trained on his. Like they had always done. Those eyes he was now going to hurt..

[Karalie Heise]

He stammered a moment and Karalie watched him carefully. Why was he torturing her!  When he finally spoke, it was as though the air had been knocked out of her completely.  He'd slept with someone.  He'd cheated in the worst possible way.

She felt dizzy and her throat went dry.  Her worst possible fear had come true.  But how? How had this happened to her?! She'd been so careful about letting anyone into her life! She'd refused passes in the past, for years she blew boys off because she was terrified of what a relationship would be, terrified of how she would be able to have a normal relationship with anyone and here Luke was, strolling into her life, promising her he was different, he wasn't like other guys, he was turning himself around, he was the good guy, and what did he do? He'd gone and screwed some random chick because the opportunity had arose! He was a liar! He was a hypocrite and a liar and she hated him in that moment more than she'd hated anyone ever before in her life.  After everything they'd been through! After everything she'd given to him! That she'd done for him! After everything he'd done to help her with her powers, bringing them closer together, telling her how much he loved her, this was what he did?! This was the thanks she got?!!

"Why!" She demanded suddenly, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears.  "Why would yah do that! How could yah do that? The fuck, Luke?!" Pissed was barely the word to describe her, and through her angry demands her eyes brimmed with tears.  She didn't have time to cry about this though, not yet.  She was too stunned and angry and hurt.  God was she hurt... "What the FUCK!"

[Lucas Blacke]

Finally she yelled at him. While this didn't make it easier Luke needed to experience emotion from her, and though he knew she would be crying, that'd happen after the yelling. It's why he choose the desolate spot they were in. But unlike what he expected it didn't make him feel any better despite it being what she needed to do; yell him out of her system. It actually scared him a bit, he'd never seen her like the way she was right now. But this wasn't the time to address her on that.

In the brief silence between him telling her and her yelling at him demanding to know why, were multiple moments where he knew what she was feeling. Not because he was, but because he expected her to from the moment they met, and finally he could let those expectations out in a sigh. But then the yelling started.

She wanted to know why he did it, how he could do it. Digging around for answers he knew she wanted didn't help because he only thought of one thing. Yes, why? He wasn't entirely sure why other than the fact he was weak. Too weak. He shook his head at that realization and lowered his head again.

''I.. I'm not sure I want to know..'' He said.

[Karalie Heise]

Lucas sat there like a pathetic lump while she raged there, bowing his head like a shamed puppy.  Somehow this irked her more than anything else.  Not only had he gone and slept with someone, losing his virginity to someone else while dating her, but now he was being a complete wuss about the entire thing.  Did he think that playing the sad victim would somehow make her reaction soften? Was he really that stupid to assume something like that?!

"What the hell does that even mean, huh Luke? Yer not sure ya'll wanna know?!" Her tone was condescending, her head tilting slightly to the side as her eyes narrowed.  "Howsabout this. When yah figure it out, lemme know." She stood, ready to storm away, her eyes beginning to brim with tears finally at the injustice of the situation.  She was more than just hurt, she felt completely shattered. How could he be so cruel as to do that while still dating her? If he wanted sex so bad, why couldn't he just dump her and then screw around? She felt completely betrayed.

"Yah know what? On second thought don't tell me, 'cause I don' wanna know.  I don' wanna see yer stupid face ever again, got it? Yer such an asshole!"  She turned to storm off again and then stopped, turning back around and marching right over to Luke.  Without even pulling her sleeve up, she pulled her arm back and swung her fist as hard as she could into his shoulder. "How could you, Luke!" The words came out choked and she felt her body shaking with the fury, the tears welling in her eyelids.  They fell without her blinking, streaking down her cheek as she glared at him.  "GAWD!"

[Lucas Blacke]

Her fist crashed into his shoulder. He took it without so much as a flinch. If her way of coping with it was to beat him up, so be it. Even if it meant being beaten up by a girl he'd let it happen because.. he still loved her.

''It- it was not like I wanted it!'' He replied, jumping to his feet and reaching for the defensive a bit. ''Yer not the only one feeling bad about this!'' For her sake he took on a heavier tone of his and did his best to keep the sadness far away, this wasn't going to be helping her. It might help him by letting her stop sooner, but he knew she needed to let it go, she needed a verbal release. And while, for Luke it would possibly be the last thing they'd ever do together to argue, but he owed her at least this much. He was still in the mindset of it all being his fault, and his previous statement was nothing but a lie, he did want it, he could have said no.

He'd thought about saying he thought of her the entire time, but that would just be a lie on top of a lie, and it wouldn't fix things either. ''Ya think I wanted to tell ya?!'' He finally said. ''No! But here I am, telling ya probably the worst thing anyone has ever told ya and ya don't know how to cope! Don't know how to give it a place, don't know how to accept, don't know how to..'' He slowly sat back down again and looked at the ground in realization he had been talking about himself. He didn't know how to cope or accept or any adult thing to do.