Read Online Brisé by Leigh Ann Lunsford, Chelsea Kuhel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leigh Ann Lunsford, Chelsea Kuhel
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almost feel my mom’s presence and know that I haven’t really lost her. Maybe physically, but as long as my heart remains open, she’ll always be there. Both of them will.
Luke finds us cuddled on the couch, small grins on our faces, and emotionally drunk. He tries to scoop me up after telling his mom goodnight, but I refuse to let him carry me. I will stand on my two feet and be the girl my parents raised. I will mourn them, grieve for my loss, but I will never disappoint them. I will have bad days, everyone does, but I will make the good days count double. I grab Luke’s hand and smile at him. A real, genuine smile that I feel. He smiles back at me, and just in that moment, we are Luke and Phoebe, again.
He locks up behind me and follows me up to my room. “Want me to take the guest bedroom?” He’s unsure if I still need him which is so fucking adorable.
“Not on your life.” He shucks his shirt and my mouth waters. He leaves on his loose shorts and rids himself of his shoes and socks and crawls in bed with me. I snuggle into him and count the beats of his heart, letting the steady rhythm lull me to sleep.
“Twinkle, what did you mean by you felt me at your audition?”
I take a deep breath, preparing myself to humiliate myself. “I don’t know exactly. I always sense when you are around. You’re a calming presence, but can send me into a raging inferno at the same time. I can’t really explain it, but sometimes, I just feel you; your eyes on me, like a safety net. It sounds stupid.”
“It sounds perfect,” he simply says. And I guess that’s what this is right now, perfection. Until the dispute over graduation comes the next day.
“What do you mean you don’t want to walk at graduation, Phoebe?” He is shocked, and his voice is strained trying to reign in his temper.
“I just don’t.” I know my feelings are valid, but I don’t want to sound like a baby either. He just pins me with his stare, and I find myself singing like a bird. “I won’t have anyone there for me. My parents . . .” He immediately pulls me to him, surrounding me with his arms.
“I’ll be there, Phoebe. I will cheer so fucking loud, my parents will be there, and your parents . . . your parents will be there. Right here.” He places his hand over my heart and my hand over his heart. “They live right here, always.” In this moment, I don’t think anyone could doubt why I fall in love with him, all over again, each and every day. He is mine, and I am his. Simple as that. I find myself nodding, agreeing to go to graduation.
Each day passes as the one before it. Luke by my side, me making it through another day, and surviving. I know one day I’ll wake up and begin to live again, enjoy going through the motions of life, smile easier, laugh again, but until that day comes, I’m grateful I have my protector. My soul. The other half of my heart.
I am standing on the stage, fighting back tears as I wait for our principal to call my name so I can get my diploma. Momma Nichols tried to channel my mom by taking hordes of pictures beforehand, and when she couldn’t get the flash and timer to work, she gave up with a “Fuck it.” I giggled while Mr. Nichols and Luke stared at her in shock. True to her word of swearing to make it seem like my mom was here, she looked at me with a smirk and a wink and ignored her boy’s disbelief. My knees shake and when I hear my name I can barely muster the strength to take that first step. Then I hear his cheering, his whistles, and I look out to see his face, beaming at me and encouraging me silently to leap. I take that first step on my own and make him proud. So I do. I would do anything for that boy. It almost seems as if everyone else in the auditorium is silent because all I can hear is him, but as I look around, almost every person is standing and cheering, Luke’s exuberance and pride spread to others in attendance. I notice two empty chairs beside him, and I stop walking.
Luke finds us cuddled on the couch, small grins on our faces, and emotionally drunk. He tries to scoop me up after telling his mom goodnight, but I refuse to let him carry me. I will stand on my two feet and be the girl my parents raised. I will mourn them, grieve for my loss, but I will never disappoint them. I will have bad days, everyone does, but I will make the good days count double. I grab Luke’s hand and smile at him. A real, genuine smile that I feel. He smiles back at me, and just in that moment, we are Luke and Phoebe, again.
He locks up behind me and follows me up to my room. “Want me to take the guest bedroom?” He’s unsure if I still need him which is so fucking adorable.
“Not on your life.” He shucks his shirt and my mouth waters. He leaves on his loose shorts and rids himself of his shoes and socks and crawls in bed with me. I snuggle into him and count the beats of his heart, letting the steady rhythm lull me to sleep.
“Twinkle, what did you mean by you felt me at your audition?”
I take a deep breath, preparing myself to humiliate myself. “I don’t know exactly. I always sense when you are around. You’re a calming presence, but can send me into a raging inferno at the same time. I can’t really explain it, but sometimes, I just feel you; your eyes on me, like a safety net. It sounds stupid.”
“It sounds perfect,” he simply says. And I guess that’s what this is right now, perfection. Until the dispute over graduation comes the next day.
“What do you mean you don’t want to walk at graduation, Phoebe?” He is shocked, and his voice is strained trying to reign in his temper.
“I just don’t.” I know my feelings are valid, but I don’t want to sound like a baby either. He just pins me with his stare, and I find myself singing like a bird. “I won’t have anyone there for me. My parents . . .” He immediately pulls me to him, surrounding me with his arms.
“I’ll be there, Phoebe. I will cheer so fucking loud, my parents will be there, and your parents . . . your parents will be there. Right here.” He places his hand over my heart and my hand over his heart. “They live right here, always.” In this moment, I don’t think anyone could doubt why I fall in love with him, all over again, each and every day. He is mine, and I am his. Simple as that. I find myself nodding, agreeing to go to graduation.
Each day passes as the one before it. Luke by my side, me making it through another day, and surviving. I know one day I’ll wake up and begin to live again, enjoy going through the motions of life, smile easier, laugh again, but until that day comes, I’m grateful I have my protector. My soul. The other half of my heart.
I am standing on the stage, fighting back tears as I wait for our principal to call my name so I can get my diploma. Momma Nichols tried to channel my mom by taking hordes of pictures beforehand, and when she couldn’t get the flash and timer to work, she gave up with a “Fuck it.” I giggled while Mr. Nichols and Luke stared at her in shock. True to her word of swearing to make it seem like my mom was here, she looked at me with a smirk and a wink and ignored her boy’s disbelief. My knees shake and when I hear my name I can barely muster the strength to take that first step. Then I hear his cheering, his whistles, and I look out to see his face, beaming at me and encouraging me silently to leap. I take that first step on my own and make him proud. So I do. I would do anything for that boy. It almost seems as if everyone else in the auditorium is silent because all I can hear is him, but as I look around, almost every person is standing and cheering, Luke’s exuberance and pride spread to others in attendance. I notice two empty chairs beside him, and I stop walking.
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