Ink & Flowers by J.K. Pendragon Page A

option either. Best to head to school and get some more work done on his flower paintings and maybe when he returned from school, Cooper would be there. He didn't know how he would react to seeing him. Whether he would shout at him or hit him—or kiss him.
    A million scenarios played in his mind throughout the day as he rode the bus to school and worked unsuccessfully on his painting, until he became desperate to see Cooper again, if for no other reason than he needed to know what would happen. Luke needed to talk to him, to confirm that Cooper did care about him, as more than just a project or a toy. He wanted a relationship with Cooper, a good, healthy one, and he needed to know that Cooper wanted that too. The obsession, not knowing, was driving him crazy. He had to distract himself.
    He packed up his things and headed to the library computer lab. The internet would likely yield some form of distraction for him. He plopped his bag down next to the stall and sat heavily in the swivel chair, swinging himself closer to the table and logging on automatically.
    Maybe Cooper had a Facebook. Luke had just logged on and begun to search when a familiar chat box popped up in the corner of his screen. In the millisecond before Luke's eyes flicked downwards, he stupidly, ridiculously hoped that it was Cooper.
    Of course it was Brody. Luke sighed aloud. He wasn't going to put up with any shit from Brody. He wasn't in the mood for it.
    Brody Shen:  Luke! I'm so glad ur okay! youll never believe what aunt gloria told me happened.
    Luke rolled his eyes.
    Luke Lei:  I probably will. Hey Brody, how can you tell if someone is using you? You know, like they don't actually care about you, they just like manipulating you into doing what they want.
    Brody took ages to reply, even though Luke was itching to type more.
    Brody Shen:  What? Luke, they said that they came to get you from that guy you were living with and he threatened them!
    Luke Lei:  Well he didn't, they're making that up. Anyway, I guess I sort of answered my own question, didn't I? It's when they make you do something you don't want to do, right? What they want is more important than what you want.
    Brody Shen:  and they said they wanted to go to the police about it to get u back but the police are really biased and they might not believe us
    Luke Lei:  Nope, they probably won't. But listen if people care about you they let you make your own decisions, right? Because they respect you.
    Brody Shen:  What? Luke, I do respect you!
    Luke Lei:  I'm not talking about you, Brody, I'm not even paying attention to you, you're just spouting G&M's bull.
    Luke Lei: Okay, that was harsh. But you know, Cooper never made me do anything I didn't want to do. Even when I don't know what I want, he encourages me to find out. And he listens and tries to help me figure out what's best for me, instead of just talking over me and being all sure that he knows what's best. That's the important part, right? Maybe he's not perfect, but he cares about my feelings. What I want. Maybe I need to start caring more about what I want too.
    Luke's heart was beginning to beat hard. He hated how every single conflict made him stressed like this, even online ones. But he didn't mind as much as he used to, maybe because he knew that he was finally standing up for himself.
    Brody Shen:  well it sounds to me like you're being pretty selfish already.
    Luke Lei:  Well, what's wrong with that? I'm allowed to do things for me, you know.  I'm allowed to make my own choices. It's my life, and my body.
    Brody Shen:  just because you have control of your body doesn't mean you have to do gross things with it luke
    Luke Lei:  oh grow up Brody. Why do you care so much anyway?
    Brody was typing for a long time and Luke almost gave up and logged off.
    Brody Shen:   because we care about you luke. Look i think aunt marabeth and gloria are going to come talk to you at work tomorrow okay?
    Luke Lei:   great. I'm