[|]

"Huh?" I said, speechless. "How is that even possible."

"Yes. Your mother called the school board and came in a few days ago. Since she is on the form as a third party and or guardian, she has the freedom of access to know the information about your student loan since she was called to confirm her identity on the day you requested one. So, yes. Your mother paid off your loan."

I relaxed on the seat and felt nothing but shock in me. Anger slowly began to creep inside me as I realized everything. She left me to support her deadbeat husband, she made me try to listen to Martinez, she didn't care for my education and now, she suddenly paid my loans?

"Is everything alright?" The woman asked and I nodded my head.

"Thank you so much for your time," I said and rose from the seat. In silence, I left the office and leaned on the wall across.

I hated what my mother did. She had no right to come into my life with such assistance. When I needed her the most, she did not show any signs of care. Angrily, I pulled out my phone from my bag and searched my contact list. When I saw her phone number, I hesitantly dialed it.

I watches it ring for seconds and hissed when she did not pick up. I didn't change my number, so I am sure she saw my calls. I dialed the number again yet no answer. I called her three more times and nothing.

"Why isn't she answering?" I asked and placed my phone back into my bag.

When my phone vibrated, I gasped and took it out of my bag, excitedly. When I brought it to my face, I saw it was a text from Tony.

"Meet me at... Wait, why does he want to meet me at such a place? A construction site?"

I shook my head and called Maddy who immediately answered.

"Yes, babes," Maddy said.

"It's Tony. He just texted me about meeting him at a construction site. What do I do?"

"You're not mentally ready to hear whatever he has to say. This is about the person who planned your rape, you need to have a strong mind to meet him. Who knows if this is also some type of plot. Maybe you should text him and let him meet you at your own time, as you said this morning," Maddy said and I saw a point.

"You're right. A lot is just happening and it's making me anxious," I said, rubbing my face.

"Hey, just relax. Why don't you go home and rest for a bit."

"I will. Thank you," I said and ended the call. I looked ahead of me thoughtfully.

So much was happening in my life right now. From being with Lucas, getting fired, finding out my mother paid my loan, and now Tony having information about my past. I felt stuck.

[|]

I was sleeping when I felt a slight movement on my cheek, making me scrunch my nose. The movement came again and I opened my eyes and rolled my eyes when I saw Lucas laying beside me with his face resting on his folded hand and a smile on his face. His other hand was on my cheek and I smiled back.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," I replied and rolled onto my back. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, making me feel warm.

"How was work?" He asked.

I sighed. "Clark fired me today. I no longer have work. Now, I get to sleep in all day on some days or just go job hunting."

"Why did he fire you?" Lucas asked and started to run his fingers through my hair, making me feel tingly and sleepy once again.

"I don't know. But I don't like it. I need to make enough money for college," I said and he stopped running his fingers through my hair.

"Jackie," he whispered my name and I shifted my eyes to look at him. "Let me take care of your expenses."

"Luca—"

"No, don't say anything. Just let me pay for your fees and you can decide to use whatever money you have to pay for other stuff like books, rides, phone bills, etcetera. Just let me do this one thing, Jackie. I hate seeing you stress yourself when I know I can help," Lucas said in a genuine tone that made tears fill my eyes.

"But what if you want me to pay you back tomorrow?" I asked, my insecurities coming out.

I gasped when Lucas rolled onto my body and pinned my hands to the bed. He leaned down and kissed my cheek before resting his forehead on mine.

"I will never do such. I just want to take care of you, buy you things, and make you feel happy. Can you let me do that?"

I nibbled on my lip and he pulled away from my face, then caught what I was doing with my teeth between my lip. He leaned down and kissed my lips, making me feel warm inside. He wrapped his hand around my throat and pulled my head upward to deepen the kiss. Lucas pulled away and I felt breathless.

"Will you let me take care of you?" He whispered.

I began to remember how rich Lucas was. Everything he owned was all from his money and he had a bright future ahead of him but he was not a boyfriend or husband to me. I did not deserve any of this treatment if it was what he was planning.

"What are you thinking?" He whispered.

"You say you want to take care of me, buy me things and all but isn't it too much for someone who isn't your girlfriend or wife?" I asked and he hesitantly smiled.

Lucas placed his head in the crook of my neck and kissed me there. I took in a sharp breath at the feel of his soft lips against my skin and moaned when he licked my skin and then grazed it with his teeth.

"Do you want to be something more?" He whispered against my ear and I gulped.

I was tongue-tied at his question. Did I want to become something more than a friend to Lucas Hamilton, I did not know yet I wanted to.

"I don't know," I replied and he lay down beside me, stroking my hair. I looked at him, he was smiling and staring at the ceiling.

"Alright," he replied, making me feel an ache in my heart since I had expected something else. "Go back to sleep."

"But I'm not sleepy," I said, lying even though I felt sleepy from the way he was running his fingers through my hair.

"Just sleep, Jackie. I'll wake you up later this evening," he said and kissed my forehead.

I closed my eyes and let the weight of sleep take over my body.

[|]

I woke up and looked around the room, it was dark and I could barely hear any sound from the busy street or people's voices. I lifted my head and through sleepy eyes, looking for my phone. I yawned and sat up then stretched.

I rose from the bed and made my way toward the stairs. I frowned at the fact that downstairs was dark with no source of light. I stretched my hand and turned on the light in the bedroom then went back to the side table where I left my phone. I took it and turned on the flashlight then made my way downstairs.

"Lucas?" I called out, looking at the kitchen and then the living room. He wasn't on the couch he normally slept on.

I went over to the front door and turned on the downstairs light before I turned off my flashlight.

"Where could he have gone now? It's almost ten," I said. I was about to call his number when the front door opened. I turned around and saw Lucas walk in.

"Hey, you're awake," he said and walked up to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Where were you?"

"Did you miss me?" He asked above my head and I scoffed before pulling out of his arms.

My stomach growled and I blushed from embarrassment. He chuckled and grabbed my hand.

"Come on, I have a surprise for you," Lucas said, walking to the door.

"But I'm hungry," I complained.

"I know and you'll eat too. Now, come on."

"Are we going outside the building? I'm wearing just a baggy shirt and my hair looks like wind-blown blades of grass," I said as he dragged me outside the house.

"You look beautiful," Lucas said with his eyes moving up and down my body. "You should start wearing my shirts, you know."

"And accuse me of taking all of it?" I wrapped my arm around him when he started to walk faster.

"I would not mind. Whatever belongs to me, is yours," he said, looking down at me with so many emotions in his eyes that I had to look away, wondering what he meant.

"Where are we going?" I asked when he stopped in front of an elevator.

"You'll see."

[|]

The elevator we had boarded went upward and stopped at what I presumed to be the last floor. When the doors opened, Lucas held my hand and dragged me with him. We walked out of the elevator and through the lonely hallways leading to lord knows where.

"Uh, Lucas?" I called to him when I realized how inhabited this floor was.

"Yes, baby?"

Before I could ask him where we were going for the umpteenth time, we stopped in front of a metal door which he pulled open, revealing the top of the apartment building. Lucas released my hand and motioned for me to step out. I sent him a suspicious stare which he winked at. I rolled my eyes and went out onto the roof.

It was chilly and I wrapped my arms around my body while looking around. As I walked forward, I gasped at the sight of a round table with a food cart beside it and a wine bottle in the center of the table. There were rose petals on the floor around the table and a plastic candle lit in the center with the wine bottle. I was stunned at the arrangement and felt my heart skip a beat.

My gaze shifted to a corner where I saw a white tent with pillows and blankets inside. I smiled so wide that my cheeks hurt then I turned around only to freeze when I saw Lucas on one knee.