"Mom," I called out, getting back to the house before it was too dark outside. "I'm home. I'm sorry that I didn't home when I was supposed to. I had detent-" I stopped speaking when I saw her looking at the old television, the news showing my school burning. "What happened?"

My mother turned towards me, her face pale as if she had seen a ghost. Her brown eyes had tears in them, and she was clutching a tissue in her hand. Her black hair was all over the place and not in the neat bun that I usually saw it in.

"Mom?" I asked again. I cocked my head, brows furrowing. I had never seen my mother like this, not even when my sister died and my father went missing. "You all- Oof." I let out a small groan when she ran at me, pulling me into a hug.

"I'm sorry," she whispered time and time again, sobbing onto my shoulder.

Hold her, Voice said, sympathy lacing his voice. I couldn't tell if the sympathy was for me or for her, but I complied with his wishes and held the shaking woman.

I held onto her and gently went down on my knees when she fell. I rubbed her back and muttered 'it's all right'.

However, I knew that it wasn't going to be all right, not with the school being blown up. And, I knew that they did it. However, I wasn't sure how they had done something like this because it had been light outside when it had happened.

After a few minutes, Mom stopped crying and moved away from me. "I see that you still have that damn dog with you," she said, fixing her hair.

My whole body tensed, because I knew where she was going with it. "Ya, I do," I said, leaning on the back of my heels. I felt Cody move closer to me, and I made a grab for his collar that Michael had given us. I needed his support right now, because I didn't know what my mother would throw at me. "Now, will you tell us why you were crying?"

"Us?" Mom inquired, raising an eyebrow. She glanced at me and then at Cody when he sat down.

I blinked and a small smirk appeared on my face, not really knowing that I had said us. "Yes," I replied. "Cody might not be able to talk, but he can still hear what we are saying."

"And I can to talk, you just can't hear me," Cody added, sticking out his tongue at her.

"Such a childish dog," Mom muttered. "It's nothing. Go up to your room. You are late." She waved her hand, dismissively causing me to scoff.

"I had detention," I said through gritted teeth. "Ms. Gables hates me, and she wouldn't let me take it during the day." I stood before starting to walk towards my room. "Also, we left before whatever happened to the school that caused it to blow up. Probably even just a minute before."

"Then why didn't you come straight home, Joesylin Laura?" Mom asked, and I could hear a quiver in her voice.

"'Cause, she wanted me to do labor for her and wasn't going to take me home. Didn't help that my bike was here," I replied. I closed the door after making sure that Cody was in and leaned my head against it. "Well, that was shocking."

Cody hummed, not saying another word. He didn't need to, because I knew that he was just as amused as I was.

***

Something was thrown at my window, making me hear a small click. "Joes," a voice, whispered yelled and I knew that it was Luke. "Let down your hair."

I rolled my eyes at his lame excuse of a joke before going over to the window. I opened up the window seat and took out some rope before tying it to the bedpost.

"Are you really going to let him up here?" Cody asked, rather amused.

I grunted and nodded my head before opening the window after closing the window seat. "How 'bout no?" I whispered yelled, earning a chuckle from him. My heart fluttered at the sound, and I knew that I was head over heels for him.

"Come on, Joesy, you can't have the window open for long." Worry filled his voice, and that was all that it took for me throw the rope over, knowing that he would get it and bring it back up.

I quickly moved out of the way and jumped onto the bed with Cody following me. I didn't even try to look busy while Luke came up, huffing and puffing. "Getting old?" I teased, causing him to shoot a playful glare my way as he clambered up. "Why didn't you use the front door?"

"I tried, your mother stopped me," he replied. He shut the window and untied the knot of the rope. "Still in the same spot?" he asked, rolling it up. Luke opened the top and saw the dress that I had been working for her when I made a noise indicating a 'yes'. "Almost done with it?" he asked, setting the rope to the side of it.

"Sort of," I replied with a sigh. I laid back on the bed. "I need a job."

Luke chuckled and hopped onto the bed, squishing me and Cody in the process. "Talk to Michael about it tomorrow," he advised. "I'm sure that he knows a couple of places that needs help and are "dog friendly"." He moved a hand through his hair and sighed, getting down to business as to why he was really here. "Have you heard?"

I grunted and shoved him off of me. "About the school blowing up?" I asked, causing him to hum in agreement. "No," I replied. "I saw it on the news and Mom, she-" I paused, wondering how I want to say it. "-she uh... turned to see me and hugged me tight."

Luke lifted his head and gave me a shock look. "She did?"

I grimaced and nodded. "Ya, she did. I don't know why she did, but she did."

"Huh." He stretched out, causing Cody and I to move out of his way, groaning. "Well, I am here to take you to the meeting tomorrow at eight and to make sure that everything is alright." There was a smirk on his face. "I will be staying the night, and it will be just like old times."

"Oh boy," I muttered, feeling myself flush at the thought of a naked Luke in my bed.