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Thank you @_an_tara_ for this poster. It makes me smile!

Chapter 76: Change It

The bell rang and the school doors burst open. I joined the swarm of students into the parking lot. The first day of spring semester left a buzz in the air.

I walked towards Luke's car out of instinct, until I remembered he was at practice. And someone else was meant to drive me...

"Looking for your chauffeur?" Austin called out behind me.

I turned around and saw him jog down the front steps of the school, one hand on the straps of his backpack. Like Luke, he didn't notice the looks people gave him when he passed by.

They looked at me too, wondering why Austin Taylor was offering to be my chauffeur. I'm living life like Chad.

"A guy of many talents," I replied, happy to be driven around by Austin.

"That's what they tell me," he winked, pulling his car keys out of his pocket, and leading the way.

I slid into the passenger seat of Austin's car and slipped my backpack on the floor between my legs. An empty energy drink was in the cup holder beside him and he dropped his phone into the other holder.

"This is fun," Austin said, rolling down the window for some fresh air.

It was freezing outside, but he didn't seem to mind. I put my jacket back on and he noticed.

"Should I not?" his finger stopped pressing the window button.

He retracted his finger and then pressed the other button. The window zoomed right back up.

**

We were so busy chatting that I didn't realize where we were going until I realized that it was nowhere near my home.

"Uh," I stared at the street signs, "Luke said you were going to drop me off..."

"Did he?" Austin asked, casually driving, "I didn't realize he sets the schedule."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. He sounded so surprised.

"Gloria makes amazing afternoon snacks," Austin explained as we drove onto his street, "She probably drops kush in them."

He grabbed my backpack for me and took both up the front lawn into his house. Sure enough, Gloria was laying the table with some fantastic looking treats.

"Gloria!" I exclaimed, not containing my excitement at seeing her.

She took better care of us than my own parents. Gloria gave me a very warm hug and took my jacket. I picked a seat directly in front of the banana bread.

"You look exhausted, Millie," Gloria noticed, as she placed a jug of water on the table, "Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Not really," I said, trying to play it off, "Junior year is so stressful."

"That's no good. Maybe Austin can give you some tips. He doesn't sleep either," she ruffled Austin's hair.

Austin took a seat in front of me and started to cut us slices of the bread. "I wish I had the answer. I don't even know what I do. Aside from medication, I exercise or visit Luke."

"Exercise?" I repeated.

Gloria returned with a bowl of fruit and a bowl of buttercream for the bread. She then took a seat next to me and handed me a vitamin C. 

I chewed on it while buttering the banana bread and ventured into Austin's personal life, "You know how I'm dating Luke?"

This was a weird way to start.

Austin nodded, eating his banana bread. It wasn't news to him.

"Should we do a double date sometime?" I asked.

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm already imagining the four of us picnicking in springtime.

"Who do you have in mind?" he replied.

He isn't opposed to the idea. This is not a bad sign.

"I'll have to think about it..." I said, pretending like I didn't have anyone in mind.

Cearra! Cearra! Cearra!

"OK," he drank his glass of water and poured some more for Gloria since hers was also empty.

Austin thought we were moving on from the subject, but no...

"After I think about it, do I give you some ideas?" I fished, "It sounds like you're open to the idea and that you're not dating anyone right now?"

"I didn't say that," he answered.

Gloria smiled and told me, "I call him the accidental heartbreaker."

"Let's not bring that up," Austin said, embarrassed by it, "Millie, Luke met you and it was game over. I'm happy flying solo for a while longer."

**

~The next evening~

My bedroom had turned into a detective's den. Papers were lying around everywhere. I was writing down every memory, every encounter, every person I knew, to put together the clues that would lead me to the blackmailer.

This house felt like a prison. It was freezing in the evenings, and I wore my jacket indoors. Cearra's mom had made extra cornbread for me, so I ate that for dinner tonight.

I'd given up trying to call my family.

A gust of wind howled against the broken window, blowing the black trash bag that covered it. It was a constant reminder of the fear that I lived under. And I needed to do something about that.

I stood in my empty home and wondered where my protection was. Wouldn't it be nice if every child had parents who cared? Or a parent? Or a guardian of some sort?

Trying to keep a positive spirit, I walked over to the washing machine and pulled out my clothes. We were running low on laundry detergent, so that was one more item to budget for. I didn't want to waste electricity by using the dryer, so I started to hang the wet clothes across the living room.

While I was hanging a bra over the living room door, I heard footsteps outside. I grabbed a mug for self-defense.

The door opened and I almost flung the mug at him.

"Woah," Luke said, raising his hands in the air, "It's just me."

He closed the door behind him, and I saw that he was only wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts. How he wasn't freezing in this weather I will never know. He took his sneakers off and left on his white socks.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked him.

His knuckles were pink, and his cheeks had color from working out. I could see the outline of his muscles as his white shirt stuck slightly to his skin. He shook his head.

"No, but I might use your shower," he said, "Especially if you'd like to join."

Good luck trying to get hot water.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him. I was all wrapped up in a puffy jacket and tired – the opposite to all his energy.

"Why is it so dark in here?" he asked, looking around for the first time.

I was saving electricity.

So I answered, kissing his lips, "To set the mood."

He kissed me back until he got distracted again. This time, he noticed the wet bra on the doorway.

He pointed, "that's setting the mood too?"

I thought about it for a second.

"No. That's just weird," I replied, yanking it off.

**

"Luke, you should really go to dinner," I told him.

We were lying on the couch, legs intertwined. We'd gotten so comfortable in this position. He took up most of the space and I lay half next to him and half on top of him. He had one hand raised behind his head and the other was stroking my back absentmindedly.

"I'm feeling good right here," he mumbled.

I felt his phone buzz in his pocket and knew his parents were chasing him.

How will this relationship play out?

I didn't want to say it out loud, but we had such different prospects in life. We may be neighbors now, but our lives would soon be very different. I didn't know if I was going to pay the bills next month, while Luke was riding an incredible wave that could lead him to the NBA.

"Why do you want to be in the NBA?" I asked him, draping my arm over his firm stomach.

It felt like one of Austin's surfboards.

He looked down at my hand and then at me, hitting me with his beautiful gaze.

"I want to play with the best," he answered and paused, "Why are you looking sad Minnie?"

"I just wondered if there was something more to it. Like a higher purpose. Being the best sound cool, but does it make you sleep better at night?"

Luke exhaled and said, "Yeah, it does."

"There's a lot of injustice in the world," I said, adding a side comment, "Rest in peace Winnifred and all the other murdered cats. But there are inequalities, discrimination, bullying, harassment... not everyone is born in a palace like Chad."

Luke raised his hand and slowly traced the outline of my face, landing on my bottom lip. I stopped biting it.

He murmured, "I'm trying to see the connection between Winnifred, Chad, injustice and basketball."

I really need to express my thoughts better.

"I just think that... if you have the chance to reach the top of any game, don't you want to do something to change the system?" I asked, "Maybe as a player on an NBA team, you can make the owners accountable for their actions or their policies?"

He took a moment to hear me out, before he said truthfully, "I've never thought of that."

I believe in him so much. He has the confidence: the kind of guy who acts like he can change the world.

So, change it.

A/N: Hi. Hope you enjoyed it. Please vote if this chapter meant something to you. It meant a lot to me. 

And have a wonderful weekend.  You can find me on Instagram spearfishing until then (@NatalieInACorner). Sending positive vibes and that extra push to carpe diem <3

See ya Tuesday!

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