Page 26 of The Dis-Graced

“Well, did they shun blankets and clothes too?”

“Actually, many of them chose to go without clothing.”

Now, we’re both laughing, and dare I say, we’re enjoying each other’s company, which a day ago I would have thought was impossible.

“So, did Luke go on that trip with you?”

“Oh, of course. He was always by my side,” Drake says, setting down his fork. “I remember there was this woman, I’m pretty sure she was a world-renowned doctor. Anyway, she like laid claim to Lucas. Wouldn’t let him out of her damn sight. God, he was so freaked out. It was great.”

He went back to eating his food.

“Wait, you can’t just end it like that. What happened?”

“Well, one night, she came into the room and shed her robe. He freaked out, as he does, and she basically ended up being a psychiatrist to him, talking him through his worries.”

“And?”

Drake’s face suddenly falls, as though he’s just remembered who he’s talking to.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Tell me!”

“I mean, that’s basically the end of the story.”

“Liar!”

His icy blue eyes lock with mine. He’s trying to protect me.

“What happened, Drake?”

He looks up at me, sheepishly and I hate the fact that I know it’s pity he feels.

“Luke got angry, damn near hostile. I had never seen him like that before and haven’t since. The woman left, and we were asked to leave the next day.”

“Oh, that’s a little…unusual.”

“Drake still looks guilty. I can tell he’s not telling the whole truth.

“Spit it out!” I say.

Drake swallows a mouthful of chicken, then says, “That would be gross.”

“No—I know you’re not telling the whole story. Spit it out!”

Drake looks down guiltily. “I had felt the same as you did, that Luke’s response was unusual, so I asked him about it when the dust settled. As it turned out, Luke was terrified of getting a woman pregnant because he didn’t want a child to have to grow up like he did.”

My eyes shift to my plate, and I shuffle a broccoli into the rice, trying to think of how to respond.

“It’s not shocking he would say that,” I finally say.

“Yeah, I guess. I just didn’t want to sound like an asshole and make you feel bad.”

“I’ll tell you what made me feel bad. It wasn’t what happened, it’s the way you looked at me. The pity in your eyes.”

Drake’s jaw shifts to the side, and I can tell he’s chartering unfamiliar waters.

“You really haven’t been around poor people that much, have you?” I ask, leaning back in my chair and forcing him to lock gazes with me.