a/n hopefully everything begins to fall into place in this chapter. feel fre to leave me a comment if you have any advice concerning grammer and such, I do appreciate them. SPOILER! this story is just a few chapters away from completion!

P.S. video is a cover my younger siblings did. Check it out! 

Chapter Ten

“I know who you are,” I said, my voice breaking.

“You do.”

It was not a question, but both teachers had said it.

“I do,” I replied, the tears filled my eyes. “You’re my brothers.”

My brothers smiled and squashed me in the biggest hug I had ever had. Jeremiah joined the hug as well. I was starting to feel complete again. Everything seemed to fall into place, but there was still something missing. That something was Michael, Luke . . . and Lukan. I would never get to see Lukan again, that was something I would have to accept. The thought of Lukan made me start to break down in my brothers’ embrace. I hugged Matthew tighter, hiding my face in his chest as I released soft sobs.

“Faith,” Matthew said as Mark and Jeremiah pulled away. “Everything is alright, we’re here now.”

“It’s not that,” I whispered, trying to hold back the tears. “Lukan is never coming back. I get to see you, and Mark, and Jeremiah again. Mr. Clarkson said I would see Michael and Luke soon . . . but Lukan . . . I will never see him again. He was the only comfort I had when you were not around.”

“Excuse me,” I heard Duke say.

His voice sounded as distraught as mine did. He must have left the room because he did not say more. I continued to cry as Matthew sat down, sitting me next to him.

“Faith,” Mark said, making me look at him. “It’s okay to miss him, but you can’t hold on to the past that way. It could become baggage and a stumbling block in your life.”

“He was all I had,” I said, trying to breath. “I mean, yes, I know God is always with me, but . . . Lukan was the only friend I had after you lost the Assembly. We made, like, a pact that we would make it our goal to graduate together.”

“You have to let that go,” Matthew said. “You need to truly let it all go. You do not need to suffer that anymore. Believe me; it is not healthy to hold on to the past.”

I knew he was right; I was holding on to the past. It took me a moment to fully calm down. I looked around at the concerned faces of my brothers, and three masked guards. Lou and Milo were the only ones who could not meet my eye. Duke had reentered the room, looking at something in his hand. I could not see what it was; I wished to know what he was thinking. At that moment, as if he knew I was looking, he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at me. I felt comforted, just by looking at him. Pleading with my eyes, I motioned to him, barely moving my hand. A soft smile played at the corner of his mouth as he slowly walked towards us.

“Are you alright?” Lou asked in a low voice.

Duke nodded, looking at him briefly then back at me. His hazel eyes suddenly looked familiar to me. Yet, how could they? I had never seen Duke before this.

“They are calling us for the music performances,” Lola called just before going up the stairs.

Matthew, Jeremiah, and Mark hurried to catch up with the other participants. ‘Joshua’ stayed behind with me and Duke, as Milo and Lou left.

“You are?” I asked, smiling.

“Jay,” he replied as we went up the stairs.

When we reached the outside, Joshua went and started talking to Milo and Lou. As instructed, I remained close to Duke.

“I am so sorry you saw me like that,” I said in a hushed voice.

“It is not your fault,” Duke replied, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I have met Crystal and Jeremy. They spoke of you often in the short time I was with them. They told me to tell you ‘not to worry, God is in control’. They will meet you in the woods.”

I smiled and placed a hand around him, in a friendly way. I could tell my gesture was appreciated. My brothers were talking to Peter and Mary then came towards us.

“Performance arrangements,” Mark said, reading a clipboard. “By order of group; Peter and Mary are first. Faith, you are last.”

I nodded; Duke led the way as we followed the group into a backstage area. There was a keyboard in the nearby corner. I was flipping out a little bit; I wanted to play something. I opened the piano book that was on the music stand. It was sheet music, mostly songs that had been in the old Jane Austin movies.

“Do you know how to play duets?” Duke asked, sitting on the bench next to me.

“Chopsticks,” I replied, playing a brief part of the song. “If you teach me one, I am a fast learner.”

He smiled and turned to one of the songs in the piano book. Five minutes later, were playing one of the hardest duets. Duke was very good at piano, but every time I tried to tell him that, he would not let me finish the sentence. Perhaps he was being modest to not make his talent seem like a big deal.

“That is a nice bracelet,” Duke said, motioning to my wrist. “Did you make it?”

I had forgotten that I had worn Lukan’s bracelet to the Assembly.

“A friend did,” I replied, touching it. “He gave it to me right before being taken.”

“Lukan?” he asked in a deep, gruff voice.

I nodded and took a deep breath.

“If you do not mind me asking, how did you feel as they were taking him?”

“They had to pry my arms off. It felt like a beloved stuffed bear, being taken away and burned. Except it was a billion times worse.

“I can imagine,” Duke said softly. “I was in a similar circumstance, twice in my life. Not much different than you.”

His eyes were downcast as he began to play a slow, sad song.

“I composed this song,” he went on, breathing hard through his nose. “It is about hardships; you can vision it in this manner. Two friends who are inseparable, yet they are separated. Then, when least expected, they reunite.”

At that moment, the song took a sudden crescendo into a happy tone, both in volume and intensity. My eyes were slowly filling with tears. Duke ended the song, still keeping his gaze downward.

“It is lovely,” I said, rubbing my nose. “What was the inspiration for that song?”

“My mother,” Duke replied, standing from the bench. “My best friend . . . I miss her. I have not seen her in many years.”

I looked at him, trying to paint a picture of him without the mask. It was hard not to mix what parts of his face I could see with Lukan’s face.

Duke’s eyes twinkled as he said, “You are just as Jeremy and Crystal described. They never spoke wrong of you.”

I smiled, “Will get to see you without that mask?” I asked before thinking. “After the Assembly, I mean.”

He smiled back. “You shall have that privilege,” he replied, nodding. “I’ve actually neve-“

“Faith,” said a booming voice.

The sound made both of us jump. I stepped closer to Duke, almost hiding in his side as Miss Bertrum came towards us. She looked at Duke in disgust, handing me an envelope. I was hesitant to take it, which made her mad and she forced it into my hands. After a cold, hard stare, Miss Bertrum left.

“It’s okay,” Duke whispered, rubbing my arm. “Don’t worry, soon this will all be over.”

“She’s such a weasel,” I said in a shaky voice. “I don’t want to ever see her again after this Assembly.”

“Let me see that letter,” he hugged me tighter.

I handed him the envelope, staying perfectly still. Duke did not pull away as I hugged his middle. For the moment, I had completely forgotten what was going on around me.

“God will get you through this,” Duke said in a low voice. “You know He will.”

I nodded and looked up at his masked face. I almost as if I had known him my whole life. Duke opened pulled out the folded paper. He read it, but stopped midway. I could not see the writing, nor could I figure out his expression.

“Lou,” he said, raising his voice for the first time. “Milo, stay with Faith.”

He looked at me briefly before running out the back door. What did the letter say?

“What’s gotten into him?” Lou asked, coming to stand by me.

“I’ve seen that expression before,” Milo replied, standing on my other side. “It is the same expression he had whenever Mr. Crowley said he was returning to Group D.”

“Hopeful?”

“Hopeful.”

I sat there in silence, barely paying attention to the exchange of conversation. All I could think of was the look on Duke’s face. I had seen it before, many years before. How could I have seen it? Duke had not gone to class with me. He had not been a student in Group D. Then I knew the answer to my questions.