Luann's POV:
Integrity: in-teg-ri-ty (in-teg-ri-tee)
-noun
1. Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
2. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the innocence of your heart.
3. A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of Luke's hair.
—Synonyms 1. Honesty, truthfulness, honor, veracity, reliability.
—Antonyms 1. Dishonesty.
Integrity is something you are raised with. Your parents either teach it to you, or don't. Integrity is something I lack in all three definitions. I don't have a 'sound moral character' or have honesty. I am not whole, entire, or undiminished. I'm hurt and have gotten taken advantage millions of times. But my innocence was gone long before that anyway. I don't know when I lost it. To me innocence is when you can do things without a second thought, or have never felt the true pain of your heart getting ripped apart. I believe I lost it the first time I saw Luke Oken. I wasn't in 'sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition'. I was broken; torn apart in little pieces and thrown to the dogs.
To bad integrity and love are the two main things that build up a person. I guess I don't matter. In the population count I probably count for a half of a person. God knows my heart is that small.
Sometimes, I wake up and wonder what I did to deserve a life like this. I try to think back to when this all started, but then it hurts too much and I start crying.
Right now, I'm curled up in the bathroom of my three room house. My 'fiancé' is sleeping in 'our' room. I would never call that bastard a fiancé. He is more like a heart shredder, a man that can tear you apart inside and make you believe you deserve to die. I have suffered more pain then I have ever seen in any soap opera. I guess you are really confused right now. Maybe I should go back to the final fight.
I was knocked out by that murderer in the other room through the whole thing. I had finally taken a stand for everything I deserved, peace and understanding. To bad I lack integrity and bravery.
FLASHBACK:
Luke was pushed out of the stained glass window and fell to the ground. As he hit, He jumped up suddenly as though he didn't have a scratch. And he ran. He ran around the house and climbed up to Jackson's window. He swiftly opened it and walked over to Luann.
"Wake up...…" he said as he shook her. She held her head and sat up,
"Wh-" She never finished. She was gagged and picked up by Luke. He carried her out to his car and put her in the seat. He climbed in and drove off. Luann got the cloth off and said,
"Luke, I'm not going with you. I'm not hurting anyone anymore." He snorted and said,
"Lu, you have a lot to learn. Do you think those people care anything about you? No they don't you don't matter to them. You aren't even one eighth of a person to them. You are scum and dirt. And you always will be no matter what you do. But I love you. So shut up and enjoy the ride." She turned her face to the window so no one could see the pained tears flowing freely down her face. He had won. Once again.
END FLASHBACK:
I heard the doorknob rattle. I jumped and quickly wiped away my tears. It was three days until Christmas and mine was going to be anything but jolly. I opened the door and saw Luke standing there. I walked past him and he walked in. They say hate is a strong word and that you can never hate someone. You can dislike them, but never hate.
But I sure as hell hated Luke.
MILEY'S POV:
"NO! I wanna put the star on top!" Oliver yelled as he ran across the living room.
"Nuh uh Ollie, Emily wants too!" Lydia said patting her VERY pregnant stomach. It was three days before Christmas and we were putting up the Christmas tree at Lydia and Oliver's apartment. Everyone was there, Me, Jake, Lilly, Oliver, Lydia, and Lydia's little cousin Grace.
"Well, I want to!" Lilly said as she looked up from her 'Seventeen' magazine. Normally I would have been screaming about how I was the one who gave them the loan for the apartment in the first place and that I should get to but, I was too busy watching a beautiful scene to care.
"-Where's the A…?" Jake asked the little girl sitting beside him. Grace giggled and looked thoughtful at the little alphabet block set before jokily picking up a Z. Jake laughed and said,
"Is that an A??" Grace smiled and nodded her head.
"I don't think so..." Jake said as he tickled her. She squealed and handed him the A.
"(Gasp) that's right!! That's the A!" She laughed and he said,
"What starts with an A?" She laughed and said,
"Ant."
"Your right! Do you know how many ants anteaters eat in a day?" he asked. She giggled and said,
"No."
"Around 10 million. Doesn't that sound yummy?" He joked. She stuck out her tongue.
"Yucky." He started tickling her and said,
"It's yucky?….do you think it's really, really yucky?." She nodded and he said,
"Uh oh….does that mean you aren't gonna like your birthday present?" this got the little girls attention.
"Present? What is it??" She asked in excitement.
"Well, I got you a BIG ant sandwich." He said. She gagged.
"Ew…." He mocked hurt.
"Ew? Does that m-mean you don't like my present?" He asked. She hugged him and said,
"No…I'll love it uncle Jakey." He laughed and said,
"Good." She climbed up on his lap and watched sleepily as they fought over who was going to put the star on top. I was just standing there with a smile on my face feeling as though I might cry.
"Miley? Miley?" Lilly snapped me out of my thoughts and said,
"What are you staring at?" She followed my gaze and said,
"Aw…isn't that cute! Well, we decided you can put the star on since you are the one that was almost murdered a week ago." I smiled and said,
"No that's okay. Let someone else."
"No! Come on Miley! Pleeeease!" They said.
"Hey, I almost died too!" Oliver and Jake said at the same time.
"Well I have an idea! Since I'm the one that's gonna have to pop out a kid, I'll do it!" Lydia said as she started climbing up the ladder with Oliver standing nervously at the bottom.
"Don't fall Lydia…." He warned. She just placed the star on top of the tree and we all fell silent and looked at it. We heard a little voice whisper-sing, "Have yourself a merry little Christmas…" We all looked and saw Grace singing quietly. Jake joined in,
"Let your heart be light…." I smiled and joined in,
"From now on, our troubles will be out of sight…" Soon everyone was singing,
"Have yourself a merry little Christmas…" We ended. All the sudden we all burst out laughing,
"God, We are sooooo cheesy!" Oliver exclaimed. Lydia burst into tears and said,
"That was so beautiful. I l-love you guys!" She went up and hugged all of us and we exchanged looks. She took Grace by the hand and led her over to the rocking chair and I took Grace's spot on Jake's lap.
"Just when I loose one, I gain another." Jake joked. I smiled and said,
"Get used to it bub. I'm here forever." He smiled and said,
"I wouldn't have it any other way babe." He kissed me and I kissed back. We broke apart and I leaned my head against his chest.
"Do you think everything is going to be okay now?" He nodded and kissed me before saying,
"I think everything is going to be great now."
Little did we know, we were wrong…so, so wrong.