There was a hollow laugh, and then Luke emerged from the yellow door, clapping sarcastically.
"How DO you do it, Professor?" He grinned, and disappeared back through the door. Before the Professor could run after him, he reappeared, with a spinning chair. He pulled it up to the screens, and sat on it, resting his legs on the table.
"It took me quite a while- but when I realised it was you I-"
"Cut to the chase Layton," Luke snapped. The Professor raised his eyebrow, but continued.
"On the first floor, you said, "Complete each puzzle and you will find yourself on the next floor. Get to the top floor and you get Flora back. You, however, failed to add, "and Luke". This is what first aroused my suspicions,"
Luke spun around on the seat.
"Go on," He said.
"You also disguised your voice- if I hadn't met you before, you would have had no reason too."
Luke scowled.
"On the third floor, you quizzed me on yourself and Flora. How would a complete stranger know all about Flora? And yourself?"
Luke raised an eyebrow.
"Research, Layton, Research."
"And finally, on the stairway riddle, you said a riddle very similar to the one we faced on the Big Ben. Only ourselves, Flora, and the authorities knew about that case."
"Brilliant as always, Professor,"
"Is Flora alright?" The Professor asked.
Luke laughed.
"You haven't figured it out yet have you?" He smirked, "Flora is back home, sleeping soundly."
"Really?"
Luke shrugged.
"When I drugged you and dragged you off here, I decided just to leave her," He spun around on the seat, "She's a whiney brat,"
"Don't say that!" The Professor exclaimed, "Be a gentleman Luke!"
Luke sighed.
"I passed that stage a long time ago, Layton,"
"Only one thing leaves me stumped. Why, Luke, why did you do this?"
Luke mumbled something under his breath.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that,"
"So, maybe, for once, you would notice me,"
"What?"
Luke stood up.
"Ever since Flora got here, you barely notice me!"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Sorry, tell a lie, you barely CARED about me!" Luke stormed to the other side of the room.
"I don't understand, Luke," The Professor shook his head.
"Ever since, SHE got here, it's been "Flora this," and "Flora that," You always told Flora to stay behind in case she got hurt, but you never told me!"
"You always wanted to comeā¦" The Professor said pathetically.
"SO DID FLORA! But that didn't stop you stop her coming! Yes, I wanted to come. And I probably would have even if you said no, but it is nice to be worried about! Like you always worry about Flora!"
The Professor stepped back a bit.
"You got her a mobile, so she could phone you if she was in trouble, or when she got to school. You said you wouldn't get me one until I was 18! She's 16!"
"Yeah but-"
"Whenever I asked to stay at a friend's house, you always say, "But what if Flora gets lonely?" But if she went to a friend's house, you basically BEGGED her to go!"
"Luke-"
"That quiz, was just for proof. Proof you forgot all about me! You can't even remember my crushes name. And my crush isn't even in my class! But you remember EVERYTHING about Flora's crush,"
"I remembered you didn't have a crush on Flora,"
"THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE IT INVOLVED FLORA!"
"I got your age," The Professor said, even though he was defeated.
"I'm not 13! I am 14! It was my birthday last week! WHICH YOU MISSED!" Luke yelled. He knocked over the chair.
"Luke I am sorry-"
"Sorry? It was horrible! I went into school and people said, "So what did the Professor get you?" I HADE TO MAKE STUFF UP!" Luke turned around, trying to hide his red face, and the tears of anger whelming up in his eyes.
"Luke, please, let me explain," The Professor said.
"No." Luke shook his head, "No. I'm through with explaining. I've done enough of it. Like when I had to explain to my teacher why you didn't go to parents evening, or why you never turned up to any meetings when I got into fights, or to my friends why I never went to sleepovers, or why they can never come over."
"Luke, please-" The Professor felt tears whelming up.
"Oh wait! I just remembered. I have no friends! They all avoid me now! In fact, I remember getting in a fight last week with one of them! That's how I got this!"
Luke lifted up his sleeve to reveal an ugly cut covered in stiches.
"The Doctor's said there would be a scar. It will never fade. You would know if. You. Came. To. The. Doctors. With. Me."
The Professor went bright red, tears whelming up in his eyes.
"Luke-" He stammered.
"Just go," Luke waved his hand, "That door takes you out,"
"Luke,"
"GO!"
The Professor turned around, then back again. He looked long and hard at the broken boy in front of him.
"Sorry," He whispered.
He left.
