Outside || Luke Hemmings

Chapter 49

‘I don’t get it though’ I said, holding the piece of paper tightly between my fingers.
‘Why would they want me to burn it? This is the last thing they “gave” me, why would they want me to burn it?’
Luke looked at the letter in my hand, and then back up to meet my eyes.
‘Maybe it’s like a symbol. Like I said a couple weeks ago, you’re holding on to it like it’s the last thing on this planet that’s keeping you alive. Maybe by telling you to burn it, they’re telling you to move on, to just, live your own life. That’s what they said too right? To pack your bags and leave and do whatever the hell you want. They want you to be happy and they made this letter because they couldn’t tell you on their own.’
‘But, I don’t want to burn it’
‘You don’t have too, you can hold on to it as long as you want’ Luke said.
He smiled at me reassuringly and put his hand on my knee.
We were still sitting in the forest, enjoying our view.
Luke had brought some food and drinks so we’d been eating that and talking a little bit.
‘But they told me to burn it’ I said, ‘It’s like the last thing they asked me to do, I can’t just not do it’
‘You can still hold on to it though, you can burn it when you’re ready, when you feel like you want to burn it’
I nodded and looked back at the piece of paper.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to burn this’
‘You will eventually, just give it some time.’
I folded the letter back up and put it in my back pocket.
Trying to get my focus on the view again.
The sun was shining on the mountain, giving it a magical look.
We sat in silence for a little while longer.
Luke’s hand was still on my knee, unconsciously drawing little circles on it.
He sighed and looked at me.
‘Can I ask you something?’ he said, looking at me nervously.
‘Yeah, of course’ I answered.
Luke looked down at his hand on my knee for a while, trying to figure out how to formulate his question.
‘Did you ever…’ he started, laughing at himself shortly and shaking his head as if he was regretting this already.
‘It’s a pretty stupid question and I don’t even know why I’m asking you, but…on your little cheer up day, when we were in that glowworm cave and…well, when I kissed you. Did you just forget about it like I said we should do?’ His cheeks were turning a dark shade of red and he still looked at his hand on my knee.
‘Did you?’ I asked, not sure if I should tell him the truth or not.
Luke looked up at the view of the lake, and slowly shook his head.
‘I tried, but, it kind of just, didn’t want to leave my head’
I nodded and put my hand on his.
‘I didn’t forget about it either’ I said softly, my own cheeks now starting to turn just as red as his.
‘You didn’t?’ he asked.
I shook my head and looked at my hand that was nervously playing with his.
I knew Luke was looking at the exact same thing, even though I wasn’t looking at him.
He laughed quietly and turned his hand around to intertwine his hand with mine.
I looked up at him as he smiled one the brightest smiles I’ve seen of him so far.
‘Good’ he said, before quickly pressing a kiss on my cheek and getting up.
‘Come on, let’s go back before it gets dark’ he said.
I stood up as well, completely flustered.
Luke let go of my hand and closed the bag before swinging it over his shoulder and looking at me, the same smile still plastered on his face.
I walked up to him, because that’s the way we had to walk, and he started walking just as I stood beside him, swinging his arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer to his body. 

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A/N: I THINK I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING AGAIN!