end up here (l.r.h fanfic)

1.9

Three months later

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Bella's POV

I went back and stayed with the Hemmings', but I knew I'd have to leave eventually.

Liz made it very clear that I could stay. I told her I couldn't. I had to move on.

I had some money saved up, enough to get an apartment back home and pay rent until I could find a job, and my college fund was huge.

"New York? That's where you want to go?" Luke questioned, pacing back and forth in front of me.

I nodded. "That's been my plan. I can't just change it because.."

"Because of me?" He said quietly, looking over at me.

I didn't answer, because he was right. I couldn't just change my plans because of him.

"Why not?" He shook his head. He didn't understand why I couldn't just change my mind.

"Because I've made my mind, Luke!" I almost yelled. "I'm going to New York, I'm not getting a place in California. I'm meeting with the landlord on Tuesday and that's the end of it." I snapped.

"Fine." He mumbled, leaving my room.

I sighed and sat down on the bed, reaching over to my phone. I realized I was typing my mom's number into the keypad on accident, instead of Jackson's.

I shook my head and erased the numbers, dialing in his.

"Hello?" I heard him say, sounding tired.

"Jackson? Hey, it's me." I said.

"Hey Bell." I heard him, also hearing someone in the background.

"Oh. Is this a bad time?" I ran my hand through my dark hair, looking around.

"What? N-no, it's fine. Hang on a minute?" He said, and I heard muffled talking, then a door close. "Hey."

"Hey... so, are you back in New York?" I asked, chewing my lip.

"Oh, yeah. Of course. But I know you aren't. I saw all the pictures of you and your boyfriend all over the Internet." he laughed and I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up. He's not my boyfriend. Or... I don't know. No." I mumbled, shaking my head. Aside from several makeout sessions and what looked like dates in pictures, we'd never really talked about it. The pictures were a big problem, another reason I wanted to go to New York. "Do you think I can stay with you until I get the apartment?"

"Of course!" he said. "When will you be coming?"

"Tuesday."

"Great. I'll text you the address later, okay?"

"Alright. Thanks Jack." I smiled a little, hanging up.

Luke's POV

"Alright. Thanks Jack." I heard Bella say.

Jack? She was staying with Jack?

She also said I wasn't her boyfriend. Was I? I mean, we never actually talked about it, and I didn't really date, but... I don't know. My fans definitely thought we were.

I shook my head and walked downstairs, past Lily, who was eating breakfast.

"Is Bella leaving?" She asked, with a mouthful of Captain Crunch.

"What do you think?" I snapped irritably.

"I don't want her to leave." she frowned.

I didn't say anything, because I didn't either. I didn't want her to leave.

I tensed when I heard footsteps on the staircase. I went into the kitchen, quickly opening the pantry, looking inside it instead of at Bella, who had just entered the kitchen.

I glanced at her, and she was staring at me, her arms crossed.

I couldn't help it. "You're staying with Jack?" I spun around, closing the pantry as I looked at her.

"What?" she narrowed her eyes. "Were you eavesdropping?"

"No.. maybe." I shrugged. "So? You didn't tell me you were staying with him."

"Does it matter?" She scoffed.

"Yeah, he obviously likes you, and-"

"He does not, Luke. And that makes no difference, why would you care?"

"Because I.. Never mind." I looked down.

She sighed. "Luke..."

"We never even talked about it, Bella." I stared at her.

"There was nothing to talk about. You don't date, you said so yourself. And even if you did, you wouldn't date a girl like me, you'd date-"

I interrupted her by crashing my lips against hers. Her breath hitches as she hesitated for a second before kissing me back.

"Bye!" Lily yelled as she walked out the door, her school bus obviously outside to pick her up.

Bella pulled away slightly, looking up at me.

"I miss kissing you." I mumbled.

"Luke.."

"Please don't."

"I'm still going to New York. You can't just kiss me and change that." She looked down.

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" I asked.

She shook her head, and I looked away.

"I..." I sighed, turning and leaving.

I went back to my room, shutting the door behind me. I fell down on the bed and sighed in defeat, staring at the wall.

I heard a faint knock at the door, and I looked up to see Bella standing there.

"I miss kissing you too." She said.

I stood up and took a few steps across the room, closing the space between us.

Because, as I was starting to realize, I'd do anything for her. I'd do anything to kiss her, even if I was mad at her, or if she was about to leave me.

I was starting to realize I liked her a lot more that I led on.

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