Change (l.r.h)

Too Long

"Ash should be here s-" I say to Hanley.

I look up and see her looking at herself in the mirror. She's nervous. I can tell. "Quit being so nervous." I say, "Hanley, You have to trust me. He won't treat you any differently."

"Yes, he will." She sighs. She looks down, "Everyone does." 

"Because we are trying to get your PTSD stable, we love you and want you to be happy. Not terrified of everything coming and going." I say, placing my hand on her shoulder. She jumps back, which makes me jump back as well. 

"CARSON NO!" She starts to yell. Oh shit! 

"What the hell is going on?!" Shit! Ashton walks in seeing Hanley. He walks up to her and she puts her arms up in defense. 

"Hanley.. It's Ashton. Open your eyes babe. I'm not going to hurt you." He says, holding her. She looks up at him and then looks away. 

"I-I'm sorry, Kayla. I-I didn't-" She starts to apologies, but I cut her off.

"No worries, Han. You and Ash go." I say. I pull her into a hug. "Remember what I said." I whisper.

"I'll explain in the car." She tells Ashton, who has a very confused look on his face. 

He nudges me before he walks out with Hanley. "WRAP IT BEFORE YOU TAP IT!" I yell from the door. Ashton and Hanley both groan in response.

"Who needs to wrap it before they tap it?" Luke asks, walking in a few minutes from the bathroom. "Was that Hanley that screamed?" 

"Yeah, she had another episode. It's all good." I say, closing the door.

"Okay." He says, dragging me to the couch and sitting me down. "We have pushed this too long. Tell me." 

"What?" I ask. I know exactly what he is talking about.

"Don't fuck around Kayla." Luke says sternly. 

I take a deep breath. "Where did we leave off?" I ask.

"I think you was talking about a party you and Ashton went to last year." He says. He leans back.

"Okay. It was a Lincoln Prep party." I say. I grab one of the pillows from the couch and put it in my lap. I find a string on it and mess with it. "I was dating this boy, Josh. Um, so we went to the party." I start to say, but the memories flood me. 

"Kayla." Luke says, grabbing my hands. "It's okay."

I take in another big breath. "I got a little tipsy. I knew what was going on, so I wasn't bad off. Anyway, Josh and I headed upstairs." Luke tenses up.

I couldn't hold the tears back anymore. "I didn't want to. He pushed me to the ground and started hitting me. I blacked out." Luke grabs me and holds me.

"Shh, Kayla." He says.

"You were there Luke." I say, looking up at me. "I knew you looked kind of familiar. You were the one that find me Luke." I say, "You was the one that got Ashton."

Luke looks at me for a little while. "That was you?' He asks. 

"Yes." I say. I move out of Luke's grasp and lean back on the couch and cry.

"Kayla." He says, taking my hands in his. 

"I haven't been in a relationship since then. I've been to scared. That's why I ran when you kissed me. I didn't realize that was you until Ashton told me the other day. I was afraid what you'd think of me." 

"Kayla, I'd never think differently of you." He says. Hanley and I aren't really that different. We were both scared of what the guys we like would think of us. Wait, did I just say I liked Luke.

"I promise, I'd never hurt you or let anyone else hurt you." Luke says, pulling me towards him. I don't care anymore. I'm not letting my fear get in the way of my life. I trust Luke and I know he'd do nothing to hurt me.

I look Luke in the eyes, "I think I've fallen for you." I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him into me. Our lips connect. So much comes over me. Everything is washed away. The only thing going through my mind is what is going on at this moment. Luke and I. Us kissing and I'm not running away from my fears.

Not anymore.