Sticks & Stones || l.h.

Chapter 4

Next came high school. The place of horror where everyone regrets at least one mistake they made there. Maybe it was doing "it" with someone you thought loved you. Maybe it was just as simple as not studying for one of the most important exams. But for me, my mistake was falling totally, and deeply in love with Luke.

Year ten, I started growing feelings for him. Feelings of more than a friend. I remember every single thing that we did and how much of an amazing friend he was. And I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner.

Later that year, I finally told him that I liked him as more than a friend. Things went down from there for the next couple of months. It was really awkward between us and we wouldn't really hangout as much. I was all alone, I didn't want another friends except Luke. He, however, became really close friends with three other boys, Michael, Calum, and Ashton. (They became really close friends of mine later.)

It stayed like that for a couple of months. One day, Liz invited my mum and I over for dinner. My mum and Liz were still really good friends. The meal went by with mostly just the big of them talking about there jobs and life and everything to catch up. Luke and I spoke occasionally and exchanged some awkward eye contact.

After dinner, Luke took all the dishes in to wash, "Why don't you go help Luke, Haley?" My mum suggested. I cringed and worried about how Luke would take me going in there and helping him, but I did anyways.

Three plates, four glasses, and two forks later, Luke coughed, interrupting the silence. I looked up into his blue eyes that were already staring down at me.

"Haley?"

"Hmm?" I mumbled going back to the dishes.

"I'm sorry" he barely whispered.

"For what?"

"I'm sorry for everything," he paused, looking at me still, "I'm not being there for you these past couple of months. I'm sorry that I left you alone. I knew that you wouldn't have anyone there for you. I knew that you would go to the bathroom everyday during lunch and cried. I've followed you, wondering what was wrong, and almost went in to comfort you. But I didn't. And do you want to know why?" He was quiet at first but started to raise his voice at the end.

"Why?" I was starting to get a little scared as to what he would say next. Did he not like me anymore? Was I a horrible friend these last years? Has he found another girl he is interested in? Thoughts swam through my head as he continued.

"I didn't because I was a coward. Yep! I'm. A. Coward." His voice got louder and louder, he threw down the wash rag in the sink and made a splash. He turned his body towards me now, giving me his full attention.

"I'm a coward because when you told me your feelings for me, I didn't know what mine were. I knew I liked you a lot. But I didn't know if I liked you as more than just my best friend. I didn't know that I couldn't live without you. Not for a month, or even a day! Over this time, I've realized that I do have feelings for you. I have realized that you mean the world to me. And I can't live without you. And I'm sorry for taking so long to figure this out."

When he was finished, I had just noticed the tears streaming down my face. I wiped them away, I've always hated crying in front of people. I stepped foward and quickly wrapped my arms around his neck. I hugged him for what felt like an eternity. I'd missed his hugs. I'd missed how much I felt safe and loved inside of his arms. I'd missed the warmth that I felt going through my body when we touched. I'd missed everything about him, and it had only been a month.

But I was just glad I had had him back now. And I was glad that he missed me just as much as I missed him. And I was glad that I had him back as my best friend for what I thought would be forever.