Come on, skinny love

Chapter Two: Starting over

~I may or may not be changing the title of the story, it depends on whether or not I think of something that might fit the story better~

I hurried home once the last bell went off, fleeing out of class. I sped to my locker and sat on the bus waiting for it to leave.

Why, do you ask?

Well, take a few girls you call friends and give them some news that will literally knock the air out of them, and you’ve got my problem. Rebecca, Jacey and Danielle had been interrogating me all throughout the day, asking the same questions over and over again. Each time they asked, I rolled my eyes and muttered the same response.

“It didn’t mean anything.”

Which it didn’t, really, but I couldn’t seem to get that through their hopeless romantic heads.

Jeez, you’re one to talk. I scolded myself as I was being hypocritical. Who was I to call them hopeless romantics? I was just like that too.

I finally arrived at home and made a beeline for my room. My extremely excited dog greeted me as I entered and opened the last drawer of my dresser.

When I was younger, and before my parents split up, they used to sit in bed with me every night and read me stories. Usually about a princess or an enchanted forest.

I saw them as much more than that, though. Those stories built my opinions on life, love and set my standards way too high. My parents obviously stopped reading the fairy tales to me as I grew up, but call me crazy, I still read them sometimes. Particularly one book which was literally falling apart at the seams.

I think I had an unnatural attachment to this story. The only person who knew about it was Luke, and once when he was over at my house he threatened to throw it away and I nearly ripped his arm off.

Crazy? Well…maybe.

The first time I told Luke, he told me he was going to put me on “Strange Addictions.” I remember socking him in the stomach.

I giggled to myself and shut the drawer, walking out of my room and into the kitchen. I saw my little sister Tessa sitting at the table with her eyes glued to the little television set on the counter.

“Hey! How was school?” I smiled warmly and took a seat across the table. Her curly brown hair was tied into a big poof of a ponytail at the back of her head and her eyes shone bright as she looked away from the TV.

“I hate men.”

I crinkled my eyebrows as I stammered a reply. “You hate men?”

She shut the TV off and crossed her small arms across her chest. “Yes! They’re stupid, mean and I hate them.”

I couldn’t help myself. I burst out laughing and went over to stand next to her chair. “Sweetie, you’re nine years old. Things will look up, okay?”

Tessa pursed her lips and pouted. “They’re gross anyway. Ew.” She pinched her nose and stomped off into her bedroom, leaving me alone at the kitchen table.

Who would’ve known my little sister would have so much sense about guys?

Speaking of guys, I had to meet Luke at the dock behind my neighbourhood in a couple of minutes. Ever since we were old enough we had been going to that dock together, just to talk. It was like a comfort zone for me.

We had had some milestones on that dock, such as Luke clarifying to me that he wasn’t gay. I’m not too sure what had brought that on, but he told me to meet him at the dock one night and sprung that news on me.

The funny thing was I hadn’t once joked about him being gay, yet for some reason he felt the need to make sure I knew he wasn’t.

Alright, Luke. I’ll be sure to remember that.

I jogged across the hill being my house and breathed in the salty sea air. Living on the edge of San Francisco, California had its advantages.

When I arrived at the dock Luke was nowhere in sight, so I kicked off my shoes and sat on the edge of the platform. The warm sea water felt nice on my legs and I immediately felt calm.

“You came!” Luke plopped down beside me, startling me.

I narrowed my eyes. “Did you have to scare me like that?”

“Yes, it’s part of the job description.”

“What job?”

“Being your best friend…that is, if I still am.” A look of worry sprung up behind his hazel eyes and his breath got heavy. I honestly hadn’t seen him look this nervous in a very, very long time.

I sighed. “Of course you are.”

“But what about…”

I clapped my hand over his mouth. “Don’t worry about that. Let’s put it behind us.” I smiled reassuringly. “You’re my best friend Lukie.” Biting my lip, I snickered. He hated when I called him that.

He punched my arm playfully. “Don’t call me that.”

“Why not?” I teased.

“I don’t like it.”

“Why not, Lukie?” I loved this too much.

“It’s weird.”

“You love it.”

“No.”

“Don’t lie.”

“No, I don’t!” he kicked his legs rapidly and splashed water on my pants. Normally, I would’ve been mad, but he looked relieved, too vulnerable for me to pretend.I stroked his shoulder and smiled. “I’m sorry.”

He rolled his eyes and glared. “No you’re not.”

“I really am.”

“Oh please! You’re such a tease.”

I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and laughed. “I am! Believe me. I should get back home; I have to make Tessa dinner.”

He rubbed my back softly. “Thanks for coming, Bella.” Luke gave me a tender smile, short but sweet, and waved goodbye as I stood up and ran back over the hill.

One thing was for sure, Luke knew me way too well. He was easily one of the people I trusted the most and he knew it too. I had never realized how close we were until people began to call me out on it. Not just normal people, either… people I had never spoken to before. I mean, were we really that interesting?

One of Luke’s good friends, Brandon, had told me time and time again about how we were a little too close for comfort sometimes. He never really told me what he meant, but I thought he was just jealous. He was very possessive when it came to his friends.

I stopped at the gate to my yard and looked back towards the view. Behind the hill I could see the crystal blue ocean and the bright sun just beginning to set. There was a light wind, carrying a sweet smell and there were birds flying throughout the vast sky.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to clear my head. It was a relief knowing that Luke and I would be okay. I didn’t know what I would do without him.

The back door was unlocked when I walked in. I furrowed my eyebrows, remembering I had been sure to lock it when I left.

“Mom?” I called, walking slowly into the kitchen. I could smell food, but Tessa was nowhere to be found. Instead, my mother was sitting at the table, nervously fiddling with her cell phone. “What are you doing here?”

She looked up at me and gave me a warm smile. “Honey, sit down.”

I eyed her suspiciously. “Why?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Panic set in. “Is everything alright?”

She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “Your father wants to come over for dinner.”