best years ✰ l.p.

Chapter 31- Can I Call You Tonight?

After we got home, I went up to my room. I just really needed some time to think. Luckily, Alex was 'just hanging out' with Willie, and Reggie was spending time with my uncle for whatever reason, so they wouldn't bother me.

I took out my dream box. Sometimes I just liked to look at everything inside. I was going through old pictures and songs I wrote when I pulled out a certain piece of paper.

It's like the universe was trying to confuse me even more than I already was. After reading over the lyrics my brain had come up with while possibly hallucinating, I decided to write something down.

A letter. To Luke.

Dear Luke,

I guess writing letters to people I never want to give them to has become pretty common. Jackson got three, but you only get one. If you knew, you would probably get mad.

I feel like this whole thing is what I went through with Jackson all over again. You're one of my best friends, but I like you more than that. I don't want to tell you because whether you feel the same way or not, I know it'll ruin everything.

I love you, okay? I don't want to ruin everything, but sometimes it's really hard not to tell you.

I wrote you a song. I never want to show you that either. You'd probably laugh at me. It's pretty cheesy, but it's exactly how I feel.

I remember thinking at the beginning that it was a stupid little crush, but I don't think it's that stupid anymore. I thought I would get over you, since you were a ghost and we couldn't have been together anyway, but now that you're not, everything's changed.

Maybe Flynn's right and you do like me, but it's hard to tell. All of the things we say to each other are jokes, right?

That's a question I'll never ask you. There are a lot of things I'll never ask you. Hopefully I'll figure out what to do soon, or else I might do something I'll regret.

- Dahlia

As soon as I finished writing the letter, someone or something hit my door. It opened to reveal Luke.

"Forgot I can't walk through stuff anymore.", he laughed. He noticed all of the paper scattered on my bed.

"What're you doing?", he asked, while I quickly picked up the papers and put them back in the box. "Writing a love letter to JJ?"

I laughed nervously. "No..."

I'm writing a love letter to you.

"Very convincing. It's fine though, I'll just look through it when you're not here."

I rolled my eyes. "Remind me to find a new box with a lock on it."

After I put the box back on my shelf, and stuck the letter in my back pocket, I sat back down on my bed. "I want to do something.", Luke said.

"What?", I replied.

"Let's go to the beach"

"No, it's too hot."

"You're boring"

"Fine, I'm leaving", I said. I started to get up, when suddenly, Luke's arms wrapped around me, pulling me down next to him.

"Let me go", I said while trying to break free.

"No, I don't want you to leave.", he said, burying his head in my neck. "I never want you to leave."

You're being real bold there Patterson.

*****

"So guys, I never got to ask. How was your first day of school here?", my uncle asked, everyone sitting at the dinner table.

"Great, actually. Dahlia introduced us to all of her friends. Ethan and Flynn were really nice.", Reggie replied.

"Oh, Ethan. I remember him.", my uncle said.

"Whatever happened to you two? I thought you had a crush on him or something.", my aunt added.

I could see the boys trying to hide their smiles. "I never had a crush on Ethan, he's just one of my friends."

"Really? Because that's not what it seemed like when I saw him-'

"Tio stop, we're not getting into this again."

He held up his hands in defense. "Fine, we won't talk about your secret boyfriend."

*****

After dinner, I walked in the studio and found Luke sitting on the couch quietly playing a familiar song.

"What happened to Alex and Reggie? The only time I saw them today was at dinner", I said, sitting next to him.

"Who knows where they are", he replied. "Probably taking a walk or something."

I rubbed my arms. "God, it's freezing in here."

Luke set down his guitar and took off the flannel he was wearing. "Here", he said, giving it to me.

"Thanks", I replied, putting it on. I tried not to think too much of it. I looked down to see what he was playing. I immediately froze. That's why it seemed familiar.

"Where'd you get that?", I asked.

He smiled. "From your room. You don't do a very good job of hiding your stuff."

I really thought it was still in my pocket.

"Who's it about?"he asked, looking down at the sheet of paper.

You.

"No one."

Luke turned to face me. He looked directly into my eyes. "It's really good."

"Thanks", I replied, keeping eye contact. My heart told me to kiss him for some reason, but my brain told me to run away.

"I-I need to go", I said suddenly, getting up and pushing open one of the doors. "Dahlia, wait", Luke called after me.

It was probably stupid of me to literally run away from my problems, but I just couldn't stay in there. I didn't know how I was going to keep hiding my feelings.