blondie [muke af]

thirty five

thirty five

Luke knocked on Ella's bright yellow door. Her house was simple and cute, much like her. The clouds were bursting above him as he held his stomach closer, protecting it once again.

He never thought those pregnant women and men and people were serious when they talk about the bond they've grown with their fetus. But, looking down at the growing bump, he felt like it was his duty to keep him or her or it or them alive.

The small brunette opened the door, tilting her head to the right, "Luke?"

Luke's lip quivered as he collapsed his body on top of her. He squeezed her tightly as she slowly let her hands rise up his back, rubbing up and down his spine as she whispered for him to quiet down.

She was dressed up, and he knew he was getting his blue lipstick over her light pink dress. He felt beyond bad, but he couldn't stop crying. Once it started, he knew it was going to stop. Luke was an emotional human being.

Ella took a few steps back, kicking the door closed with her foot. Her brown hair smelled of heat, showing she was either straightening or curling it only moments before.

Luke lifted his head, seeing Calum standing in the kitchen doorway, scratching the back of his neck, "Um, hey, Luke."

Luke sobbed more, clutching back on to his best friend. "I'm ruining your night."

"You could never ruin my night, baby," she whispered. El kicked off her heels, knowing she wouldn't be leaving the house any time soon. She turned her head, telling Calum to go somewhere else.

Luke let his lanky body crawl to her dark wood kitchen table, sitting down on the bench. He collapsed his head on top of his arms, letting out full shoulder-shaking, breath-heaving sobs. "I said I didn't want to be with him anymore."

Ella puffed out her lips, "Is that what you meant?" She opened one of the upper cabinets, grabbing two white mugs. Ella navigated around the kitchen while still keeping an eye on the crying boy.

"I don't know!" He yelled.

"Here, wipe your nose, I'm gonna make you some hot chocolate, then we can chat, okay?" She offered, handing him plush tissues she always kept close by.

Ella has a lot of friends who always seem to have a lot of troubles.

Luke nodded, wiping his sloped nose.

Calum was now in the connecting living room, watching Jurassic Park on low volume. He would take a few glances at his girlfriend, then Luke, then Ella once more.

He knew their date night was canceled, but it wouldn't be the first time. He kicked off his shoes, placing them neatly next to the couch. Cal grabbed the blanket on the back, pulling it closer to his body.

He knew Ella very well, and he knew that when a friend was over crying about life, he should not get involved in any way. The dark-haired boy always seems to make it worse.

"Did you two get in a fight?" She asked minutes later. Two mugs were placed on the table, but El was still roaming around the kitchen for junk food.

"We've been getting into a bunch," Luke hiccuped, "and he was being so unfair to Cy, and I love Cy. Fuck, I really do." He wiped his nose again, reaching a hand out to the marshmallows freshly placed on the table and dumping a handful into his hot chocolate.

Luke has a thing for hot beverages in August.

"And then what?"

"I said something about how if this was how he'll treat our child, I don't want him being the father," Luke said, cries leaving his throat as he realized the hole he's dug himself into.

How was he going to support him and this child without Michael in the picture? Luke definitely has to get a new job, and that could take months. No one is going to hire him mid-pregnancy.

The thought of Luke moving home to his parents crossed his mind and he tried to wipe it away. "I don't know if this is really it, or if I'm just being dramatic."

Calum furrowed his eyebrows, Luke's pregnant? Since when?

He was always a few months behind.

"You're not being dramatic, Sweet Pea, I assure you that." Ella finally sat down across from him, placing all the junk food the two could ever imagine only inches away from their fingertips.

"I think I love him, but he's such an asshole most of the time." He crashed his head down on the cold table once more, reaching a hand out to grab a handful of Oreos and shoving them in his mouth.

"I think he's just a bit of a hot head," El suggested. "I know he loves you, anyone can see that. But when he gets mad, he gets mad."

"He's just in over his head and I feel like I'm adding to it."

Calum stood up, muting the television set. He had input he wanted to add to their conversation.

His sock-clad feet made a few creaking sounds across the old floors as Ella turned, giving Cal the deadliest death glare the world has ever seen.

He sat down next to Luke, reaching over him to grab a few potato chips. "Look, I think this is a thing you need to talk about with the man himself. If I heard correctly, you're pregnant with his child. You can't take this like a fourteen-year-old anymore. You're a grown man, for God's sake."

"Calum, shut up," Ella sighed. She dipped her fingers in the blue frosting, enjoying every single carb it held.

El was enjoying this more than Luke.

"He has a point," Luke sighed, lifting his head up. The skin around his eyes was red and dry, his make up leaving raccoon circles over his already-prominent bags.

Cal gave Ella a told you so face. "I've worked with Michael for a decent amount of time, he does things irrationally sometimes. That's where you come in, to help level him out."

Luke turned to Calum. Seven marshmallows were in his mouth but he managed to spit out an, "I like you."

"Thanks, Pal. You're the best thing to ever ruin a date night."

Luke still had tears rolling down his face as he leaned his head against Calum. The thirty-one year old wrapped an arm around him.

Embracing was Luke's favorite thing to do.