Holy Ground - Luke Hemmings

Its Nice To Have A Friend

-Mariana's POV-

I couldn't sleep.

It felt like I could hear the clock ticking per second of my life.

I got out of bed and put on some sandals I found in my closet.

Sneaking downstairs was honestly stressful. I was scared to be alone but also scared to wake up people around me, makes so much sense?

I quietly opened the back sliding glass door, it was quieter than the front door. I walked around outside, looking out at the trees and the stars, they were beautiful.

Normally people are terrified of a serial killer in the woods but I guess growing up here my whole life I've just accepted that it's just the trees.

It was cold outside, but not necessarily cold enough to make me want to be alone in my room.

The star's distracted my mind.

Although it wasn't enough to keep my mind off of Adam.

I want to speak to him about what he is feeling, maybe I'm not understanding.

I found myself walking through the dark forest to get to the hill, it felt so nice I felt like it releasing of stress.

Suddenly I heard a twig snap.

I wanted to think it was nothing but the overthinking in me took over.

Even if it was an animal or something natural I ran.

I ran to the hill like there was no tomorrow, as if there was a man following me with an axe. I was not trying to die right now.

I climbed up the hill and was panting, out of breath.

I sat down and caught my breath again soon, there was a chilling breeze.

"Mari?" I heard a voice behind me, I gasped nearly rolling off this hill, looking behind me seeing Luke.

"Holy shit you scared me so bad." I said acting like I can't feel my heartbeat pumping out of my chest.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, are you okay?" He asked, sitting next to me, I almost stuttered.

"Yeah, yeah I'm alright. What are you doing awake?" I asked, looking at him, he had on a black zip up jacket with some grey sweats.

"I couldn't sleep, I'm still on Australian time, honestly. Why're you up?" He asked.

"Oh I um, couldn't sleep either, feel wide awake." I lied, playing with a small piece of my hair between my fingers.

"You're lying." He said, I looked at his eyes, confused. How'd he know?

"You play with your hair when you lie. You've done it since we were little." He added on, I felt called out and embarrassed.

After a moment of silence, I responded, "It's Adam, he is making me stress out of this. He never acts like this, he's being..."

"A bitch? Liar? Gaslighter?" He spit out, I looked at him in a blank stare.

"I hate that you're right, I'm just going to have to talk to him about it tomorrow. I'm scared." I said, breaking eye contact.

"It'll all be okay, if he doesn't like you for you or whatever it is he isn't liking, then you'll know. You'll know when it's good or bad for you." He said, touching my arm.

"Your skins cold, are you freezing?" He asked.

"Yeah, actually I feel like an iceberg." I joked, caught me off guard seeing him take off his jacket.

"Here." He said giving it to me.

I put it on and zipped it up. Something inside me felt weird.

Everything he said to me tonight was something I needed to hear.

We chatted for a while longer about other things, later on we both felt tired and walked back to the houses.

At the back door we both stood looking at each other.

"Thanks for talking to me, I felt super alone and really needed that..thank you." I thanked, he nodded, "Anytime, I'm always here." He said back.

I start to unzip the jacket until he says, "Keep it, I have a spare in the room." He said as I smiled.

"See you tomorrow, Luke." I said as I slid into the house, watching him walk away.

I went to my room shortly after and just smiled to myself.

He was truly amazing.

It's nice to have a friend to talk to.