Okay... So, Here's The Thing...

Chapter 17

"What's wrong? Why do you look like you're about to cry?" Raven asked.

"I—I'm not." A very unconvincing voice crack. Lukas looked down at his shoes.

He heard Raven sigh, before there was a shuffle of feet. When he looked up again, Raven was sitting in a stool across from him.

"Was it because of when we crashed? Are you hurting? Is that why you look like you're about to cry?" The dark haired male questioned.

Lukas shook his head, ducking his head down.

"Then, did someone say something? Or... Did something bad happen?"

Lukas flinched.

He looked up again, meeting Raven's deep amber brown eyes. The pool of amber brown had flecks of gold and lighter brown in them, but they were also filled with concern.

Maybe it was the way Raven was looking at him with so much worry and sadness. Or maybe it was because he knew Raven for so long. Or perhaps because he knew he could tell Raven anything and everything.

But either way, Lukas found himself spilling everything to Raven.

How he had been scolded by the teacher in History, how Elaine and her girls had mocked him, how he felt so insecure.

How he was jealous of Raven and how perfect he was, and how he seemed to have no trouble talking back or making people adore him (that part, Lukas was a bit afraid of Raven's reaction, since it was about him).

How he didn't feel like he was enough, and just how he felt pathetic, and wondered if Elaine had been right. Then he found himself talking about how sometimes he felt he didn't deserve to have Raven as his friend, and how he felt like he was a really shitty friend to him.

Raven was silent the entire time, just listening.

"...and that's it." Lukas finished, out of breath.

Raven stood up and walked over. Lukas flinched, half expecting him to yell at him for being a loser.

But Raven simply opened his arms, offering a hug. The tears finally spilled out, and Lukas leaned in, letting Raven wrap his arms around him, enfolding him with his warmth and presence.

"I'm sorry I'm being such a burden." He blubbered out, crying.

"Shh, don't say that. You're not a burden, at all." Raven reassured him.

Lukas squeezed Raven tightly, soaking in the scent of vanilla and cherry, and the warmth Raven seemed to radiate.

They pulled away and Raven firmly looked at him. "Alright, now look at me and listen to every single thing I have to say to you." He said.

Lukas nodded.

"First of all, who cares you couldn't answer that one question? Ms. Johnson is just being a grump. Second, Elaine and her friends are the real pathetic ones here. They're so full of themselves and hurt others just because they know they themselves don't amount to anything." Raven said.

"And third... I'm not as perfect as you think I am. But!" He said, stopping Lukas from protesting, and raising a finger. "No one in this world is perfect. Everyone has flaws of their own, and they all make mistakes. It's normal to be bad at things. If not, you're not human."

"You're envious of how athletic I am, but I'm envious how you can stay still. You have no idea how many times I've been told to sit still, because I cannot, for the love of god, stay still for long period of time. You can."

"You say you think you're a bad friend to me, but you're really amazing! You cheer me up just as much as I cheer you up! And I know you're there for me and I can trust you! I really trust you. If you told me I had to jump off a cliff, I would!"

"And also: YOU. ARE. ENOUGH." Raven said, nearly shouting.

Lukas hesitated. Raven grabbed his shoulders, gripping firmly, but not hard enough to hurt.

"Lukas I-don't-know-your-middle-name Meyer! Listen to me. You. Are. Enough." Raven said.