Luke and the Boy Next Door | Muke

::Chapter 13::

When we got back to the car after a few hours of staying separated from my parents. Michael stayed close to my side. His hand was resting at the small of my back until I was completely situated in the backseat of the car.

My mom was eyeing us suspiciously from the rear view mirror.

"So boys," she exclaimed, grabbing our attention. "What did you do?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at her from her side profile cautiously. "What'd mean?"

She smirked and didn't try to hide it. "We left you both alone for several hours. You had to have done something. Hiking? Climbed some trees? Skip stones in the creeks?"

"I threw your tuna salad at a tree." I shrugged, slumping back in the seat closer to Michael's side.

My dad laughed from the passenger seat. Michael smiled, before looking at me with a shy grin on his face.

"Mhm, now explain why you did that?"

"Everyone within a 200 mile radius knows I hate tuna, Mom." I groaned. Not believing I'm having this conversation with her again.

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As soon as my mom pulled into the driveway. Michael got out first and I followed close behind. I grabbed his hand and tugged him across the front lawn and up his driveway and to his front porch steps. I almost walked in without asking him if it was okay, but I froze with my hand on the doorknob. We aren't eleven years old anymore. I can't walk in anymore like it's my own home.

Michael noticed my hesitation instantly. "Go ahead. Open the door, be intrusive just like old times." He laughed lightly.

"That was only through windows." I smiled sheepishly.

Opening the front door and walking into the Clifford's home for the first like in five years, everything hit me at once. I was already emotional wreck from the phone with Ashton, and now old memories I cherished are drowning me.

"Michael, honey, is that you?" I heard Mrs. Clifford yell from the kitchen. I haven't talked to her yet since them being back.

"The one and only. Luke's here as well." Michael hollered back, I was still gripping Michael's hand but he hadn't made a move to let go either.

He pulled me along until we stepped foot into the kitchen where I released his hand, not wanting his mom to get any ideas either. "Luke! You're so grown up." Mrs.Clifford pulled me in for a bone crushing hug. "I was telling Mikey the other day about the strange things you two use to do. There was one day when you two decided running around this house naked and covered in mud was the greatest idea.." She laughed, reminiscing over silly things we had done. "You've both come a long way since that."

"Mom," Michael whined, "We were also five years old. Of course we've matured since then."

"I actually remember that... You pushed us outside and sprayed us down with the hose." I chuckled nervously.

Michael's mom was always like a second mother to me. I never needed a babysitter unless both our parents were going out together then the sitter had to deal with Michael and I for four hours. They would get paid well, or at least I hope they did because we were a pain in the ass.

When I would get home from school and my parents were still working, Michael would drag me into his house where his mom gave us snacks and let us watch tv. I'd stay the night and she'd tuck me into bed as if I were her own. It always meant a lot to have someone like that in my life.

"Luke and I are going to head upstairs, okay?" Michael announced.

I followed him into his room. The walls were still the same shade of blue, but now covered with band related posters and not the kitten posters I would buy him whenever I found them. His room was scattered with books and notebooks, his bed was made, and all his clothes were put neatly away. At least this side of him didn't change.

"Do you still write?" I asked, running my fingers across his messy desk, the only unorganized thing in his room.

"I dabble..."

"Dabble as in 'I wrote a 100 page children's book in 2nd grade' or 'I'm going to complete a thrilling saga by December'?"

"The second one." Michael said shyly, sitting down on his bed. I joined him, leaning against the headboard.

"Will you let me read some of it again, one day?"

"Oh..? Umm," Michael nervously chewed on his lip. "Maybe...it's not that great. The characters aren't that well developed yet and the ending is far from being known."

"Hush. I bet whatever or whoever it's about is fantastic."

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ITS BEEN A DAY AND I UPDATED AGAIN LOVE ME

the Ashton drama will be addressed in the next chapter I just wanted some muke fluff

thanks for reading you guys are the greatest!!!