torn // muke

7

Luke

"Buckle up, babe. We've got a long ride." He said, and I looked up at him and laughed. I wish he would call me that all of the time.

"Where are we going?" I asked, and he smirked. "My favorite place. Just wait and see."

-

I stepped out of the car, and smiled at the view in front of me.

"This isn't where we're staying." He said, and got a few backpacks out of the car. "I'm leaving my phone in here though. It's a lot better without them." He said, and I left mine with his.

I grabbed one of the backpacks and waited as he locked the car.

"Nobody will get them. We just gotta walk a little bit up that way." He said and I nodded.

We got to where we were staying, and he pulled out a tent, and set it up with so much ease that it surprised me.

"You do this a lot, huh?" I asked as he finally sat beside me, and looked out at the mountains.

"Yeah. I love it." He whispered, and I smiled, looking over at him. He glanced down at me, and I looked away and blushed because he just caught me staring at him.

"It beautiful up here. I wish I could do this as much as you do." I said, and he nudged my shoulder.

"You can, Luke." He said, and I shook my head.

"It might seem like I make a lot of money, but really it's just enough to pay the bills, and go grocery shopping. I don't have time or money to spend like this." I said quietly, "And I'm kinda wondering how you can do this all the time. I mean, didn't you just move here?" I said and looked over at him.

"The difference between us is that I'm never at my apartment, so the lights are always off, the waters never running, and the electricity is only used for the microwave and my phone charger. All I have to do is pay rent. My bills aren't that big of a deal. Besides, my grandma was a big producer for a bunch of Pixar stuff, and keeps putting money into my bank account that she doesn't need. I've saved it all up, and I spend it on stuff like this." He said, and I nodded.

"Thank you for bringing me, Michael." I said, and he nodded. "You're welcome, Luke. But I gotta tell you something." He said, and laughed a little.

"Yeah.." I said, and pulled my legs up to my chest.

"I accidentally left your sleeping bag in my car, which is down that hill.." He said.

"Oh. Don't worry about it. I'll go get it." I said, and he shook his head.

"Luke we had to climb to get up here, and it's pretty dangerous considering its dark out here, but I've got one made for two, so we could just unzip it, and share it, or I could just let you use it until morning-"

"Michael we can share." I laughed, and he smiled, getting up and holding his hand out for me. He pulled me up quickly into his chest before we both started laughing.

I watched as he went to get fire wood, and I felt like maybe he didn't leave my stuff in the car on accident. Maybe he wants this just like I do.

-

"Michael, seriously, this is the best day I've ever had." I said as we sat beside each other, staring into the fire.

"You had fun?" He asked, and I nodded quickly, trying to slide closer to him when he looked away

"I always thought this would be the perfect date spot." He said. I blushed, and looked at my feet, wondering if he was trying to tell me this was a date.

"Yeah, totally.." I agreed, and he looked down at me. "You really think so?! Because I was thinking of bringing this girl Rachel that I met up here sometime." He said, and my face dropped, but I quickly recovered it.

"Oh, yeah she'd love it." I said, and looked at the ground beneath me. "I wish I cared enough about relationships to actually be in one. Everything I do is non exclusive, so I've never really known what a boyfriend, or a first date would feel like, but I know she'd love it." I said, and he slung an arm over my shoulder, but it was just in a friendly manner.

"Thanks man. I'm gonna get some sleep. You can come in whenever." He said, and I nodded.

Once he was in the tent, I felt my eyes fill up with tears. My back was facing the opening of the tent, so he could see me, but he couldn't see how much I wanted him to come and hold me, and tell me I was actually the one he wants to ask out. But he's not gonna do that.

I shouldn't like Michael anyway. It's not right. I've slept with every guy and girl in Australia. Why would I ever think he would like someone like me? No one ever will. I'm pathetic.

I promised myself I wouldn't develop feelings for anyone along the way.

I've always had a problem with lying to myself.