Luke's POV:
I walk up to my front door. Do I knock? It doesn't make sense to since I've lived in this very same house my whole life.
I open the door and stand in the front hallway. It hits me: I'm home.
"Hello?" I hear my mom call
"Hi Mom." I say
"Luke? Is that you?"
"Yeah," I say "I missed you."
I bend down to hug her and I hear her start to cry.
"It was only a month." I say
"I know," she says while wiping her eyes, "it's just I've been worried about you."
"I'm here, safe. I'm ok."
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?"
"I wanted to surprise you." I say, hugging her again
We go into the kitchen and I sit down at the counter.
"You hungry?"
I nod.
"I'll fix you something."
"I can do it, Mom."
"No, you just sat on an airplane for who knows how long. I will do it."
I walk to the fridge and get out something to drink.
"Ashton's mom called."
"Hm?"
I didn't think about how me going to Mary's house first instead of my own was going to look.
"She said Ash got home safe just a few minutes ago and he's already asleep on the couch."
"Yeah, jet lag really got to him."
"She also said you made a surprise stop at her house?"
I don't even have to look at her to know she's raising her eyebrows with that sentence.
"Yeah, just to, uh, make sure everyone got home fine."
"Yeah, because it's not like there's a pretty girl who lives there who you just so happen to be crazy about."
"Nah, strictly making sure he got home."
"Luke Robert Hemmings," she says, slapping me playfully with a dish towel, "how did she react?"
I stare at my food for a while, trying to not make it obvious that I was so happy.
"We...exchanged words. She missed me, I missed her, and then I left."
"Hm, I see. And did this 'exchanging of words' also have some exchanging of saliva?"
"Mom!" I say, slightly embarrassed
"Well?"
"Yes." I say shyly
"Oh, Luke. You guys make me so happy."
"She makes me happy."
"How happy?"
I think over what I want to say.
"Every time I'm around her, my heart feels so...warm and light. You know how you feel when it's Christmas, it's cold out, and you come in, feel the cold in your cheeks melt, and you're surrounded by people you love? You know how there's a slight buzz from all the joy?"
She nods.
"That's how she makes me feel."
We sit in silence, me eating, her watching me.
"I've kept in touch with Anne while you guys were gone. She said the first few weeks were tough, for both her and Mary."
I don't really know what to say to that because it hurts. I know I wasn't the only one Mary didn't have in her life, but I was part of the reason she was sad. I can't do that to her.
"How did she react?"
I smile at the thought of Mary tackling me, kissing me, being so open at that moment.
"She tackled me." I say
"Tackled you?"
"Yeah, and she just...didn't care. She tackled me and kissed me, right there in her front yard."
"Well, she missed you."
"I know. She told me a thousand times in the few minutes I was there. But, what got me was that she was just so...open. Two months ago, she didn't really like for me to kiss her in public, just hold her hand. Only when we were alone-"
I stop, realizing this is my mom. It's kinda weird to be telling her the details of my relationship.
"Mhm." She says, knowing why I stopped
"No, nothing like that! I still have the ring. See?" I hold up my hand
"I didn't say anything."
I feel my cheeks flush and sink down in my seat, trying to make myself smaller.
"Luke, things happen. If you feel like it's the right time, it's the right time."
"Mom!" I groan
"I'd rather it happen with Mary instead of the last one."
"I know..." I say
"Just remember, her mom's a nurse. So no trying to be sneaky."
"Mom..."
"Ok, I'll stop. I'll let you're dad know you're home, you're brothers too. They've missed you, so be back for dinner."
"Ok."
"Now go see Mary before I drive you over there myself. She needs you."
I get in my car and start towards Mary's house.
When I get there, I knock on the door. No one answers for a minute, but then Anne answers.
"Hey Luke, I'll get Mary."
A few minutes later I hear her come down the stairs.
"Hi."
"Hi." I say, looking down at my feet
We stare at each other for what seems like hours.
"You wanna go for a ride?" I ask
"Sure." She says with that smile that drives me crazy
Mary's POV:
"You know, I've almost made enough money to pay for my own car." I say
"Wow, that was fast."
"Well, I've been saving up since I was 14. Every cent I ever received in every birthday or Christmas card was put into my piggy bank."
"That takes a lot of commitment and patience."
"Yeah, it was hard, but I did it."
We both watch the road, and I think of how long I've wanted to do something this simple. Windows down, sunglasses on and just the two of us.
"Did you miss me?" I ask jokingly
Luke focuses on the road, but I see him glance over at me.
"Nah." He says, glancing at me again
"Liar!" I say, laughing
"I think I missed you're music taste the most."
"Oh, that's all?"
"Pretty much."
"What about my charming personality?"
"That too. And maybe your face."
"Wow, you sure do know how to charm the ladies, Mr. Hemmings."
"Mhm."
He pulls over, leans his head back, and looks over at me.
"I missed you so much." He says
"I can't even tell you how much I missed you."
"Oh, I have a pretty good idea how much."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh I don't know. You tackled me and kissed me a million times in your front yard."
"Oh, yeah."
We stare at each other, taking one another in.
He must see the worry in my eyes, because his eyes quickly flick down to my hand and he takes it in his.
"I'm going to keep my promise, I swear."
"I know," I say, twisting the promise ring that's been on my hand for months now "I don't doubt that. It's just, soon you'll be famous and you'll be meeting all these beautiful girls who would do anything to have you. You'll be alone and never see me, so what could stop you from getting involved?"
"I'd never." He says
His eyes turn stone cold and icy. I know I shouldn't have said anything.
I softly put my hand in his and see that ice melt.
We sit in silence for a while, but then the silence becomes unbearable.
"Funny, isn't it?" I say
"What's that?"
"It's just, we spent a lot of time together and you've just gotten home from being away for a month. And all we can do is sit in silence."
"Well," Luke says "I suppose it's because we want to soak each other up, because we're afraid that when I leave again, we might forget something. Even though I can remember every aspect of you."
We sit in silence some more. After a while, Luke yawns.
"I think it's time for a nap."
He starts the car again and I'm expecting him to go towards my house, but he goes towards his.
"What are you doing?"
"I thought maybe you'd like to come with me."
I don't really know what to say, so I just go along with it.
We get to his house and Liz isn't home.
"Probably out grocery shopping." Luke says
We go up to his room and he crawls into his bed.
"God I'm exhausted." He says while flopping down
I lay down next to him on my side. He rolls onto his side so he can see me.
"You know, soon we'll be waking up like this every morning." He says while scrunching his nose
"Can't wait." I say after booping his nose
His eyes flick down to my lips, then back up to my eyes. Before I know it, his lips are lightly brushing mine and I feel myself squirm a little.
"God I love you." He says
"I thought you were sleepy."
"I am, but now I want to kiss you."
He kisses me again and I feel a warm explosion inside of me.
"Lucas, stop it." I say
"Why?" He says, kissing my cheek
"Luke!" I giggle
Now he's planting little kisses on one side of my neck while placing his cold hand on the other. I can't help but close my eyes and shudder.
I hear him let out a small chuckle and then he makes his way back up to my lips.
"I just want to sleep with you." He says
I open my eyes and look at him.
"Do what?"
"Not like sex, I mean I just want us to tangle our legs together and just sleep in the same bed as you."
"Whatever you say, Lucas." I say
He takes a piece of my hair and starts to braid it.
"I missed being with you. I just want to look at you. He says while biting his lip
"You're biting your lip! You always do that when you want to kiss me!"
"Do not!" He says like a little kid
"Do too!"
"Well then let me kiss you!" He giggles
"Nope," I say getting up "I'm not gonna let you!"
He gets up and starts to make kissing noises.
"Luke!"
Before I can get away he pushes me over and starts tickling me. I roll onto my back and manage to grab his arms. He has more leverage, so he easily takes my arms and spreads them so my face is exposed, no way to defend myself. He starts to tickle my neck and I gasp.
"You're ticklish right there!"
He sits back and I seize the opportunity by tickling his stomach. He lets out a breathy giggle.
"You're ticklish right there." I say
He grabs my arms again and kisses me. The warmth explodes again.
"Why do you always do this?" I ask
"Do what?"
"Always manage to make me feel this way."
"What way?"
Now he's just trying to mess me up because he went from happy, giggly Luke to dead serious Luke. He did this last time we almost...
He kisses me again and again, now turning his head to deepen the kiss. He's playing with my shirt when I grab his hands and stop kissing him.
"Luke, remember what we talked about that one time?"
Now he has my hands in his and he keeps kissing me.
"We've talked a lot."
I swear if this boy doesn't stop.
"I said that I would tell you when I was ready. We can kiss and hold hands when the timing is appropriate. But I'm just not ready."
"How do you know that was what I wanted?" He says, still kissing me
I push him down onto the bed and lay down next to him.
"I just wanted to make it clear."
"I respect that." He says
He grabs a blanket and cocoons both of us in it. I lay on my side and he comes closer to me, wrapping his arm around me. Then he places one light kiss on my cheek and I feel my eyes get heavy.
What seems like minutes later, I wake up and see him watching me.
"Don't worry, it's just now 3 o'clock."
I stretch and he lays down on me.
"I wish you could stay with me like this forever." He says
"Me too, but I need to go home. Mom will be worried."
"Why don't you just stay with me?" He says pouting
I look down at him laying on my stomach. His eyebrows are raised and his perfect face is scrunched into what's supposed to be a pout.
"I wish I could, but you know, my big brother came home today, and I'd kinda like to see him."
"Ok," he says, planting another kiss on my forehead "but don't make any plans for tomorrow."
I stand up and get my things together. I see him looking at me out of the corner of my eye.
"What are you looking at."
"Just you. Here take this hoodie, it's a bit chilly now."
"Luke, it's 3 in the afternoon and it's like 70 degrees."
"I know, I just...want you to have it."
He tosses it to me and I catch it. It smells like Luke, which is a smell I can only describe by saying 'wonderful.'
Luke's POV:
I hate to see Mary go, but that's something we'll have to learn if we want to make this permanent. We have to share each other with our families and other people.
I hear my phone ring and pick it up.
"Hi Mom."
"Hey Luke, could you stop by the store? I forgot to get some milk."
"Sure thing."
"Oh, and I need some lettuce."
I drive to the store and walk in to the back. I grab the milk and walk over to the produce section. I'm getting ready to reach for the lettuce when I hear someone behind me.
"Hi Luke."
I turn around and see the last person I want to see: Kaitlin.
HEY I KNOW THIS IS REALLY LONG AND THIS IS THE PERFECT DEFINITION OF FLUFF BUT I WAS IN THE MOOD TO WRITE IT AND I LEGIT WROTE THIS IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS WHICH IS A FREAKIN RECORD AND I JUST REalized that my title makes absolutely no sense right now but i swear I used the words 'kiss, kissed, kisses and kissing' like a billion times
