Falling Down Under

Chapter Eighteen- Leather

~ Leather's POV ~

"Bitch." I muttered once I slammed the door

I can't believe her! How can she be so blind to how shitty Nathan is? He is no good for her, but she refuses to recognize it. How could she criticize me for the walls I put up? They're there for a good reason.

I was too busy ranting in my head to realize I had no idea where I was walking. Great. I just have to walk toward the water and I will be okay.

I found myself at a beach. Can I be here this late? I climbed over the little fence thing and walked down the beach to the water. I plopped down on the sand and stared up at the sky.

I had closed my eyes for a bit, but I was interrupted by a bright light shining through my closed eyelids. "Excuse me, Miss, but you can't be here." Wait, I know that voice.

I sat up and was met with Luke's phone flashlight shining in my face. "Can I help you?" I squinted up at him and he giggled. "Well?"

"Don't be snippy. You're on my turf." He smirked as he sat down next to me.

"What, do you own the beach?"

"No, but you're in my country." I rolled my eyes and he laughed. "Why are you illegally sitting on a beach in the dark by yourself?"

"I got into a fight with Ari and didn't know where to go, so I walked toward the water. I always go to the beach to think. Why are you here?"

"Why did you guys fight?" He asked completely ignoring my question.

"Her being back with Nathan. I told her she was stupid for being so blind. She doesn't seem to see how poorly he treats her and I refuse to just stand there and smile while my best friend gets treated like a piece of garbage he found on the streets of New York." I had worked myself up and began breathing heavily, but Luke was silent and staring off at the water. "You okay there, slugger?"

"I had a little argument with her about him too. I was there when he called her and I questioned why she would agree to going back with him and she got mad and told me I had no right to pass judgment on him"

"Why don't you just tell Ari you are in love with her already? If you don't, the girl is just gonna break your heart." 

"Why don't you just break down those tough girl walls of yours and tell Ashton you love him?" Luke shot back and I groaned. "What?"

"That was the other part of my and Ari's fight. Also, my walls are up for a reason." I wrapped my arms around myself and hid my face.

"What is the reason?"Luke cautiously asked. I sighed and told Luke the whole story with Damon and what happened the night I told Michael. "He's a dick. Does Ash know?"

"No, only you and Michael."

"That can be your first step with Ashton. Tell him why you are the way you are."

"And what way am I exactly?" I raised an eyebrow at Luke.

"A stubborn bitch, but that's not the point here." I laughed before he continued. "The point is to show Ash the vulnerable side of you, the one I just saw when you got all teary eyes. He just wants you to trust him."

"And you need to go to Ari and confess your love. Show her that you could treat her better and love her more than Nathan loves himself."

"Let's make a deal, we both need to do this by a certain date. Hmm, maybe,"

"Your show Friday?" I interrupt Luke and he gives me a weird look. "I have a deal with Michael."

"Ooookay. Then by Friday, we need to come clean. You come clean to Ashton and I will come clean to Arianna.

Deal?"

"Deal." Luke and I shook hands

"One quick question. Is your phone on you?"

"No, why?" I ask Luke wearily and see him smirk. Well, I'm a bit frightened.

"I think you need a bit of fun."

Before I could react, Luke picked me up and started running to the water. Shit, shit, shit. "Luke, my burn! It can't get wet! Stop!" I screamed but he kept running.

When we got to the water, Luke made it seem like he was going to throw me and I screamed bloody murder. Luke laughed as he put me down. When I gained my composure, I swatted at his arm which only made him laugh more.

"Calm down, Leather. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. You're my friend." Luke smiled and I smiled back.

"I'm also the best friend of the girl you looooove." I teased and he kicked water at me.

"Hey, you two! What are you doing here?" A cop with a flashlight screamed as they made their way toward us.

"Shit." Luke and I both muttered. At the same time, we screamed, "run," and ran up the beach away from the cop. Luke made a quick detour for his phone in the sand and we jumped over the fence I came in and kept running down the street until neither of us could breathe.

"That...was...crazy." Luke said in between breaths. We were both bent over with our hands on our knees.

"I...know. It was kind of a rush."

"Hell yeah. We should do illegal stuff more often."

"Deal." We both laughed and started walking.

"You know, you should probably not say you're best friends with the girl I love since you two had a major fight tonight." Luke said as he turned my body down a street. Smart boy. He knows I have absolutely no idea how to get home.

"I know. I need to talk to her. I don't like when we fight. She's all I have."

"Not true," Luke began, "you have me and the boys too, but Ari is more important. Just go home and paint each other's nails and eat popcorn and watch chick flicks and gossip and have pillow fights or something."

I burst out laughing and shook my head. "You don't know a thing about girls, do you, Luke?"

"Not a one." He smiled.

We talked about random things the rest of the way. When we got to the door, Luke gave me a hug. "You have three days to grow a pair and tell Ashton you love him."

"And you have three days to do the same with Ari."

"Well, I have the balls, so I am halfway there." Luke smirks.

"You sure about that?" I tease and he rolls his eyes before walking away and waving as he turns the corner.

When I walked in, the place was pitch black. Ari must be asleep. I walked in to her bedroom as carefully as I could and I crawled next to her and started poking her face while saying her name. "Hey Ari, you up? Ari? Arianna?"

"I'm sleeping, Leather."

"I'm sorry. We can talk in the morning. Goodnight, lovie pants. I love you." I kissed her forehead and made my way to my room.

"Love you too, weirdo." I heard her mutter before I left the room. Yeah, we'll be okay.

This is a rewrite of this chapter because Wattpad was a butt and deleted it. I am so sorry it took so long to get up. Things have been beyond crazy. I hope you all liked the chapter. Keep reading! Things will get even crazier(story wise)!!! Comment and Vote!!! Love you all sooo stinking much!!!! ~Harmony xxx