|Damage||cth| -au- DISCONTINUED

|Eighteen|

Before I start this chapter, I would just like to thank to first two people that have commented on the last chapter. I've been going through so much and updating makes me feel better so to know that people are consistently reading this means a lot. Even if you read two words out of the first chapter, it still was worth it to me. If you're going through anything, just know that you aren't alone and feel free to message me. I don't do much. I hope you have an awesome day today and you are worth it.
-sk

Aria:

"I'm crazy, Luke," I began to shake as tears fell down my face.

"No, you aren't. You're far from it. Even if there's something wrong, you aren't alone. I don't know how I can explain this to you but I care... I care more than anyone else. I can't do much but listen, so let's go inside and I'll listen for hours. I'll do anything for you."

Luke had me as soon as he said that. He said he'd do anything and I believed him. I actually believed him. Compared to Michael, Calum, and Ashton, Luke hadn't been with as many people as they had. To be honest, I could hardly think of more than one person that he's actually 'dated'. Maybe I did mean more to him than I thought.

"You're the only one who isn't scared of me."

I nodded my head and Luke sighed in relief. He pulled me into a hug.

"I can't imagine how hard it is for you right now," he whispered.

He kissed the top of my forehead. It was weird because in that moment I didn't feel better. I actually felt bad for Dakota. I was dating her brother. Her twin brother, someone who only made such small and subtle apparences in my life until now. He was my boyfriend, my actual boyfriend. He was the last person that I expected to be my first boyfriend. I found him disgusting growing up.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked.

We argued for a while and Luke convinced me on the floor of the girls' toilets in grade 5 that no one was going marry me if I hadn't kiss anyone. Even though I thought it was gross, I let him kiss me.

He was gentle and I was embarrassed that he actually knew what he was doing for someone who was only ten. I never regretted my first kiss because it didn't suck as much as everyone's else's.

He wasn't sword fighting his tongue against mine. He wasn't pretending to be a washing machine. He was just fine. It made me wonder how I was doing. He didn't seem to care because all of recess, we kissed.

It always surprised me after all this time, we never spoke about it. Neither of us mentioned it. We definitely were not embarrassed by it. It wasn't intentionally kept a secret. It felt like we shared a connection so sacred that I couldn't dare to describe it to anyone. I'm sure he had his reasons for not telling anyone too. And maybe, I didn't want to tell Dakota that I had my first kiss before she did. I especially didn't have the guts to tell her that it was with her brother.

"Where's Luke?" a voice said.

I opened my eyes but he was still kissing me. He didn't seem to care even though it was obviously one of his friends.

"We gotta find him quick before Calum catches up. I don't know why Calum has to be so mean to the poor kid," Ashton chirpy voice spoke on the other side of the door.

"That's easy for you to say. You're older than us. You don't have to deal with Calum as much as we do. You aren't even in the same class as us."

"What do you mean?"

"He always corrects the teacher along with that other girl...I don't know her name. They know Ms. Taylor has a reputation of doing horrible things to her students. I don't know why he keeps doing it if he knows he's just going to get in trouble. I don't blame Calum for saying what he did."

"Don't be mean. The kid is just excited to learn. You gotta give him that."

"But his excitement is what's getting him in trouble and I've never seen Luke cry... well that's a lie. I've seen him cry a lot."

I pulled away and I noticed he turned a bright red.

"Do you actually cry a lot?" I whispered.

He nods.

"It's okay. I cry a lot too. Maybe, we should both try not to cry too much," I continued. "You should probably go back to your friend's. They're looking for you."

"What if I don't want them to find me?"

"Be grateful that you at least have fr-" I  nearly yelled.

Luke put his hand over my mouth.

"Shhhh, listen," someone hushed. "Michael, do you think Luke is in there?"

"In the girls' toilets... you have to be out of your mind. I'm not looking in there even if he was."

"I'm looking whether you like it or not..."

Before I knew it, Luke took my hand and pulled me into the very last bathroom stall. He closed the stall door and sat down on the toilet. Not knowing what to do, I sat on his lap. A small groan escaped his lips. I was a lot heavier than him at this time. He finally removed his hand from my mouth.

"Shhh," he told me.

I complied and we held our breath as Ashton walked in.

"Is anyone in here?"

More footsteps followed him.

"I thought you said, you weren't going to come in, Michael."

"Well.. I've always wondered what the girls' toilets looked like. It smells nice in here."

"I think someone's in here. Over there, at the end," Ashton spoke.

His footsteps neared and Luke licked his lips again before quickly pecking my lips again. He pressed his lips against my ear.

"Bye Aria," he whispered.

He got off from the toilet, leaving me. He opened the stall and quickly closed the door so no one would see me.

"There you are. We've been looking for you," Ashton said.

"More importantly...why are you in the girls' restroom?" Michael asked.

"Wait...this is the girls' toilet?" he lied.

"Yeah...it is Luke," Michael mocked.

"Just don't tell Calum."