SCHIZO

Five

Luke and I haven't been too far apart from each other since I left the hospital.

"How've the voices been?" He asked as we walked around one of the many playgrounds in Central Park.

"Calm. They've showed up, just not as frequently."

"That's good," he says as I sit on one of the colorful spiny things that kids use to spin around on. Luke stays standing.

"How has your depression been?"

"Okay, I suppose." He says, breathing out. He was thinking something else, but I don't push it.

"So have you found a greater love story than Romeo & Juliet?" I ask, changing the subject.

He looks down at me and smiles. "Not yet. The greater one may just be sprouting, but I promise you I'll know it before I die."

I smile to myself and lean against one of the handles, crossing my legs. I suddenly feel a rocking, and I see Luke has jumped on the child's ride. He begins to push with his one foot, almost like he was skateboarding. We spun around in a circle, accelerating quickly.

"Luke!" I laugh, covering my face. He went faster.

"If you don't stop I'm going to puke!" I warn him. He finds it funny to go faster.

"Luke Hemmings, I swear if I puke it'll be all over you!"

Luke stops spinning and falls on his side laughing. I playfully hit him repeatedly while he lay laughing.

When we calmed down, Luke got up and grabbed my hand, refusing to let go as he walked me around. He led me to a beautiful part of Central Park, stopping on a small black bridge across one of the many lakes. He propped his elbows up on the railing and held his head in his hands.

"So, you never told me when I was at your house, where's your dad and siblings?" Luke asks after a few minutes.

"Well," I sigh, "my parents aren't divorced, if that's what you're thinking. Dad got called to some big job thing across the world in like, London or something, and he obviously had to go, but he just took my baby brother Jaxon with him. I don't know if he consulted me mom about it or not, but it was pretty surprising to me."

"How long have they been gone? How old is Jaxon?"

"It'll be a year next month, I think. It was something big. And Jaxon turned two a few months ago." I pause before asking, "when'll I be meeting your parents?"

Luke smiles and says, "I think my mom is dying to meet you and your mother, actually. She keeps asking me about you and when she will be able to meet you."

I smile at the fact Luke's mom is so anxious to meet me.

"I told her you like Romeo & Juliet," he continues, "and then I told her we had to go to the bookstore so I can find a greater love story than Romeo & Juliet, but she refused until I read all the love stories that I never read in the basement." He pauses and breathes. "I don't think she's ever heard me be so infatuated with someone before."

I don't reply. I smile to myself and prop my elbow on the railing next to him.

"Well, what about your dad? Siblings?" I giggle, watching him smile as I copied his question.

"Australia. I'm Australian. My parents got in a fight and divorced. Dad kept my brothers, mom got me. We moved to America when I was really young, so that's why I don't really sound like I'm from Australia."

"Luke, I'm sorry," I say, placing my hand on his arm.

"No, no, I talk to my dad and brothers frequently. When was the last time you talked to yours?"

I scratch the back of my neck. "Well, it's not easy to call London because we don't have much money, but I get postcards and I've talked to him a few times. I haven't in a while though," I sigh. I miss my dad. Jaxon, too. I hope dad shows his photos and tells him stories. Whenever Jaxon comes back, I want him to know who we are.

I think of my own brother coming home and not knowing who the hell I am. Thinking of this my bottom lip starts to quiver. Luke must've noticed, because he wrapped his arms around me and swayed me back and forth. He didn't say anything, and he didn't need to. Actions speak louder than words.

-

Luke and I sat at a nice restaurant on the pier, looking out onto the Hudson River. This was the first time Luke and I have spent a lot of time out in the city, and I must admit, it was fun.

"Hey, look at that!" Luke said, pointing to a street performer. A man was doing some sort of dancing and acrobatics. Luke was fascinated.

"I don't understand how people can do that!"

"Practice and dedication, Luke." I smile.

"I've been singing everyday since I could make noise, and I'll never be half as good as artists like Justin Timberlake or Kurt Cobain." Luke says. I turn to face him.

"You sing?" I ask.

He smiles and nods.

"I've never heard you sing."

"I play guitar, too." He shrugs.

I turned my attention back to the Hudson River. I've always loved it, even if it is an ugly brown color because of pollution and littering. I'm not sure why tourists are so fascinated by it. I'm sort of fascinated by it, too. Maybe it's the history. I've always loved history. It was my favorite and best subject.

"What are you thinking of?" Luke asks.

"History." I answer honestly.

Luke bursts out laughing. "History is not what I expected to hear."

All I did was shrug.

Luke paid for our food and we walked around the pier, watching street performers and throwing bread at the ducks. More like seagulls, actually. They would swoop down and take a duck's piece before it could reach it. Always hates seagulls. They're always in places that don't have any water, either.

"Damn seagulls. I wouldn't waste your bread anymore." Luke says.

I out up my index finder to shut him up and I walked closer to the water. The ducks swam closer and closer until they were close enough. I took out more bread and directly fed it to them. The seagull had to chance. I walked back to Luke with an accomplished look on my face.

"Smart." He says and I smiled. "You're the Queen of Ducks!" Luke proclaimed, wrapping his arms around me. He swayed me back and forth and I giggled.

"Every queen starts out as a princess, though," Luke said against my neck, "and princesses are more fun, elegant, and carefree than a queen, Ashley Marie, and a princess may be a bit broken on the inside, but are full of pride and integrity on the outside. You're the definition of a princess, Ashley Marie." And with that, Luke kisses me. He crashed his lips against mine and beg for entrance. I let him. I'm not hesitant to kiss him back. He pulls away and pushes some hair behind my ear.

"You're special, Ashley Marie. I want to show you everyday that you are, to make sure you never forget it."

I look down, then back up at him, almost intimidated by the serious look he has in his eyes.

I nod.

"Okay."

-

YAY so basically that was Luke's way of asking Ashley to be his girlfriend and she said yes so Ashley and Luke are pretty much a thing right now //LASHLEY//. I ship it.

Too bad their love may be short-lived ooo foreshadowing in authors notes oooo.

OKAY ILL UPDATE AGAIN THIS WEEK BYE SEE YOU SOON :)