Dating the Dead • lrh

9. breathe and live

I stared at the message longer than I intended to.

Why would Michael Clifford be concerned of who I hang out with?

"Whatcha got there?" Cool air tickled my ear, making me jump.

"Jesus!" I turned my face to come nose to nose with Shelby.

Crinkles formed at the corner of her eyes as she stood up straight. "You know, Lukey is braver than you," she laughed.

Shelby started to head out the door, confusion etched on my face. I glanced to the side as I went out and the guy was already gone, two empty cups littered the table he once occupied.

I caught up to her and she muttered, "scaredy Luke" and then skipped down the pavement.

"Hey!" My voice echoed on the empty car park. I wanted to say that I'm not easily scared but I held my tongue because it sounded lame in my thoughts.

Shelby whipped around, walking backwards, and held a peace sign accompanied by her crazy smile that reached her eyes. I grinned back at her and she turned, bolting to the curb where they planted shrubs to separate the area.

It was then when she was under the light of McDonald's huge sign that I noticed her change of clothes. She now wore a black jogging pants and a grey hoodie. The hood was down so her high ponytail freely bobbed behind her.

I advanced my pace to fall in step with her. "Why are we doing this?" We both stopped walking. "You said back at my room, you'll explain. When we were walking down my neighborhood to get Maccas, you told me to just walk in silence and breathe. Now we're outside again, I don't see you carrying food. Where's your bag, anyway?"

While I talked, she was smirking at me like I wasn't making any sense but she enjoyed watching me being stupid.

"This is how," she simply said like I should know what it meant. I cocked my head to the side, my face contorting into confusion. Shelby sighed, "This is how. I'm teaching you how to live."

I straightened my head but my face remained frowning. "I don't understand. How was breaking into my house at an ungodly hour to eat pizza and forcing me to go outside supposed to teach me how to live?" I said, slightly agitated.

Her smile turned sympathetic. "Because life is like that. It doesn't wait for you to get ready. Whether you like it or not, it happens even when you don't understand why it's happening."

I didn't realise she was doing me a favour.

With a small smile, she lifted her hood over her head, then walked away. While I stood rooted in place, Shelby called out from a few feet away, her hands shoved in her hoodie pocket.

"If you're regretting you didn't make the most out of what we just did, you can always have another go." A black Mazda stopped next to her. "That's what life is, too. Sometimes, it gives you another shot at it." She opened the backseat door, nodding at it, and I gave a look of hesitation.

Her smile was sheepish. "Don't worry, your mum knows you're with me."

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That's 535 words for you (a/n not included), so can I get a vote? (Shameless self promo 😂)

Anyway, I truly hope you're enjoying this story so far because I am.
(Let me know if you are, tell me why if you're not)

Luke and Shelby's adventures are just beginning, that is if Luke gets in that car. 😂 I have so much in store for the both of them, I can't wait to write them for you. So stick around and see what happens.

If you have any questions and/or stuff you want to clarify about this story, go ahead and ask. I'll try to answer them the best I can.

All the love,
Elle 💋