vanilla // lrh

seventeen

In my nineteen years, I've seen plenty of blue eyes.

Some, like Michael's, had hints of emerald that always accented the color of his hair.

Luke's, which were bright and vibrant like pictures I'd seen of oceans on honeymoon destinations.

But no eyes would ever compare to the solidity of Alec's.

They were haunting.

A blue so pale that it could be mistaken as concrete on the street, every second of his stare you grew smaller.

This wasn't a typical nightmare, he was right in front of me, orbs of grey darting at me.

I froze within my spot, I could hear my own heartbeat.

"Al! How's it going?" Luke asked, friendly, patting Alec on the back.

Alec shrugged his broad shoulders, shaking Luke's hand off, his eyes never leaving my body.

"I'm fine," He spoke, his deep voice sending bumps of fear across my body. "I'm wondering how she's doing."

"Fine," The word escaped my mouth, as I was trying to ignore the fact that he couldn't seem to look away from me.

"What brings you here, Ellie?"

The familiar tone of the name forced my heart to plummet to my stomach.

"I brought her," Luke said quickly, and I was thankful he did, I was too frozen to speak.

"She's with me," Luke said, boldly, moving his boy closer to me, wrapping his long arm around my waist.

"That's too bad," Alec teased, bringing his hand up to his beard. "I was hoping we could catch up."

"I-" I started, but nothing but my breath fell out of my mouth.

"We actually have somewhere to be," Luke spoke up again, calmly. "Good seeing you, man."

A thin smirk spread across Alec's lips, his eyes remaining on me.

"C'mon," Luke mumbled, under his breath, pulling me alongside him out of the bar, and onto the alley street.

The sun was beginning to come up, the once black sky was now laced with hints of yellow.

"You know him." Luke said, beginning out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. "How do you know him?"

"It's complicated," I said, barely audible. I was still in shock.

"He called you El-"

"I know," I cut, not wanting the reminder. "Can we not talk about it please?"

"Do I need to kick his ass?" Luke said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"You'd do that?" I asked, confused at the thought of Luke defending my honor, when according to him we were definitely not friends.

"Can't have anyone distracting my business partner, can I?"

I smiled smally, feeling extremely thankful that Luke was there to get me out of a situation I had only dreamed of.

"Al may be built like a brick wall," Luke said, quickening his pace, as we began to enter the center of town. "But I could definitely do some damage."

I didn't know what to say.

Not only did I not want to talk about Alec, but I hated the image of Luke fighting him.

Alec was nearly as tall as Luke, but like Luke said, built like a brick wall.

I'd seen Alec fight plenty of times, and I was worried Luke would not stand a chance.

"Have you ever been down here?" Luke said, changing the subject, aware that I desperately wanted to change the subject.

"Everyone has," I answered, looking around at the town square, shoppess on the left and right, a statute stood strong in the center, with a pool of water surrounding it.

"Sure everyone's seen it," Luke said. "But have you ever really seen it?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Look," he said, grabbing my hand, and running toward the fountain. His excitement was child-like, it was cute.

"Did you know there are coins in this?" He asked, and I shook my head in response.

"Have you ever seen The Lizzie Mcguire Movie?"

A giggle escaped my mouth. "What does that have to do-"

"Have you seen it!" He repeated.

"Yes, I've seen it." I answered, amused that Luke was about to reference the Lizzie Mcguire movie.

"They make a wish in a pond, and it comes true."

I nodded, recalling what he was talking about.

"I think this fountain does the same thing," He declared. "And so does a lot of other people."

"There's no way," I said, shaking my head. "This isn't a magical pond."

"See for yourself," Luke shrugged, excitement in his eyes, like a kid on Christmas.

He drew a coin out of his pocket, holding it out for me.

"So if I wish for a million dollars-"

"No!" He exclaimed. "You can't wish for materialistic things, it's a pond, not a genie."

"So if I wish to be rich-"

"Then you'd become rich. But maybe it's rich in happiness, or rich in freedom."

"Okay," I said, grabbing the penny from him.

"Close your eyes and wish," He told me. "It's like a birthday cake."

I fluttered my eyes shut, fiddling with the coin in my hand.

I thought about what I wanted more in my life. To go to college, to move on from the past, to stand up to Mia, to see my brother.

I realized that all of those things, according to Luke, would not work.

I considered what I had been desiring, and I knew exactly what I wanted.

I wish to feel alive.

I tossed the coin in front of me, and when I heard it splash against the water, I open my eyes, and looked toward Luke.

"I'd ask you what you wished for," He said. "But then it wouldn't come true."

"Have you ever made a wish?" I asked him, as he took a seat on the outside of the fountain.

"Plenty," He answered, patting the spot next to him for me to sit.

"My mum used to tell me stories about magic fountains when I was a kid," He began. "Now whenever I come across one, I always take a chance."

"Have any of your wishes come true?" I asked, not believing in the magic of the recirculating water, but playing along.

"Only a wish from this one," Luke said. "It's magic."

"I don't believe in magic," I laughed, as his childish demeanor quickly adjusted.

"I'll make you believe," He spoke, lowering his tone, the Luke I had known as serious and dawning returned.

"Mark my words."

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ahhhhh i love luke hes a lil shitt