Make believe

Chapter 9

"Do you wanna go to a movie with me Friday?"

I fumbled with the keys in my hand as Luke and I stood on my doorstep. I had once again been invited over to the boy's apartment for pizza and movies. I was beginning to really like them. They were just this rowdy, happy, welcoming group of boys whom I had gotten to know quite well. They were from West Sydney, Australia, a good ways away, obviously, and it made me wonder what it was like for them to travel to a place so far away and so different from what they were used to.

I had never been out of the country. Hell, I'd never even been out of state! The night carried on just the same as it had the time before; pizza, of course. Light talks around the table and the boys exchanging funny stories about each other, which I found extremely entertaining.

The night seemed to end too soon, and I reluctantly bid my goodbyes to the boys...except Luke, who had offered to walk me home.

"So..."I started, awkwardly swaying as we walked through the dimly-lit street. "Why walk me home? I was fine walking alone, ya know." I said, shooting him a side grin.

He fiddled with his lip-ring as he kicked loose gravel around his feet.

"Well, it's not safe." He stated. I let out a giggle and stopped in the middle of the street, causing him to stop as well.

"Not safe?" I questioned. He nodded, confused. "You're new. I'll have you know, that in this town? Nothing ever happens."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Is that right?"

Nodding, I continued. "Mhm. This town is tortuously and utterly boring, owning little of it's own that some would call special. Things just don't happen here. These roads are riddled with horribly uninteresting happenings, these buildings with boring, uneventful news." I took a deep breath. "Living here sucks."

I began walking again, when I noticed I was alone. Turning around, the blonde boy was standing in the same spot, unmoved, grinning widely at me. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he started walking again, catching up with me.

"What?"

"What?" He questioned.

"What was that about?" I gave him a confused look, which caused him to chuckle.

"You." He stated.

"Me...what?" We walked side by side on the dim street, our soft breathing the only sound for miles in the sleepy town.

"You...you go on these, these rants. A lot." He grinned. "And you use these...big words. To describe things. How you're feeling." I raised my eyebrows, curiously glancing his way.

"A lot?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry. It's cute." Luke muttered, looking anywhere but me. Blushing, I glanced away, hoping he wouldn't notice the heat rising in my cheeks. A comfortable silence settled over us as we walked and walked down the wide, empty road. After a little while, I interrupted the quiet.

"Well, I like to write." I said bluntly, catching him off guard.

"Mhm?"

I blushed and watched my shoes as they took step after step on the un-paved road.

"I like to write. And...I guess, sometimes I talk like I'm writing, but I'm not, and it sounds weird to say out loud, but I don't realize it until after... After I say it. And I guess I just forget sometimes, because I write a lot, ya know? It's like the voice in my head doesn't realize whether I'm writing or talking..." I rambled on, then stopped abruptly, noticing how nerdy I must've sounded.