Stay Beautiful

1 - Skinny Love & Funny Stories

I laughed out loud as Luke carried on telling me all about his crazy night. I did not mind the stares that earned me, for my gaze was fixated on him. 

It was ridiculous, if you ask me, everything that happened during band practice exactly the day I could not make it to see him play.

Of course, he thought I went every single Sunday to his band's practice in that old shack to support the whole group -which I kind of did, they were all my friends, after all. But that was what he thought because he did not see the longing in my eyes when I gazed at him as he played his guitar while singing. Everyone else had noticed it, I think. At least that is what Ellen claimed when she picked on me over it -which was more often than I would prefer. But the one person that had to notice it, sadly did not. 

My mother had complained about how I was barely home lately and I rather stay and play some board game with her than tell her I was in love with the punk boy that played in a band on his spare time. It was not as if she hated his guts or anything, but she would rather have me falling in love with someone like our preppy -and obnoxious, though she does not know that- neighbor, Lionel. 

Even his name is weird and annoying. But she does not see anything besides his good manners and his Sunday morning waves, when he greets us and tries to touch my butt while on our porch on his way to practice for his tuba or something. Like, stick to your tuba mate. 

Luke did some odd movement with his hips and I muffled a laugh with my hands as I covered my face, trying to block out my sight of him -just that I was not really trying to, whenever I could I stared at him in fear of not seeing him again for any crazy reason. I peaked at him through in between my fingers and he chuckled as I giggled, taking a step closer and grabbing my wrists in his hands, pushing mine away from my face. I could not ignore the fire and tingling sensation in my skin where we had made contact. I wondered if he felt it too. 

I smiled mindlessly at Luke as he tried to copy Jerome's dance moves. Little did he know how adorable he looked when doing so and that I could never hold back the smile that carelessly, and dangerously, escaped my lips whenever I was around him. I tried, I really did, but there was something about his blue eyes that always made my breath get caught up in my throat. It was also probably the way he stared at me sometimes, making me wonder if he felt about me the same I felt about him.

"And I swear I had no idea of how to react as Jerome just kept on dancing around," he choked out as he rested his weight beside me, against the wall I was currently resting my back against. I crooked my head to the side as I laughed silently at his story. He let out an amused sigh as I looked up to him. I was not a short girl, I actually towered over most of the girls and even several of the boys in my school. But when it came to Luke, he did everything better than the rest. 

I still remember the first day we met, back in freshman year. I even remember vividly how he was dressed -a plaid black and white shirt, his signature and favorite dark skinny jeans and a pair of white converse. I sucked a sharp breath in and I felt my cheeks redden when he laid his eyes on me. He smiled politely and went on with his cousin, Kurt, towards Jerome. 

Jerome -the infamous Jerome- is a year ahead of us, him being already a senior as we are still juniors. Kurt and Jerome were like best friends back in the day, when Luke and I came into the school. Kurt was a year ahead of Jerome and now that the first one is in college, Jerome has taken Luke as his new best friend.

That is how Luke ended up in that band and how many girls ended up surrounding him, groupies.

Luckily for me, he never paid attention to them. I picked on him over it -worry not, I tried to conceal the hint of jealousy that wavered through me as much as I tried to not jump onto any of the stupid girls to cut their throats. His answer was always that he was just not interested. If only he knew how happy that made me. I was -a bit- selfish, not wanting anyone else to have him. I had had this skinny love thing for him for almost over three years. It never bothered me. I rather be in love with someone who would never return my feelings than date a bunch of idiots who wanted nothing but to get into my pants with their good guy facade -yes, Lionel, I am talking to you.