Chapter Three- I’m only me when I’m with you
Luke and I pulled away from our hug and all four of us went and sat down on Beau’s bed. To be honest, I didn’t want to stop hugging Luke. There was just something about his hugs that felt so right, as if we fit together like two perfect puzzle pieces- never to be left alone again. He made me feel safe, like nothing in this world could break me or tear me down; the sort of safe that only your Dad’s hugs can compare to.
Jai and Beau sat with their backs leaning against the wall at the head of the bed, Luke and I sat at the end of the bed facing them with both our legs crossed; all of us just staring back at one another not knowing what to say or how to somehow start a conversation after all these years. Ages ago, we’d all be carrying on and laughing until we felt six packs coming in…but now there was a sense of awkwardness in the air. It was almost as if we’d never met before because it had been so long. It reminded me of starting kindergarten and having to muster up the courage to start talking to someone and ask them to be friends with you. So I decided to go back to my little six year old way of thinking and start the conversation.
“Well, well, well, I never knew that I had connections to famous people now.” I said while smiling at them, attempting to ease the tension in the room. The three of them laughed.
“Not famous quite yet- more like locally known!” Luke said, smiling back at me
“Are you kidding me? Do you know how many boxes of fanmail I almost tripped over walking down the hallway?!” I said laughing
“It’s crazy- we never thought we’d get the views! It’s a dream come true.” Jai gratefully smiled.
“Well I’m heaps proud of you guys- it’s good to seeing you do what you love.” I looked them all in the eyes to prove that I really meant what I said.
“Aw well thanks Dakota!” Beau lifted himself up off the bed and lunged towards me, giving me a half hug while he attempted to steady himself with one hand.
Just as Beau was about to sit back down on his bed- Jai pushed his torso, making him fly off the edge of the bed and land on the carpeted floor with a huge ‘thud!’ All of us were in hysterics laughing as Beau used his doona covers to pull himself up off the floor with a look of revenge on his face. He successfully got onto his feet and grabbed a pillow. Looking at Jai, he slowly got up on the bed and immediately began bashing up his brother while feathers flew everywhere. Luke and I looked on in amusement as two teenage boys had a full on pillow fight which consequently led to Gina confiscating the pillows.
I shook my head in disbelief as I smiled at Jai and Beau who now had feathers in their hair and their clothes all winkled up. They both left the room and went into the kitchen to get a drink of water, so now it was just Luke and I in Beau’s room.
I saw Luke’s iPhone resting on the bedside table, and his back was to me because he was watching the TV that was in Beau’s room; so without talking I took the phone off the table and went into his pictures folder. I started laughing as I scrolled down to see hundreds of selfies Luke had taken throughout the year.
“What are you laughing at?” Luke turned around to look at me
“Luke, I swear to God- supermodels don’t have this many selfies on their phone!” I started laughing harder as Luke attempted to snatch his phone out of my hands, but failed and nearly piled on top of me.
“Who said I wasn’t a supermodel?” Luke got up and began posing in the stupid positions as I sat on Beau’s bed nearly pissing myself with laughter.
The next thing I know- Luke grabs the phone and takes a photo of me mid-laughter.
“Looks like there’s another supermodel here too!” Luke smiled at me and showed me the picture he took seconds before.
“Luke! Delete that right now!” I looked at him sternly, trying not to laugh
“Nope. It’s going on Instagram.” He gave me the look of ‘there’s nothing you can do to stop me’ and quickly uploaded it before I could stop him.
“I hate you!” I screeched at him, while pushing him playfully
“I love you!” Luke replied- being the smartass that he is
Even though I knew it was sarcastic, hearing him say ‘I love you’ send my heart into a flutter and my breathing hitched at the back of my throat. Finally, Luke and I were playing and joking around like we did seven years ago- like best friends. A warm sensation filled my body when I realised that my mum was right; I did get my best friends back and everything was going to be okay. When I was in America, I always felt like I never truly fit in. I was always trying to be someone else because that’s how my new ‘friends’ wanted me to be. When I was with Luke, Jai and Beau, I knew I could completely be myself because they knew the real me. I didn’t have to pretend anymore. I mean, sure- when we’re all together, we’re completely dysfunctional, loud and crazy…but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Well you drive me crazy half the time, the other half I’m only trying to let you know that what I feel is true. And I’m only me when I’m with you.”
