5sos Imagines (ig//@valentiineafi)

Imagine 11 - Don't Leave

     "I could've sworn today was the last day..." you muttered to yourself. With your eyebrows furrowed together, you ruffled through your recent mails and letters.
     Your university acceptance letters should've come by now; it was the last day in their estimated time frame.
     "Luke, have you seen any of my other acceptance letters?" you asked your best friend. You were roommates. "I only have the one to the uni close-by, but none of the other ones."
     "Oh. Uh, no. I don't know," Luke responded immediately. He sounded off. Sad. Disappointed. "Maybe it's just not meant to be. At least you can go to the close one." He shrugged.
     "No no, but even if I didn't make it, they would still send a letter saying that. All my friends got theirs, and I should've gotten mine by today. It's the last day."
     "That's- that's weird," Luke said quietly, not meeting your eyes.
     "What if they mailed them to someone else? Maybe they got the wrong address? What if they mixed up the names too?" you rambled. "I'll go check with the neighbours. Be right back." As you were about to leave the door, Luke hesitantly walked up to you and tapped you lightly on the shoulder. His bottom lip was trapped between his teeth in nervousness as his gaze rested upon the floor. His one hand was across his torso, holding onto his opposite arm in bashfulness. His other hand held 4 ripped-open envelopes with letters in them. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words formed.
     "P- please don't hate me," he stuttered unevenly.
     You slowly took the letters from his hand, too shocked to say anything. You were accepted to all 4 of unis, giving you 5 opportunities including the local one.
     "Where were they?" you finally asked after reading through all.
     "I- they were- I put them under my bed," he admitted, ashamed.
     "Why?" you asked sternly, though it sounded more like a statement.
     "I didn't want you t- to leave me," he pleaded. You said nothing, instead just walking to your room and shutting the door, leaving a guilty Luke in the living room.
     After laying in bed staring at the ceiling for a while, you heard the door slowly open before feeling a dip at the foot of your bed.
     "I don't want you to go," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
     "Luke, you leave me all the time when you go off on tour. Second of all, we're just friends. It's easy to keep in touch. Like, I'm still friends with y/f/n, remember her? The one who moved all the way to-"
     "That's the problem, y/n. We're only friends. Please don't hate me," he said, clearly ashamed, "but- but that's the problem; when you leave me, there are going to me much better looking, smarter guys than me. Like, come on, y/n - I didn't even graduate highschool."
     "But you're always going to be my best friend; they can't replace you."
     "I've never grown the balls to tell you, but I've loved you for, like, the longest time. I was just too scared to tell you because we live together, and- and you would hate me for making everything awkward because you don't love me back, and-"
     "I could never hate you," you assured.
     "You could never love me either," he muttered. You could sense his desperation. "I would miss you so much." He sounded lost, seeming as clueless as a disoriented puppy. He was drained out. "These are all across the country; some even across the damn continent. I need you, y/n." He started fidgeting with his fingers, staring down completely at them. You couldn't see his face at all. Then, after a while of comfortable silence, you heard a sniff.
     "Lucas Hemmings, are you crying?" you teased. You had the right; you were his best friend.
     He looked up at you with red cheeks, and glossy eyes. He wasn't crying, just teary. The water rested upon his waterline, threatening to spill with any blink to follow. He laughed at his softness for you, chuckling at your effect on him.
     "I'm just going to miss you so much," he admitted with a smile, shaking his head in disbelief that he was about to cry.
     "Who knows? I might even accept the local one," you suggested. He didn't seem convinced, but nodded anyway.
     "I'm not getting my hopes up."
     "Well, as a matter of fact, I love you too, Luke. It's not like I exactly want to leave you," you said slowly. It took time for you to realize your more-than-friendly love for him, but it was there; it was most definitely there. "Stop being sad, you idiot, you're making me sad," you laughed.
     "Wait, what?"
     "You're making me sa-"
     "No no, before that."
     "Oh. I- I love you too?" You blushed. He smiled widely at your confession. The corners of his mouth stretched past his ears, his eyes squinting into crescent moons. Laughing as a single tear finally let go, he looked down again. "LUKEY," you whined, dragging out the word. "Stop being a sad penguin or I'm sueing you," you jokingly threatened.
     He walked up to you, pulled you into a hug, finally closing the gap between both of your lips; the one thing he's wanted to do since forever.
     "I love you."
     "Please don't leave me, princess."