Gate Seven || L.H.

Hour Four

// topics of abuse & such in this chapter. I'll put stars (***) where it starts & ends, so if those things trigger you or make you uncomfortable, you can skip over them//

Luke was starting to get claustrophobic again. He started hyperventilating and rocking back and forth, his head between his knees.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked him, crawling over to his side of the elevator.

"I-I can't breathe," he said in a panic.

"Shh," I said soothingly, pulling his head to rest in my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair and hummed softly, instructing him to take deep breaths. I looked up and noticed what looked like a skylight.

"Hey, can you reach that?" I asked him. Luke looked where I was pointing and stood up, standing on his tiptoes and reaching his arms as high as he could over his head. He jumped a few times before being able to open the skylight. The elevator was filled with fresh air an Luke gasped, clawing at the wall, trying to crawl up and out of the skylight. I grabbed his hands and pulled him close to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and hugging him, my head resting on his chest. I could hear his heart pounding so I reminded him to breathe.

I couldn't help but feel giddy. I liked this Luke. I know that seems mean, but he seemed like the same nervous, awkward boy from last year.

"Why can't you be like this all the time?" I asked him when he'd calmed down.

"What do you mean?" Luke replied. We sat down again, Luke resting his head in my lap and placing my hands on his head. I laughed a little before combing my fingers gently through his soft blonde hair.

"I mean, why can't you be that shy, awkward, clumsy boy you were six months ago? You were so sweet and kind and loveable. I wish you could be like that again."

"I wish I could too," he muttered. Luke turned on my lap so he could wrap his arms around my waist, his head now resting on my stomach. I laid down to make it easier on him, my head on my bag, my fingers still combing through his hair.

"Then why don't you?" I asked.

"I don't know how," he admitted a few minutes later. "I mean, I let Acacia fill my head with shit. She inflated my ego and helped me go solo. I'm not sure how to be who I was. I mean, you've helped. Knocking me down peg by peg, forcing me to finally talk to Ash, you've helped me more in four hours than anyone ever has. Thank you, Lily."

"God you're adorable sometimes," I sighed, ruffling his hair a little and making him chuckle. I went back to running my fingers through his hair and said, "I didn't mean to freak out about you kissing me before. I just,-"

"Introvert. I get it," Luke said.

"No," I sighed. "There's more to it. I um, God, I don't even know how to say it."

**********

"Abuse?" Luke asked. I sighed and nodded. "Physical, almost sexual. By my uncle. Until one of my cousins caught him. She didn't tell my parents, but she made my uncle stop, right before... Right before he..." I stopped and took a deep breath, blinking back tears.

***********

Luke let go of my waist and crawled up to hug me gently. I cried into his shoulder, reliving the horror of it all. Luke kissed the top of my head and rubbed my shoulders and he held me tightly, like he was trying to squeeze all my broken pieces back together.

After a few minutes, I pulled back from his shoulder and got lost in his bluer than blue eyes. They were so blue and clear I could almost see through them. Then I started thinking about his lips and how soft they had been against mine. And I did something incredibly stupid. I kissed him.

Luke pushed me away, his eyes wide. I flushed and moved away from him, hugging my knees to my chest.

"I-I'm sorry," I said, looking down at the tops of my converse.

"I just... You made me pinky promise not to kiss you," Luke said, absolutely shocked.

"Yeah, well that was before you said you didn't actually want to be a giant pile of puke," I muttered, playing with the laces on my shoes. Luke took one of my hands and pulled me gently towards him, kissing me gingerly. He laid down, his hands cupping my face gently as I straddled him, keeping the kiss going. His lips were so soft and gentle, moving from my mouth to my jaw, then throat, then back to mouth. His thumbs gently rubbed my cheeks, removing any moisture I might have missed when I wiped my face after crying.

Luke was incredibly gentle. Even after we stopped kissing, he held me gently, cradling me into his chest and running his fingers through my hair softly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Is it weird that I want to kiss you again?" I asked him.

"No. I want to kiss you again too," he replied softly. I leaned up and kissed his cheek gently before saying, "Maybe later. I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep," Luke mumbled. I knew he was tired too. I kissed him softly one more time before resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes, my head replaying every kiss and touch.

It's only been four hours. How am I already falling for this boy?

Maybe it was because even when Luke was in 5SOS, I had a soft spot for him. I always thought he was silly and adorable and awkward, and he's slowly becoming that boy again. I couldn't be happier for him.

Luke was snoring gently now, and I couldn't help it. I had to take a picture. Before I could, I noticed his phone had buzzed with a message on Skype from Ashton. Curiosity got the best of me and I read their conversation. Luke kept telling Ash how beautiful I was. He even sent him some pictures he'd taken of me without my knowledge. One of the last messages from Luke was: 'I haven't even kissed her yet and I think I'm falling for her Ash. What do I do?'

Ash: 'You get her. Get her and don't let her go. If you're really falling for her, you'll want to treat her like a princess.'

Luke: 'I'd wait forever for her.'

Ash: 'Now, that's serious. You're usually humping every girl you can get your dick on.'

Luke: 'Can you please be serious Ash? I mean it. I'd marry her first, before anything.'

Ash: 'Then you get her Luke. Don't let her go. Love her and marry her like you said. That's what you need to do. Got it?'

Luke: 'Thanks Ash. I don't know what I'd do without you.'

Ash: 'Probably let her go like the fuck up you are.'

Luke: 'Dick.'

Ash: 'Love you.'

Luke: 'Love you more. Talk later.'

The latest message from Ashton read: 'What did you do about Lily idiot?'

'He kissed me.' I replied.

Ash: 'No shit. Well?'

Lily: 'I think I'm falling for him too. But I'm scared.'

Ash: 'Luke won't hurt you. I'll fuck him up if he does.'

Lily: 'Thanks Ashton.'

Ash: 'No problem☺️'

That ended our conversation. I smiled and locked Luke's phone, rolling my eyes at his nonexistent passcode. It was way too easy for anyone to just read his messages and such. I went back to my original task and took a picture of Luke sleeping. It was really cute and I decided to be selfish and never share it with anyone.

I wanted to be selfish with Luke. I wanted him to be mine and mine only. I wanted to love him and have him love me. I know that sounds ridiculous, like the ramblings of a star struck seventeen year old. But it was true. I was really starting to fall for Luke Hemmings.

Excuse my language, but I was screwed.