Oblivion // Luke Hemmings

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Taylor Tuom

"When did you become such a romantic?" I giggle as Luke and I walked down the main street of our hometown.

"I've always been romantic," he claims.

"Mmm, I don't think so," I tease. "You're a big cheese, but rarely romantic."

"I can be romantic."

"Prove it."

"Fine. I will."

I eye him suspiciously. "What are you up to, Hemmings?" I ask.

He brings our laced hands up to his mouth, kissing the back of my hand. He drops them back in between us as they swing as we walk.

"You'll see."

///////

"How's this for romantic?" Luke asks, pulling out a chair for me.

My shoes sink into the sand as I take a seat in the chair. Luke's bright idea was for us to walk the Bondi to the beach, where I was greeted with a cute dinner set-up. Luke went out of his way to rent out a vacant spot for our evening and paid someone to set up a table, tiki torches, light stringing about, and a lovely meal. Romantic? Beyond it.

"It's perfect," I say with a smile as my boyfriend sits across from me.

"Yeah?"

"It's beautiful," I state, placing my hand on top of his on the table.

"I'm glad you liked it. My mom sort of helped me with the idea," he sheepishly admits.

"Aw," I coo.

"She's sad about me moving out," he says, a sad look adorning his features.

I set my fork down from digging into the vegetarian lasagna (I prefer it over regular lasagna, to be honest), meeting his blue eyed gaze.

"Moving out?" I repeat.

"Yeah, the house..." he trails off.

"Oh."

"Wait. Don't tell me you don't want to get it now?" he asks.

"Well, I mean, I liked it a lot, but I told you I wasn't ready for-"

"Damn it, Taylor," Luke voices with frustration.

"What?" I ask.

"I thought that you wanted it and I told the realtor that I'd take it," he says. "Now you won't even move in with me. I go out of my way to do everything for you and you don't appreciate shit!"

"It's not like that, Luke," I exhale.

"Then what is it, Taylor? Do you not love me?" he asks with so much hurt in his eyes that I almost cracked.

"I love you. It's not that," I promise him with such feebleness in my voice.

"Why won't you let me make you happy?" Luke whispers, eyes watering and breaking my heart.

"You do make me happy. You make me the happiest girl in the world, Luke," I exclaim.

"I just want to buy you a house and marry you and have kids with you and give you everything you'll ever need or want in life." By the third word of his rant, he begins crying.

I am such a bitch. I am the worst of the worst. I am scum on the bottom of a shoe. I don't deserve Luke. That's why I'm so hesitant about everything with him. He deserves someone so much better than me. Better than a teen mom. Better than an emotionally unstable person. Better than heartbreak and tears and lies and life itself. He deserves an entire solar system - stars, planets, constellations and all. I'm afraid that all I can give him is a tiny star.

"Luke," I muster, "I love you so much. I love you so much that it hurts. I'm scared that I'm going to lose you because you're going to realize that you can have someone better."

"Taylor, no," he sobs. "That would never happen. All I see is you. You're all I need."

"I-I can't, Luke."

"Yes, you can, baby. You can, I promise."

"No, I'm not... I don't..." I stand up from my seat at these words. "I just can't."

"Baby, please," he begs, standing up and grabbing my hand.

"You deserve better, Luke."

"You deserve better," he reiterates. "Please, baby, don't leave me. I want you. I need you."

He pulls me into his chest, holding me tightly. I soak his shirt in my tears and his tears soak the top of my head. We hold each other in our blubbering mess.

"I love you so fucking much, Taylor," Luke cries into my neck.

"I love you, too," I reply, sniffling. "I'll move in with you."

"I love you, baby."

And even though we said in thirty seconds before, I tell him again, "I love you, Luke."