Our reality //m.g.c//

Twenty three

"The truth is... you are hurting me. Not on purpose, I know that. But I love you and every second that you don't love me back...it hurts."
~Veronica Roth

As the couple returned to the other two boys, they got stared at curiously and when they left into Ava's room with no explanation in what so ever, the boys figured everything was fine all thought Ashton had his fair share of doubts. But no matter, they both supported the couple and their decision whatever it was. So the days went by and soon it was Luke's birthday.

"Happy birthday love."

Arzaylea was the first to wish Luke happy birthday as they were eating breakfast in Ava's room. Somehow even if they had a gaming room, everyone seemed to spend most of their time in the blonde girl's room. The boy smiled and kissed his girlfriend.

"Thanks babe."

"We didn't forget either."

Calum shot himself at Luke and fell into his lap which made the whole room burst out laughing.

"Happy birthday Lukey."

"Thank you now get off me you elephant."

Calum fake pouted and rolled himself off the boy.

"Happy birthday brother."

Ashton bro hugged the blonde boy as he continued smiling big. Then Ava stood up and wrapped her arms around Luke.

"Happy birthday now officially step brother."

"Thanks sis."

Even if Ava was still a little bit salty because Luke willingly flirted with her boyfriend but for the sake of his birthday, she pushed those feelings aside. The last one to wish Luke happy birthday was Michael. He walked up to the boy awkwardly and gave him a weak smile.

"Happy birthday Lucas."

Luke nodded and with no contact in what so ever thanked him. Then the crowd resumed their breakfast, and no one noticed how many times Michael and Luke looked at each other secretly. The party for Luke was all set and all there was left was for everyone to get ready so after breakfast and a couple of hours of chilling in the garage, everyone except for Ava and Luke went on their way to get ready. Arguing was heard all over the house as 4 kids lined up for the two available bathrooms. The blonde siblings on the other hand, remained in the garage and chilled some more in the somewhere tense air.

"Ava?"

The girl looked up and met Luke's blue eyes. There was something visibly troubling him.

"Uh-I...I just wanted-just wanted to-to"

"Luke. It's fine. Just don't do it again and we'll be all good."

Luke nodded and dropped the flirting with Michael subject and devoted his attention to his phone. He was still clearly not claimed so Ava exhaled and sat closer to him.

"Look Luke I get the allure Mike can have and I am not blind to the fact that you are each other's first love but as far as I'm concerned, you two said you were over and that means done with everything including flirting. I don't usually have trust issues but when it comes to Michael and you I make an exception every time but I am trying. I am trying to get over that because I don't want to spend every waking moment for the next year wondering if my boyfriend is hooking up with my step brother or not."

Luke silently nodded. He couldn't exactly add anything aside from he's doing his best which didn't sound all that appropriate so he remained silent as the girl stood up and walked out of the room. After more passing hours of screaming and fighting the six friends were all ready to go to the same place they went last year to celebrate Luke's 19th birthday.

"Let's hope you'll have more fun this year."

"Well you were lucky I even went last year."

Luke chuckled and looked through the car window. They were about 15 minutes away from the place they were going to and everyone in the car except for him and Ava was posting something on the social media.

"Mike made you right?"

Ava bit her lip and nodded. She remember very clearly what a sneaky tactics he used to get her to come and how he constantly wanted her to dance with him when they were there. She always said no but he kept trying and he even stopped drinking just to talk to her. She still didn't have fun but she started liking Mike even more after that night. And the weirdest thing was that she knew she'd be heartbroken because of him then and she knew it as she was biting her lip in the car now.

"The way he tried to get you was really on another level."

Ava looked at the floor and shrugged. She did not want to talk about her and Mike with Luke but the boy seemed to needed to get that of his chest.

"Remember when he literally left his birthday party just to make you have some fun?"

Ava nodded.

"That was so...not Michael of him and I think it was somewhere at that point that everyone realized that he wasn't joking about being inexplicably in love with you."

Ava was still focused on absolutely nothing on the floor but she really didn't want to look into Luke's blue eyes because she had, shockingly, no replies ready for this talk.

"Look Ava I know we already talked and all but I just need to say this and you have to believe me that I wouldn't say this unless it was more then definitely real. No matter what you think or how you feel right now, Michael is so in love with you. More then he's ever been in love with anyone including me. And yes, it fucking still hurts to say this but it is true. The extents he'd go to for you are unreal and you have to get this through your head. No matter what you think or what you think you know, Michael loves you and only you. And he cares about you more then anything so...just trust him. He's a good guy."

With no eye contact still Ava nodded and thought about Luke's words for the rest of the car ride. She didn't feel calmed at all but she knew she had to since most of her trust issues were born inside her head. But still something told her that what Luke said wasn't completely true. Michael definitely loved Luke just as much or even more and she began to realize that she could only stand between them for so long because neither of them was ready to let go of whatever was going on between them just yet.