One Minute, And The Next || l.h [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24

Luke's POV

"Luke honey, where were you all morning?" My mom asks when I walk through the door, kicking off my sneakers.

"Helping Riley with something." I shrug, plopping down on the couch and starting up fifa on the TV.

"You've been spending a lot of time with her, yeah?" She asks me as she washes some dishes in the kitchen.

"Mm hm." I hum, laying back on the couch.

"Is she your girlfriend?" She asks.

I shrug. "Maybe."

"Didn't she spend the night here a few times?" She asks.

"Yeah? So do a lot of girls." I say. "God, what's with the Q&A?" I ask.

"I just think that it would be nice if you two were dating.." She says and takes a seat on the couch beside me.

"Why?" I ask, starting the game.

"Well, Riley's been through a lot.. I think it'll be nice if you could be there for her." She says.

"I am." I respond. "She knows that... and she doesn't want my sympathy mom." I add, knowing how she acted when I showed even a little bit of sympathy.

She nods and folder her hands. "You don't have to be shy about liking her hun..." She says.

"I'm not... It's just.. she's complicated. I'm working on it, okay?" I say. "Now can I just play fifa in peace?" I ask.

She smiles softy, "Alright, alright. Well, I'm going to get ready for work." She says and gets up before disappearing upstairs. I wind up calling Michael, Cal, and Ash to come over since playing fifa alone was never fun.

-

Riley's POV

He doesn't love me. He can't. He's Luke Hemmings. Luke Hemming doesn't do... love. We barely even know each other.. and we're not even together. Maybe he just said it by accident.. he can't love me. Who the fuck would love me?

God was this day fucked up or what?

I take a deep breath and let it out, opening up my bedside drawer, pulling out the pack of cigarettes I always stashed in there. My mom's taken them out of here multiple times and tried to hide it. I would either just buy a new pack, or easily find them in her 'hiding' spot.. which was always under her bed since I was a little kid. I remember when she would hide liquor bottles from my dad under there, telling him that she didn't have anymore. When he would leave for work, she would reach under there and indulge in her secret alcohol.

I pull out a cigarette from the packet and drop the rest back into the drawer, closing it afterwards. I fiddle it in my finger, examining it as if it had some deeper meaning to it. I know this shit is bad for me. That's the reason I started them in the first place. I knew... or hoped, that my parents would acknowledge the bad choice I had made, and ask me to stop because they care about me.. well they haven't necessarily done so. Just the occasional "don't smoke inside the house" or "those aren't good for you." Never once, "Riley, I don't want you to smoke.."

I pull out the lighter that was almost always in my pocket and try to flick it on. It took a few tries, but it eventually lit up and the flame illuminated. I hear a knock on my bedroom door, just as I was going to light the smoke. I get up and head, rather quickly, to the door, a small part of myself hoping I'd be Luke.

I open it up and to my slight dismay, it was my mother. My shoulders slump in disappointment a bit as I turned around and walked back over to my bed. "Can I come in?" She asks and I shrug.

"I don't care." I say, plopping back on my bed, trying to get the lighter started up again after I put the smoke in between my lips that were rather pale today.

I hear my mother sigh as she slowly walked over and lied on the other side of the bed. "Those arn't good for you Riley.." She says softly.

"I know." I respond, finally lighting it up, in-taking a deep drag.

"So then why do you still do it?" She asks, I can tell by her voice that she is trying her best not to get me upset.

"Cause no one tells me not too." I answer and shrug after blowing the smoke out to the ceiling.

"Honey.. If you already know it's wrong, then you shouldn't do it. Please put it out.. I wanted to talk." She says.

I sigh, but listen, putting it out in the ashtray which had a couple old buds lying in it already.

"Thank you." She says.

"What did you want to tell me?" I ask.

She take another breath, "You father left you a bit of money.. to help with college next year." She speaks.

Fuck.. college, I completely forgot. School in general wasn't necessarily my biggest priority.

"How much?" I ask.

"Ten thousand." She answers and my eyes immediately widened. Ten thousand dollars. Where the hell was that money hiding all our lives? We've been struggling with bills since I was born.

"Ten thousand?" I repeat, still in complete shock.

She nods, "He's been saving that money for a while, leaving it for you until you needed it."

"When can I take it out?" I ask.

She furrows her brows for a second. "Well.. anytime, but I think you should save it.. to help pay off college." She says gently.

Yeah, like I'm actually going there. "I was just wondering." I shrug it off, staring up at the ceiling and playing with a strand of hair that was sticking out of my ponytail.

"Where were you this morning?" She asks.

"Hung out with Luke." I shrug. I decided on sparing the details on the fact that I was having lunch with the person who is the reason for my parents divorce and very well also the reason for my fathers death.

"You guys are getting close again, huh?"

"He told me that he loved me before dropping me off." I mumble, as if it was no big deal. Yeah, so Luke Hemming just said that he loves me.. no biggie.

"What?" My mother says, clearly surprised. "Really?"

I nod, "Yup." I say, popping the 'p.'

"That's wonderful, honey." She responds, sounding sincere.

"Not really." I answer.

"Why not? That's so sweet that he told you he loved you.. why would that not be wonderful?"

"Because I don't know if he means it.." I respond. "He can't."

"And why do you think that?" She adds.

"Cause.. he acted like it was so easy to say.. like it was nothing. He doesn't love me.." I say, folding my arms.

"Well why don't you just ask him dear?" She says.

I open my mouth to shoot out an annoyed response.. but I didn't have one. She was right, why don't I just ask him?

"I'll be back.." I mumble, getting up and throwing on a jacket before opening up my bedroom door, and leaving to go talk to Luke.

(Hey everyone!!!! I cannot tell you how sorry I am for the super long delay since the last chapter. I have been very busy with school, but thankfully I found the time this weekend to finish up this chapter and put it out for you guys! I hope you liked it and please show your support by leaving a vote and a comment, they really mean the world <3 Also, I just wanted to let you know that there are only 6 more chapters left of this story!!!!!! Its coming to an end very soon ladies and gents! Thank you lovelies for getting this story to over 11 thousand reads, it's absolutely insane! I love you all sooooo much. Stay tuned for chapter 25, which I hope will be out next week :3 xx)

(P.S. I hope you guys liked the fact that I added a Luke POV in the beginning of the chapter. I will start showing his side of things more often in the last 6 chapters to give you guys a bit of a new perspective in the story.)