5 Seconds to Love You

Chapter Eleven - Luke

Chapter Eleven 

*Luke*

Angel got up and left to her car. I looked at the grave examining all the details: from the letters and numbers, to the intricate pattern.

"So, Braden huh? Well I'm Luke." I begin talking to him. I don't think I believe that he can hear me, but it feels right. "Let's see..." I begin to list things off about myself. "I'm in a band, I sing and play guitar, my favorite color is blue, and my favorite animal is a penguin. Um what else... Well I moved here a little while ago from Australia with my three best friends. And I just started school at Laurento Academy today, and I met Angel this morning. I've pretty much hung out with her all day. She was a little unsure about it at first, but I think she's opening up a little. I mean I've only known her for like, 8 hours roughly ...so it's not like I've known her for long. But you were a lucky guy. You were in love with the prettiest, nicest, most caring girl I know. And like I said, I've only known her for a day. But I hope you know that she loved you more than anything. Like, I don't know what she was like before you left, but I can tell that you changed her life a lot. 

"I think I'm the first guy she's really talked to since she lost you. She's seems tentative, shy, and scared at a first glance. But I think when someone really takes the time to talk to her, they'd find that there's still a girl under all that wants to live her life to the fullest and find love again. That's what I've found at least. I think her heart needs mending, more time to heal, and I'm going to try and help her. I don't know how, but I'm gonna try. 

"Anyways, I wish I could've met you. I think it'd be nice to get to know someone who had feelings for this wonderful girl. I like her Braden, I really do, and I want to do everything I can to help her." I say everything that's been on my mind since I met Angel this morning. I really do want to help her, and I really do think I like her. I want to get to know more of her, I want to get her to open up to me. I hope she'll keep agreeing to hang out with me. I feel like there's something pulling me towards her. 

Then I hear sobbing from behind me. I turn and see Angel standing halfway back to the graves, and I walk over to her. 

"Hey, it's okay Angel." I start, embracing her in a tight hug. "I know it's hard for you, and I just want you to know that I'm here for you." She hugs me back and I have a feeling that I've known her for a long time. 

"Do you want to go get a pizza or something?" I ask changing the subject. 

"Sure but," she smiles wiping away tears and makeup from under her eyes, "there's um, one more person I want to visit." 

"Oh yeah, sure." I reply, holding out my hand.

"Luke, I just met you today." She counters elbowing me softly in the stomach. "You could be passing me some disease through your hand." 

"True." I reply laughing, "but I haven't heard of that happening before." 

"Just come on." She shoves me again and walks a few rows down. She stops at a grave in the middle of a row, and sets her hand on top of it. 

I examine the name, "Steve Islea." I walk around the back of the stone and see the words; "Child - Angelisa Islea." 

"Oh." I say. "Um, how..." I trail off not sure how to ask the question.

"Car Accident." She replies flatly. 

"I'm sorry." Is all I can find to say. 

"It's okay, it's not as hard anymore." She shakes her head. "Anyways, I just wanted to come see him. We can go now." 

"You sure?" I ask, making sure she's ready. 

"Yeah." She straightens her skirt and starts to walk. I smile to her back before jogging to catch up with her.

"So, pizza?" I ask, hungry while she grabs the sweatshirt from on top of Braden's grave and continues walking.

"Yeah," she smiles, "but we're not getting mushrooms." We both laugh getting into her car. We are silent most of the drive, but it's not awkward. I think we're both deep I'm thought. 

She takes us to a pizza place called "CornerStone Pizza." Once the car is parked she flips down her mirror and sighs. 

"Have I looked like this all day?" She shakes her head while wiping away some of the make up.

"Well," I start, "only since we were at your house." 

"Ugh." She sighs, closing the mirror. "Do I look okay?" She turns to me.

"Yeah." I reply smiling wide.

"What?" She asks. "Why are you smiling?" 

"Oh just because." I answer still smiling. 

"Ugh!" She playfully elbows me in the stomach and gets out of the car. I follow her into the building and we seat ourselves at a table by a large window. She grabs a menu from the center of the table. 

"What do you want?" She glances at the menu for a second, and then looks at me instead. 

"Isn't this a little fancy for a pizza place?" I ask looking around.

"I don't know, yeah I guess." She shakes her head. "Now tell me what you want!" She says forcefully.

"Wait huh?" I say a little taken aback. I can't decide if she's seriously upset or not.

"Dude!" She bursts out laughing. I feel tension release from my shoulders as I shake my head.

"You legitly scared me right there." And then I join her laughing. 

"But actually though," she starts, "what do you want?" 

"Um... Pizza?" 

"Oh my," she laughs again. "What kind of pizza?" 

"I really don't care as long as it's pizza." I reply bluntly.

"So if I ordered a veggie supreme pizza, you wouldn't mind?" She giggles.

"Can we maybe get half of that without the... Healthy?" I ask laughing a little and she joins me.

"Sure, yeah." She says through her laughs. 

The waitress comes a bit later and we order, still laughing. We laugh at pointless, stupid things, but it's fun. And when we aren't laughing, we just look at each other. I find myself getting lost in her blue-green eyes as neither of us speak. And even though I've only just met her today, I think I could get used to this.