Reality || L.H.

Chapter 23

The smile on my mom's face is so bright when I walk through the front door holding hands with Luke that I think I may go blind. She practically tackles my boyfriend with a hug, insisting that we stay for a while. She immediately gets to cooking something elaborate and delicious-smelling. Luke follows me up to my room to get my things, a soft smile on his face as he leans against the doorway.

"I had no idea that your mom liked me so much," he marvels as he passes me my favorite oversized shirt from where it's neatly folded on top of the dresser. I slide it into my bag, throwing in my other clothes. "I always thought she just kinda tolerated me."

I smile up at him as I retrieve my toothbrush and other toiletries from the bathroom. "She's always really liked you. Maybe not at first, but she came around. I don't think she ever liked Blake this much."

That seems to please him and he stands taller. As I grab the last few things I want to take with me, Luke flops backwards onto my bed. I crawl up next to him, curling up into his side as he slings an arm around me. This is what I've been missing, the part of myself that I felt like was ripped away from me when he ended things in that parking lot. I rest my head on his chest, wishing that we could stay here forever. Luke kisses my head gently, stroking my hair softly.

After a minute, he asks, "You're not mad at me? Even though I broke up with you just because I couldn't deal with you leaving me? And kissed that girl just because of my stupid pride?"

I bite my lip as I lift my head to look him in the eyes. He looks anxious, guilty, as he turns his head away from me. Frowning, I reach over and force him to look at me. "I'm not mad. I understand why you did it." I shift on the bed to face him better, leaning forward intently. "But, Luke, you have to know how amazing you are. If I could have my choice of any guy in the world, I wouldn't choose Zac Efron or Chris Hemsworth or Tom Cruise; I'd choose you. You're the only one I want, Luke. I love you."

His expression changes and he leans in and kisses me fiercely, his lips moving against mine like they want to consume me with passion. We slide sideways on the bed, our legs tangling, straining to get closer. If my lips will be swollen later, I don't care. I just want him.

His tongue slips into my mouth and I bite back a low groan, sliding one of my hands underneath his shirt. I can feel the strong muscles in his stomach move as he sits up slightly to get closer to me, his hand on my waist drawing me towards him.

I know as surely as the sky is blue that I love Luke Hemmings. I tried moving on, I tried being with someone else. But I kept coming back to him. Without him, colors seemed dull and gray. Without him, laughter seemed distant and detached. Without him, I'm not really living.

My door opens and we jump apart as my mom sticks her head inside the room, a sly smile on her face when she catches us making out on my bed.

"God, Mom, can't you knock?" I blush as I try to smooth back down my hair. My whole face feels like it's on fire. Luke's cheeks are bright red as he looks down at the comforter, pretending to trace a seam on the blanket.

She just smirks. "I just came up to tell you that the food's ready, if you're not too busy."

I turn an even deeper shade of red as she heads down the hallway, leaving the door open. It's a good thing she likes Luke; if she didn't that conversation would have just gone a completely different way.

Luke clears his throat awkwardly, locking eyes with me. "Um, you wanna go get some food?"

I laugh, taking his hand as I get to my feet. He squeezes my hand lightly as we walk down the hallway, his fingers clinging tightly to mine as if he never intends to let go. I give him a soft, affectionate smile as we turn the corner into the kitchen. My mom has made pizza from scratch, which is one of her specialties. It also just happens to be Luke's favorite food.

"Welcome back," she says as she sets a plate with two slices of pepperoni pizza on it in front of him.

Luke's expression melts and he looks oddly touched. He takes a seat on a stool at the counter, looking over at me with a shocked, vulnerable look. I reach over and brush my thumb across his cheekbone, ignoring the jolt of electricity that goes through me as he sets his hand over mine.

My mom comes back to give me a plate of pizza, just plain cheese, the way I like it. I think pepperoni's disgusting, much to my boyfriend's dismay. Luke could live off pepperoni. He also has a weird obsession with dark chocolate, which is so bitter that I want nothing to do with it.

Noticing the look on Luke's face as he takes a bite of the pizza, my mom leans against the counter across from him. "I like you, Luke," she says with a smile. "You're sweet and you take good care of Kat. You make her really happy. That makes you alright in my book."

Luke smiles broadly, still a little surprised. He hasn't had anyone do anything for him in a long time. His mother all but abandoned him and he's not used to someone looking for out for him the way a mother would.

He takes a sip of the glass of water my mom sets in front of him, smiling to himself.

"So is there a ring in the future?" my mom asks mischievously, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Luke chokes on the water and I pat his back in what I hope is a helpful manner, feeling my face heat up.

"The topic's never come up," he wheezes as soon as he's caught his breath.

But now that we're nearly twenty, it's not crazy to imagine. I blush furiously as I picture walking down the aisle, Luke waiting for me at the altar.

My mom winks at us. "Well, just know that I have ideas for the ceremony if it ever does become a reality."

My whole face is on fire. I really wish my mom would just shut up.