Pure of Heart / l.h ✔️

47

~Seraphina's POV~

Luke and I sat on the opposite couch from Carmen, who was eyeing us curiously. She'd just gotten home, so I immediately called her over to tell her about Luke and I because I knew that I'd avoid doing it the longer she was home.

"What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost." Carmen said, able to detect that he and I were very nervous. Mostly me. I knew he was nervous as well, but he definitely was able to cover it up better than I was. He sat there calmly while I was practically shaking like a leaf, petrified that she would hate me after I told her this. Maybe Enzo was right the other day when he called me a whore!

My hands trembled as I fisted the bottom of my dress, knowing that my mind was beginning to go into a panicked frenzy. I pushed my thoughts away, reassuring myself that I was not a whore. There was nothing wrong with Luke and I, but I was still scared that she would think there is. Luke noticed that I was spiraling into a pit of anxiety and gently nudged my knee with his, snapping me out of my thoughts. My chest heaved as I looked over at my sister, absolutely certain that I was about to hurl on myself. I tried to find the words, but I could barely even open my mouth, too nervous to function properly under her concerned gaze. Seeming to know that, Luke took matters into his own hands.

"Carmen," He sighed out and looked down at me, meeting my gaze for a moment before he looked back to her. "Nina and I are dating. We've been dating since you broke up with me and I love her. She loves me. I-I know it's wrong but I...I loved Nina before you and I ever even broke up." He said, causing my heart to skip a beat and then stop when he said that last sentence. I wondered if I had heard him right, my eyes widening as I snapped my head up to him. Had he really said that? I forced myself not to focus on that, knowing that was the least of my worries right now.

My gaze landed on Carmen, who was staring at Luke like she was waiting for the punchline of a joke. "Did you just say...you loved her before we broke up?" She asked, focusing on the same sentence as I had. He nodded his head, forcing himself to keep her gaze. She shocked me when she raised her hand and smacked him across the face, making me gasp as I immediately grabbed his face to make sure he was okay. My brows furrowed in concern and he gave me a small smile, silently letting me know that he was fine. "Did you fucking cheat on me?" She snapped, making both Luke and I gape up at her. "No!" We both exclaimed to her at once. "Nothing ever, ever happened while you were dating, Carmen. I swear it." I said, staring up at her with a frown.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "How do I know?" She pressed, making me frown. "I know this might be really weird for you, Carmen, but please. I-I wouldn't ever do that to anyone, and certainly not to you." I said, my voice shaky but full of honesty. She glared at us for a moment and my eyes pricked with tears, stinging them. "I'm so sorry for not telling you, Carmen. I wanted to! I wanted to so badly, but I didn't want you to hate me or him." I cried, beginning to feel my tears leak down my cheek. I didn't want her to see me crying, so I looked down and rubbed my tears, glad that my makeup had been taken off earlier. I tried to stop crying, but I just ended up sobbing, releasing all of the pent up guilt I'd been burdening the last few months. "I'm so sorry. You have no idea how a-awful I felt having to lie to you. I-I hate lying!" I sobbed, my tears falling onto my dress.

Luke gently grabbed my face and I cried harder at the affectionate way he tried to wipe my tears. "Sunshine, don't cry. Hey, breathe, okay?" He hummed, and I sniffled as I nodded my head, trying to do as he told me. I eventually managed to stop my crying and peeled my eyes open, my lashes wet with tears as I looked up at him. "Thanks." I said softly, wiping my cheeks to be sure there were no more tears before I looked up at Carmen again. She wasn't glaring, just frowning, like she was frustrated. "Do you hate me?" I asked softly, staring up at her.