romeo + juliet ↠ l.h

22

"Emma."

I awoke to Morgan shaking me as my eyes felt intolerably heavy. I was initially confused, until I recalled the events from the day.

Oh no.

"Where's my phone? I need to call my mom." Panic filled me as I pictured my mom frantically pacing the living room and, most likely, texting me dozens of times. I imagined her getting the phone call from school that I had left and not came back. I was going to be in so much trouble.

"Don't worry, I texted your mom." Morgan stated as she uncomfortably sat on the edge of the bed, keeping her distance.

I realized that Luke was still laying with me, his arm draped lazily over my body. I shook him twice before his eyes opened and his arms raised to stretch.

"Morning." Luke said, even though it was just 5:15 pm. He looked at me and then at Morgan, who was giving him a death glare.

"Do you think you could..." Morgan trailed off. Luke confusingly glared at her.

"Can you give us a second?" I softly said, placing my hand on his chest. I watched as Morgan grew more uncomfortable.

"Oh! Yeah." And with that, Luke made his way out of bed and out the bedroom door, shutting it as he left.

Morgan and I sat in silence for almost a full minute before she finally spoke.

"Why didn't you just tell me that you're fucking Luke?" Morgan sighed, crossing her arms and refusing to make eye contact. She was hurt, and I could not blame her.

"What? I'm not fu-," I paused, "It's not like that, Mo."

We hadn't even had sex. It was so much more than that.

"Then what is it? Because I cannot comprehend why you thought you had to keep this from me. I'm your best friend." I could hear the hurt in her voice, and I didn't blame her, I'd have the exact same reaction.

"It was just... a really big deal. I was scared that my parents w-would find out. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want to risk them knowing." I paused, before solemnly adding, "Even if that meant lying to you and Alice."

Morgan didn't speak for a few moments, she just stared at the ground with a blank expression.

"You lied to me, Emma. Over a boy. You lied to me about your dumbass secret boyfriend."

"He's not a dumbass. And he's not my boyfriend." I quickly retorted.

"Then what is he to you? Because if you aren't fucking and he's not your boyfriend, then I can't figure it out." Morgan threw her hands up and stood up from her seat on the edge of the bed. She was getting more and more upset, and I had yet to give her a solid explanation.

"I... don't know."

And I didn't. I couldn't give her an answer to that. I just wanted him to come into the room and tell me... tell me that-

"I love him." I whispered.

Morgan looked shocked, and I too was shocked. That was the first time I'd heard those words. Never had they come out of my mouth, but they'd always been in my brain. Flitting around, waiting for me to let them go. And it felt so good to finally say it aloud, even if it wasn't to Luke.

I love him.

"You what?" Morgan questioned. She had no bitterness in her voice, just surprise.

"Yeah. I think I love him." I paused and lowered my voice, "I know I do, actually."

"So you guys... aren't dating. And you aren't fucking... but you love him?"