First one

Seventy-Three: Could this get any worse?

Lukas's POV

I noticed the way she was looking at her phone, my sister's name all over the screen. I didn't want her to look, I didn't want her to be upset again when she was finally back to smiling. Knowing Mia, she hadn't had enough time to cool down. I looked at Bells and her gaze met mine, she didn't know what to do either so I decided to make that decision for her, I just couldn't handle seeing her sad again, not yet.

The moment I saw she was considering reading the message I gently slid my hand over hers and over her phone in it. "Please, Bells. You don't need to read it now." She looked up at me through her eyelashes and her eyebrows raised. "Let's just enjoy this, us. I loved that adorable smile on your face minutes ago, please just keep it for a while. Please." I begged her, my hand still pushing the phone down, while the other on was still wrapped around her shoulders.

I felt her lean into me, my lips voluntary pressing against her temple as she sighed. "Do you think it's going to be bad... The text... Is she still angry?"

"I don't know but I know my sister." I whispered, lowering my lips to meet her ear. "When she's happy, she's the happiest anyone can be, when she's sad she's on the brink of depression and when she's angry she's more than furious. It's always the extreme with her. That's why I don't want you to read that text now. It's not how she'll feel tomorrow." I whispered, tightening my grip around her, trying to give her the comfort I think she needed, or at least hopes she finds in me.

She shifted her head to the side, our faces mere inches apart. I couldn't resist brushing my nose over hers before kissing her forehead. "Lukas." She said closing her eyes briefly until I felt her hand push up the phone. "Here." She said, handing it over to me, pushing in into my hand, for a moment my mind utterly confused. "Give it back to me tomorrow morning. I want today to end on a happy note, even if it's only for today. Tomorrow, I can go back to crying but today I don't want to anymore. I choose to be happy."

"Are you sure?" I asked, seeking confirmation in her expression and when she nodded, I took the phone from her hands and shut if off before putting it in my pocket, secure and away from her. "So tomorrow morning, does that mean you're staying with me tonight?" I smiled, happy to know I could hold her close to me tonight. I had gotten used to sleeping with her, and now I couldn't imagine myself sleeping without her next to me. It was just way to comforting and cozy to wake up next to her knowing I'm the first person she sees or speaks to. To see her and her unmasked beauty in my bathroom, and to say goodbye when she goes off to class.

"Only if you want me to." She smiled before putting the straw of her milkshake to her lips.

"Sure, why not." I shrugged my shoulders, knowing I would get some sort of reaction out of her.

"Why not?" She repeated while looking at me with a scrunched face and it had me smiling ear to ear at how adorable that was.

"Yeah, why not?" I shrugged my shoulders again before leaning back against the seat as if I wasn't bothered by it and she stared at me with a blank stare, her mouth parted as her straw lingered on her lips. 

"That's all you're going to say. Why Not?" She said, keeping the surprise on her face as she put the milkshake back on the table with a thud. 

"Oh stop pouting." I smirked at her before quickly leaning in to kiss her lips, kissing them with aim. Before her I would have rolled my eyes if I saw one of those sugar sweet couples in a booth, acting like the way we were. But I now understood their happiness, taking back every eyeroll I ever threw at such a scene. "I want nothing more."

She playfully rolled her eyes at me before leaning in to kiss me back. "Jerk." She whispered against my lips and when her smile followed, I knew I needed her to keep smiling. She had suffered enough from what her parents did to her and now it was up to me to make sure no one would ever hurt her, to keep her happy, to keep that smile on her face for as long as I can help it.