Forgotten Memories

Chapter 6: Aha

-Aria-

I think I might've fainted...

••••••••••

-Luke-

I held her in my arms for a second before she fainted.

"What the-?"

Rue burst out laughing immediately and doubled over. "OMG!" She kept laughing until she caught me staring. She composed herself and coughed into her hand. "Uh..."

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing too until my stomach hurt. Suddenly, Aria woke up. I nudged Rue so she'd stop and she did.

Aria held on to my shirt as leverage as she pulled herself up, still sitting in my lap. She looked around and saw Rue first. "What hap-"

It finally dawned on her that it had been real, because her eyes grew humongous and she spun around to see me.

"Luke," she whispered.

I smiled. "Hey there, sweetheart."

She threw herself at me (thankfully it wasn't so hard, since she was barely two inches away) and wrapped her arms around my neck, then squeezed the air out of me, but I didn't mind.

"Aria, hold on!" Rue said, laughing. "He's not fully recovered!"

Aria froze and released me slowly. "Sorry."

She turn away and was about to climb out of my lap when I caught her wrist and pulled her back. Confused, she turned to look at me.

I grinned. "It doesn't hurt."

She grinned back and wrapped her arms around my midsection, this time with less force. Then she started spitting out a string of words that sounded like: "OhgoshLukedoyouhaveanyideawhatyouputmethrough?" She slapped me hard, then gasped. "Oh my gosh. I didn't-I really-"

I was genuinely surprised. "It's okay, I get it." I put my hand on my face and rubbed. "I get it." I chuckled, but frowned as tears sprung in her eyes.

"Maybe that wasn't the best idea," she said, as tears started rolling down.

"No," I agreed, "it really wasn't." I gathered her in my arms again as she sobbed. "Hey," I whispered. "Shh, it's okay."

She looked up. "Okay? Nothing's okay. I just slapped my bo-" she froze. Her boyfriend.

I waited.

"-my best friend."

"Aha."

"It's true!"

I grinned. "Aha."

She was about to slap my arm, when she froze. she chuckled nervously. "I'm not gonna do that."
I laughed and wiped the tears off her face. "I was hoping you wouldn't."

••••••••••

-Aria-

We walked out of the hospital a day later, with Luke in a wheelchair. It was unnecessary, but they said it was procedure.

Eh.

Rue was pushing it, but Luke refused and started doing tricks on it.

"Are we gonna go eat? 'Cause I'm starving," I muttered, as Rue unlocked the car.

Luke started spinning in his wheelchair until it toppled backwards and he hit the floor with a groan.

"Luke!" Rue yelped, but I stopped her, rolling my eyes. "I'll get him."