𝙏𝙀𝙈𝙋𝙏𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 • 𝙇𝙍𝙃

07. just friends

JUST FRIENDS

"luke, are you awake?"

luke had been up for hours, unable to sleep after the fight — if you could even call it a fight, with emma.

it was nearly eight in the morning, and the chipper voice from behind his door made his stomach swirl at thoughts of emma being behind it.

the bed creaked as his weight shifted and he landed feet first in the floor, throwing a random t-shirt over his head and quickly running his hands through his hair before opening the door.

luke's face fell when he saw maya, not because he didn't want to see her, but because he had been hoping it was someone else.

"hey — are you okay?" maya leaned against the door frame, inspecting the dark bags under luke's eyes.

emma had been in a similar state, maya made sure to check on her best friend before coming to luke.

"fine" luke announced.

"you're sure?" maya pushed, knowing she'd have to work a little harder if she wanted luke to open up to her. unlike the other night, luke wasn't drunk and willingly spilling every detail of his life.

luke nodded, pulling maya into his room and shutting the door in one instantaneous movement.

"what's going on?" she asked him.

luke shoved the note under his pillow, not wanting any wandering eyes to see it.

"why have you been so hot and cold with me?" luke demanded an answer for her wishy-washy behavior.

"i'm not following"

luke huffed out of frustration, glancing up at the ceiling in hopes of calming down.

"you've gone from slapping me and telling me to stay away from emma, to-to this. checking up on me after emma and i get into a heated discussion and picking me up after i get arrested when you borderline hated me"

maya shrugged. sure, her feelings towards luke as of late had been less than pleasant, but he was still a friend — which was a very loose term at the moment.

"she's my best friend, obviously i'm going to take her side and hate you by association. you were a douche, and you hurt her. but then you told me why you really broke up with her and i guess my opinions changed... you thought you were being selfless and doing what was best for her, just because it backfired doesn't mean your intentions were less than pure"

"so you won't be slapping me again?" luke grinned.

"i wouldn't go that far," maya teased. "but i'm not angry at you anymore, emma on the other hand... she's just confused"

"she said that?" luke hoped maya would give him some insight on how emma was doing.

"no, but it's obvious. maybe if you tell her the real reason, she'll be more inclined to forgive you"

"i can't," luke shook his head and retreated towards the end of the bed. "i'm not ready"

"she wants you out by the end of the day, so much for getting her back, huh?"

"who said i won't get her back?"

"luke," maya sat next to luke on the bed, giving him a knowing look. "she doesn't want you in her house anymore, how are you going to carry out your plan from across the country?"

luke rested his head along the headboard and propped his feet up. "who said i was going home?"

"where else would you go, you can't stay here"