before the pain | luke (JATP)

L

"I want a picture" Mrs. Garcia spoke, as she went over taking her daughter's camera and pointing it at the two teenagers. Mila and Luke smiled into the camera as Mila's head laid against his shoulder and their hands were intertwined

They went outside seeing a limousine, which made Mila stop op. "Bobby's idea" Luke laughed as they went to the limousine and Luke opened the door, the music inside the car was loud, and inside was her friends sitting in fancy clothes and with drinks in their hands.

"MILA!" They all yelled as they saw her, with a bright smile she placed herself in the car, and soon the friends were all driving to the winter formel together. Luke and Mila's hands intertwined in the car.

"Oh and Mila?" Luke whispered into her ear as they drove to school, she looked over to him and nodded. "When I saw you in that dress... I understood the difference between pretty and beautiful" Mila's face turned all red as she smiled brightly getting all shy by the cheesy comment.

"And you haven't learned the difference between cute and cheesy " Which caused both of them to chuckle as they sat beside each other.

The car stopped and the first to hop out was Alex who held the door open for everyone. The three boys had decided to go alone or together if you asked Luke, but they were happy with that choice.

The music from the school building was loud and as the five friends began walking towards the school building was Luke and Mila's hands intertwined. They walked into the gymnasium, the blue lights shined beautifully and the whole school was dancing, drinking punch, and asking the DJ, for their favorite song, which they knew would be in the queue.

"MILA!" Yelled Aera as she and Caroline came walking, they both looked gorgeous in their matching light pink suits. "You look amazing!" yelled Mila to try and overgo the loud music playing top 100. "Thank you but have you seen yourself?" Caroline said as she eyed Mila with a bright smile.

Luke leaned closed and whispered into her ear: "I'll get some punch, stay here" She nodded slowly before he walked away, leaving her with her friends. "So you and Luke went together" Aera wiggled her eyebrows, which made Mila laugh.

"Well of course, he is my boyfriend..." as she spoke came on something she had never thought would, as the DJ yelled: "This is Sunset Curve with 'Get Lost" The song began playing loudly and Mila widened her eyes as she saw on stage her friends playing their song like it was always planned.

She grabbed Aera and Caroline's hands and forced them to the dance floor where they began dancing and laughing as the beat made their heart bump. It was like the lights never shined brighter as Mila sang from her lungs to Luke's verse, even when the song ended they all kept dancing and laughing.

"Thank you, we're Sunset Curve, tell your friends!" Said Reggie into the microphone before the four of them went off stage. "Did you see how much Mila was screaming, she is our biggest fan I tell you" Said Alex as they went off stage, Bobby laughed. "That weirdo has really become something huh?"

They all laughed as they went out to the dance floor, Reggie and Alex went dancing with Mila and the girls, which left Luke and Bobby alone by the drinks. "I swear, the Orpheum is gonna change everything for us, we're gonna become so big everyone will know our names"

Bobby nodded in agreement. "And I wouldn't do it without you guys, honestly the idea that we are at the beginning of our dream, I mean this will be our legacy, in some years, everyone will know Luke Patterson and Bobby Willson I tell you" Luke laughed and put an arm around his best friend.

Luke and Bobby had been best friends since middle school, they had always had each other and they always would, at least that was what they thought. As they stood there looking at their friends dance, Luke smiled, he was thankful, he had the girl of his dreams, he had the best friends and he had his dream which would soon come true.

The two snapped out of their thoughts as Mila walked with a bright smile towards them. "Alex wanna dance with you"

She took Luke's hand as she giggled. "And then you have to dance with me after" Luke chuckled as he nodded, he leaned down kissing her gently.

"Bobby, keep the lady company while I am gone" He winked with a smile, before kissing Mila one last time on the cheek before going to the dance floor to dance with his other best friend. Mila smiled brightly as she looked at Bobby.

He looked at her with a smile she couldn't read, as he took a deep breath and looked back at Luke.

"You two are happy together huh?" He asked with a small smile, she nodded as she bit her lip. "Never been happier honestly"

Their eyes met and Bobby looked at her with a soft smile, he sighed. "You know weirdo, he is a lucky guy" Mila laughed and shook her head. "Daliah would have been lucky too if you didn't say no to her" She answered, but were she laughed, he didn't.

"Bobby?-" She put a hand on his shoulder as he looked down at his feet. "He is too lucky... I mean... I can't help but wonder if I ... If I had just hurried would... would you maybe have chosen me?"

It was like the room went quiet, like something inside her broke as she looked at her friend, she gulped and took a deep breath, she was about to answer him as she faced him, in his eyes, you could see a broken heart.

"Make him happy please... and if he one day doesn't make you happy... please give me a chance..." She was about to answer as he leaned over kissing her cheek, putting something in her hand. "I'm sorry" He whispered into her ear before walking away.

He left her frozen, in her red dress she looked down at her hand, where a piece of paper was, reading it made a tear roll down her cheek, she always thought she was invisible, that what she did never mattered, as no one would ever like her back.

She had been praying a guy would like her and now she stood with three and having to break two hearts... made her sick to her stomach. She looked out in the crowd, where in the middle she saw the boys laughing and dancing.

She looked back at the paper, she knew where it was from as she read it, the note that Bobby had written for her on her birthday...

becoming your friend, I realized that I was in pride. But the truth is you taught me something, you don't even know. You taught that a friend who can't be truly happy for his friend's success or happiness has never been a true friend.

at the bottom of the paper, something new was added, which made Mila cry, silenced by the music and lights.

I was never a true friend when I fall for 272

She didn't get to cry for long as soon after an arm was around her, she leaned her head against his shoulder as she smelled the peppermint, calming herself as she fastly hid the note, she didn't know if Bobby was gonna tell him, but this wasn't the way. She didn't want to break one more friendship.

"Are you okay?" Asked Luke as he whispered into her ear, she nodded slowly not saying a word but simply putting her hands around him hugging him tightly.