Tangled Strings (sequel to Red Strings)

Chapter 46

Skyler's POV

I sit at some on the family laptop watching Tyler Oakley's youtube videos with a bag of chips in my lap, I snort as he tells a joke leaning back in the chair. Suddenly I feel myself falling but it's to late my bum is already hitting the floor. "Ouch." I pout before I start laughing. 

I hear the door bell ring and I wipe the chips off the front of my shirt and go to open it. The door swings open and it's Luke, I look at him confused and he holds up a tub of ice cream and another bag of chips. I smile fondly letting him in. "What's the occasion?" I ask shutting the door. "No occasion just wanted to hang out." Luke walks right into the kitchen grabbing spoons and a large bowl. "And how do you know I'm not super busy?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest. "Um the of chips on your shirt?" I look down way too comfortable with Luke to be embarrassed. 

"Fair enough" I tell him taking a spoon out of his hand and heading back into the computer room. "Um why is the chair like that?" he asks I look down noticing I hadn't fixed it and start to laugh again. "What?" he grins. "What?" "It's a long story…" I lie he glares at me knowingly. "Ok whatever." he pulls the other chair from the desk next to the computer. 

"So what are we watching?" He asks digging his hand into the chip bowl as I stare at him. Did he really have nothing better to do today? "What?" He says again I shake my head trying to readjust my focus "Nothing... do you want to watch Castle?" I blurt out before I can think about what I had just asked. Stupid Skyler why would he have waited to watch the new season with you? I mean I know he said he still loved me and stuff but that was mostly just so he wouldn't our friendship. 

"Skyler, what is with you today? You keep zoning out." I look down at my hands and he sighs. "I'd love to." my heart leaps and I feel way to excited about the answer. "Alright?" "Alright?" I bite my lip trying not to smile and reach over him for the chips.

"Woah woah woah who said you could have some?" "Luke!" I squeal continuing to try and get the bowl from him. "Nope, nope!" He uses his giant arms to keep it away from me. "Just one, come on!" I say in between laughs he puts his hand out blocking me further. Suddenly I see spots. Not again, I think to myself I draw my hand away. 

"Skyler?" Luke says I can clearly hear the concern in his voice, my breathing becomes irregular and Luke reaches his hand out for me and I grab onto his arm and squeeze looking for something solid. "I'm right here Sky…" he says dropping to his knees to sit closer to me. "Listen to my voice ok?" He says "Ok?" I bite my lip nodding. "Good" I can almost hear him relax which makes me feel safe. "You're safe understand? Your moms ok, you're ok, Natalie's ok, the boys are ok you're ok…" I squeeze my eyes shut trying to get the red out of my vision. "You're ok, you're not in the car anymore." I exhale loudly. "Good... good!" Luke says 

"Keep repeating that to yourself ok?" Luke is mostly quite after that he moves even closer rubbing circles into my back finally I get my breathing back to normal and the feeling of my constricted chest fades. I open my eyes the light automatically making me squint and Luke hasn't moved he's still rubbing circles into my back his eyebrows furrowed. 

"I'm sorry" I say finally Luke's blue eyes shoot up. "Skyler never apologize for this." he tells me. "Something traumatic happened and this is just a side effect it doesn't have to control you Skyler it only has power if you give it power." Suddenly I can't take it anymore and I leap towards him crashing our lips together in a way that would be painful if it didn't feel so perfect. Luke doesn't respond at first but then I feel him cup my cheek and kiss back. A tear rolls down my cheek at Luke pulls away concerned. "What's wrong?" he asks all I can do is smile. "Nothing... nothing's wrong everything's perfect." I say biting my lip Luke rolls his eyes wiping the tear away and pulling me into another kiss. It felt like our first kiss and yet so much had changed, and yet everything was still the same. Luke was still that stupid teenager with the lopsided grin and one freaking adorable dimple, and I was still stupidly in love with everything about him.