final round - lrh

sixty-two.

"Okay no, this is not how it's going to go," Declan says, his attention on Luke. "That's my baby sister and I will beat your ass with my one arm if there's any eye fucking."

Luke smiles, putting his hands up in defense.

"Can we talk about something else?" I groan, having not expected to have this conversation today.

"Can I at least know how long this has been going on?" Calum presses.

I look to Luke, not really having an answer. We made out in the motel but that was it for a while. We didn't really pick up things again until Damien came back with the letter.

Nonetheless, Luke says, "Since she went to Damien's campgrounds with me."

"Okay, what the fuck?" Calum asks, in disbelief. "It's been that long?"

"Not really," I try to explain. "He kissed me and we didn't really kiss again until Damien came back with the letter."

The truth is, there was a pretty big gap.

"And that's when it started? When Damien came with the letter?" Calum asks for clarification.

I look to Luke, seeing if he agrees as he nods his head, a bored look on his features as if not in the mood to entertain this further. The truth is, we don't owe them all the details and I'm sure Luke is not thrilled to fill them all in on something that doesn't concern them.

"So what in the hell were you thinking when you gave her the hickey?" Calum asks, an incredulous expression on his features.

"I wasn't."

"What are you doing leaving hickeys on my sister's neck anyway?" Declan challenges.

Luke and I both shoot him a look as if silently asking him to just drop it.

I don't need anyone getting answers out of us regarding what we were up to last night.

"Can we just eat, please?" I ask. "I'm eager to get to be literally anywhere but here."

"You should want to stay here, I'm going to kick your ass today," Declan says to me, a teasing tone to his voice as I don't doubt that he's going to test me and see just how much I've truly grown.

"Trust me, anything is better than this."

"You say that now," Declan says, shooting me a teasing look.

"Considering the hell Luke's put me through here, I think I can handle whatever you plan on throwing my way," I say even though I have a feeling I'm going to regret my words. This will only serve as a challenge for him.

"Gotta get you out of here alive somehow," Luke says, his words casual regardless of the darkness of them.

"So what happens when you two get out of here... are you gonna like, date?" Calum asks, once again getting into the subject of Luke and I.

I try not to roll my eyes. I thought we were over this.

"Yes," is all Luke says. "Considering we already are."

"Wait-- you guys are together together?" Ashton asks, this clearly being news to him.

"Yes," Luke says plainly.

"Well, that's news to me," Declan contributes.

"How the fuck are you guys together when you're in the middle of training to go to war?" Ashton asks as if that was impossible.

"What does it matter? Who gives a fuck where we are?" Luke fires back, seeming to not appreciate the question.

"I just think it's pointless."