My Life With Him

Him

Riding home tonight, I felt different. I felt, lighter, happier... optimistic. Hanging out tonight with Eleanor made me feel different. Because she was different. She was... shy and quirky but had a wild side as well; when I first saw her I immediately thought 'Snobby Rich Girl', and yeah, her family was rich and all, but she was much more than that. There was definitely something about her, underneath all that rich girl facade that I had yet to discover. And it was exciting.

"Lukey!" Avery's voice startled me as I swung the door open and stepped inside the house, I immediately crouched down and picked her up as I spun her around as she giggled loudly while squealing "Where have you been?!"

"Sorry munchkin, I was out with a friend." I said with a smirk as I put her down "Have you eaten yet?"

"Yeah, aunt Jess went to pick me up at school and we ate pizza and ice cream!" she exclaimed and I bit my bottom lip. She was still here? "She's making dinner right now; pasta!"

"She's here?" I muttered and she nodded as she pointed towards the kitchen; I sent Avery upstairs while I talked to aunt Jessica again

"I thought you left." I said as I leaned on the frame of the kitchen door with my arms crossed over my chest "Guess that wish didn't come true." I snapped as I pulled the refridgerator door open and grabbed a bottle of wáter, chuging it down in the process

"Lucas, I need you to understand." she whispered "Just listen to me for five minutes and I'll explain everything." I blinked a couple times before sighing heavily and nodding as I sat on one of the bar stools, directing my gaze to her so she could continue "She didn't want me to see her." she started and I frowned "She wrote me when she was admitted to the hospital and begged me not to come see her because she didn't want me to see her in such state. I know it might be hard to believe, but you have to. It's the truth." she sighed "She asked the same thing for the funeral. She even asked me to take you and Avery in with me for a while; we both knew that wouldn't be posible." she chuckled "You were with her 24/7 and refused to leave her side, it would be a failed mission." she whispered before meeting my eyes and reaching her hand out to grip mine, she squeezed it tightly as I shut my eyes briefly "I know that it had to be so hard for you to go through it alone, and I'm sorry." she whispered before sniffling "I wasn't thinking about you in the moment and for that I apologise."

"I understand." I croaked "I'm sorry about yesterday." I whispered and she nodded

"You had every right to yell at me; you didn't know the truth." she said with a small smile as she squeezed my hand again "Just know that I love you Lucas, and your mom would be so proud of the man you've grown to become since then." she said with a sad smile as a tear fell from her eyes

"I love you too, Aunt Jess." I whispered before wrapping my arms around her small figure as I rested my chin on her head.

Maybe things were finally starting to get better.

*****

"Dani?" I chuckled as I entered my room "What are you doing here?" I said as I walked over to my bed and sat cross-legged, facing her

"I snuck in." she giggled and I chuckled "Like I used to." she added as she glanced around my room with a faint smile "It feels like I haven't been here in ages." she breathed "Remember when we used to hide under your bed for hours and your mom would have to come and practically pull us out." she laughed and I shook my head with a small smile

"Yeah, I remember the one time she had to bribe us with cookies." I chuckled softly, she looked at me with a frown "What?"

"There's something different about you." she said as she rested her hand on her chin "You look... happy." she stated

"I feel different." I said with a shake of my head "Things with my aunt Jess are better, we just talked and cleared things up; and..."

"Oh My God, there's a girl." she smiled widely "Isn't there?" I said nothing, but the smile on my face gave it away "When were you going to tell me?!"

"There's nothing going on, we just hung out today and... it was nice." She gasped and I looked at her with an eyebrow raised

"Lucas Anderson, do you like this girl?" she giggled with a wide smile on her face "Oh, I most definitely need to meet this girl."

"Shut up, we just hung out." I said as I nudged her shoulder, she giggled slightly

"Well, would you like to 'hang out' with her again?" she said with a cheeky smirk

"Yeah, I do." I chuckled and she smirked

"Will you?" she challenged and I smiled

"I hope so."