Thick and Thin [l. hemmings]

one

Luke and I thought we had our entire lives figured out when we were teenagers. We thought we were invincible, as if nothing could ever harm our relationship, or us. We acted as if we were so grown up, like we'd cracked the code to the perfect life. But as teenagers, you think you know everything. You have parents, teachers, family and every other adult in your life telling you what to do, but you rarely listen. You think you're an adult, as if you're just like them.

As teenagers you're delusional about your high school relationships. Thinking a high school relationship will be perfect and last forever is insane. It rarely ever works. We figured we would beat those odds. Many people have before, so why couldn't we? But again, it wasn't often it worked.

But I never thought like that, and Luke didn't either.

We had been together since we were fourteen. When we first got together both of our parents thought we'd be together for maybe a month. They figured that we'd go on a couple dates then fizzle out. That we'd break up after those few weeks and it'd be a tiny fragment in our high school careers that we'd forget about in the future. That maybe one day when we were with our future significant other or children we'd run into each other at the grocery store and be reminded about the good old days.

It never happened that way, though.

We spent freshman year together, we were one of the only couples in our grade at our high school. We were the only ones to make it through the entire year. It was the year we first kissed. It was when we first told each other we were in love. It was the year everybody always talked about the two of us.

Then there was sophomore year. We spent a lot of time with our friends Calum and Kiana. They weren't together, but Calum was Luke's best friend and Kiana was mine. When we first started dating, we were one of those couples that stopped seeing their friends often. So, we made sure to change that. The four of us were inseparable at that point.

Luke and I still went on dates and hung out just the two of us though. When it wasn't winter, or just not cold outside, there was a park the two of us always went to. Art was a big part of my life, and a lot of times when we'd sit there together Luke would do work while I'd draw. Though, painting was my main focus. Luke was always so encouraging about it.

Going into junior year, both Luke and I felt like we were even more mature than ever. That summer Luke and I finally did what we had spent months talking about. I kept my expectations low, as it was both of our first time.

Junior year was one of our best years together, even though we didn't have as much time together like we used to. We were both working; I had my job at the grocery store down the street from our high school. Luke started putting more hours in at his parents company, as he needed the money, but he also knew at this point that he'd take over the company eventually. Both of his older brothers went off to do their own thing and signed off the company to Luke.

Our last year in high school together, senior year, was hectic but we were still as in love as we'd ever been. We talked a lot about our future throughout senior year. We thought we'd be perfect. Luke had a job for life with his parents. I was going to stay close to home here in Seattle and go to University of Washington. We had plans.

We did everything seniors do. Prom, Graduation, everything. I accepted my offer to UW, as it was a great option and I'd be home with my friends, and Luke.

Once high school was done, Luke and I were just waiting for his birthday to come around. We figured once he was eighteen we'd be both be adults and hoped things would be different. We just wanted our parents to see us as grown up, as many kids do once they hit eighteen.

It's not like our parents disapproved of our relationship. Both sets of parents were tremendously supportive of Luke and I, I couldn't ask for more. Our parents somewhat became friends because of us; there was no bad blood between anybody in either family.