Memories for a Lifetime

Chapter Two

"Eh, not too much. I can tell you made the most of the sun though." He replied, an eyebrow raised as his eyes raked over me. Woah, my stomach exploded just at the attention. I really did love him, didn't I? Was there any denying it really?

"I did wear a blazer but I left it in my office." I countered.

"You were talking about how much I've changed but just looking at you - you look happier than I've seen you in ages." He had pride in his eyes as he walked by me and my chest swelled. I flicked my shades back over my eyes and carried on smiling.

"It's called being single."

He stood still in the middle of the street and turned to me, a few disgruntled citizens pushing past in a huff. "Wait, you're telling me that you have stayed single for more than a couple of weeks? You?" He asked, the shock clear in his voice.

I narrowed my eyes – not that he could see and pursed my lips. "Not funny. Between Mitch and Sean there was six weeks."

His eyes widened in fake shock. "Wow, record."

"You really aren't funny. You've had a fair few in your past."

"Chill Annie, I'm messing around. We all already know you need attention or you'll pass out." I scowled as he laughed but I knew it was just banter. "So how come anyway?"

You. And it was too late by the time I'd realised.

"No reason, I just haven't been looking. Without you as a distraction I've actually been doing my job and been too busy." Yes, not thrown yourself into your job to help with the pain, no – not at all.

I was seriously pathetic.

I'd seen Luke bare naked, I'd kissed him for dares when we were kids, I'd climbed trees with him and we'd both cried on each other's shoulders when we were upset and yet all through those years I never saw it. He was just Luke – my best friend. Why fucking now?

He had the cutest scar across the bridge of his nose after he got into a fight with the aforementioned Mitch who had cheated on me – Luke found out before me. He beat the living daylights out of him, and it was probably at that point that I started to see Luke in a different light – he had never done something like that before.

I was absolutely devastated when I'd found out.

Sean was more of a rebound, and I ended things because my feelings for Luke were starting to get out of control and I knew it wasn't fair.

"I'm offended!" He cried, hand covering his mouth in fake-shock. "Anyway, where are we off to now?"

"Well, I finished early to go and meet Zoe at The Garden but we can go wherever, if you want? We do need a catch up and I'll be seeing Zoe tomorrow anyway." I replied easily, although I kept an eye on him to make sure he didn't see it as desperate.

He stepped off the pavement and pulled me with him. With barely a glance at the road, he pulled us across. I squeezed my eyes shut as I ran with him, hoping I didn't feel the weight of a car suddenly smack into me.

"You can open your eyes, you know?" He chuckled as I felt the step up of the curb, confirming I was to live for at least another day – or, in the case of being with Luke - for the next couple of minutes.

"Why would you do that?" I yelled furious. "There is a zebra crossing like a hundred metres away!" I glanced around at all the people, aware of the glares.

"What! I've always said-"

"That the way you would die would be by being hit by a car. Yes I know. I still don't want to be the one in the casket next to you, though." I finished.