It was her. Standing there with eyes drooping down while looking evidently so drunk he made for the door and opened it hastily. "Luke?" She spoke first, blinking a few times as she got a hold of the door for support. "Luke? Is that you? Am—Am I in the right room or whaaaa?" The man frowned. She was positively drunk and he didn't know what to do.
He didn't know if he'll just leave her outside until she comes to—or if he's actually going to let her in.
"Luke? I—I—came to apologize." Her words were slurry yet over it, he could understand perfectly what she was saying. "I'm so so, so so, so sorry, sorry, Lukey."
"Why?" He managed to ask despite feeling like his throat was closing off. Like there was a lump in it, threatening to emit an emotion he kept locked in his chest.
"I'm sorry for leaving. I—I didn't want to leave. I don't want to leave you. I love you. Why would I leave you? Who would l—l—leave Luke Hemmings?!" The girl fell on her knees after failing to keep herself upright that Luke carried her from her back and laid her back down at the sofa while still mumbling words he couldn't understand.
"But why did you leave?" This time, he wondered if he could get it out of her. Just a reason—just one reason that proves she's not an asshole she made herself to be for leaving him just like that after years. After—almost half of their life together. He was desperate to know now.
"I didn't wanna leave, Lu—Lukey. I didn't wanna go."
"Theo, tell me."
"I was—there was—something wrong with—m-me." Luke held on to the ground. He wanted to be ready for what it is that she's gonna say.
"Did you cheat on me? Was there another man?"
In his surprise, she laugh so loud it caused her to gag furiously. Making him run towards the kitchen to get something for her to puke on when she raised a thumbs up and exclaimed, "False alarm! I'm okay!", while still laughing out loud at that.
"Goddamnit, Theo!" He was frustrated now. He was angry at her for finding his room, for barging in, and for messing with him while drunk as hell. Luke made for the phone and was about to call Calum and ask for help when Theo spoke again.
This time, she was already crying. "Cheat on Luke? I'd never do that. I'd never ask for more! Have you met my Luke?! He's—he's perfect."
"Theo, I'll call someone to help—"
"He's everything I ever wanted in the whole—whole—whole wide world."
"Theo, please."
"He's all I ever wanted in life. And I didn't want him to be hurt because I was b-broken. I didn't want him to suffer because there's something wrong with—with me."
"What happened to you, Theo?" Tears were starting to brim on his eyes and he didn't know why suddenly—all the hurt, all the things he'd kept safely hidden away, it was all coming back now. It was all coming back because she was telling him what he always wanted to know.
The why. "Did something happen to you? Did someone do anything to you? Tell me." He'd always known she had issues between her family. Her Mom was in between a divorce at the time and her quarrel with Eric was still going on even after years of time wasted on it. The last time he remembered, Theo was frustrated in her work, too. It took a toll on her that he knew she was going through hell even if she didn't admit. But right now, what she's saying, it was all keeping him at the edge. Luke has to know if someone did something to her so much it—damaged her. It broke her so much that she had to go away.
"I—I... Luke is that really you?" Her hands met his cheeks that he backed away from the mere touch. But the drunk girl didn't stop. She reached for his cheek so fast he didn't even know how close they were already. "Luke? Are you my Luke?"
"Y-Yeah. I'm Luke." His breathing slow, his heartbeat fast. Luke did nothing except look right back into her eyes. As if he'd forgotten how it looked like this close. Like the sea. So calm yet a force so loud he couldn't help but drag all his attention over her eyes.
"Then if you are. I'd really like to kiss you."
He cursed on his head. Once, twice?
"Theo..."
Ten times. One after the other he almost ran out of curses when Theo closed her eyes and drew herself close. Their foreheads finally touching, their noses hovering close... So close he could smell the alcohol she took. So close he could remember how it feels like. So close—he forgot how much it all hurts.
Until the woman fell down on his shoulders—out like a light.
"Fuck." Luke cursed one final time before carrying the girl into his own bed and downing the vodka straight through while sitting on the floor next to it. Looking at her.
Who the hell was he kidding? He hasn't moved on. He never did... No matter how much he tried. No matter how much alcohol he took, or sleepless nights he spent distracting himself by making music. Every single thing was her. His room? He could still smell the scent of her perfume. His guitar? He had so many memories of teaching her music using it. His shirts? Theo wore so much of it he could remember her, everywhere.
As if she never went away. And he was angry. So angry about seeing her leave. So angry about not hearing anything about her other than Vegas. So—so fucking angry that she forgot about him so easily when he couldn't.
Yet even after all that. Even after the lows. Even after all the days he spent crying alone. Tonight?
Tonight changed everything he ever believed in.
Luke wasn't so angry like he was just moments ago before she came. He wasn't as frustrated, or sad, or broken. Luke felt light. Like somehow, things were coming back in all the right places.
But Luke was afraid. He was so afraid of his own damn heart. He was so afraid of how for a moment there, all while looking at her peaceful slumber, all he could ever feel was his heart, pounding so loud he could hear it. All he could ever see were her smile. The memories of her, the good, not the bad. That all Luke could ever hear was her voice, saying how much she loves him still.
Luke was probably a fool for wanting to believe everything will get back to the way it was even after everything.
But he was a fool in love, willing to take all the risk soon as his lips collided on her forehead. "Goodnight, Theo."
*・。*゜・。・o゜・。*゜・。・o*゜・。・o*
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