the bucket list | lrh

34 - the meddling kids

"If you're done being boys, we're ready."

As Mariam emerged from her room, a shy looking Valentine followed shortly. Luke felt like shit for not getting her suitcase out for her, because the girl was wearing Mariams clothing. It's not that he didn't enjoy the way she looked. In fact, he thought she was very attractive in the slimming romper that ruffled out at the waist. It made her body look beautiful, despite having her arms crossed as a nervous habit, like she always did. Actually, that's exactly why Luke hated it. He'd never expected to have to see the girl in such revealing clothing. He was used to seeing her in her oversized tee shirts and looser fitting jeans.

The style suited her, though many may find it boring. Luke thought it was just Valentine, love it or hate it. And he certainly didn't hate it, but that was a challenge for a later day. He was nowhere near ready to accept that yet.

"I think they were just finishing up with that, actually," Paul chuckled, standing from his chair and broadening his shoulders.

"I'm Paul, by the way," he introduced himself to the little brunette hiding halfway behind Mariam. She felt extremely exposed with her legs on display, and she was terrified of Luke's expression. He kind of looked like he wanted to kill her for dressing that way. She knew it, too. She could tell by the way he was eyeing her up and down, trying his best—and not succeeding—to appear nonchalant. She had learned his ways well enough already, she could tell that he didn't like it. The reason why, she probably wouldn't have guessed.

"Valentine," the girl finally spoke up, voice small as she waved to Paul.

"And that's Nathan, but he's an asshat—so he probably won't give you a handshake or anything," Paul laughed, pointing towards his brother who was still pouting over the loss against Luke in Mario Kart.

"You're Adeline's sister, aren't you?" Nathan asked, finally getting a good look at Valentine as she stepped aside slightly to greet him. He didn't mean to come off so transparent, he was just caught off guard by the similarities in facial structure. Valentine was Adeline's little sister, after all. The two—despite having much different ways of life—were much the same genetically.

"Dude," Luke growled at the boy. Nathan winced a little at the harsh tone Luke held, because he knew that warning was genuine. It was no longer playful arguing, it was very malicious then. "I'm... sorry... she just—sorry, Valentine. You just look a lot like your sister," Nathan apologized, earning a dramatized fake smile from Luke.

"It's fine. I'm glad you knew my sister," Valentine smiled back, shooting daggers through Luke's heart. He knew the girl was uneasy about the comment Nathan made, but she was much too nice to ever say anything about it. It was the little girl he knew, the one he used to see all the time. He had gotten so used to Valentine when the two were alone, which was a totally different girl. She was so much more comfortable around Luke, and he loved that. He wanted to keep that version of him for himself, selfish and forever.

"Let's just... get going then," Paul spoke up again, making long strides towards the front of the house. As they all rustled around to get to the door, Luke found himself gravitating towards Valentine. So much so that he ended up right by her side, with his hand on her lower back. He didn't know what had come over him, because that was foreign. He had never done anything like it, grabbing the girl like she was his or something. In reality, it was a simple gesture that could've been demonstrated by a friend. But to Valentine and Luke—and under their specific circumstances—it was the world shifting gears again.

"Do you wanna take them to Oscar's or an actual restaurant?" Nathan joked with his siblings, making some reference that neither Luke nor Valentine understood. As they noted it to be some Californian inside joke, the two successfully zoned out. Neither of them were really paying attention to another word for the entirety of the car ride in Paul's Jeep. Valentine was squished between Luke and Nathan, as Mariam insisted on having shotgun—but she was too focused on how Luke's hand seemed to ghost over her skin to complain.