Changing Tune

16. Tough nut to crack

Chapter 16: Tough nut to crack

Ellie's POV

*****

The rest of the day was spent thinking about everything that had gone down. So many thoughts swarmed through my head, making me feel slightly light headed and more confused than ever. I couldn't pinpoint the exact moment everything got so complicated in my life, and no matter how grateful I was for the current life I was living, I couldn't help but wish that things were made a little bit easier for me. 

All of my fruitful thinking that night had to eventually lead to a decision, and even after I had made it, I still wasn't certain whether or not it was the right one. That same decision was what lead my heart to pound so loudly as I walked through the huge, glass doors of the school, looking for the person whom I had mustered just enough courage to talk to. 

I froze slightly in place as soon as I caught sight of his dark hair, his entire body leaning against his locker as he was talking to one of his friends. Taking a deep breath in, I walked closer to him, knowing that if I procrastinated any longer I would have certainly gotten second thoughts. 

Luke instantly turned around as I called his name, his laughter quickly fading away before turning completely serious, his eyes widening slightly. It was clear that he hadn't been expecting me to be there, nor to talk to him so quickly. 

He gave me a small smile before turning back to his friends and asked them for a second so he could talk to me, something which was certainly a first for him to do. I certainly didn't miss the smirks on the faces of his friends, one of which gave him a quick pat on the back before walking away. 

Standing there right in front of Luke's locker, waiting for him to give me even the merest attention was something which was very familiar for me. I remembered when I used to go by his locker everyday to wait for him, often walking to class together. Other times, he was already there talking to his friends, placing his arm around my shoulder whenever I came near him whilst still engrossed in a conversation with them.

Thinking back on it, I suddenly felt stupid for not having felt him distance himself from me way before he even broke up with me. I was too busy being blinded by the love that I thought I had felt for him to understand that something could have been going wrong in our relationship. 

I quickly shook those thoughts away as I noticed Luke staring at me, clearly waiting for me to speak. Clearing my throat, I scrambled through my brain to remember the words I had been practicing to tell him since that morning - words which had clearly suddenly abandoned me. 

"I thought about what you said," I started off, finally accepting the fact that I was going to have to wing that conversation since my brain had decided to make me forget everything I had been preparing to say. 

Luke quickly shifted uncomfortably in his spot, his eyes looking a bit panicked as he awaited my next words. I could not remember the last time I had ever had his attention that way, and I couldn't help the slight happiness which old Ellie would have had seeing him like that. 

"Luke, what you did to me really hurt me," I started off, his face instantly dropping as he shifted his gaze to the ground and gave a slight nod. "But I'm still willing to forgive you," I continued, his widened eyes meeting mine. 

"Seriously?" He asked with a huge smile, his chocolate brown orbs shining. 

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can just forget what you did. Look, I'm willing to give you a chance, only because you were one of my best friends, and no matter how stupid you are sometimes, I still miss you," I said with a small smile. "I'm not saying that I want to be your girlfriend again, but I sure would like to start over."