Sunday had Luke chosen to stay at Mila's house, both because he was worried for his girlfriend after having seen her cry the night prior, but also because he didn't want to go home. To wake up with the smell of coconuts made his whole heart flutter, he kissed her cheek as their bodies laid half-naked together.
The sun shined gently into the dark painted room as a note was missing from the wall of memories. Mila felt her heart skip a beat as she woke up in his arms. Of course, her parents had walked in earlier that morning and her mother was about to have a tantrum.
However, Mr. Garcia asked Mrs. Garcia to not wake them up as he wanted the two to sleep in peace, so when the parents were sitting by the morning table and drinking their morning coffee. Were the two teenagers laying in the small bed together.
"Morning" Luke whispered into her ear, which gave her shivers down her spine. "Morning" She whispered back as she turned around facing him, their eyes met and it was like everything else faded away. Like something in the movies, they were laying there completely in love with each other.
That was when it hit her, how lucky she was, how she had spent the last couple of months just falling deeper and deeper in love with the silly brown-haired guitar player.
"Luke.... please never leave me" She whispered, causing him to widen his eyes confused for a bit before smiling as he shook his head. "Are you saying we will become one of those couples who got together in high school and then spend the rest of their lives together?"
She nodded slowly. "That is exactly what I am saying" She giggled gently as she pecked his lips smiling softly. "I never wanted to be a housewife, but if I can be yours then I would be okay with it" He shook his head looking at her like she was crazy, which indeed she was.
"You're gonna become a famous writer I tell you" While he smiled hers faded, as she sat up, taking a deep breath, her hair was a mess, yet he still found her beautiful. But when he saw the smile had faded, he as well sat up worried.
"What's wrong?" He asked in a low voice, she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, and became once again calm. "I .... I'm moving... to New York... After a senior year" It was like something in his heart broke as he looked into her eyes.
"You got in?" Something inside him lit, like a fire of excitement, started, of course, he was happy for her, yes he was thrilled, however, he knew this meant she would move away, maybe never see him again, as she nodded slowly looking down, not having the courage to look into his eyes.
"I'm sorry I haven't told you sooner... I j-" He interrupted her by kissing her, which caused her to look in shock at him. "You got into your dream school Millianna, you'll become a famous writer and people will know your talent, I can't get mad at you finally reaching your dreams when all you do is support mine..." He said in all honesty, which caused her tears to begin again, he wiped them away with his thumb as he made her look into his eyes.
"No matter how far away we are, you will be mine....so long distance it is, many have done it before, why can't we as well? Besides we have all the holidays where you come and I can come and visit, and who knows when Sunset Curve goes on tour I can come to New York as well and you will have book signing-" She put a hand over his mouth as she giggled.
"I have to publish a book before all of this and you have to kill that show before we can as well" She smiled brightly, as he chuckled. "Well," He moved her hand away, before kissing it. "Whatever will make us stay together"
She bit her lip as she looked around her room, she took a deep breath and nodded. "We're gonna be one of those couples who got together in high school and then stayed together till we're 80" Luke widened his eyes. "80? 80? Girl, you mean 110!"
Both of them laughed which caused the door to open op and their eyes widened at the sight of Mr. Garcia, her hair was in a tight bun and the morning coffee had not changed her disapproved look.
"Mr. Patterson... don't you think it's a bit too much to be sleeping in my daughter's bed and not be introduced as her boyfriend?"
Luke's face turned red as a tomato, and it still wasn't as red as Mila's. "Mom-" Mr. Garcia put up her hand to interrupt Mila. "Well you two, there are breakfast downstairs, and please for the love of God remember a condom if you are gonna fail God"
The morning breakfast started, it was more awkward than any of them had ever thought however when Mr. Garcia dropped his egg a slight change in the air happened and the conversation became around Mila and her new boyfriend.
For a reason, Mila did not understand at the time, was Mr. Garcia and Mrs. Garcia okay with Luke joining theme for the church, so as he borrowed clothes from Mr. Garcia, went all four of them like a family to church that Sunday morning.
Mila and Luke sitting beside each other caused him to smile, as he took her hand. She smiled shyly, something inside her knew, right at that moment, that this would be how their lives would be.
They would wake up every Sunday, eat breakfast together and go to church, to hear the words of God, as she every moment of it was going to love it, not because it was basic, or because that was what she wanted, but because it was with Luke, and Luke, made her happy, and probably always would.
When Luke went home that afternoon, she knew he would come back Monday and she would see him right there, however, when Luke had gotten home that Sunday night, the sky was light and the weather was warmer than normal.
His house smelled of home-baked cookies as Luke came home seeing his mother, the Christmas tree was shining up the house as Luke put down his things. However, as the warmth that had been feeling him up all day, his mother did not seem pleased to see her son.
"Where in the world have you been?"
That was how it started, how the house turned cold, how tears ran down their cheeks, how harsh words which were never supposed to be said were said.
Every inch of him regretted it, but at that moment, he said what he said, how she was never there for him, how this was his dream, how he would show them and if they couldn't support him, he didn't want them.
This was the night, everything changed. How Luke ran out, and he drove, leaving his crying mother behind. In the big empty house, and as his father drove him, he found Emily heartbroken, as she cried, watching her son drive off, not knowing she would never see him again.
Of course, he intended to come back to her one day, to tell her all the things he didn't get to say, but it was too late, and a mother's heart had been broken, and a father's questions unanswered. As Luke ran away from home.
When Mila had gotten the news that Luke had gone missing she went to the garage, with her heart beating louder and louder in her chest. She had in her heart known that every time something good happened in her life, something worse happened with it, she just never thought Luke would be the horrible thing.
"Where is he?" Mila asked as she looked with tears in her eyes at the boys, standing at the garage door, they looked at each other as they sighed. "We don't know," Reggie lied, making Mila throw a pillow at him.
"I SAID! where is he?" She cried out, her voice breaking in the progress. That morning in her locker at school a note had been left, you see as Luke had left his family and in his mind behind, he had in the progress left Mila too.
"We don't know!" Yelled Bobby as he looked into her eyes, he knew he had to lie because if Mila knew, she would go to Emily and if Emily knew, Luke wouldn't get to apologize, he wouldn't get to tell her how he felt.
Days went by without anyone hearing from him, Mila began worrying and with Emily, she began hanging up missing posters off him at every corner. Mila became quiet whenever the boys were at school, as she began biking to school instead.
Without Luke, her days went by fast, like time was nonexistent. As the holidays came, Mila had not heard from him for weeks and what she didn't know was, every time she visited the garage, she didn't notice how the place started smelling more and more of peppermints, she didn't notice how there was another person living there, keeping Alex company in the December days.
The Secret Santa reveal which happened on December 18th, almost seemed pointless to them, as Luke was not there to give or get his last present. Mila looked at Bobby, whom she found out was her Secret Santa just like she was his, and gave her something which for the first time since Luke's disappearance made her smile.
"I thought it might help you when you go to New York" He answered as she smiled looking down upon a picture, a picture-taking a long time ago, before they knew what they were or feelings were involved, a picture from a birthday which seemed like ages ago, of simply five friends enjoying each other's company.
When Christmas eve came, Alex showed up at the Garcias house with flowers and a bag of presents. The table was filled with food like Ensaladilla Rusa, Clams in Sherry a la Marinera, Pollo a la Pepitoria.
However, as the night continued Alex noticed how Mila didn't smile once during the dinner or the evening. He took her hand and asked her to join her outside for air, which she went with. As they stood outside the Garcia house he took her hand.
"I am thankful you have a place to be tonight" He smiled looking into her eyes, she nodded slowly looking back into his. "If Luke had told me... he could have been here too" Alex felt a punch in his stomach, he wanted to yell, scream, tell her that Luke was fine and that he was in the garage, but he didn't.
Luke did.
"I'm sorry" Behind them approached a shadow, his hair was a mess, he looked like he hadn't eaten real food in a long time and his eyes were puffy and red, he had been crying. Mila turned around, she gulped seeing him.
Normally in movies, the girl would run into his arms, tell him she loved him, but Mila didn't, she looked in hatred at him, like she had never hated someone before as she looked into his eyes, Alex sighed and turned around.
"I will let you talk" Alex walked into the house and left the two alone in the garden, Luke bit his lip walking close to her, which caused her to take a step back. "... you have been away for almost two weeks..." Was all Mila could say as she looked into his eyes.
"I'm sorry..." That was all he could say, which caused Mila to shake her head as she laughed. "You're sorry?! You're sorry" She walked over and pushed him. "That's all you got to say? I haven't seen you for weeks and all you say is I'm sorry! It's Christmas eve Luke and al-" He interrupted her by putting his hands on her cheeks and pulling her into a kiss.
"I will never leave you again... I promise"
She took a deep breath before slapping his cheek, which he knew he deserved, tears down her cheeks, which had become red from the cold air. Yet as he looked at her, he couldn't help but smile.
"We're playing the Orpheum tomorrow...please... I know you are mad, but come ... I will dedicate every song to you and I want you to be there when Sunset Curve becomes famous... and everything I have ever done, has been worth it"
She took a deep breath, of course, she wanted to hate him, she wanted to scream and tear him apart but as she looked into his eyes that Christmas eve, she could only nod. "Okay... I will be there" He kissed her lips gently and softly.
"But" She stopped him with a bright smile on her face like the last two weeks didn't matter, because now he was there and he was never going to leave her again, she took his hands. "Don't forget me when you become famous"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Don't you forget me either, your first reader"
"My first kiss" She added which caused him to chuckle. "Now... instead of being a dick... I will forgive you for being one yourself... but do you wanna come in... we have Arroz con Leche?" She said which caused him to smile brightly.
And without knowing what was to come, they had Christmas together, with presents and Spanish food, like a family, they forgot their differences and their fights. Forgot their heartbreaks and their lies and for the first time in a long time, they were truly happy for the future they would build together.
❝ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things, have passed away❞ Revelation 21:4
A dark cloud had covered the sky, as tears rolled down their cheeks. No one wanted it to be true, the quietness had taken over the homes of former friends, family, and loved ones. Yet it was true three young men had passed away.
A yelling had been heard in the streets that night as she looked around but no one was there. "You said you would take me with you!" She almost screamed as her tears kept running down her face, they were gone and the pain had begun.
Something inside her broke that night, something she would never get back had begun. News covered it as a Hollywood tragedy, how three young men with a bright future ahead had been in a tragic accident.
A knock on the door kept going, as nights had passed and no soul had seen the two friends, who had been left behind. His hair had gone thin almost grey in just a night, as the door opened. Her eyes were puffy, they were red, in her eyes, you could see the heartbreak, of being left behind.
"Bobby..." She whispered looking at her friend, who looked worse than her, they thought about their screams, their crying, how his arms had been around her as she broke down having seen it right in front of her, having it almost been her as well, if she didn't smell the food first and decide she was okay with not taking a bite.
One bite saved her
One bite started the pain
She remembered it all....How they took their last breaths, how she held his hand, kissed him, and said she loved him and they would meet again, they deserved more, they deserved better. They deserved a future, to grow old, but God had taken them in his selfish ways, he had decided it was their time.
"I... I found this cleaning up in the garage ... I thought it might... help you" He whispered as he handed a little white box with a red ribbon and a small card, where her name was written in awful handwriting that could make her cry just looking at it.
She took it hesitantly as she with a shaken hand opened it, what it contained made her eyes water even more, as the small silver charm of a book laid in the box, waiting for him to hand it to her when she had published her first book.
"He said... he would hand this to me one day," She said, her voice being airy as she looked up at him, a small smile formed on his lips as hers did as well. "Thank you" She whispered, without words he carefully took her wrist taking off her charm bracelet putting on the new charm, and placing it back on her wrist as he kissed her hand holding it.
"Heaven has gotten their angels back," He said as he looked into her watery eyes, she bit her lip trying to pull herself together as a tear rolled down a cheek she whispered, wanting to believe that if there was something then they most be with him.
"May God take care of them"