Luke's POV:
"Where is Margo?" Calum asks as he walks into the kitchen where Mikey and I have been sitting for a few minutes.
"She said she's coming, give her time." I mumble as he sits down across from me at the counter.
"We're going to miss the-"
As soon as he begins to complain, the front door swings open to reveal Margo's voice.
"I'm so so sorry! I forgot we were hanging out today." She calls through the house before entering the kitchen. "It's not too late, is it?"
I give her a smile and stand up from my seat.
"No, it's not too late." I approach her and pull her into a hug. "Let's go get in the car, Ash is already out there."
"Yeah he was mumbling profanities when I was running up the steps." She laughs softly and I shake my head.
"Of course he was."
———
"Ash, can you stop the car?" Margo asks, yelling over the mix of music and wind. "Here, hold the camera."
She hands me the camera from the back-seat before reaching to take off her seat-belt.
"Are you insane?!" Calum's eyes widen as he stops her. "We're on the edge of the fucking cliff. You're going to get yourself killed."
"Oh come on. A few minutes won't hurt. I just want to feel the wind." She pushes his hand away and unfastens her seat-belt, sticking her upper body out the window.
I quickly scramble to grab the camera and record her as she screams in joy.
She tosses her head back and lets out a genuine laugh before turning to look at me. "Do you feel that?"
"Feel what?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows as I pull the camera away from my face.
"Alive. Do you feel alive? I feel like I'm on top of the world!" She begins laughing as pure joy erupts from her, causing me to smile. "Come on Luke, scream!"
"I'm sorry? No, I don't-"
"Shut up, everyone screams. Scream like you're the happiest you've ever been. Let it all out!" She rolls her eyes and I sigh before sucking in a long, deep breath.
"I'm on top of the world!" I yell, causing her to grin from ear to ear.
"We're on top of the world!" She screams before pulling herself back into the car.
"You done, dare-devil?" Ashton laughs as I pull myself into the car and turn the camera off.
"Yeah, only until we get to our destination." Margo smiles, putting her seat-belt back on as Calum stays quiet.
We finally approach the top of the hill and find a place to park the car.
Margo doesn't waste any time before climbing out of the car and opening her arms like she's about to hug someone and spinning around. She begins taking in the scenery as the rest of us get out of the car.
"You seem to be getting close to her." Calum mumbles as he closes the car door. "Must be nice."
"What? Calum, Margo and I have always been close. We only got close because you asked me to talk to her." I look at him with confusion. "I don't know what you're on about."
"Yeah, I asked you to talk to her. Not fucking fall in-"
"Can the two of you not argue for one day? We don't have many of them left with her, and she seems to be having fun." Ashton groans as Mikey follows him, approaching us.
"It's not my fault Luke wrote a song for my girlfriend." Calum rolls his eyes, scoffing.
"I wrote it when we were kids!"
"Hey! Look at this!" Margo calls out, from the rocks. "This view is gorgeous!"
I turn on the camera and begin recording her as she walks back over to us.
"We can sit up there." She smiles, stopping in front of us. "That way, we have a perfect view of the sunset. Wait, why does it feel tense over here?"
"No reason, Luke just wanted to show you a song he wrote." Calum walks away and I look at Margo with wide eyes.
"Is that why you brought the guitar? We can go over there to be somewhere private." She smiles, her eyes glistening. "Only if you want to, of course. It's got a big rock that we can sit on."
"Alright, yeah. We'll be right back." I look to the other guys before grabbing my guitar.
"Oh, take your time." Calum forces a smile, causing me to groan internally. "We're in no rush."
He's acting like I can control my feelings. Or like he didn't literally play with her feelings. I just want her to be at peace and he wants her to be his, we're not the same.
I followed up to the rocks and sit down next to her as she watches me with a smile. "What's the song called?"
"It's called- uhm..." I reach up to scratch the back of my neck and she smiles.
"You're not seriously nervous, are you? We're so close and I've seen you sing so many times, Luke." She shoves me playfully and I nod.
"Yeah, but not like this. This is called, If You Love Her." I pull the guitar up onto my lap after handing her the camera. "I started writing it when we were younger, before we moved here. I finished it recently, and I wanted to play it for you before-"
"I get it, I'm excited to hear it." She whispers softly and I nod, plucking a few strings before clearing my throat.
My heart is beating so hard it could substitute for the drums.
"Take it; if she gives you her heart, don't you break it." I begin to sing as she rest her head against her knees, watching me closely. "Let your arms be the place she feels safe in. She's the best thing you'll ever have."
I glance up from the guitar and catch her eye, noticing how at peace she looks.
*
"Oh come on, let me see it!" She reaches up to grab my journal out of my hand as I raise it higher. "You're acting like you write weird stuff about me in there."
"I can't let you see it, I'm writing a song that I won't have finished until later. I'll let you see it then." I argue and she folds her arm over her chest.
"Fine, but I want to hear it as soon as you finish it. Since we're friends now." She smiles with the last part and I roll my eyes.
"Oh, we're friends now?" I raise my eyebrows, teasing her and she rolls her eyes.
"When did I say that? We've only known each other for a few months."
"Very funny. Anyway, I have to get to rehearsal or the guys will be upset. You should come sometime." I offer as we pick up our bags.
"I can't." She shakes her head. "Im busy, but I'll try to find time in between my schedule. Have a good day, Luke."
"You too, Margo."
*
"She'll love you, if you love her, like that." I strum the last few chords and look to her with a hopeful smile. "How was that?"
"It was perfect. You'd definitely make it somewhere with music, I just can't seem to remember if you're already somewhere or not." She taps her chin and I frown.
"Not funny." I rest my arms on the guitar and look down at the guys setting everything up.
"Calum is mad at me for something. I don't know what it is though, I hope I didn't forget." She whispers and my heart breaks for her.
"You didn't, and I'm sure he isn't mad at you. I think he's just mad at the universe." I let out a sigh before turning to her. "We all are."
"Yeah, I just wish there was something I could do to help. I feel like a burden to-"
"Hey!" I hurry to stop her from talking. "You're not a burden, okay? I don't care what anyone says or feels, you don't get to put yourself down. You're the best thing to happen to any of us. We're terrified of losing you."
"You shouldn't be though." She shakes her head, giving me a soft smile. "I'm not scared of dying. When I go I'll be able to see everything I never got the chance to in this lifetime."
"You can do so many things here, though. You have so much that you have yet to do. So many people that you have yet to-"
Margo places her hand on my arm in an attempt to comfort me. "Luke, I have all the people that I need right here. I'm perfectly content with my life."
"I just- I don't understand why you're not upset." I let out a sigh of defeat and look at the ground.
"I've realized that despite my feelings towards the universe won't matter, no matter what they are. I'm the girl that can do it all, as the media says, which can also mean I've done it all." She lets out a soft breath and turns to me, our eye contact making my heart beat quicken again. "I'll be okay no matter what happens."
"Hey losers! We're waiting for you down here!" Ashton calls out before I can even think of a response and I groan.
"We'll be right down! We're talking you asshole!" Margo yells in response before laughing and turning to me. "Try not to think too hard about it, yeah? I don't want the next eleven weeks to be filled with sadness."
"I wish you would've lied to me about how long we have together." I frown and she uses my leg as leverage to stand up.
"And I wish you would just live in the moment for once. Stop being such a debby downer, Luke. Try to think about tonight and not worry about tomorrow." She turns around as she walks down the rocks. "Tonight we're on top of the world."
I stand up and grab the camera and guitar before I follow her down the rocks, watching as she jogs up to the guys, hugging Calum from behind.
I want her to be safe and happy. Thats all that any of us want. I just don't know how to make that happen.
I approach them as Ashton meets me halfway.
"Did you tell her yet?" He asks quietly and I give him a scolding look. "You didn't? Dude, you were up there for ages."
"Sorry, but you interrupted us. So no, I didn't fucking tell her." I roll my eyes, handing him the guitar. "Put this in the car and practice keeping your mouth shut."
"Whatever, but you need to tell her before it's too late. We don't have that much-"
"Don't remind me, please. I just want to have a good night." I stop him and he tosses his hands up in defence before walking towards the car.
I sit down beside Mikey and look across the supplies to see Margo and Calum talking quietly. She tells him something and begins laughing as he has a false offended look on his face.
"You look jealous." Mikey leans over towards me, watching them and I shake my head, looking away from them.
"I'm not jealous." I look down at the ground, causing Mikey to laugh. "I'm not! I'm happy that she's happy."
"Yeah, but you're not happy that she loves him." He sighs and I look over to him.
"She loves me too, dick. She loves all of us." I argue and he shake his head.
"Not in the same way."
"Whatever, I'm going to the car until the sun begins to set. I'm getting bored." I stand up and walk towards the car where Ashton is sitting alone, watching the sky.
I lean against the car next to him and look at the sky as well.
"I'm going to miss her." He whispers and I let out a shaky sigh, glancing over at Margo and Calum again.
"I think the whole world is."