»»» song: the virgins - teen lovers
29th August
"I think... if it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts."
― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
»»»
"One, two, three !"
Everyone knocked the shots in front of them back, bursting out laughing right afterwards.
"Shit, my tongue burns," Vicky squeaked, shaking her head vigorously. Her eyes squeezed shut. The liquid leaving a bitter taste on her tongue.
Michael passed her a glass of water, patting her back. "That's the fun part though."
"Maybe for you." Giggling, she already grabbed the next shot. "Ashton, count down again!" she demanded, to which Ashton responded with a concerned look.
"A-are you sure you didn't have enough?"
"No, no. I want another round!" she shouted before falling into another fit of laughter.
Usually, he'd have tried to stop them from continuing their dumb drinking game. But since he'd have a few himself, he simply gave in and nodded.
"Alright. One, tw-"
Vicky cut him off though when spotting the tall blond entering through the glass door. "Hey, wait! It's Luke! Lukey," she slurred, waving him over.
Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Michael nudged him with a grin. "Why so sad?"
Luke didn't say anything though, just grabbed one of the short glasses filled with a brown liquid. Drinking it at a gulp. Followed by another one.
"Wohoo, slow down," Ashton laughed, snatching a third one from his hand. "Did anything happen or why're ya trying to booze up so badly?"
"Just let me drink, please," he whined, reaching out to get the drink back. Finally getting the hint, Michael arched a brow at him with a worried look.
"So.. let me guess. Talking to Tal didn't go all too well?"
"Nope. Now can I please get another drink to hopefully get drunk enough, blackout and forget about it?"
The rest exchanged a glance, before shaking their heads. "Fuck, no."
Squinting his blue eyes angrily at them for a moment, Luke eventually gave up. Throwing his head back in annoyance.
Why was everyone so damn complicated tonight?
"Luke, stop blabbing around and tell us what's going on."
The younger guy only shrugged his shoulders, head low as he hadn't just admitted wanting to drink until dropping like a stone.
He let out another frustrated groan when remembering what had happened only a few moments ago.
"I tried speaking to her." Luke was staring down at one of the shots, still tempted to drink another five of them as he was trying to explain something he couldn't quite understand himself. "But she was.. I don't even know. She was sad, missing her friends. And I might have said some things about her best friend I shouldn't." He heaved a heavy sigh, lips pressed together. "But she kinda overreacted then, and ran away. So now I regret my entire existence."
Ashton, Michael and Vicky exchanged another look, their lips slightly apart. "Wait, where did she run away?" asked Vicky after a while of silence. Concern in her brown eyes. After all, she didn't remember seeing her coming back inside.
"Down the stairs, to the beach I guess."
The brunette's irises widened, a serious expression on her face. Having sobered enough by now.
"You've got to bring her back!" she exclaimed with a slightly panicked voice.
"Why? If she wants t-"
"No, listen. There's no light down there and the sand turns into slippery stones after a while. She's never been here before and doesn't know."
Now the guys' eyes grew wide as well. "She's clumsy," Ashton stated then in a similar worried tone. "Clumsy enough to slip and maybe even get hurt."
"Crap." Luke rubbed his temples, eyes shut while feeling the effect of the previous drinks starting to spread in his head. "Is she always such a drama queen when getting angry?"
Vicky snorted loudly at this, causing her cough a bit afterwards. "Obviously you haven't seen her mad a lot, otherwise you wouldn't ask," she giggled, "She can be the queen of drama queens -if she wants to."
"Tally, really?" Michael asked in disbelief to which she nodded.
"Uh-huh. I speak from experience."
"Huh," was all Luke could say in that moment. Doubts beginning filling him. Maybe he indeed didn't know her as well as he thought. The only time remembering her mad was once, back in Los Angeles.
"Did she yell or shout at you though?" He shook his head, confused to the question.
"Ohh wow," Vicky muttered then, raising a brow. "I'm surprised she still hasn't exploded."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing. Luke, what are you waiting for? Go get her!" she shouted over the music. Smoothly changing subjects while pushing him towards the direction he'd previously come from.
As soon as he was out of sight, she faced the remaining two with a grin. Clapping her hands as another song started playing. "Who wants to dance?"
"Oh god, not again," Michael laughed, rolling his eyes. Cheeks red due to their little game before Luke interrupting them. "Sorry, I've danced enough for tonight."
Her lips turned into a pout when directing her gaze to Ashton. "You! You'll dance with me!"
"Wha-?" The curly-haired boy was nervously scratching the back of his neck while giggling. "I'm not good at this. Ask Calum!"
"Where's Calum anyway?" Michael wondered to which Ashton responded by gesturing to the other side of the club. The black-haired boy laughing along with her friend Christina and some other girls.
"Oh wow," she laughed, quite impressed with how quickly he'd won them over. "What a womanizer!"
"Yeah, he's got talent with the ladies."
"I see!" She turned to Ashton with a grin once again. "That means only you're left!" she said in a sing-song voice.
And before he could even protest, she was dragging him by the arm through sweaty bodies. Surprisingly being quite strong.
"C'mon, Ashton! We're gonna have fun!" She laughed out, squeezing his arm a little bit more. And eventually he gave in, letting her tug him wherever she wanted to under the booming beats of the music.
Hanging out with her was surely never boring, he smiled to himself.
»»»
"Tally?"
Luke's voice got lost between sounds of the night. Small waves peacefully coming and going by on the shore in front of him.
He looked around, failing to identify any shapes in the dark. Nothing visible besides the bright shining city lights on the other side of the bay.
Kicking the sand with the tip of his boot, he let out a frustrated breath.
A poor attempt to let off the raising anger inside his chest. Anger about her not giving him any chance of saying what he'd originally wanted to. Anger about her running away and anger -along with worry- something might've happened to her.
"Dammit, Thalia," he muttered under his breath.
Gazing up to the wide sky, he was mentally flipping a coin. Choosing which side to go, when hearing a soft giggle behind him. Recognizing it instantly.
"You're such an idiot," the voice continued laughing. It was none other's than hers.
"Tal? Y-you're here?"
She furrowed her brows, her laughing dying down. "You sound surprised, considering I came down here. And why are you here?"
He followed her voice in the dark, managing to find her silhouette seated on the cold sand right underneath the stairs. Simply staring at the sea and the lights when his figure covered the view.
Pursing his lips, the cold ring pressed against them, he took a seat next to her on the ground.
"I just wanted to check on you. You know, so you won't get lost or something." It was dark, however, his smirk clearly audible in his low voice. Causing her eyes roll back.
"Haha, funny -but not necessary."
"Well-" He bent his knees, resting his arms on them. "Believe it or not, I do care for you."
She grew silent, biting the inside of her cheek. Clearly adding to her already growing embarrassment. She gulped then.
"Luke, I-"
"Don't waste your breath," he breathed out, dragging a sigh. Trying getting over his hurt feelings. "But hey, I'm finally leaving tomorrow so I won't be a bother anymore."
His words hurt her heart. "Luke-"
He was about to stay up and climb back the stairs. Returning to his previous plan of getting wasted and simply forget everything when her firm grip around his hand prevented him from doing so. "I'm sorry."
She felt her chest tightening, letting go of his hand again.
"I'm sorry for saying this stuff. I know you care and I appreciate it a lot. More than you think. I was just overcompensating, I guess."
He hummed in response, taking in the following silence for a brief moment. "If you're not mad about what I said -" "Oh, I still think you shouldn't have said those things," she interrupted him, "But I was mostly mad about you not telling me the reason you came all the way down here instead of flying to the States."
Well damn, she knew.
His eyes wide by the spreading panic inside him. However, he couldn't even come up with anything slightly good to counter.
"Oh, and don't even think about coming with your 'band stuff' excuse."
"Why? What's wrong with that?" he chuckled, causing a short laugh to also escape her lips.
"You mean except being pretty lame?" she sarcastically asked. "Calum mentioned you'd struggle telling me the true reason. So, what did happen that you needed to come here? Not enough chicks in the rest of Europe?" Reminding herself of the incident over and over again probably wasn't the best thing to do. Especially since it was still triggering a hot ache of jealously and anger inside her. But mainly because she just accidently uncovered herself in front of him.
Luke, who was mentally cursing his friend in the meantime, interrupted his thoughts when registrating what she'd just said.
"Wait, what?" The blue of his eyes clearly visible if Tally could see anything in the dark. "Are you talking about London?"
Oh shit.
She nervously laughed out with a similar panic to his. "What? What are you talki-?"
"Was that the reason you ignored me?"
Oh shit, shit, shit.
"I-ignored you? That's ridiculous."
"So you were not ignoring the shit out of me for two weeks straight?"
Now, Luke wasn't the only one who could put one and one together. Tally was good at this game as well.
"Wait, is that the reason you came here?"
He grew silent. She caught him as well.
"S-so you're admitting you were ignoring me?"
"No, why would I? It's your life and if you want to make out with random girls, why should I mind?" She shrugged and leaned against one of the wooden beams. Her acting good enough to cause Luke doubting his own conclusion. But his guts were telling him otherwise.
"You did mind, didn't you?"
"I said no. Jesus.." she groaned, hating to repeat herself as much as he did. "So, that's why you came here? Because you thought I was ignoring you?"
"Oh, I'm pretty sure you were ignoring me," he nodded to himself. A hint of smugness in his voice.
"Why are you persisting?"
"And why are you so stubborn?"
"That's one of my many great attributes," she boldly replied, crossing her arms.
Gazing up at the starless sky, she remembered the beautiful sky over the mountains. As much as she loved big cities, their light pollution was awful.
"What about you tell me and then I tell you?" Luke was trying to figure out how the hell to make her talk. Knowing her 'great attribute' all too well.
"There's nothing to tell though."
Rolling his eyes, he heaved another sigh. "What about I tell you first and then you?"
She seemed to consider it for a moment, before shaking her head.
They were sitting there on the cold, sandy ground without exchanging another word for awhile. None of them knowing what to say anymore. She couldn't muster up the courage to tell him why it bothered her this much and he couldn't muster up the courage to tell her the reason he'd come there.
The music playing from above the only thing filling in their shared silence. Not the nice kind of silence like the one back in San Francisco. Where they'd also been staring at the dark sea together.
Not at all.
It wasn't a silence you'd enjoy sharing with anyone. Rather a pressuring, even oppressing one. Forcing an unwanted awkwardness.
"What if.."
Her voice sounded low and insecure. Nothing alike with her previous tone.
Taking a handful of sand she let it trickle through her fingers. "W-what if I admitted having ignored you?" she whispered, regretting her words right away.
Luke wasn't exactly sure what to think about it, to be honest. Many thoughts crossing his mind. A lopsided smile ghosting over his lips as curiosity and excitement washed over him though.
"Then I'd admit coming here because of that."
»»»
"Ashton, oh my god. Are you okay?"
Vicky's laughing was almost as loud as the music. She bent down to help the also laughing boy from the ground. He'd slipped over a small puddle of beer, probably caused by one of the waitresses spilling it while squeezing through the clamorous crowd.
"Yeah, thanks. I'm okay," he assured with a grin and got up. Hiding his embarrassment. She nodded, gesturing to continue their way.
"I think I saw them sitting over there."
He followed her lead, her long brown waves never leaving his gaze.
"Oh, by the way," she shouted over the music, taking a look over her shoulders to be certain he was still behind her. "Thanks for earlier, you know. The cheery things you said to me back in the theatre."
Ashton blinked a few times, before realising what she was referring to. "Oh-h that. It was nothing, honestly," he smiled, almost bumping into a guy.
Tugging down her short black jumpsuit, she brushed past some more people. Her self-pitying self from a few hours ago coming into her mind.
"Nothing? You literally dragged me from the hole I was digging myself."
He laughed out at this. "I just said the truth, though. Your acting was great and I still believe the cursing suited your role. Really, that's nothing."
Actually, he had also referred to all the times Calum had forgotten lyrics to their own songs -lyrics he'd written himself- on stage. And how the crowd would still applaud them in the end like nothing happened.
His story making her laugh and feeling less miserable and embarrassed about her own mistake. After all, her professor might not have heard anything. And if he had, he'd detract a point at most. It wasn't like thousands of people had heard it as in Calum's case.
"No, seriously." She stopped in her tracks and turned around. Her curls following her head's motion. "You've got a pretty good way with words. Like really!"
Remembering the way the words had left him, she grinned at him. The colour of her lipstick having fainted away by this time.
Ashton's lips curled up into a wide grin as well. Different coloured lights from above sparkling in his hazel eyes. A hand running nervously through his mess of hair. "T-thanks, I guess."
She wagged her head, the sight of his dimples melting her heart.
"I mean it. Without you, I'd probably still sit backstage. Pouting like a baby."
"You wouldn't," he said, with such an assurance. She was taken aback. "I'd have made sure you'd be smiling again."
»»»
Tally's breath got caught in her throat, unsure about anything in this moment. The only thing she knew for sure was that his words made her heart flutter.
"Then yes, I shut off my phone. Partly because I also didn't want to speak to.. you for a while." She shut her eyes, trying getting rid of the memory. "I know that was a childish step, considering you worried enough to come all the way here. But back then it seemed like the right thing to do. But-"
She cut herself off.
Luke wanted to ask further though. He wanted to hear the actual reason she was feeling this way towards the photo. He simply needed to hear it. "But what?"
Fine sand grains slipped through her fingers. She was thinking what to say.
"I might've found some other stuff about you."
He pressed his jaw together, already sensing what it was about. A nervous feeling in his chest. "You mean -"
"Your past."
Again a dreadful silence.
"What did you find?" he finally spoke up, actually not wanting to hear anything.
"A lot. You seemed having lots of fun with already taken girls. And having a rude attitude."
He wanted so badly to deny any of these. Unfortunately, he couldn't.
"These weren't my best years. Rather my worst," he admitted as she was quietly listening to his explanation. Looking up, his thoughts wandering to the bright-shining lights far away. "I'm not proud of my immature behaviour back then."
"I was confused, you know?" Her voice low. Afraid, not knowing what of. Tracing patterns on the ground as she tried to collect her words. "It never came to my mind you could be like this. You're always so friendly and caring. I wasn't sure what to believe and what not anymore."
Dragging a sigh, him getting reminded of those times. "Yeah, it was.. messy. I didn't really care about anything and anyone at that time. Somedays, I wasn't even able to bear my own reflection anymore."
She remained quiet for a moment. Feeling guilty all of sudden.
He laughed out then. "It's funny actually. You got mad at me for judging your friend, while you did the same with me."
Her brown eyes widened in surprise. His statement sparkling new outrage in her.
"You can't compare this two situations," she countered, raising her voice a little bit.
"Why not?"
"You've never met her, you don't know her."
"But you knew me two years ago?"
"N-no. But I was naive enough to believe you had just this kind side. I'm sorry, Luke, totally my fault," she scoffed.
For a moment, he was speechlessly staring at her. A huffing coming from his nostrils.
"And I'm sorry for being nice. Maybe I should've continued being an asshole so you would've known this side from the beginning," he muttered ironically.
Surprisingly, no one from the party above seemed noticing any of the quarrel. Having two short-tempered persons arguing was surely not the quietest dialogue after all.
She was gaping at him, angrily folding her arms. "Do you even hear what you say or is it just blabla in your mind?"
"Says the hypocrite who hates hypocrites."
"I'm not a hypocrite, you idiot. I'm not assuming stuff on my own like you did."
"But you're acting as you've never done shit in your life." This whole pointless conversation frustrated him. This was not what he'd planned talking to her would be like.
"At least I've never cheated on someone," she defended herself. "And I've surely never ditched my friends for a fuckbuddy."
He clapped his hands with such sarcasm then, she could sense it. "Congrats, you're a better person than me, Tally. Satisfied now?"
"No, I'm not!" she bursted out then, taking him by surprise. Her voice breaking at the end. "How could I be satisfied when I'm arguing with you like this?"
The lump in her throat had grown too big by now to let her speak properly. Tears having formed in the corners of her eyes, daring to fall and she was desperately trying to blink them away.
Though being beyond pissed off about the whole situation by now, his feelings were mutual. He was still madly in love and arguing with her was the last thing he wanted to.
"Tally -"
"No, listen before my brain takes over again," she said, cutting him off. "You hurt me by saying I was cherishing the past too much, okay? It's true, yes, but I don't have anything else but the past, Luke. What remained of my friendships are mostly memories now. I can't even remember the last time I properly spoke to any of my friends."
Not seeing any point in holding back the tears anymore, she let them roll down her cheeks. Warm from all the stowed anger. She wasn't sobbing though. She was only crying, while talking normally.
And Luke felt so very stupid for not thinking first before talking. He tended to do that; just saying out lout his thoughts without considering the other's reaction.
"And you disappointed me by having this kind of past. However, I realise how selfish it sounds now. All of us doing stupid things when being young. It's just.. I never thought you'd be capable of doing such things and not even taking any responsibility for them."
She became silent for a moment, wiping away tears. "Maybe it was also my fault for being so oblivious. After all, I did know about the groupies on tour. You're surely neither the first nor the last one with a past like this. I just liked to believe you were better and different than those guys. It's my fault not yours."
She laughed out in self-pity, feeling a new wave of tears coming. They didn't seem to end. No matter how often she wiped them away with the back of her hand. More and more kept streaming down her eyes. Which was weird considering they'd usually stop on their own.
And though Luke wasn't able to actually see her in the dark, only hearing her crying was enough to make his heart ache. He wanted to be better than those guys. Those fuckboys. For her. She deserved it.
"That's why you went on a date with some other guy?"
Her teary eyes widened, dumbfounded. And again, she put one and one together. "..Vicky told you." "Vicky told me."
He took a deep breath. "Another reason I came here, to be honest."
It felt quite embarrassing to admit that out loud.
Her tears had finally reached their end, her cheeks remaining flushed and stained though.
"Yeah. I tried going out with someone. I guess it was only a poor attempt to get distracted from the loneliness."
His lips shaped a sad smile at this. "You mean the same loneliness I felt when doing all this stuff back then?"
And then it hit her.
Pursing her lips, she looked down on her lap. Shame overcoming her as memories of the time they'd been in -what irony- London flashed by. She understood now.
"I'm so stupid," she breathed. Her hands squeezing each other. She was feeling awful, horrible.
She loved him, why hadn't she condoned his past from the beginning?
"God, you were right. I'm a bloody hypocrite. I did judge you. I thought bad of you though I should've known better." She sobbed. "You were dealing with the same numbing feeling I was. We just had different ways to handle it."
Damming up new tears from appearing, she swallowed hard. "I-I'm so sorry, Luke. I'm a terrible person."
He softly smiled down at the sad girl, taking her hand in his to reassure her. "You're not."
And Tally wanted to believe him, she wanted it badly as she was squeezing it back. However, her conscience was telling her otherwise and she sobbed again.
Her eyes welling up once more. She was ready to cry again when a pair of soft lips caught her off guard, dispersing any new tears.
They didn't move, nor did any of them breath. It was simply their lips gently pressed against each other. Her tear-stained face wetting his own as he was cupping her jaw with his warm hands.
The sense of them feeling overwhelmingly wonderful.
Both letting out the breath they were holding back this whole time then.
"Y-you wouldn't stop crying otherwise," Luke explained in a whisper. His forehead resting on hers, their eyes still shut.
A breeze brushing over them, putting a cold feeling on their blushed cheeks.
Tally's eyes fluttered open then. An overwhelming desire remaining in her guts as she internally cursed herself for going to a dark place where she wasn't able to see his eyes. To see if he was regretting the kiss already -because she surely wasn't.
It confused her, a lot, but she didn't regret finally knowing the taste of his lips.
However, timing decided making an appearance then. It rarely being perfect. Sometimes even a bitch.
And especially the timing of her rambling tummy was extremely inappropriate at this moment. Her life seriously felt like a sitcom sometimes.
Funnily enough though, it caused Luke bursting out chuckling -much to her surprise. And Tally couldn't help but laugh herself. Though still being quite embarrassed by the untimely sound. But then again, when was timing ever perfect?
"Arguing makes me hungry. Sorry."
»»»
"Sorry, ladies. I gotta go for now."
A collective moaning resonated from the group of girls. All of them making sad faces.
"Please, stay a bit more!"
Calum chuckled, shaking his head apologetically. "No, no. I gotta find my friends. Make sure they haven't left without me."
"But you're such a cutie," one of them cooed, "We'll miss you."
"Where are you actually staying?" another asked curiously.
"You know Vicky?"
They rolled their eyes. "Obviously."
"Well, at her cousin's. She's our friend."
Their eyes widened. "You mean the one with the red hair?"
He nodded, already grabbing his almost empty bottle from the table. They started mumbling something incomprehensible with each other then, making his brows furrow. Wondering what it was about. Noticing Christina giving them a stern look, before turning to him.
"Anyway," the short girl said and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "It was very nice and funny meeting you."
"Same," he smiled, giving her a nod. "And like I said, let him text you first. The more disinterest you show the more he'll want you."
"And you're sure this works?" she asked uncertainly, perking one of her dark brows up. "After all he rarely did when we were together."
"That's exactly why," he said, confidently explaining further, "He thinks he can still treat you the way he did back then. So you just have to give him the cold shoulder. Show him you're busy and not always available for him. "
Calum had somehow managed to become some kind of date doctor in the past hour. Bewraying secrets of the male gender since all of them seemed to struggle with it. So he felt like giving them some tips. Especially since he had to admit having treated girls similarly in the past. Trying making amends for that now.
A grin spread over the girl's lips then. "Sounds good to me!"
"I help wherever I can." He casually shrugged with a smirk on his lips.
"No, seriously thank you. I know I may sound naive, but.." Christina heaved a sigh, looking down. "I can't help being still in love with this jerk."
Soothing her, he patted her back. "It's alright. I get you, you know? It's hard liking someone you can't have."
She giggled, fumbling with her fingers. "Sounds like you're speaking from experience."
"Nahh," he chuckled, when pausing for a moment. "Well, not exactly. I think."
Her face lit up with curiosity. "Wait really? You like someone?"
His cheeks flashed pink. Looking away in embarrassment. "Y-yeah, somehow."
"Do your friends know?"
"Oh, god, no," he laughed out, terrified. "We're all making fun of Mike and his online friend. Especially me. If he knew, he'd take revenge. Annoying the shit out of me."
"Oh wow, you didn't mention anything when I was telling my stuff."
Shrugging, he licked over his dry lips. "It's actually nothing. It's just this girl, Phoebe, I'm occasionally texting with. She's really pretty, smart and funny. But also in an on-off relationship all the time."
She frowned. "That sucks."
"Yeah, pretty much," he nodded with a sad smile. "But even if not, I'm busy with the band. Touring, recording.. stuff like that, you know."
"Where does she live though? In Sydney or -?"
"New Orleans."
Her big eyes widened. "Are you not flying to America tomorrow, though? You could visit her."
He shook his head, a saddened look in his eyes. "It's not like we can go wherever we want there. At least not this upcoming month."
She hummed a response, feeling somewhat sorry for the boy. Being famous had for sure its disadvantages. "I wouldn't wanna trade with you."
He let out a short laugh under his breath. His gaze turning to the dark green bottle in his hands. Lights from around them reflected on the glass.
"Yeah, me neither."
»»»
Luke and Tally were seated at a small yet pretty crowded -if you considered the time- pizzeria down the street. Somehow having managed to get out of the club with none of their friends noticing. Not only Tally in need for food at almost 3 am.
A small, red neon sign with the word 'pizza' on the window glass was casting its shine in their eyes. The smell of melted cheese lingering in the air.
None of them mentioning what had happened that night. Neither the fight -which had been superfluous anyway- nor the kiss. It was as nothing of all this had ever happened.
Of course, in the back of their minds, there remained those unanswered questions. Questions of what the kiss did mean for the other. If it meant anything at all and how it was gonna affect their friendship.
Choosing to let it rest for the short trip to the pizza place though. At least until being filled up with cheesy and unhealthy food.
So instead they were making lame jokes and talking about random things while waiting for their pizza to be baked. And since teenagers and other customers were noisy themselves, their laughing wasn't getting anyone's attentions.
"I'm still confused, though," Luke said with a frown. Taking a sip of his coke. "Was the pizza tasting like Krabby Patties or not?"
Her brows furrowed as she leaned back in the booth. "I don't know, actually. They don't mention anything in the episode."
"But think about it," he continued, upholding a finger as he leaned over the wooden table, "Mr Krabs had a plate of burgers when he did this weird thing with his hands."
"Nippers," she corrected him. Amused listening to his theory about one of the probably best Spongebob episodes ever. A dead glare on his eyes.
"Okay, nippers then." His hands trying to copy the cartoon character's gesture. "So he did this thing and then bam! the burgers turned into a pizza!"
"Well, if we think logically about it then you're right," she nodded, before adding with a lopsided smirk, "But since it's only a cartoon where there's no logic whatsoever, I'd say no."
Her statement making his jaw drop. "You can't be serious right now."
"It is a cartoon, Luke," she giggled, dragging his name. "You can't tell me that having a beach or making fire underwater is realistic."
"No, but.." He pouted, his lip ring popping up. Not able coming up with something to counter. "I still think the pizza must've tasted like burgers," he said then in an almost childish tone. Causing her to bite back a smile because of how adorable he was.
"And that a sponge can ride a huge rock."
He groaned. "Shut up!"
Tally's hands went up in a defending manner. "Hey, you're the one questioning a cartoon. Not me." And Luke could see how she was stifling a laugh. And to be honest, he didn't care about her making fun of him; anything was better than arguing with her.
"Alright, laugh about it as much as you want. But I'd actually pay good money for a burger-tasting pizza."
"Mhm I don't know," she responded, tapping her chin while thinking, "Wouldn't that be weird?"
"Weird, but in a good way. You'd combine two of the best foods together after all."
"True. We should make it a thing," she giggled. "And earn millions."
"Or billions," he smirked, resting his elbows on the table. "We're gonna need a safe as big as Scrooge McDuck's, I tell you!"
As much as she was trying, she couldn't contain a loud laugh after this anymore. Her curls bouncing as it slowly went back to a giggle. A melody he couldn't get enough of.
Biting his bottom lip, he pointed at her hair then. "You spilled some of your Fanta on your hair." His chuckles loud and chesty, the way she loved them.
Her eyes wandered to the direction his finger was showing. And indeed, few curls were sticky and dripping by the sweet soft drink. Wide bambi eyes looking up at him again. Falling right back into another fit of laughter. Filling every corner of the room.
It was late, she was hungry, still a little upset about their quarrel earlier, for sure bewildered from the short but nice kiss from the boy facing her and now above all, her clumsiness had to come up as well.
Tonight's incidents were just too much and ridiculous to handle. And so nothing else was left for her than just laugh the whole situation off.
And Luke couldn't help but laugh, too. Both laughing for no particular reason. Crinkles forming at the corners of their eyes.
He quickly grew quiet again though. A soft smile appearing when resting his gaze on her.
Everything was feeling overwhelmingly right in that moment. Every choice made, every stupid word said this night. It'd led to this very moment. Seeing her in her most beautiful state.
And it just slipped out his lips. Without thinking much or even realising what he was actually doing in that moment. Much less considering the aftermath. Plainly voicing his feelings in that moment.
"I love you, Thalia."
Time seemed to flow in slow motion after those words left his mind. Tally's giggles coming abruptly to an end. Her mind going completely blank, stunned.
And her lips were ready to form the widest and happiest smile in the world, when a pizzeria guy appeared at their table. Holding a large plate in his hands.
"Your pizza's ready."
»»»
Michael exhaled deeply. His gaze remaining on the endless seeming darkness of the sea.
The party behind him was full of go, him having been enjoying it a lot so far.
However, his head started hurting like hell. It was as a little hammer was pounding against his forehead. So he came out there to take in some of the fresh night air. Beginning to slowly cure him.
Why did he have to always suggest this stupid drinking game anyway?
After a while, he rested his arms on the wooden railing. Propping his chin on his fist. His mind wandering to their destination the upcoming day.
Even though he was stoked for the next stops in the States, he'd miss this place. Surprisingly, the time there had developed to be more than just Luke's paranoid 'Tally rescue mission'.
-Where were the two anyway?
He laughed under his breath, shaking his head. He might make fun of Luke, but only because he'd never seen him like this before. Acting so serious over a girl didn't suit his normal self. That was a good thing, though. Wasn't it?
Another long breath escaping the dyed-blond's lips.
Truth was, he was a bit jealous of Luke. Not because of Tally -hell no, she was like a sister to him. However, this whole 'being crazy for someone' thing was something he missed.
Michael had had his crushes, sure. But those he liked had almost never a thing for him. It became quite depressing and demoralising at times.
Time was passing by. Songs behind him changing without his notice. Thoughts running wild in between the calm waves. It was quite peaceful to just stand there, observing the night.
However, his phone vibrated in the back pocket of his pants then. Internally groaning for that interruption, his eyes left the beautiful panorama view.
He wasn't really in the mood for socializing right now. A reason more why he'd left the growling drunks back inside. But his mind quickly changed when reading the sender's name.
Nay (2:53 am): hey
Nay (2:53 am): sorry if you are busy (or sleeping lol)
And ge didn't even need a second to reply.
»»»
Tally was dragging Luke out by the hem of his shirt. Right to the alley next to the pizzeria. It seemed cold and abandoned. Only the lights of two apartments still burning high above proving otherwise. A stray cat scurrying under a car by their noises.
Away from the main street, where strangers and passing cars might see them.
"I've never noticed before but you really tend to the dramatic," Luke laughed under his breath. Adjusting his shirt with his hands as soon as she let go of it.
"Blame the shows I've watched," she said, growing quiet then. A questioning look set on her features as she was resting her eyes on the ground. "W-what did you mean back inside?"
He raised his brows at her. Playing it innocent in case she'd choose to break his heart.
"What do you mean?"
Chewing nervously on her lips, she sighed. Eventually locking gazes with him. She really didn't want to repeat it in case she'd misheard or misunderstood him. She wouldn't be able to cope with the embarrassment. However, she simply had to know. "I mean w-what you said earlier." Her voice trailed off, doubts overcoming her.
Luke gave up, taking a deep breath. It was now or never.
"You mean before the guy with the pizza appeared."
"Y-yes. Say it again."
There were numerous possible scenarios of how this could end for him. All kind of traumatizing outcomes crossing his mind.
-Her cruely laughing at him; her turning him down for this guy she'd gone out with; her friendzoning him; her having a crush on someone else, etc.
He couldn't bluff it out anymore, though. He'd said it out loud and she'd obviously heard it.
Love was like poker, kind of. Sometimes you had to go all in and just hope for the best.
"Well," he began, casually leaning at the brick wall behind him. He swallowed hard, feeling sweat beads forming on his forehead. "I love you."
He couldn't help but smile when saying it again. Saying those words made him smile, regardless of the situation.
Her mouth fell agape. Eyes blinking rapidly. "A-are you sure?"
Now, Luke had been expecting anything -mostly something from the above listed- but surely not a question to follow.
He pushed himself off the wall. Looking directly into her brown irises. Noticing a small sparkle in them as she was anticipating his response. Her chest raising rapidly.
"Yeah, of course. I'm in love with you," he breathed. Gently brushing off a curl that had fallen on her face in a small moment of confidence. Even a dirty alley not able to take her beauty away. "Tally, the only reason I got so wasted at that party -wasted enough to make out with this girl- was 'cause I missed you so much. You're the reason this awful loneliness and emptiness inside me disappeared. And I couldn't even last a week without your pretty face before falling right back into my old habits." Realising how pathetic he must've sounded, he laughed under his breath. Shaking his head. "Sorry, that was quite.. lame. "
"No, it wasn't."
Her sweet yet certain voice taking him aback. Watching her slowly coming closer. Reducing the distance between them with each step she took until it was practically non-existent. "You made mine disappear as well," she whispered, biting down her pink lips. Making him craving for another kiss. Right there and then.
And it was as she'd overheard his thoughts. Getting on tiptoe, her hand finding its way around his neck. Pressing her lips against his. His hands wrapping around her back, gently bringing her closer to himself. Every emotion felt that night floating into this one action. Into this one moment.
And when they finally managed disconnecting their lips to take a breath -fortunately it having lasted longer than the first one- a mischievous smirk spread all over Luke's now slightly swollen lips.
"So I take this as a 'yes, Luke, I'm utterly and hopelessly in love with you, too' ?"
The tired girl giggled out loud. Resting her wrists on his broad shoulders as she went back on standing normally on her feet.
"Sure. But I actually like randomly kissing my friends a lot. So.." She trailed off, cocking her head.
Luke fake-gasped. His grip around her waist tightening. "You did not just friendzone me," he laughed, shocked.
"Me? Never."
"Would explain why you're so good at it though."
Luke leaned in once more. Quickly reconnecting their lips, preventing her from making any more sarcastic remarks. However, she soon pulled away again.
A smile all over her flushed lips as her hand went on his cheek, cupping it gently. Her eyes observing her thumb slowly caressing his soft skin.
She pursed her lips for a moment when the warm feeling inside her had reached every part of her body.
She was finally able what she wanted for such a long time.
"I love you, Luke."
»»»
-dedicated to my lovely online friend kirsti_clifford who was here from the very beginning <3
also i must THANK YOU ALL FOR OVER 8K READS !! THAT'S INSANE GUYS <3 hope i could make it up to you with Tally x Luke finally confessing to each other.
I'm so very happy about it and thankful for each one of you who's still reading this. it really does mean a lot to me :')
I hope you'll continue showing me your support by reading, voting, commenting etc as I'll continue giving my best in writing this story :)
-Eleni xx