Ava's POV:
"So, are you going to hand one over?" He asked.
I look at Luke momentarily, analyzing his features, the ones I've been avoiding since summer break. I notice how his freckles aren't evenly spread across his features. However, I knew that a long time ago. "No."
"Why not?"
"You'll thank me in the future," I vaguely responded.
Luke exhales forcefully through his nostrils before pushing the lighter back inside his pocket. It seems that he had forgotten who gave it to him. If he forgot, then I won't mention it.
"Why are you out here?"
"I need to get away for a little while."
He crosses his legs, hanging them against the circular arms. "Seems like I ruined your plans."
"Yeah. You always manage to do that."
Luke scrapes the tip of his shoe against the dirt, "Look at this. We are having a peaceful conversation."
I smile, "Yeah."
"What happened between us, Makee?"
"You mean, why did I withdraw sex?"
"That's not what I mean-" his emerald eyes darted into mine, "I mean, what happened between us? Before all these things, we did. Before sex. The cigarettes. The parties. The complications," the voices seem to dim lightly behind us or perhaps, it's Luke's voice that adds volumes. "We were good friends back then, so what happened?"
I rush my fingers through my sudden tangled hair feeling the small pieces of dead leaves. "I...I sometimes feel like we...we should've never-"
"It was my first time, you know," he said. "I...I never did that with another girl before you."
"Luke-" I didn't want to beat around the bush any longer. "Why did you ask me to have sex with you when you clearly knew how I feel?"
He rushes his fingers through his hair, "You're going to think my reason is stupid."
"Your statement is not inaccurate."
Luke glanced at me, "Alrighty. I guess I appreciate the honesty," he said, and I smile dimly. "Because I was a virgin okay?"
"That's it?"
He shrugged, "That's it. I mean, you're cute, and I'm sure you know it." I nodded in approval of his words. "If I slept with you, then I'm cool."
"You were already one of the most popular guys at school."
He shrugged, "I'm afraid, alright? If I slept with another girl, they are going to-" he places a hand in the air and flings it outward, "they are going to talk shit."
"Maybe, I'll talk shit."
"Oh, please. You were a virgin, Makee. You don't even know bad sex even if it smacks you in the face."
I ran my tongue across my cheek and smacked him in the air, "Shut the fuck up, Parker."
He looks at me, stunned with his arms still in the air, protecting himself from my pathetic smacking earlier. Before I knew it, laughter filled the air. It's been so long since we had this type of conversation, a decent one without lethality in between each exchange.
"Can I at least know one thing?" I asked.
"What?" our laughter slowly died down.
"Why did you leave that night?"
"I didn't."
I took a few blinks, feeling the wind picking up as the sun began setting. "You... didn't?"
He turns his head, "I mean...I did, but I went to the store."
"You went...where?"
He huffs a breath between his hands, "I went to the store."
"Why?"
"Because-" he rushed his hands upward towards his already messy hair, "you looked...hurt...that night, and I thought cupcakes would make you feel better."
"You went to the store...to buy me cupcakes after we had sex?"
He nodded and scratched his head. "Yeah. I wasn't sure what I should do after we did it. But what do you expect? It was my first time."
After the brief silence, I burst out laughing. "Oh, my God. You fucking went out to buy me cupcakes at 2 fucking am in the morning? Are you seriously going to think I will believe that."
Luke wasn't smiling; no, he was all out serious.
"You're serious."
He huffs a breath through his expanding nostrils. "This is why I didn't tell anyone what I did that night. Fuck."
"Then, why didn't I see you that night?"
"Makee, I fucking walk nearly ten streets from your house to purchase cupcakes. Then, I walked two additional streets because that damn store didn't sell cupcakes. By the time I was back to your house, your living room light was on. I'm not stupid. I don't want my wiener cut off after my first time."
I vaguely remember the day after our first day together. "Is that the reason why you brought two containers of cupcakes the next day for Sarah's birthday?"
He rolled his eyes, "You seriously thought those cupcakes were for Sarah? When did I ever give her anything?"
I shrugged, "I don't know."
"That girl slammed her body at me and began crying. I can't say the cupcakes aren't for her birthday in front of everyone."
Before I could control it, short chores of chuckles left my lungs. "Wow."
"Wow?"
I shook my head, "Nothing."
He tilts his body towards me lightly, "Come on, Makee. I told you an embarrassing secret. Not going to return the favor?"
It felt weird, suddenly talking to Luke as if nothing happened between us. "That night...I totally thought you hit it and quit it."
"You thought I...smash and dash?"
"Seems like it." I scratch the itch on my forehead, "You know what? It's fine." I smile, "Let's just forget everything, okay?"
"Make-"
"Luke," I warned him not to continue any further.
I was simply curious about what happened that night. It was bothering me for so long, and knowing what happened brought a bit of contentment.
He nodded.
"I'm really done, Luke. I...I just want to live an average life as Ava Makee. I don't want to force myself to fit in anymore. I don't want to go to parties when I want to be alone. I don't want to spend more time with my friends than with my family. I want to just do what I want."
He pressed his lip together as his eyes analyzed me before it curled upward in a sweet smile. "I...I think I want that too."
I held out a hand, "No more. Okay? No more, whatever this is between us."
He smiles and grasps it, "No more."
A pleasant bubbling feeling drips into my stomach as our hands touch. Even with his lack of complexion, his smile never seems livelier.
"And here I thought you wanted to be alone."