The Invitation lh

Questioning motives

Luke

After the phone call, I saw Ronan standing behind me. What all did she hear ? Hopefully nothing, that would ruin everything.

Not only would it ruin what I have to do to get me out of my situation but it would ruin her.

We walked the halls together. Ronan is silent as am I. I think we're both in thought.

I finally I decide to break the silence. "So uh what are you doing tonight ?" I ask her.

Her eyes meet mine. "Probably studying why ?" She asks.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come to mine, mum would love to see you." I ask almost pleading. This has to go well or else I'm fucked and so is she.

"Oh I'm yea, I've kind of missed her." She says with a small smile.

"Meet me by my car after school." I said smiling down at her before walking off.

Well things seem to be going okay. I just need to do what they want me to do and then we'll both be okay.

After beating up Jace, I'm now in trouble with my "old" crowd. They want me to do the unspeakable to Ronan. Something I can't even imagine myself doing if it wasn't the right circumstance.

I was in it from the jump mainly to show my loyalty to them but after I learned that they raped her and my ex knew and recorded it... I'm not so sure I wanna do it.

I don't want Ronan to hate me. They've agreed that if I did what they were originally wanting me to do to then they'll leave her alone and I can be with her.

But honestly I'd rather have Ro hate me than be fucked with again.

I've been pondering all day on how I should do it. But regardless I have to.

It's 1:40 pm and school just let out. I'm waiting by my car. I finally see her coming my direction. Some guy with red hair is talking to her, I'm assuming that's Mikey.

They part ways and she walks up to me with a smile on her face.

Here we go.

...

Ronan

I'm walking out of my class when I see Mikey waiting for me. He walks up to me and greets me when he sees me. "Hey haven't seen you much, where ya been ?" He asks smiling.

"I've been rekindling my friendship with Luke. Haven't seen much of you either, you been with a girl ?" I ask raising my eyebrows.

"What ? Haha..." he says before clearing his throat. "Psh no.." looking around all obvious.

"Oh c'mon, I can tell you like someone." I say laughing it off.

"Okay okay don't tell anyone but there's this girl, you might know her actually, she's in our 1st period. She's got lavender hair and she's so pretty." He says dreamily. Wow he's smitten alright.

"Oh yea, Hailey right ?" I ask, double checking. "Yes, Hailey. Can you imagine how good her name would sound with my last name ?" He asks like a fanboy. "Hailey Clifford." He sighs happily.

"I'm sure she feels the same, what's not to like ?" I laugh. We say our see ya's and our smell ya later's before splitting to go our separate ways.

I head over towards Luke, who's leaning against his car waiting patiently for me to join him.

I'm kind of wondering why the sudden plans ? I'm not complaining but he's been acting really strange recently.

I'm not entirely sure what's going on but I'm I'll get it out of him eventually.

He follows me to the passenger side and opens the door for me. I raise a brow but get in nonetheless.

He goes around to the drivers side and slides in. It's mostly just silent besides the faint sounds of Green Day playing through the speaker of the radio.

Once we pull up, I go to get out but he doesn't let me. Bro I get it this is really sweet and all but I can get out myself. He opens my door for me and and we walk into his house.

The warm air instantly envelopes me as I enter through the front door. The inside much more warm than the slight chill that was outside.

I look around a little not seeing Liz anywhere. Luke notices my confusion and and answers my thoughts. "Oh she must be out, I'm sure she'll be back soon." I nod my head. I've been kind of giving him the silent treatment just a little due to the massive amount of anxiety that's built up from him being so secretive.

I just wish he'd tell me what he's hiding already.

He nods his head up towards the stairs as if to say "I'm heading up to my room, you coming ?"

I hesitate but oblige nonetheless. Once we get to Lukes room, he does something I don't think I've ever seen him do before.

He starts taking his shirt off. And then his pants- "what the hell are you doing ?" I say confused and surprise. Have I seen him in his underwear before ? Yes, but he's acting so fucking weird.

"Finally, I knew that this would make you say something. Why the silent treatment ?" Luke asks while slipping a pair of sweatpants and a a shirt on.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Can't a girl just not feel like talking ?" I ask nonchalant while looking at my nails.

"Oh c'mon Ro, maybe if it was anybody else but I know you. You love talking, to the point where I sometimes think you just like hearing your own voice." Damn. He's right. I do kind of talk a lot, I can't help it.

"Okay fine. I'm nervous about the kiss. Do you regret it or something ?" I ask bringing my face from looking at my hands in my lap to his ocean blue eyes.

This obviously isn't what I was giving him silent treatment over but it's not a lie either. Luke knows me so well to the point where it's extremely hard to lie to him and him believe it.

So I had to say something else that was real. Something that really has been on my mind but that I've been pushing back and avoiding even talking about it.

His eyes soften. "Ro, I would never regret kissing you. I've wanted to do it for a long time.  Believe me Ro, it meant so much to me." He says.

I feel his words hit me. I feel an overwhelming amount of emotions hit me all at once. And while I am very happy, I have to get to the bottom of why he's really acting so suspicious and secretive and what that phone call was about.

I hugged him so tight. Like it was the last time.

"I'm gonna go down stairs and get us some snacks and a drink, I'll be back okay ?" He says looking into my eyes. He's about to turn and leave when he turns back to me and kisses me.

He then goes on his merry way. Okay wow.

I shake my head at the euphoric feeling and look for his phone. I see it his desk. I walk over and grab it.

Passcode. Okay uhhh try hemmotron. Incorrect.

Okay uhhh, Kevin Jonas. Incorrect. Really ? That's genuinely very surprising. I thought for sure that'd be the one.

Okay one more guess, it's a long shot but it's worth a try. Ronan. Unlocked.

My eyes almost soften at the small but very significant thing, but I remember what I'm doing this for. I go to contacts, and recent calls. Jace. Sara. Are you serious ?

I need to find out what he's doing talking to them and why he's not telling me about it.