Taking Chances (Remember to Forget Sequel)

Chapter 1

Luke's POV

"Are you ready to go?" I ask Calum, picking up one of his suitcases.

"I guess so," he says quietly, grabbing the rest of his bags.

We head outside to where my parents and Delilah are waiting. Ashton and Michael said their goodbyes yesterday, but Delilah wanted to come along today.

"All set?" my dad asks us.

I nod and put Calum's suitcase in the back of the car.

"Alright. Let's get going then, we don't want to miss the flight."

"I wish I could miss it," Calum mumbles as he gets in the car.

Calum, Delilah, and I squish into the backseat with me sitting in the middle. Delilah reaches for my hand and squeezes it lightly.

"Just a few months, and we'll be in Australia," she says quietly in an attempt to make me smile.

I nod and smile a little.

It's been a little over a week since New Year's Eve, and my mom and Calum are leaving today. It felt so great to finally have them here. I don't want to be separated from them again. It feels like they were only here for a few days, when it's been three weeks. In these short three weeks, I've made more memories with them than I did the past six months before I left.

It's also been a little over a week since Delilah and I first kissed. I was afraid things would get awkward between us afterwards, but surprisingly, it hasn't. We've been completely comfortable with each other, which is strange because the old me would never have gotten the courage to even kiss Delilah. I'm still getting used to the fact that we're more than friends now. I'm not sure if we're technically official just yet though, but we could be. I don't understand how relationships are supposed to work, it's all so confusing. I hope we are though.

"It's going to be so weird to not have to wear five layers of clothes when I go outside," Calum says, laughing.

"Lucky you," Delilah responds.

"I'm gonna miss you guys so much," Calum says suddenly.

"We'll miss you too," Delilah tells him.

"I mean, I guess I'll miss you," I say jokingly.

He shoves my side, causing me to squish Delilah into the window.

"I definitely won't miss you, I take it back," Delilah says, laughing.

I'm happy Calum is friends with all of my friends. I thought that they may not like each other, but everyone got along so well. With them, I feel like I finally belong. Now that Calum's going back home, it's like a piece of me is leaving too.

We arrive to the airport, and none of us get out of the car. We all sit silently and stare straight ahead.

"Do you guys have to leave?" I whisper.

My mom turns around and smiles kindly. "We do, Luke. I wish we didn't." She reaches over and puts her hand on my knee.

"Can't you just stay here forever?"

My mom shakes her head and turns back around so she can unbuckle her seat belt.

We get out of the car and slowly walk to where they're getting dropped off. We can't go right to their terminal since they have to go through security. It's about an hour until their flight leaves.

"Do we have to say goodbye?" I say quietly, looking down at the ground.

My mom shakes her head. "No, we can just say I'll see you later. How's that?"