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17 - Giving Signs

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. ~Mark Twain

Michael's POV

I walked along with Luke, we were headed towards a movie theater at night. Luke kept his head down as we walked and as much as Ivan would chew us out for looking 'not-very-couple-like' I knew it was best to stay out of Luke's bubble.

Least I thought it was.

Luke stopped abruptly. I stopped as well and turned to him, he had a look on his face like he wanted to say something but was too shy to.

"What's the matter?" I asked as I took a step closer to him.

"Um.." Luke mumbled. "Will..uh.."

"Luke just say it." I offered up a smile, hoping it would help him.

"Can you.." He began and chewed on his lip. "Um..Hold my hand as..we walk..?"

"Course." I smiled, taking his hand in my own. Luke's face tinted pink at the gesture. We continued to walk and Luke continually stepped on my feet, but I appeared unbothered by it.

"Michael..?" Luke spoke. I turned my head to him and raised my eyebrows. "I..um.."

"Just say it, Luke." I smiled at him. Trying to get his nerves to go away.

"I'm sorry that I flipped out on you." He said. "But, I just feel like you don't care about me at all. And it has nothing to do with how I feel, I just..Well.. I do really like you. But I don't want it to be for nothing."

I nodded my head slowly before responding. "Thank you for saying that."

"Hm?"

"Luke, it's extremely important that you tell me how you feel and what's on your mind." I said. "It's important to talk."

Luke let out a sigh, as if something was still on his mind. I hated that he was going to make me ask what, but before I could ask he spoke.

"Why are you treating me differently all of a sudden?" Luke asked.

"You're sad and it's my fault." I said quietly. "Sometimes, people are ignorant and don't realize what they have until they lost it. Well, I was hoping that maybe I could realize what I had before I lost it. Before I lost you." I turned my head to see Luke looking intently at me. I swallowed hard and dropped Luke's hand as I turned my body to face his, people were passing us left and right but paid us no mind. "You don't want to be here."

"I don't."

"And, I don't care where I am but I want to spend time with you." I said quietly. "I want you to care about me like you used to. But I want to be different and not treat you how I used to."

"I do care." Luke said quietly. "I care a lot, but I'm having a hard time believing that you are."

"I can tell.." I sighed. "Luke, I've said it said it once, I've said it twice and I can say it a million times. I love you, and I really do want this to work..But if you're not happy with me, then I don't want you to hurt." I rubbed my arm nervously and looked away, I felt as if Luke would have walked away right then and there. For a moment I thought he did, until I felt my face lifted to Luke's as he gently kissed me.

"This isn't going to be perfect." Luke said quietly. "Clearly there's something wrong with each of us. But I don't want to leave you, because as much as you hurt me you make me ten times happier." Luke wrapped his arms around me and laid his head on my shoulder's, I did not move. "I'm not going to leave."

I swallowed hard before putting my arms around him. "Alright." We both began to walk again, as I took my hand in his own and could not help but see the shy smile on his face.

I remembered that we walked a long ways, even past the movie theater. Then Luke began rubbing his forehead.

"What's the matter?" I asked as Luke dropped my hand to rub his temples.

"My head hurts." Luke sighed. I reached out towards him but he put his hand on my own and gave a reassuring smile. "It's alright, just very late."

"Want to go back to the hotel room?" I asked, Luke nodded his head and we turned and headed a different way to go back to the hotel room. We were walking back to the hotel room when Luke stopped and put his hands on his head.

"Luke? Are you alright?" I asked. "D-Do you need help?"

"I'm-I'm fine." Luke said as he continued walking. I stood in my spot for a moment before following after Luke. We did not say one word as we walked back to the hotel, when we did get there Ashton and Calum were sitting on the couch watching a movie of their own. The door closed and Ashton and Calum jumped up and turned to us.

"What..?" I asked quietly as the two gave a cheesy smile. "What is that look?"

"Nothing." Ashton shook his head. "Why aren't you at the movies?"

"Dodging my question, alright." I rolled my eyes. "We came back because Luke's head hurt."

"His head hurts?" Calum asked as he looked at me, clear confusion written across his face.

"Yeah..Uh..Why?" I responded.

"He's in the kitchen drinking a beer, and his head hurts?" Calum responded. "I'm not an expert but I don't think that beer is the solution for a headache. I think it causes headaches."

"Luke?" I sighed as I walked into the kitchen. He did indeed have a beer bottle shooting the liquid down his throat, it was dripping down his chin.

"Why are you drinking?" I asked as Luke pulled the bottle away from his lips. Luke gave a small shrug before placing the bottle down. I took a step closer. "Did you not like spending time with me?"

"I-I like spending time with you." Luke said quietly as he stared down at the bottle. "I just had a headache and.." Luke trailed off as he looked at me. "I just.."

"Why would a beer help that?" I asked.

"A drink always does." Luke said as he looked down at the ground and I went wide eyed. "W-What.."

"You're addicted.." I said quietly. "You have an alcohol addiction, that headache you're feeling is withdrawals!" Luke shook his head. "How much have you been drinking lately?"

"I don't really.." Luke mumbled as he picked up the bottle and held it in his hand. He then walked over and dumped the bottle in the sink. "See? I'm not." Luke then walked out of the room, leaving me to stare at an empty bottle.