The Tale of Your Ordinary Girl

Chapter 19- Luciana

"No, please!" I beg racing down the streets of our town. We were calmly walking rough town when he decided it was a good idea to threaten to tickle me. I get a good lead heading to the bookstore. He wouldn't mess with me there. I reach for the door when two strong arms pull me back into rock hard abs and I can't help but smile.

"Blake!" I protest.

"Sterling!" He mimics. He always does that. But he does open the door for us letting me walk in first.

"Belle, is that you?" Melanie calls from the back.

"Yeah, it's me!" I call back. I finally wiggle out of his grasp. I head to the bookshelf where our favorite book lies. I climb the ladder and wrap my fingers around the worn paper cover.

"Find it?" He asks.

"Found it." I confirm pulling it off the shelf and joining him on the love-seat curling up as he opens the cover so we can begin reading.

Brring! My phone goes off in my pocket. I pull it out.

"Jonathan," it reads. I battle over and over in my head. I mean I haven't heard from him much since he and Miss-I-Hate-You-Because-You're-His-Best-friend-and a girl, started dating.

"Go ahead," Ashton tells me. I give him a guilty look and accept the call.

"Hello." I hear stifled sobs from the other end of the line. "John?"

"Luce?" His voice is quiet and broken.

"John, what's wrong?" I ask him. His answer is fast and his voice is quiet and breaking I manage to catch the word "Broke". "I can't understand you. Slow down, take a deep breath." He does and his voice becomes clearer.

"Are you free?" He asks.

"No, I'm with Ashton." I apologize.

"Come over, please." He begs

"I'll be there in five." I tell him.

"Thanks Luce." His voice returning to his quiet broken sobs.

"Bye." I hang up and turn to face my boyfriend. Hoping he'll understand.

"Go." He tells me. That was easier than I thought. "I'll wait at my house."

"I'm so sorry." I apologize. He stands and hugs me. I rest my head against his shoulder hugging him back, "He sounded so distraught. If you had heard him."

"It's okay." He promises me, "He's your best friend." I look down. Ever since Cassidy moved away a few months ago and cut contact a few weeks after, Johnathan was the one I went to. The way he understood what I was trying to say without having to say it. Sure, Ashton was there helping pick up the pieces, but he couldn't understand the way Jonathan did. But ever since Miss-Blonde-and-Perfect, I haven't been able to see him much. We weren't even allowed to double with them.

"I'm so sorry Ash," I pull away, "I guess I'll see you at your house."

"I'm counting on it." He answers kissing the top of my head as I walk out and make my way to Jonathan's apartment.

~~

I make it to his and his mother's apartment. I just tap the door once before the door swings open and I'm engulfed in a suffocating hug. Tears soaking my shirt. I wrap my arms around him and we just stand there.

"Thanks for coming." He manages to say without stuttering from the tears.

He lets me into the apartment and we both sit down on the couch. He still has tears streaming down his face, but his hysteria was gone now he just looks like a hollow shell of the blonde haired green-eyed boy who helped me when no one else could.

"What happened?" I ask him running my fingers through his hair as he rests his head in my lap.

"Loraine broke up with me," He answers his voice emotionless, "Captain of the football team asked her out. She dumped me for him. Turns out she'd been dating the football team in secret for the past few months too." He runs his hands over his face.

"If she was cheating on you, she's not worth crying over." I tell him.

"I really like her and then I find out she's cheating on me. Then dumping me for some guy who tackles people."

"Do you really want to date someone who's cheating on you."

"No." He answers.

"What about someone who dumps you for someone else?"

"Definitely not."

"Someone who cares more about status then love?"

"Never," He answers, "But it hurts so much."

"It's okay to cry Johnathan, but she's not worth your tears."

I sit running my fingers through his hair talking to him trying to cheer him up.

"Thanks for coming." He says quietly.

"You needed me. So I came." I tell him, "I'll always be there when you need me."

It fell upon deaf ears, as I look down and he's sleeping. I quietly slip off the couch leaving him sleeping peacefully. His puffy red usually bright green eyes closed and he looks so peaceful. I kiss his head before walking out and closing the door behind me. I walk to Ashton's house thinking through everything that had happened.

~~

"Ash," I call knocking on his door and waiting for an answer. I get none. I twist the knob and see his empty room. The window is open. I walk to join my boyfriend on the roof.

"Hey." He greets.

"I'm sorry." I tell him again resting my head against his shoulder.

"Don't be." He tells me, "How is he?"

"Heart broken." I answer remembering my friend who's normally happy go lucky crying and looking broken.

"What happened?"

"She dumped him for a newer model."

"She always was a B-"

"Rat." I finish for him giving him a look as a scolding for his language. He shoots me an apologetic look. We both look at the setting sun from his roof, a tradition that started the day we met. I scoot closer to him and he wraps his arm around my waist securely. "You should have seen him, he was miserable."

"Why?" He asks me, "She wasn't even that pretty."

"Well, if you're not into the tall blonde model types." I retort quietly to myself.

"I'm not." He whispers in my ear, "I'm more for the nerdy brunettes with their noses buried in books. Eyes that light up when she get to read her favorite book with me." Pretty sure I'm blushing. I bury my face in his shoulder smiling like an idiot.

"Johnathan and I are hanging out tomorrow afternoon, do you mind?" I ask him.

"A church thing or just a regular thing?"

"Both, the kids are having a carnival of sorts I'm doing a storybook costume booth. Then we're grabbing lunch. You're welcome to join us."

"I've got plans tomorrow, but are we still on for our date?"

"Nothing's going to stop me." I promise him. I look at the stars peaking out through the dark curtain of the sky. I yawn as I grow sleepy from the long day. I cuddle closer to Ashton and close my eyes letting sleep over take my senses.