accidental | l.r.h

ix

I stood there as if I was paralyzed. Luke's hard facial expression has returned, leaving me feeling sick to my stomach.

"Luke-"

"I said, go." He says louder, making me flinch. My hands start to shake as I tried stepping closer to him. When I step closer, he cocks the gun that he is holding to his own head.

"There is no way I am leaving you." I say quiet but firmly.

"Why not?" He presses on.

"Why would I?"

"Well, considering you never cared about me like I thought you did, I don't know why you would need to. Maybe this will just be easier for you. If I kill myself, you won't have to take the dare and go to the dance with a psychopathic freak!" He blurts out, tears forming in his eyes. "And to think... I care for you so much just to be used. I even saved you from sleeping in the coldness of the night."

And in that moment, my heart stopped beating. How did he know? I feel as if I'm going to faint as I stare into his eyes that are no longer shining, but turned back into the hard, black pits. With tears.

"I can't believe I trusted you. But most importantly, I can't believe I thought I had a reason to live."

And in that time, that very minute, that very second, everything was like slow motion. His finger moved on the trigger and I used all my force and speed to crash right onto him. The gun shoots, but as he it is being pushed away from his head, it shoots into the trees.

He pounded onto the ground on his back with me right on top, knocking the wind out of him. My head lands on his chest and my legs wrapped around his waist.

I sit up and put my hands on his shoulders, pinning him down. He tries to catch his breath as I look into his eyes.

"Don't you even dare do that to me again!" I yell, tears running down my face at the thought that if I was not here in time, he would have actually done it.

"Wh-Why not?" He chokes out. "S-so you can not seem like a wimp and lose the dare?!"

Guilt overwhelms me. I can't deny that it was a dare, but I can deny that I never cared for him. I care for him. I...I love him. It may have been an accident, but it was the best accident I have ever made..

"Luke..."

"Don't." He cuts in. He takes my shoulders and moves me off of him onto the ground.

When he gets up, he heads back to the way of the park, picking up his gun, and leaving me on the forest floor.

"Luke!" I scream as I scramble to my feet. His long legs carry him faster than mine carry me. I continue to call his name as I fall over the sticks, scraping my knees.

Soon, I lost sight of him. He never looked back or never slowed down. He kept on walking, and walking, and walking. Walking right out of my life.

Of course, my heart, my mind, and my strength could not accept this. I ran as fast as my sore feet could take me as guilt, heartbreak, and sorrow flooded my body. My thoughts. And I begin to notice that it's starting to rain... Just what I needed.

Soon, I catch sight of the opening of the woods that leads into the park. When I am finally out of the forest, I fall on my knees onto the moist ground. I try and catch my breath. The scenarios of what just happened replay behind my closed eyelids as the rain begins to fall harder.

Luke holding a gun to his head. His cold eyes. Me saving his life. And then him walking away, leaving me breathless on the ground.

Right there, as I land on the ground, I begin to cry. But I know I'm not alone, because the sky is crying too. It probably is heartbroken with me.

I don't know what else to do. My feet hurt and my legs have new bruises.

What a disaster this has turned into. It began as a simple question to help me best friend go to the dance. At least she is happy. At least she get's her happy ending.

But maybe life isn't a fairytale. Maybe life isn't about getting what you want.

All of the sudden I feel a hand reach my shoulder, making me jump. I look up to see Michael, crouching down to me in the pouring rain.

He didn't make get up, and he didn't make me say a word. But all he did was hug me. I was too sad to push him away, and I needed a shoulder to cry on.

I let it all out. I squeezed Luke's flannel that is still in my hands and I bury my face into Michael neck. Warm tears slide down my cheeks and my breath shakes.

Sometime during my sobbing, he picked my up and carried me bridal style all the way to my house in the pouring rain.

When he reached my doorstep, he gently set me down onto my feet.

I looked up to him. "Thank you."

A smile slides onto his face when he looks down onto me. But then he frowns.

"What?" I question.

He brakes eye contact and he runs his hand through his hair nervously. "I... I know I caused this- I never meant to make you cry... or get hurt in any way-"

"Wait." I cut him off abruptly. "You told him?"

His eyes widen at the harshness in my tone of voice. I couldn't believe it. "How did you even know?!" I spat.

"C-Calum told me... and I thought you didn't want to be with h-him and I really like you.. I just want you.." He stutters and steps closer to me. I hold my hand out and it lands on his chest, making him stay back.

"I can't believe this!" I yell, making him jump. "This is just- you know what? Thanks for your time. Goodbye." I turn and slam the door in his face. I slide down the door onto the floor.

I stare onto the floor, overthinking. I recall what Luke said. "I even helped you from sleeping in the cold."

It was him. That is why I woke up in my bed after I fell asleep on the porch at night. I don't know how, but he did. And with that thought fresh in my mind, I let out the last of the tears that I have left.