6463 l.h

e l e v e n

I got home from class and sat at the edge of my bed with my hands over my thighs. The cuts beneath the jeans were almost completely healed, it has been a week since I cut myself. Luke has been incredibly supportive about everything, I even told him about the divorce and he made sure I understand that it wasn't my fault and it's okay for me to be sad.

If I take a minute and look through the whole thing again its safe to say things are better. Zoe stopped asking where Dad is and when he's coming back, Luke's here everyday and we are getting along. But I still few empty. I still feel sad. It feels like there's a void inside me like a piece of me that's ripped out of my chest. It's not because I miss Dad, he was barely a part of our routine, I definitely don't miss Mom so I'm running out of options to this.

All I know is that hurts.

"Knock knock?" Luke creeps his head through the door

I smile and nod so he can come in.

"How are you doing?" He sits next to me and wraps an arm around my shoulder

"I'm okay" I sigh, praying he doesn't fight me on this one because I don't feel like explaining

"It's crazy hot today, how about we go to the beach?" he kisses my temple

"I don't know, Luke" I stare my thighs "The scars and shit"

"Hey, look at me" he lifts my chin up "You are perfect" He kisses my nose "If someone talks about them I'll make sure to punch them in the eye" he smiles

Over the weeks I've been growing fond of Luke, hell cross that. I'm in love with him

Its safe to say I lost the bet, but he doesn't have to know yet. I'm not gonna try some trick to make him fall back or anything like that, I'm done with playing games. I'm done with tricking people and their emotions, there's no point to do so anymore.

I've been doing it since I can remember and where it has brought me? My heart is colder than ice, my family is shredded into pieces and the guy I fell in love with is a major player that's just waiting to break my heart.

Maybe that's my punishment. For all the bad I've been doing.

"Fine" I say after a while, he smiles and pecks my lips

"You're the best" his dimples make him more appealing, he kisses my forehead and walks out of my room to give me space to get changed.

Luke's POV

I wasn't supposed to say that. To compliment her like that.

Hell I wasn't even supposed to take care of her like I've been doing but I can't help. I know we have a bet on, I know she's growing feelings for me, I'm watching myself to make sure I don't do the same. But there's this annoying thing about her: I can't let her go.

I should be toying with her heart and have her wrapped around my finger but when I'm close to trick her my head goes the other way around and makes her feel alright. Like when I saw her cutting herself, my heart just stopped. I wanted to run towards her and wrap her in my arms rocking her like a baby making sure she'd be okay. When in reality I should pretend to care and use it against her in the future.

I look at her and see herself as a hurt child. She's vulnerable and I should make a move to sweep her off her feet and make her fall for me, not tell her how beautiful and amazing she is. I'm torn.

I know I can hurt her and break her heart like I'm supposed to but half of me doesn't want it. But the other half whispers on my ear saying that's her game, playing the hurt and vulnerable one just to make me weak and fall for her. I'm far too confused.

One thing is very clear: I can't fall for her. Not because of the bet. But because I had my heart broken once and it does not feel good, Ashley shredded my heart into dust and I barely recovered, I can't go through that again. I've been using meaningless sex to shield my heart from love, Liza can't put my defenses down.

I sit on the couch in the living room and watch Zoe painting, she's making a draw of Liza and I. Zoe is the most adorable kid ever, she's so sweet and carrying. She reminds me of Kira when we were growing up, I love Zoe she's the best. I feel like protecting her because no one here beside Liza and Gammy would do it.

"Luke, do you like it?" she asks taking her hair off her face and showing me the draw

"It's beautiful, Zozo!" I smile and watch Liza come down the stairs. She's wearing shorts and a white thank top with a black bikini underneath it

"Shall we?" she says checking her phone "Zozo, go join Gammy in the kitchen Luke and I are leaving" She kneels in front of Zoe, rubbing her nose

"I want to go with you two!" The toddler complains, Liza just smiles and kiss her cheek

"Maybe another time, okay?" her smile is so warm. She loves Zoe, it's written all over her face. She may be cold and careless but she loves her sister and she'd do anything to keep her safe and happy.

I admire this in Liza. Her capability to forget about her pain and all the things that are going wrong just to make Zoe happy, like the kid is more important than herself.

"Okay, pinky promise?" Zoe offers her tiny pinky and Liza hooks her around it

"Promise" she kisses her cheek again and Zoe stands up to say goodbye to me

"Bye Luke" She smiles and hugs my neck, I hug her back and kiss her temple

"Bye bye Zozo" I wave her goodbye

Liza and I get into my truck and without even noticing my hang goes to her thigh, I rub circles around her skin and she smiles. She places her hand on top of mine and squeezes it, then interwind our fingers together. We stay like this, in a comfortable silence until we reach the beach.

First she's nervous about to take her short of, because of the scars, but soon enough she shakes her head and does it. There's a group of four boys next to us, they stare her. Hard. Not because of the scars but because of her body. I've never seen anything like that, such perfection. She must be the living proof that God's real.

They look thirsty and a wave of jealous hit me.

"What?" she asks, placing her tank top and short on top of the towel on the sand "Oh fuck, people are staring right?" she lowers her head and sighs

I lean in and cup her face with my big hands

"They're contemplating your perfect body" I kiss her nose "And it's making me jealous" I say under my breath

She blushes, like she's not believing in me

"Look at them" I point with my head "They're bending over their knees to take a closer look" I wrap my arms around her tiny waist, making sure she feels safe and send a message to those pervs, she's mine. "When I say you're perfect I mean it" I smile and she rests her head on my chest. I support my head on the top of hers.

Her tiny hands gripping on my back like her life depends on it. I love this proximity. I love to hold her and make her feel safe. I love to feel her heart beating in sync with mine. I love the friction between my skin with hers. I love her tiny hands touching my back with her fingertips sending shivers all over my body. I love staring her eyes when she's focused on something. I love the way she clenches her jaw when she's mad. I love when she shrugs her shoulders. I love when she locks her hand in mine and even mine is way bigger they fit perfectly.

Oh fuck.

I'm losing this bet.

xxxx

Okay this was v short but it will be better next time.

one thing:

I have a 5SOS Preference Book, if you want to request imagines (smut or not) just message me and check the book:

https://www.wattpad.com/story/46534886-5sos-preference-book

oh, another thing, do you guys ship Kira and Calum??????

byeeeeeeeeeeee <3