age 12
"Hey Luke?" Michael asked, sitting on Luke's porch beside him.
"Yeah?" Luke mumbled.
"Why aren't you inside? It's cold.." Michael said, and Luke shrugged.
"Mama has a boyfriend now, and she spent the day with him. She promised she would be home before I got here, but now I'm locked out because she never showed up." Luke sighed, running his hands over his knees to get some warmth.
"I miss hanging out with you, you know?" He said and Luke laughed, shaking his head.
"No you don't." Luke whispered.
"Yeah I do. You were my best friend." Michael said, and Luke smiled a little because nobody has ever called him their best friend.
"Um. Why don't you come over? At least until your mom gets home." Michael said, and Luke nodded, taking the hand Michael offered to help him up.
Luke couldn't help but blush as Michael held the door for him. He was being so sweet and Luke missed his best friend.
When they got into the room, Michael shut the door slowly and smiled as Luke looked around. It has changed since the last time Luke was in here.
"You wanna listen to one?" Michael said when he saw Luke looking at his vinyl records.
Luke shyly nodded, and picked one out. He didn't know who it was, but the cover looked nice.
"Do you like Guns N Roses?" Michael asked, laying it on the record player.
"I've never listened to them." Luke said, sitting on Michaels bed.
Michael smiled as November Rain started playing softly.
He sat beside Luke, and looked down, admiring Luke's pretty socks that came up to his knees.
"Can I tell you something?" Michael asked, feeling his confidence and ego rise a little.
"If you want." Luke said, dangling his legs over the bed.
"I think you look really pretty." Michael said, and he didn't know if it was because he was now 13 and felt really cool being a teenager, or if it was just because his friends are okay with him liking boys, but he had a high confidence as he sat next to a shy Luke.
"No you don't." Luke whispered, turning away slightly.
"Yeah I do." Michael said and Luke felt his eyes fill up with tears.
"Michael, I still like you. I never stopped, so you can't just say stuff like that and not mean it." Luke whispered.
"Luke, I think you are pretty." Michael told him, taking his hand.
"But all of the other kids say I'm ugly." Luke whispered.
"Doesn't matter. You're beautiful to me."
