when we collide ✰ l.h.

Chapter 15

"Autumn!" My 7 year old sister yelled out, gripping onto my waist with both arms. Out of all of my family, I did have to admit that I did miss her the most.

"Well it's nice to see you too." I giggled. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her to me tighter.

Effy greeted me in the driveway, her seeing that I pulled up and got out of the car. I ran to her before even getting any of my things. She tugged my arm seeing that she wanted to walk me inside. I looked over my shoulder to see Luke digging through his trunk for my suitcase. I gave him a sheepish look and pointed to Effy, trying hard to resist her pull. He gave me a gentle smile waving me on and telling me he had it. Just as I stopped pulling back on her, she dragged me to my door.

"Why is Luke here?" Effy asked, a slight lisp from her two front teeth missing. Luke had been here since the actual day she was born, so he was practically a brother to her.

"He drove me here." I told her, swinging our hands as we walked up the steps.

"Why didn't Ellis drive you here?" She asked, looking up at me once we got to the top. I took a sharp breath and crouched down to where we were face to face.

"Ellis isn't going to be here anymore." I replied, scrunching my nose up at her.

"Why?" Her voice became higher pitched from her curiosity and tilted her at me.

"Because we aren't boyfriend and girlfriend anymore." I explained. It was hard to tell your little sister that my boyfriend cheated on me and is a prick in the nicest way possible.

"Oh." She plainly said, looking down at her feet. "Well is Luke your new boyfriend then?" She chirped, flashing a toothless grin at me, literally. I shook my head at her question as I glanced down to the ground for a moment.

"No." I chuckled, giving her a half smile. "But I do have a little crush on him." I confessed as I began to stand up. Just as I stood up all the way, I felt Luke brush my shoulder, now standing in between Effy and I with a suitcase in hand.

"Who has a crush on who?" He asked her, butting in on our conversation.

"Autumn has a crush on you." She told him. I mentally kicked myself for spilling my secret to a 7 year old, especially one that couldn't actually keep a secret.

"Oh?" Luke replied, turning to me with a raised eyebrow. I glanced over to him, meeting his eyes, then glaring down at Effy.

"No I don't." I quickly said.

"You just told me!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"No I didn't!" I lied, my cheeks turning a light pink. "We were talking about how you had a crush on a boy in your class." Luckily for me, I was able to get out of situations like this since I was the big sister and in my mind everything I said was right.

"Ew!" She yelled before running back into the house. I turned back to Luke who was biting his lip to keep his smile from growing. I rolled my eyes at him, struggling to keep back my smile also.

"Get off your high horse." I said to him as I grabbed my suitcase out of his hand. I walked to the door, stopping once I took a step inside. I turned around and saw Luke standing in the same place with the same goofy smile. "Are you going to come inside?" I chuckled. He nodded his head quickly then followed behind me and into my living room where all of my family was sitting.

All at once they had gotten up and crowed around me, giving me hugs and saying how happy they were that I was home early. After me they then went onto Luke, giving him just about the same greeting. Luke had practically been part of the family already, he'd grown up with us all.