Always For Keeps ( For Keeps part 2)

Fourteen. Scarlett

My talk with Cooper was brief. He was worried about me, and I felt sick over last night. I told him I fell asleep late at Karianne and Brett's and am starting to feel like I caught a stomach bug. He worries even more and I feel like I'm barely holding on.

After we get off the phone, I can't believe how exhausted I feel. I curl up in the bed that used to be mine, before Luke, and replay last night over in my head.
I woke to Luke having a nightmare and my heart shattered. I tried to shake him awake, only to catch an elbow to the face. The pain wasn't horrible, I was more worried about pulling him from whatever nightmare consumed him.
I almost wish I hadn't. When he said we were over, I wanted to flee, but he wouldn't let me go. Saying I was utterly confused is a severe understatement. I wanted to go, I wanted to stay wrapped in his arms, I wanted to feel something; anything. I needed to lose myself in him one last time and now my heart and head are battling.
I quietly sob into the dark blue pillowcase until exhaustion takes over and I fall fast asleep.

The bed shifts slightly as strong arms wrap around me. I battle briefly with myself to stay or to push away, but I'm too tired to fight, and he feels good against me. I sigh as I move into his warm body, letting him hold me close. He lets out a breath he was holding, probably waiting to see if I would flee.
Right before I fall back to sleep he gently kisses my head and whispers, "I love you."

A slamming door startles me as I sit up  in bed. Luke quickly moves to the bedroom door and turns to look at me.
"Just stay here a minute." He says before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Anger boils through my veins.
How dare he! I want to yell, but instead I do as I'm told.
I hear mumbled talking coming from the other room, and I have the urge to puke when I realize I might be 'the other woman'.
I really don't want to have a confrontation with Mandy, but I also don't want to hide in a bedroom, on a bed that used to be mine.
I stand and move to the window hoping that it will distract me from fleeing from the room. From Luke. I dig my nails into my palms until they leave little white crescent marks on my skin.
My eyes flicker around the room quickly, looking for anything sharp to tear open my skin, but I push the idea from my fucked up brain.
I sit on the bed, crossing my legs and just keep my eyes on the window. Cars pass in the distance, like little ants on the move.
Minutes pass until I hear the soft click of the door. I don't look. I keep staring out the window hoping it's not Mandy.
Luke comes into view and gets on his knees in front of me. He tucks some wavy hair behind my ear and caresses my cheekbone in the process. I feel the familiar pull to him and lean into his touch.
"Say something." He whispers.
"I don't know what to say." I shrug.
"Where's your head at?"
"I'm so confused."
"I love you so much, Scar. You have to know that."
I nod. "I love you, too."
"I hurt you." He says brushing my bruised cheek.
"That wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have tried to wake you in the dark while you were flailing all over the place."
"I should have woken up."
"You know you're being ridiculous, right?" I smile.
"I feel terrible."
"Well don't. Shit happens."
"I'm still going to feel bad."
"It will heal pretty quick. I'm not worried." I clear my throat. "Was that Mandy?"
"Yeah she came to get some things."
"Does she know I'm here?"
"No. I think she suspects it, but I didn't tell her."
"Wow." I say moving past him.
"I didn't think you would want to deal with her yet."
As mad as I am, he's right. "I don't want to feel like we are doing something wrong."
"We aren't." He moves to my side.
"We are. Last night..." I can't even say it.
"I shouldn't have made you stay with me. I was just so heart broken, but I couldn't bear letting you go. I don't deserve you, and soon you will realize it."
"I was so mad, Luke. I came here to make sure you were okay, and you tell me we are over, then you won't let me leave." I rub my temples. "Then we fucked and I don't think either of us were in the right mind to have done that."
He furrows his brows. "Do you regret it?"
"No. That's not what I'm saying." I close the distance to him and wrap my arms around his body. "We are supposed to be friends."
"Aren't we?" He says and I look up to him smiling.
"You know, most friends don't fuck."
"You make it sound dirty. It's you and me, babe. I don't care how long I have to wait, but you and I are growing old together." He says and my stomach fills with butterflies.
"I hope so." I say as I look into my favorite green eyes. My eyes flicker to his lips and I don't even try and talk myself out of it; I lean up and kiss him slowly. He responds and pulls my body flush against him.
There's no urgency in the kiss. No rush. I gasp as he lift me up and sits us on the bed so I'm straddling his lap.
"I've missed this." He whispers against my lips.
"Me, too." I smile as he puts his forehead against mine.
"Let's run away together."
"I'm sure we would have some pretty angry people that would find us.
"I don't care as long as we are together." He softly kisses my cheekbones, my cheeks, my nose, my jaw, and back to my lips.
"Would it involve lots of kissing like this?" I smile.
"All day."
"And night?" I ask as I kiss the side of his neck.
"Yes." He breathes.
"For keeps?" I whisper and he leans back and searches my face.
"For keeps." He whispers before reclaiming my lips.

I don't know how much time passes, day turns into night as Luke and I make love over, and over, and over. Always slow, never rushed. I don't let my brain catch up to my heart as I listen to the steady beat of his heart, because in this moment I know where I belong.
"You have to be hungry." He says as he traces hearts on my palm.
"More thirsty, but I don't want to leave this bed."
"I can get you-" he goes to stand but I pull him back down and straddle him.
"I don't want us to leave the bed." I smile.
"Oh." He say and leans up to kiss me. His stomachs growls and interrupts us.
"Maybe eating isn't such a bad idea." I laugh as I roll off him.
We quickly get dressed and head out to the kitchen. I excuse myself to use the bathroom and come back and he is looking at his phone.
"Pizza?" He asks.
"I can always do pizza." I say wrapping my arms around his waist and nestle my head under his chin.
"Done. It should be here in forty five minutes."
"Want to play zombies?" I say before kissing his cheek.
"Sure, babe." He says and we head to the living room. He turns on the PS4 and we sit next to each other while we play video games.
"How's you leg feeling?" He asks.
"A lot better. Physical therapy seems to have helped."
"That's good. And your arm?"
"I cut my cast off. It's still sore, but it's not bad."
"Maybe you should get it looked at?"
"No. They will out a new cast in and I hated it. I'll survive, babe." I smile at him.
"I worry about you, ya know."
"I know." I nudge his shoulder. "So how's this going to work?"
"What?"
"This." I motion to us. He sets his controller down and grabs my hands.
"Are you serious? You'll come back to me?" He says as excitement fills his eyes.
"Yes. If you really want me to."
"Yes. Oh God, Scar. Yes please." He wraps me in a hug.
"Okay. But we are not sleeping in your bed anymore."
"Done. Will you really stay with me?"
"Yes. I love you."
"I love you so much. God I love you."
If it weren't for the pizza guy, we might have gone another round on the couch.

The night couldn't be more simple, but it is absolutely perfect. We eat our pizza and wings, play video games until late, and make love one more time before falling asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

This could work. We can finally be together.