Stepbrother | l.h

45: home

Chapter Forty-five

"Home"

"So, you're the famous 'Amber' my son has told me so much about?" Liz asked as she sipped from her green tea.

She had made me breakfast soon after her confrontation with me in the hall, she had insisted on leaving Luke be and just coming downstairs with her and having a peaceful breakfast. Which, indeed it was. She had made french toast and eggs just for me, and some coffee to go along with it. To say i was thankful was an understatement -- I had really needed some food in my system, i guess i had forgotten that snack breaks were needed between study sessions.

"I guess I am," I chuckled, not feeling the need to bring up how Luke wasn't as interested in me as he once was -- or so I thought.

"Then you must've been the young lady that called his phone about a week ago?" She asked me as he held her white mug in her hands, tilting her head expectantly. I blinked blankly as i thought about what to say. That couldn't have been her, could it? The girl who answered his phone? The girl i'd been making such a big deal about for days. The girl who'd put me through so much hell had just been his mother the whole time?

"That was you?" I asked, blushing at the thought of how i'd made such an embarrassment of myself for it to just be his mother in the end.

"Yes dear it was. I tried to call back but it went straight to voicemail." She frowned, sipping from her mug.

"Wow." I whispered. All this hassle had just been his mother simply answering his phone. But, it still doesn't change what happened that night at the party.

"You should eat your breakfast before Lucas makes his way down here, he still thinks you're sleeping and you know how much of a drama queen he can be in the mornings." She chuckled, getting up from her seat and making her way to the living room.

"Trust me," I smiled, thinking back to all the mornings i'd spent with him when we lived together. "I know."

"Well, of course you do." Liz smiled, before she rounded the corner and headed out of sight -- leaving me alone in the all too familiar kitchen.

I finished my breakfast in peace but it was killing me to be down here a second more when Luke was upstairs with all the answers i needed. So, i put all my dishes in the dishwasher and sped-walked to the stairs, hoping Liz wouldn't see me and try to convince me to participate in another one of her many motherly activities.

After about a minute of tiptoeing back to the white door i had been yanked from minutes prior I noticed that the low hum of music i'd heard before was no longer playing, it was absolutely silent.

I kind of questioned whether or not the boy was even in there but when i heard a soft sneeze i knew he had to be.

I didn't know how to go about actually getting into the room, should i knock or should i just walk in? Weeks prior to this I wouldn't even dare think of that question, I'd just walk in invited or not. Things had really changed in such a short span of time.

I decided to go with a knock, but before so making myself look presentable in the mirror that was hung in the hallway - taming down stray hairs and dusting eye bugs out of the corner of my eyes.

When i finally decided I looked the best I was gonna get, I knocked lightly - feeling my heart drop as i did so. This was it, i was finally getting to talk to Luke - the person I'd kind of been avoiding for the past few weeks.

I heard a muffled 'I'm coming'. It felt great to hear his voice once again. I could already feel myself slipping under his spell and I hadnt even seen the boy yet. I was so completely and utterly whipped and the bad thing is; I was whipped for a boy who didn't even like me back.

The door creaked open slowly and I didn't know what to do. All I could even manage to do was stare back at the blonde haired boy with my mouth agape - taking in his perfection.

He wasn't even dressed up, he was in sweats and a tee shirt and his blonde hair was tassled and tossed just about everywhere. But, i thought he looked perfect.

I couldn't help but notice the little details on his face, like how he had dark circles under his eyes and how the scruff on his chin was poking through. But still, he pulled it off perfectly.

I was too entranced in Luke I hadnt even noticed that he was pulling my into an embrace, the smell of his cologne filling my senses. It felt so good to be in his arms once more.

Without a word, Luke pulled out of the embrace and took my hand - pulling me inside his room and shutting the door behind us.

"I missed you so fu cking much amber, I'm such an idiot." Luke's words started, pulling me back into a tight embrace as he rested his head atop of mine. I could already feel the waterworks brewing up deep inside me.

"Yeah, you are." I chuckled through the pain, using humor to get by this scary time.

"I should have gone with you at the party or i-god I should have pushed her off.. its just i couldn't something inside of me froze and I couldn't function. And then I saw your hurt face and I didn't know what to do- I just... I'm so, so sorry Amber." Luke sniffled, squeezing me tighter in his arms.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, pulling out of his arms a little so I could look at him in the eyes. His eyes were blood shot and wattery and I couldn't bare to look at them.

"I know how bad it must've looked from your perspective but she came onto me and I should have pushed her off but I was frozen in place.. the girl scares me. I'd never do anything to hurt you and I know asking you to believe me is a lot but I'm telling the truth." Luke rambled, his voice just pleading for me to believe him. And I did, I think.

"So kayli is.."

"Shes my ex, I broke up with her." Luke told me, wiping the tears from my eyes that I hadn't even noticed had fallen.

"I believe you," I whispered, resting my forehead against his.

"Thank fu cking god," He sighed, a slight smirk on his features.

"Language." I growled before connecting our lips together the feeling of home overtaking me once more.

I realized I didn't feel at home because I was inside Andrews house or because I was tucked into my bed with my belongings. I felt at home because I knew Luke was right down the hall, safe inside his room. I realized Luke was in fact my home, he was my safe place.

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Hey guys I haven't uploaded in a while because I broke my tablet and I haven't been able to upload this chapter until now

Because, truth is this has been done for ages now I just wasn't able to upload it

As always, I love you guys

- m xxx