Without You

Part 13 "Why? Jealous?"

*AUBREY'S POV*

"Two years ago, we moved here from Alabama to get my mom better treatment. The treatments on her type of leukemia were better researched up here so we left Montgomery," Luke tells me while picking on a piece of grass.

I can tell he is sad by talking about it so I scoot closer to him and lean my head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Luke," I softly squeeze his forearm.

I may not know exactly what he's going through but I understand his pain.

"I moved from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Well, technically, Base Camp Lejeune, " I tell Luke and he softly nods.

"My dad was deployed five months ago and almost three weeks ago," I take a deep breath, "I got, a letter, saying he wasn't coming back."

I wipe the stupid tears off my face frustratingly and look back up at Luke. He is looking at me with such regret and that causes me to cry even more.

"Aubrey," He says almost desperately as he pulls me closer to him.

"Two days ago, the guy that was with my dad when he died came to see me. He told me he made a promise with my dad that he would come to see me," I wipe more tears remembering Owen.

Luke takes my face in his hands and he looks right into my eyes.

"I am so sorry Aubrey." 

"It's okay Luke, you didn't know," I tell him, not wanting him to feel guilty or anything.

"Come here," Luke says as he lifts me from where I'm sitting and onto his lap facing him.

I blush as he places my legs on either side of his torso. He pulls me into him and I wrap my arms around his neck and we hug.

He smells super good. 

"A real baby would never be as unpredictable as West right?" Luke asks me pulling away from our hug after about two minutes.

"No" I giggle.

"Good," He smiles, "I was fixing to throw him in the dumpster for crying randomly."

I gasp at him and laugh again. I look down and realize I'm still on his lap.

I blush and then blush more when I notice his arms still securely wrapped around my waist.

I look back at him to see him giving me a small but breathtaking smile.

"Where's West?" I question changing the subject hopefully subtly.

"I'm sure somebody's taking care of him" He shrugs.

I just shake my head at him. Of course he would say that.

"Let's get outta here," He says suddenly.

"But-, what about school?" I ask. 

I've never just up and left school before.

"It's only one day," he says surprisingly softly. 

I weigh my options and think It'll be okay to skip. Only for one day though.

"Okay." 

Luke stands up with me still in his arms and I squeal, holding onto him tighter. 

"You okay?" He smirks.

"I'm not used to being this high up." I look down at the ground and it feels like it's a mile away.

"You're cute," Luke says and he takes my hand, leading me down the hill.

A deep, dark blush covers my cheeks and I turn my head away to hide it from him knowing he'll probably just laugh at me.