ten years. [lrh]

three.

14 years later.

'Mandy?' Luke repeated, staring at Amanda with eyes the size of lightbulbs.

Amanda couldn't speak. He looked so different up close. She had seen pictures before, but nothing was like this. His hair was full and curly, in contrast to the quiff she used to run her hair through ten years ago. He was taller, towering over her by over a foot. He wasn't this tall ten years ago.

'Mandy. Is that you?' His voice echoed in the midst of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She couldn't even recognise his voice, anymore. It was American. The man really was eager to leave his roots behind.

She breathed out, forcing herself to meet his eyes once more. He was missing something. Something she loved so much.

'You removed the lipring.' Amanda whispered, touching her own lip. Luke blinked, taken aback by her response.

When she realised what she had said, Amanda made a mental note to jump out of a plane. You've removed the lipring? What sort of 'first' impression does that leave?

'I-uh, yeah.' Luke said, letting out a shaky, single laugh. 'I did.'

Amanda nodded, not knowing what to say. It's hard to talk to someone when you're not even sure if they're really there. It felt like a dream. A nightmare. One that would reopen her cuts the minute she woke up, forcing her to stitch herself back up again. And that took years.

'What are you doing here?' Luke asked, nervously scratching his neck. Amanda noticed a tattoo on the underside of his wrist: the initials C.M.

'Holiday.' Amanda replied, almost too quickly. She didn't want him to think she had stalked him down. She had no idea he was in Los Angeles. It made sense that he was, but she hadn't thought about that. LA is so big. 

'Oh.' Luke nodded, swallowing his lips. His gaze trailed down Amanda's body, and she felt a pang of vulnerability. There used to be a time when his look would give her butterflies. 'You look good, Mandy. As always.'

Amanda muttered a quick 'thanks,' suddenly realising the amount of anger that was stored in her chest for so long. As always? He wasn't allowed to say that. He wasn't there for the Always.

She wanted to scream at him. For leaving her like that, for never talking to her again. She wanted to find out why, but it was too late. Amanda was 10 years too late.

'How have you been? It's been a while.' Luke's hand ghosted over Amanda's arm, sending a shock of shivers up her body. She had been so starved from his touch.

'Oh, I've been good.' Amanda said, feigning a smile. A little facade won't hurt. It wasn't fair that he got the life he wanted and she didn't. 'My boyfriend... Henry, we're happy. Really happy.'

Luke smiled at her, unable to see her lie. A boyfriend? Amanda never had anything but failed dates after he failed to come back. 

'How about you?' Amanda asked, beginning to feel intimidated by Luke's famous stare.

'Well-' Luke waved his arm. 'Things are... things. They're working out, which is good enough.'

'You're on the news a lot.'

He snorted. 'Yeah. Those Rage Electric articles really fucked up my rep, didn't it? Fuckin' liars.'

Amanda didn't know how to believe him. How did she know whether those articles were fake or not? She remembered reading them. They were horrible. Luke's face was plastered across the front page and through multiple pages in the magazine, decorated with disgusting red words. It hurt to think about it. 

Amanda didn't think she'd ever really believe what those articles said, but when two years passed, she had no choice but to work with what she had. That was before Luke crashed into her. Now, she's got the man within two feet, and if he wasn't going to address the elephant, she needed to. 

'Why didn't you ever come back?' She blurted, hugging her body as she braced herself for his reply. Luke's shoulders dropped. He frowned, shaking his head slightly.

As he opened his mouth to speak, flashes sounded from behind them, and Luke turned around, catching sight of the cameras.

'Fuck.' He groaned, fishing for something in his pockets. He pulled out a pair of shades, and shoved them towards Amanda.

'I thought I got rid of them.' He grabbed her hand and started pacing through the park by the dunes they were standing on. 'I can't leave you now, they've spotted me with a woman.'

Luke shrugged off his jacket, throwing it to Amanda. 'Wear it! Now. And put up the hoodie.' With his hand still gripped onto hers, he started to run. His long-legged strides overpowered Amanda's short ones. She struggled, stumbling through the park and into the parking lot after him with his jacket hanging off one arm.

After a couple of seconds, Luke stopped running, pulling Amanda behind a tree with him. His cheeks were flared, glistening under the street light.

'Put it on. Hurry up!' He hissed, urging Amanda as she shook on his jacket, trying to reach for the hoodie. Luke sighed, and pulled it over her head for her.

'Wear those, too.' He pointed at the shades in her hand.

'We lost them, though.' Amanda hissed back, trying to catch her breath.

'They'll find us. They always do.' Luke breathed, looking over his shoulder. 'Put them on!'

Amanda scowled, pushing the shades above her nose. As if on cue, the sound of cameras clicking and rushing feet grew closer.

'I hate this.' Muttered Luke, taking hold of Amanda's wrist again. He fell into a full sprint, weaving between the cars and trees with Amanda dragging behind him, focusing on not tripping up.

'I can't be seen with you,' Luke huffed over his shoulder at her. His voice so low, Amanda could barely hear. Her heart dropped.

I can't be seen with you.

*********

this could be better but im just so sleep deprived and physically exhausted soz xx

im getting major starstruck vibes tho wbu

thank u for reading! please vote & comment, it means the world xo

— epihphany