repercussions | l.h

NINE: LISTENING TO YOU IS SWEET

"Good morning."

Nellie glanced up at Luke as he leaned in the doorway of his home. He smirked down at her like he felt achieved. It was the second time she had come to him, and this time she had asked. She almost wanted to roll her eyes at his apparent cockiness, but she held it back as he continued to block the entrance way.

"Good morning," she said, waiting for him to move to let her in. He still didn't budge.

"I got you something," he said, making her furrow her brow before he stepped back and picked up something from behind the door. She tried to peek her head around, only for him move back to where he stood before she could. He handed her a single flower,  the action confusing her even more.

"What's this for?"

"Do you know what today is?" He asked, her fingers brushing against his as she took the flower from him. Nellie shook her head no as she touched the soft yellow petals. "This was the day I asked you for a bandaid in your apartment a few years ago."

Nellie smiled softly when he said it, twirling the plant in between her fingers. She noticed a bandage stuck towards the bottom on the stem, as if he was doing his best to show repair for something he had killed. Nellie pursed her lips after a few seconds, her heart racing a bit faster as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"It's not a Spongebob bandaid, but it's a tulip," he said, showing little details that he had remembered from years ago.

"Thank you," she said, softly, "can I come in?"

"Of course." He finally moved from the doorway, holding the door open for her, "where would you like to talk?"

"Anywhere is fine," she said, placing the flower on his countertop. He motioned for her to follow him up the stairs, her mind trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to say now that she was there with him. She was going against a lot when she even texted him in the morning asking if she could stop by, but Luke was doing just as much telling her yes.

He lead her into the room he slept in, the sunlight shining through the glass doors on the other side of the room. The space felt warm, which reassured her without much of a second thought. She followed him closely as he opened the sliding door, the warmth hiding her soothingly as she stepped outside.

"Is out here okay?" He asked, squinting at the sun as it hit his eyes. Nellie nodded, looking at the length of the balcony that seemed to wrap around another part of the building. He took a seat at the table, leaning back as Nellie looked around for a moment. He watched her as she touched the edge of the railing, her hair moving softly in the breeze. Her skin looked like it glowed in the light that surrounded them, and he almost told her how beautiful she looked; but something held him back from it.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"How do you know that's what I'm here for?" She asked, looking at him as he sat under the white umbrella that was shielding the table top.

"Lucky guess, I suppose," he said, still squinting slightly. He had a few red marks on his face and a cut through one of his brows and near the corner of his mouth. The sight of it made Nellie's heart ache slightly; she connected it back to a few things. One of those being how he refused her help just the other night; and then her chest hurt for just a moment.

"How did your fight go?" She asked, taking a few steps closer to him as he sat up in his chair.

"I won," he said. Nellie smiled slightly, sitting on the edge of the table. She kicked her feet softly, frowning for just a second.

"Can we talk about last night?" The girl changing the topic before she acknowledged anymore of what made her stomach churn.

Luke paused, letting a sigh fall past his lips before he nodded. He didn't want to have the conversation again because he knew he didn't have any answers that she was looking for. He wanted to give her an answer that was actually worth asking for, and he desperately tried to search for an answer all night. But he came upon nothing except the fact it was a mistake.