Belief

4.2

"Yes Madeline Morrison, my future," Luke's face of worry slowly begins to fade. Maybe he pictured those things too. "Do you believe me?"
I let the question linger in the air for a moment, just long enough to watch the anxiety grow on his face.
"Of course I believe you," I laugh, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him in for a kiss.
Maybe we are all a little sick inside, but he was my cure.
The doorbell rings, echoing through the otherwise empty house. Luke's lips linger on mine for a moment longer, pulling away slowly with a smile. His eyes flutter open, finding mine.
He walks over to the door, pulling it open. His body freezes. I walk over to see who the visitor is.
"Ali?" I smile, giving her a small wave.
"A-Aliesha?" Luke stutters, glancing from her to me, his face sinking.

Ali waves back at me before looking to Luke with full eyes. Full of uncertainty, the same uncertainty that blocked the airwaves enabling me to speak. I stayed silent. A confused silence.

"H-how- You guys know each other?" Luke's voice cracked, glancing from Ali to me with frantic nerves. His knuckles were gripping the door handle, staring at us uneasily.

"We met last night, at the show," Ali gives me a half smile as if she was expecting me to join in, but I was distant from this encounter. She looks up at Luke with admiration, with desire. I could feel my stomach slowly sinking, trying to brace itself for the oncoming battle.

"I saw you, in the crowd," Luke mumbled, crossing his arms and staring at the ground.

That was when it clicked for me. Ali was Aliesha. Ali was Luke's ex, the one who put him in the state he had just managed to escape. The one who somehow left him so bruised and scarred.

Ali- or Aliesha- took a small step forward, almost crossing through the doorway. Luke took a step back, not wanting the distance between them to decrease. "Why are you here?" Luke muttered brokenly. His eyes were set on her with hurt and confusion.

"I need to talk to you Luke," Aliesha lowered her voice, running a hand through her blonde curls. Her smile began to fade away as the reality of the reason for her visit set in.

Luke's eyes widened, his fingers clenching by his sides. He lets out a long, unsteady breath, his eyes flickering shut for a second. "Okay."
Luke steps aside, opening the door wide enough to let Aliesha in. I sort of stood there waiting to see what was going to happen.

"Actually, I think it would be better if we talked outside," Aliesha glances at me with a pitiful smile as if suddenly she had more of a right to Luke than I did. Luke follows her eyes, locking in his gaze with mine.

"Okay, but Maddie is coming," he straightens up, holding out his hand to me. I felt myself let out a breath I hadn't noticed I had been holding in, interlocking my fingers with his and following him out to the chairs on the porch.

"I didn't realize you two were dating," Aliesha shoots us a fake smile, slowly gritting her teeth as Luke pulls me next to him on the couch, Aliesha sitting on the porch rocking chair across from us.

The sun was beginning to set, the porch half aglow with the straggling rays of sunlight. Perhaps all I had left were straggling rays. Sitting out here I would watch, and listen, as the last of my sunshine sunk away.

I wasn't ready for Luke to fade away.

"Yeah, we've been dating for five months now," Luke slides his arms around my waist, gripping onto me for support. "So why are you here Aliesha?" Luke tries to muster up a sound of manly courage, but his voice comes out in a nearly broken whisper.

"I- Luke I need to tell you something," She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, fiddling with her fingers.

Luke stays silent, waiting for her to continue.