𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫. [𝐥𝐫𝐡]

chapter twenty three: "i meant it."

[carmen leigh]

"yeah. you're... you're perfect, sugar."

okay, carmen. stay cool. don't scream. or cry, don't do that either. just... smile and breathe? no... that's too much...

"i- uh..." i clear my throat, avoiding his eyes, "i think you look really nice, too..."

he does. he looks so much better than just 'really nice', but i can't tell him that... it'd be weird. he'd probably think i'm some sort of creep.

"thank you, sugar." luke chuckles at my anxious movements, "nervous, are we?"

oh, lucas... you have no idea.

i'm practically shitting myself. my hands are shaking, my legs feel like they're about to collapse... i don't know how i'm gonna survive the night. maybe i would've been okay if nova hadn't forced me to wear heels...

"just a little bit." i admit shyly.

with flushed cheeks, i finally meet luke's gaze. his eyes soften as he catches my own. without looking away from my eyes, he brings his hands from behind his back, holding something out to me.

"i got these for you." he places a bouquet of pale pink roses into my hands, "i wasn't sure if roses were too cliché, but they reminded me of you, so..."

i look from him to the roses in shock. he bought them... for me? but why? i haven't even done anything for him. it was such a simple gesture, yet it made me so... happy. so unbelievably happy that tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

with tears still in my eyes, i look back up to him. he notices almost straight away, and his eyes widen in worry

"what's wrong? why are you crying? did i do something?" he begins to panic visibly, "oh god, did i screw it up? i promise i didn't mean to, cammie... if you don't like the flowers, i can take them back. i promise i'll make it better, j-"

i cut him off by wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders. he stiffens in my hold, unsure of how to react.

i'm not a touchy person, so i can understand his confusion. even holding his hand was a huge step for me.

cautiously, he returned the hug.

"what's with the hug?"

"just... thank you, so much."

"it's my pleasure. all i did was buy a pretty girl some pretty flowers to match." luke pulls away from the embrace. he takes my hand, and pulls me gently towards the open door, "now, let's get going. we have reservations."

oh god, this is really happening...

is it too late to back out?

-

[third person pov]

the server looked the pair up and down, judging them silently. to him, they looked like the type to disrupt the atmosphere. they just didn't look like they had the class.

"i'm sorry," he put on a plastic smile, "we don't have any tables available, we're fully booked for the night."

luke caught onto what the man was trying to say almost immediately. he knew how class-biased the restaurant was from the times mia had insisted that they eat there. it was almost always full of old, rich, white men and their partners. he found it irritating, but he thought it would impress carmen.

"that won't be a problem, as we have a reservation." luke returned the man's fake smile with one of his own.

carmen stood slightly behind him, the new environment making her slightly nervous. she felt drastically out of place, she didn't seem to fit in amongst the other wealthy customers. she could feel their judging gazes on her, they dug into her skin like hot pokers. she found herself reaching for luke's hand as a source of comfort.