cool » l. hemmings

xxxv.

There was something oddly relaxing about not being fully there, but knowing you are. That's what it feels like to know you're dreaming but you're still able to hear whatever is in front of your closed eyes. I didn't want to be completely there; it was nice here in Halfway Land. Waking up would mean I'd have to face the possibility that maybe all of what happened at this cliff was part of this halfway-dream I had going.

"Michelle, I think we fell asleep at the cliff," I heard Luke chuckle, his voice deeper than usual, sounding tired. He shook me lightly and waited for me to answer him.

"So that explains why I kept thinking the waves were just my brother having bathroom issues," I sat up just as Luke did the same, and rubbed at my eyes before opening them completely, seeing the sun just barely up in the sky.

"No, just Poseidon," he yawned. I questioned how Luke actually managed to wake up this early, though it wasn't really hard to be woken up considering the part-dirt, part-gravel, part-grass cliff we had fallen asleep on.

I didn't know what time it was, but I could tell it was early and I really, really just wanted to go back to sleep. Knowing my mom, that wouldn't be able to happen until I got back to my house and explained to her where I was and that no one was trying to murder me.

"We can go back to sleep when I get you back home, I promise," Luke, noticing my still-sleepy nature, pulled me up and giggled.

I just nodded, leaning my head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around mine. I've never been a morning person and I don't think that's changing any time soon, this is the first time I've willingly (I'm not sure this could really be called that) been awake for sunrise -- it's certainly going to be my last.

"I'm sorry we fell asleep here," Luke pouts once we get to the car, which was still parked in the same place he put it yesterday. Not that I would expect anything different.

The comfort of the partially worn down seats greeted me and I almost fell back asleep as soon as I sat down, but sadly, I promised I wouldn't fall asleep on the drives to and from this place anymore. Maybe Luke forgot about that, we both knew I wasn't being all that serious when I said it.

I yawned and shook my head, "It was kind of nice."

† † † † † † †

I don't know where my mom and Grady went, but I assumed that they went together, since Mom never leaves Grady alone. I still don't understand why, but then again, I do. What I really didn't understand was why she wasn't waiting for me on the living room couch to question me on where I'd been all day yesterday.

Them being gone left me laying in my bed with Luke, trying to catch up on the sleep we'd lost on the cliff. That wasn't what Luke wanted to do; he was all of a sudden up for all the talking he could do. "It's been a day. Do you think I'd be a good person if I said I just wanted you to be my girlfriend already?" was the first thing he said when I tried to close my eyes, playing with my fingers like he always did.

"Luke, there's nothing wrong with wanting someone to go out with you," I chuckled quietly, suddenly fascinated in the small details I started to notice about him. He scratches his nose a lot, and whenever he laughs he almost always looks to the ground, or in this case, he'd bury his head into the pillow. I took notice to the fact that he only played around with my fingers when he was nervous or unsure of something, as if it comforted him. And that was quite adorable.

It was still early -- I think I remember seeing it be about nine in the morning when we first went to my room.

"Yeah, but like, do you want to do that thing with the hand holding and the free butt touching and stuff," he said, giving me a straight look and not breaking it, even when I started laughing. We were facing each other while buried under three layers of blankets, Luke's fingers drumming against my side every once in a while.

After coughing the laugh away, I rolled my eyes, "I'm not sure I'm familiar with what that is." I was extremely exhausted and felt like I could pass out any minute, but seeing how hyper Luke was had made that task nearly impossible.

He rested his arm over my waist, "I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss your neck." This time, Luke broke his straight face and grinned as he sang the lyrics.

"You did not just--"

"I did. Now tell me you'll be the asshole whose stupid hand I hold." If I was to tell you this moment was both entertaining and one of the greatest, I think I'd be underexaggerating just a bit. The look on Luke's face was so determined that I couldn't help but keep a smile on my face.

"I don't appreciate you calling your girlfriend an asshole." I liked the word girlfriend. It made me feel kind of important.

A look of accomplishment crossed Luke's face for a second, "So you're my girlfriend now, huh?" he smiled, one of the realest smiles I'd ever seen on anyone.

There was a certain comfort that this moment brought -- even if we were being complete idiots about such a serious topic to most people. "Well that's what you asked me to be."

"Technically I asked you to let me touch your butt," Luke joked. He gripped tightly onto my hand.

"The only way I'll let you do that is if you're my boyfriend," I said.

"So I'm your boyfriend," Luke smirked to me, but let it slowly grow into one of the biggest smiles I'd ever seen on his face.

I laughed, nodding and closing my eyes to rest, with a grin on my face that never seemed to go away. When Luke is around they never seem to. "Yes, Luke."

The bed shifted and I heard him laugh quietly and pull me closer, "Well finally."

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so lukelle is a thing thanks to luke being so straight forward and them being so casual about it wtf its so cute

do you ever have that problem where ur like "man i cant start too many stories" but your ADD gets in the way and you do it anyway

me too