Is this love?

Chapter 6

I sit down across from Luke, sipping my tea, and studying his features. He's leaning back in his chair, staring at me with the same look in his eyes as before. I gasp as I realize what that look is. It's love. Now why would he be looking at me like that? I mean sure he was doing that in my dream before...my cheeks flush at the thought of the kiss. My heart pounding against my chest, me breathing starting to become heavy.

Concern flashes in Lukes eyes as he continues to stare at me, raising an eyebrow.

'Act natural,' I tell myself, 'stop breathing so heavy, control it, you don't like him that way.'

Oh, really? Then explain the dream.

'It was just me telling you what you wanted to hear,' my subconscious tells me.

Great now I'm talking to myself. I must be going crazy. I lift the cup with shaky hands and take a sip, closing my eyes to savor the moment. Instantly, my hands stop shaking, my breathing returns to normal, and my heart beat returns to its regular pace.

'Wow, talk about relaxing tea!'

"Ash, is something wrong?" Luke asks, pulling me out of my thoughts and back to reality.

"Huh? Oh no, nothing wrong, just needed some tea, you know its very relaxing," I say then quickly take another sip to stop myself from rambling.

What is happening to me? Just this morning I was worried he would hate me and just ignore me the entire time I was here, and now I'm sitting in the kitchen at 3 in the morning, rambling about things that probably don't make sense. I mean, I don't even like him like that....do I?

Ahhh I need to go on a walk to clear my head, alone. I finish my tea, looking at everything but Luke. Once all the tea is gone, I get up and rinse out the mug, gently laying it in the sink, before turning back to Luke, who is being quiet like always. Maybe I woke him and now he won't be able to go back to sleep. Oh I hope not.

"Um...Luke?" I ask, quietly. Well there's only one way to find out if I woke him or not. I mean, I was making a bit of noise, nothing too loud, but maybe he's a light sleeper.

He turns in his chair to face me. "Yeah?"

"What are you doing up? Did I wake you?" I ask, hoping I didn't wake him.

"Couldn't sleep. Bo snores making it hard to sleep," he says, after a moment.

I sigh in relief. "Oh, maybe you should tell him to sleep on the couch then."

He smiles. "That's not a bad idea."

I smile, then remember my plans to go on a walk. But I can't tell him that, or he'll want to go. Well I don't want to go alone, I mean what if I get attack without someone to protect me. I may know martial arts, but I've never had to use them on anyone, and I certainly don't want to when its dark out. "I...uh...I was thinking about going on a walk."

He gives me a look. "Alone?"

"Well no, I was actually hoping..maybe if you wanted to....you don't have to...but I was thinking that maybe you'd come with? Just so I'm not alone or anything!" I add, hoping I don't sound despite.

'But you are,' my subconscious tells me.

OH SHUT UP YOU!

"Oh," he says, yawning slightly. "Sure, maybe I'll be able to get some sleep after a walk."

I smile. "Thanks. Er...let me go change."

"Yeah, I don't want to go out in just this," he says, pointing to his shorts.