Whoa, is she really posting another chapter? After over a month?! Yes, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait guys! I was sort of getting discouraged with the story because it wasn't getting enough attention... Which is something I told myself I'd never do, but hey, I did and I feel really bad about it! I should write for the love of writing! Plus, I had to get my grades up and get accepted into the school I want to go to for high school. So, here's another chapter! Hope it meets some standards!
We were packing our things after the hectic camping trip. It honestly wasn't the relaxation I was hoping for but I loved it all the same. Luke wasn't acting like himself though. Ever since he asked me about the night we spent together, he was almost avoiding me.
It was almost as though the prospect of us "sleeping together" scared him. Of course, we weren't but he didn't understand that. I knew his father sheltered him from the world but not as much as that! His innocence was bound to get him in trouble, especially if he decided that he actually loved someone who would take advantage of his purity. I wasn't about to name any names, but one particular belly-dancing spoiled brat from Toucan Island came to mind...
I was scared for him. He paced back and forth and then back and forth again. He would chew his fingernails anxiously and stare at the road back to civilization. Owen had even told me that he stayed out all night by the fire.
"Hey," I said as I stepped out of my tent. It was Sunday and we were leaving today. Everyone else was busy packing, except Luke.
"Yo," he said quickly and started to busy himself by kicking a rock between his feet.
"What's up?" I asked and walked closer to him.
He backed up a bit and turned his back to me. I placed my hand on his shoulder and he shook it off. "N-nothing…" he stammered and then ran back to help Owen take the tent down.
Yeah, like Owen needed help with that! The guy was a mountain with muscles the size of Toucan Island… I sighed and sat down on the log beside the fire which was now reduced to ashes and charcoal.
"What's wrong?" Luna asked as she happily bounded over to me.
"Nothing," I said, frowning slightly.
She cocked her head to one side, making one of her cute, pink pigtails flop over her face. "Sure seems like something…"
"It's not," I said flatly.
"Okay well Luke is pretty upset too… Or at least, he seems uncomfortable. Whenever there's something wrong with him it always seems like there's something wrong with you too," Luna said, her hands placed firmly on her petite hips.
"That's odd."
"You're odd! Why don't you just talk to him about it? Ask him out! I'm sure he'll say yes!" Luna urged and I faked a gross-out expression.
"I don't like Luke like that," I answered simply. "He's like my brother. I've known him since we were really little. I couldn't jeopardize our relationship."
"So you do like him then?" Luna asked and sat down beside me. "You're just afraid to take your relationship to the next level?"
I rolled my eyes. She had street-smarts, more so than a lot of people on the island. Her appearance made her look as though she was a porcelain doll of a little girl, but once she talked, things came out of her mouth that not a lot of people had the guts to say.
"No, I don't like Luke!" I shouted and angrily stood up.
Birds flew from the nearby pine trees and everyone looked up from what they were doing. I sat back down slowly and wanted to disappear into the ground. My face flushed a bright red and Luna awkwardly stood up and wiped the front of her dress off with her tiny hands.
"Sure you don't…" she muttered and skipped away.
That girl irked me so much! I loved her, but she just made everything so complicated! Maybe that was because life itself was complicated. She took things as small as an awkward moment and turned it into the next rumor floating around Waffle Island. Luke and I weren't in love. He didn't love me…
***
"Dad? Daaaad? I'm home!" Luke called as he kicked off his boots and slid acrossthe tile floor.
Dale looked up from the book he was reading: "How to Manage Crazy Kids" and smiled at Luke. "Did you have fun?" he asked.
"Yeah," Luke answered slowly. "We saw birds and pine trees and rivers and… water…"
"Did Akari decide to go?"
Luke nodded. "Yeah… She came… She didn't really talk to me much though."
Dale raised an eyebrow. "And why was that son?"
Luke turned away from his dad for a moment and then started to casually climb the stairs. He hung on the railing and said, "I dunno…"
Dale eyed him suspiciously. He knew when his son was lying. "Luke…" he said and took a deep breath before exhaling loudly. It was his way of trying to cover up his constant sighing at his son. "I know that you know the answer…"
Now it was Luke's turn to sigh. He opened his mouth to speak again but Bo walked in, heartily whistling to himself. He eyed Luke and put on a sly grin.
"So Luke?" Bo started, and Luke started to shake his head violently. "How was it… you know… sleeping with Akari?"
Luke slapped his hand to his forehead and Bo snuck out of the room, chuckling to himself. Dale's face twisted into a deep angry red. Luke tried to sneak up the stairs. Taking two at a time, he reached the top when Dale finally blew.
"LUKE!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DID WHAT?!" he bellowed.
"Ummm," he stuttered and peeked down at his dad with timid eyes.
Dale shook his head. "Bo wasn't telling the truth right?"
"No, well, not exactly… Yes, I mean, I don't know…" Luke said, hanging his head in defeat and walking back down the stairs to face his father.
"Did you or did you not? I honestly don't want to find out that in nine months, I have a new grandchild."
"Oh… You might…" Luke muttered.
"Do you know the meaning of that word?"
"Yeah," Luke said cautiously. "I mean, I know about how it happens-- like the creation. But not how you… do it… I think it's when two people lie together."
Dale bit his lip. Shouldn't his son know this by now? He obviously didn't pick it up… Dale hadn't told him anything. He kept him so sheltered and now when a question like this comes up, how does one answer in a way that makes the innocent grown man feel comfortable with it?
"Well," Dale started, scratching his beard. "It goes like this…"
When he was finished, Luke's eyes grew wide. He hadn't learned that part of it… ever… He held his head; he shifted around in his chair. Everything was just dropped on him, like a big bomb. It sounded almost painful and it obviously wasn't what he did.
"Eww…" he said after a moment. "So… I'm here because…."
Dale nodded. "Yes, that is the general idea."
"Okay… gross… Umm, I'm going to go kill Bo now," he said and stood up slowly.
Luke walked into the kitchen in an almost zombie-like manner. He rounded the corner and Dale heard a crash.
"Luke! Luke stop!" Bo panted.
"You made me learn about something so gross! I hate you and your stupid comment Bo!" Luke yelled and Bo let out a girlish scream.
Before anything else could happen, a knock on the door startled everyone. I was waiting outside with a confused expression plastered on my face. Luke must be having some sort of fun in there, I thought to myself.
"Hello Akari, come on in," Dale said and opened the door to me.
I stepped inside and waved at Luke who was sitting on top of Bo with his fist clenched and his hand held high up in the air. He and Bo blushed sheepishly and got off each other.
Luke ran over to me and shouted. "Akari, guess what?! We didn't sleep together!"
A thought just occured to me while reading this... It reminds me somewhat of two stories that I really love. One is, in fact, written by me and the other another LukexAkari story. I honestly didn't mean to do that so if you're reading this and thinking "Hey! She stole that from another fanfiction!" I did not. I just realized it now... Anyway, Luke is very oblivious. I sort of took his reaction to the way I think I remembered reacting when I found out. But I wasn't in my twenties when I found out... I'm not gonna ask for reviews this time and I'm going to post when I feel ready to. I don't think its fair to all the people who've been waiting a long time for another chapter. So thanks!
~Scarlet