DRE'S P.O.V
"Andrea!" my mum screams from the house.
Luke looks away and we get out of his truck.
Mum's already dressed for work, she leaves in about ten minutes.
"Hi mum," I greet, looking around for anything I can help her with.
"Hi, Baby," she replies.
She goes to meet Luke, who's standing oddly by the corner.
"Luke, how are you holding up?" She asks, smiling softly at him.
"Fine," he says.
"Andrea says your father's in town. Have you taken time to see him?" Mum asks him.
Luke and I exchange panicked looks.
I speak up quickly.
"Yeah," I cut in, "He said he'll go soon," I reply.
Mum nods, satisfied.
"Well, there's still time for me to talk with you both before I leave for work," Mum says.
She gestures at the table, and to my surprise, our food has already been served.
Mum doesn't sit with us, she had dinner already.
She moves up and down the living room, straightening things that are out of place while we eat.
"Do you like the turkey?" She asks.
Luke nods, and I answer.
"It's really good."
"Thank you," she turns to Luke.
"Next week is the twenty-fifth," she says to him.
My mind clicks, and I instantly remember what day that is.
Luke stays quiet.
"Don't tell me you forgot," Mum asks him. "It's Maya's fifth-year memorial."
Maya Ford, Luke's mum, died from cancer five years ago. Maya and Mum have been friends forever.
It's been five years since she died.
That's why Luke's father's in town.
Did Luke forget?
"I didn't forget," Luke replies.
"We'll talk about this later. I'm going to be late," Mum says.
She grabs her keys and heads out.
I follow her to the door, watch her drive off, then come back to find Luke already finished.
His mood has changed, not when Mum brought up Maya's memorial, but before then.
"Do you have anything planned for Maya's memorial?" I ask, just before he goes upstairs.
He shrugs his shoulders, "Not really."
"In case you do, tell me."
"Sure, I'll be in your room," he says before leaving.
I think of joining him to cheer him up, like he always does with me.
I'm not sure if he'll want that.
Knowing Luke, he'll prefer being left alone.
My bag is on the couch. I can study for a while downstairs, then check on Luke later.
Maybe then he'll be in a lighter mood.
*
I gently open the door to my room.
It's been three hours of homework and studying.
I take a shower, then change into my pyjamas.
Luke's lying in a sleeping bag next to my bed, and I can't tell if he's asleep or awake.
I climb into my bed quietly.
"Did Nathaniel call?" Luke asks from where he is.
I wriggle to the edge of my bed, staring down at him.
"I thought you were asleep," I whisper.
"I was still when you woke me," he replies.
"Sorry," I mutter, "And no, he didn't call."
Luke's face is apologetic.
"You deserve better," he says.
I shrug.
Am I so used to being treated badly that I don't know what "better" or the bare minimum feels like anymore?
I roll back into bed. Luke's right, but I'm still in denial.
"I'll talk to him tomorrow," I say, trying so hard to sound unbothered.
"Dre, what I said in the car, earlier."
I turn sharply.
About you wanting a girl like me?
"You don't have to address it," I say quickly.
There's no way he actually means that.
I'm choosing not to read into what he said.
"I do want to address it," he says. "I didn't mean it in any way. I just want someone who I can be comfortable around, someone who makes me happy."
I nod. "I get it."
"Like you," he adds.
My breath catches.
"That's sweet, Luke."
He sits up, resting an arm at the edge of the bed.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"Yes."
I make room for him, and he hesitates before climbing in.
He lies quietly beside me.
"Promise me this," I start to say.
"What?"
I tuck my hand under the sheets so he doesn't see them shaking.
"That whatever happens, you and I...what we have will always stay the same. It'll always be constant," I say.
He's quiet for a second.
"Constant how?"
"Every guy in my life..." I whisper, staring at the ceiling. "I never know where I stand with them. I never know what they want... when they'll leave," my voice cracks.
Luke's jaw tightens the moment he realises what I'm asking him.
It's there, in the way his eyes soften first and then shut down.
"Nate, my exes...my dad," I say. "But with you, it's different. You're the only person who's never made me guess."
Luke doesn't look away.
"I want you to promise to be my person," I say softly. "My safe place. No complications, no changes."
He studies me like he's trying to hear the part I'm not saying.
"You're asking for a lot," he murmurs.
"I know." My voice drops. "But I also know you, and I know you won't let anything ruin us."
There's a long, painful pause.
"Promise me, Luke," I plead.
I see his throat move as he swallows everything he wants to say.
For a second, I think he won't do it, but Luke has never denied me anything.
"Yeah," he says, and the word sounds like it's being
dragged out of him. "I promise."
Not only did I secure our friendship, I also broke his heart.