Bro Code : Luke Hemmings IN EDITING

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Hi. 

I hope you enjoy this...

Hope's POV

I turn around and see Michael standing in the doorway of my living room, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His pale skin is lighter than usual, and he can't quite seem to keep eye contact. 

"Michael," I say, barely above a whisper. I wipe the tears from my eyes and run to him. I run to the same boy that was my best friend months ago, not the spiteful one that I almost lost faith in. His long arms wrap around me and squeeze me into an old, welcoming hug that I've forgotten. "How did you do all of this?" my voice is but a mere squeak. 

"I didn't want to, I thought you would be mad.." he says, letting his arms drop from around me. 

"No, how could I? It's us, it's us when we were kids, it's us when we were going to that terrible dance. It's the same us that still hates getting our pictures taken by our parents. It's perfect," I tell him. 

His face is softened and his warm features come back home to my heart. Pulling me in for another hug, I can't help but completely wash away anything that has happened lately. Bullshit, that's what these last couple of months with Michael were. I want to put every single thing that either one of us has done behind us, I can only hope he feels the same. I want him back; I need him back. 

Before he can let me go again, I kiss him cheek gently, noticing the brilliant red that shades the pale skin. "Can we go outside and talk?" I ask. He nods and leads me out the front door. Sitting down on the porch step, I take a deep breath, hoping he will feel the same as me. 

"Michael, I know I don't deserve it, but can we please have our friendship back the way it was before Luke? Before Casey and Emma?" I ask. 

"You're right. You don't deserve it, but neither do I. We've both been doing some pretty fucked up shit to get to the other one and none of it was right in the slightest," he looks at me, but then looks to the ground, shaking his head. "We've been best friends our whole lives, and I know that I need you in my life, otherwise I don't know what to do from day to day. I can't keep going around without you," he says, wiping his sweaty hands on the knees of his jeans. 

"I know what you mean. You always do the stupid things that I know I'm never brave enough to do, and you're the stone that pushes me through every thing. I need your stupid jokes, your constant hair color change, and all your shitty advice to be with me every day. I need my best friend back," I tell him, bumping his shoulder lightly. "I want you to be okay with Luke. I want you to trust me and the first time he hurts me, you can kick his ass to the moon. But please, can we forget about it all and start this summer over?" 

He takes a minute, then another minute. He shakes his head again. "Hope, I can't." 

Every fiber inside of me shatters, and I know that this is it. This is the day that I lose my best friend forever. I did this to myself, and I was the only one who could prevent it. Brimming my eyelids are the tears that I swore never to cry again. I can't hold them back though, it would be like I was betraying him. All these years and I don't even shed a tear over losing him... Obviously I feel heart broken. 

"Oh, okay. I'm gonna go inside then," I say, fighting off the tears as I get up. I feel my lip quiver and I know that I'm close to losing it. 

I turn to reach the knob, but a hand catches mine. "Shit, all these years and you still can't tell when I'm kidding. I would never do that. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I'll try my damnedest to be a good guy around Luke. After all, Casey turned out to be a pretty cool girl." His smirk washes away all my tears, and I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. "If I would've known you were going to cry, I wouldn't have said that," he laughs, which causes me to let out a breathy chuckle.