before the pain | luke (JATP)

XXI

When the boys followed Mila home Friday afternoon, she went straight to bed, not even answering the questions of her parents, who were concerned about her storming into the living room crying, only to leave to close and lock her bedroom door.

No one heard from her the rest of the weekend until Sunday morning came and Mila met up 10 minutes early to clean the basement.

When Luke came down the stairs, he didn't expect to see Mila, her hair was a mess and her clothes looked like something she had slept in...which she had.

"Morning" Luke didn't get an answer, as Mila tried to focus on organizing old broken down sports gear.

Luke sighed and placed his guitar before walking over to her, he carefully placed his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to turn around.

Their eyes met and it almost broke his heart seeing his friend have red puffy eyes.

She had been crying the whole weekend.

"... screw Aera, you don't need her" Luke tried to cheer her, yet Mila wasn't convinced, no matter how she twisted and turned it in her brain, she couldn't figure out if it was Aera or her, who had broken their friendship.

"I was in love with him" She whispered, which made Luke widen his eyes, not knowing who or what she was talking about.

"Who?" Mila took a deep breath as she removed herself from his hands and placed herself on a desk, looking out at the big basement.

"Oliver Young, ... since 7-grade" Mila truthfully spoke, Luke shook his head, not knowing what to feel about this information she was laying on him, he placed himself beside her, gently patting her hair as she spoke.

"And she knew... she knew all along and she just... took him" Her voice was a whisper and it sounded like she had to take the words from the deepest parts of her voice.

"She might not... " Luke tried but the only thing Mila did was place her head on his shoulder, trying her best not to begin and cry again.

"I was always there for her, I even was happy when she began dating him... no matter my feelings towards him, I would have been on her side, if she had told me about Caroline... if she had spoken the truth"

"You don't know that Mila, you could have hated her more... you could have broken her more... she must have a reason and no one other than her knows it, but you two are best friends"

Luke spoke, his voice was quiet, almost like it hurt him to say it, he placed a kiss on her hair as she didn't say a word.

They sat in silence until Luke broke it: "My parents... they never approved of my music... they regret even buying me the guitar" Luke opened op, making Mila leave his shoulder and look him into his eyes.

"Not to make it about me... I just... haven't told anyone that" Luke admitted as he looked down at the ground, he mentally slapped himself in the face, thinking it was selfish to talk about himself.

Yet Mila simply smiled, which was the first that weekend, as she looked over at the guitar.

"You're too talented for you not to be playing" She cheered him, making him chuckle, as he shrugged.

"Forget Aera, you and I will spend the Sunday together, how does that sound?" Luke asked with a gentle smile, Mila nodded, yet sighed looking at the mess of a basement the two of them were sitting in.

"We still have cleaning to do" Luke smirked as he got an idea by Mila's words.

"I have an idea for that" which made Mila lift an eyebrow, he jumped off the table and went to take his guitar.