before the pain | luke (JATP)

XXII

"Maybe we should open them?" Mila whispered, as she was talking about the letters in her hands, Luke almost dropped the dusty box filled with spring decorations, he lifted an eyebrow looking at her almost in a shock. He never thought she would be the one to say something like that.

Of course, he was right, Mila had made it clear, that letters and notebooks were personal and only the person who wrote them, and the person they were written for should be the one reading them, yet lately, she had been thinking about what Luke had said:

"People can go through my notebook when I'm dead, that's my legacy Mila... my songs will be my legacy one day"

Luke bit his lip as he looked at the letters then at Mila, who's eyes were focused on the letter that was dated first, the paper was a shaded brown and the letter was written in beautiful ink and cursive. He looked at her as he bit his lip.

"Do you think the principal would know if we didn't clean today?" He whispered into her ear, she smirked gently and looked at him, their noses so close they almost touched, as her smile brightened.

"Let's go" She whispered back, making his heart jump a little as they both ran out the basement, him holding his guitar and she the letters, they jumped on their bikes and began driving, laughing as they did so.

"Where are we going?" She yelled as they began driving, he looked back at her. "Just follow me" They drove for a while beside each other, Mila had never driven where he took her, the trees made beautiful shapes down the road as their leaves were a pretty golden yellow and red.

They drove up a hill and parked their bikes between the trees, Luke held out his hand as he walked down a step, wanting to support her. "What is this place?" She asked as she took his hand, going to where he was.

"My favorite view of the city," He said back, as they only walked a little, a clear view of the morning California city was in front of her, she smiled brightly the sun was still red and the air was colder than normal, they placed themselves on the hill.

"What made you want to open them?" He asked, nodding to the letters, she took a deep breath and shrugged. "Someone deserves to read their legacy, who knows... might be just silly letters" She answered, she took out the first one and opened it.

"You wanna read it out loud or should I?" He asked, she looked at the letter, not even having folded it out.

"We can take turns," She said and opened the letter, the writing was old and pretty, yet Mila was happy she had paid attention in English when Miss Bone taught them cursive in freshman year. She cleared her throat and looked at him.

She was nervous, yes so nervous indeed that her heart was beating fast and her hands were sweaty, yet looking at Luke calmed her down, she began reading out loud the letter.

Dear Joe,

It's been twelve days since I have seen you last, and I already miss you dearly. I promised your mother that I would send you letters about her bad health, but I have nothing new to report, she is doing better.

How is it down there, will you even receive this letter? Your second in command told me, I could with this address. Please send me a letter back, the idea of you is the only thing keeping me asleep at night, I must know if you are well.

However it is peculiar, that the farther and longer I am away from you my dear, I feel closer. I know when you will come home, you will be welcomed with open arms and love you have never received before. The morning when I wake up, I place myself at your side, it still smells of you.