before the pain | luke (JATP)

XXIV

Tuesday the 10th, was Mila excited when she came to her locker 272. She knew that soon she would be sitting in a car driving to her friends' favorite place. As she put her books in her locker, she looked a few lockers down, where her eyes met hers.

Mila took a deep breath before walking over to her, which she didn't seem to mind. She was wearing her pastel pink plaid set, with her pink high heels that matched, her hair was in a high ponytail and her school bag was like always plastered with pins. As Mila looked at her, they looked more different than ever.

"Hey"  Mila bit her lip, Aera looked at her before looking back into her locker. "Hey" She whispered back, the hallway at that moment felt empty like they were the only two people in school left.

"Listen... I'm sorry" Mila spoke, this made Aera look back into her eyes. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Don't... say sorry" Aera finally spoke, yet these words surprised Mila.

"How long... did you know?" Mila asked, she clenched her fingers into her hand, scared to hear the answer as Aera sighed closing her locker turning her whole body to face her former best friend. Aera bit her lip, as she looked down at her shoes, answering.

"Since the end of junior year, that's why I stayed home for summer and didn't go to the lake house with him... I felt bad being with him because of you bu-" Mila interrupted her, finishing her sentence as she sighed. "but you loved him" Aera nodded slowly, leaning her head against the lockers.

"But what happened between you and Caroline? How come you never told me?" Mila asked you could see how hurt she was, Aera sighed and looked at Mila.

"I wanted to, it was just... what was I supposed to say? Hey by the way I think I'm a lesbian and I know I'm dating the boy you like but I'm in love with him too? Besides... I was scared that... you wouldn't look at me the same, I messed up and... I thought I would lose you... which I ended up doing anyway"

"You lost me because you lied to me... I wouldn't care if you liked a girl or not" Mila said with a small smile, Aera bit her lip, trying to hold down her tears. "But you're religious-" Mila stopped her.

"Love is love Aera, I would never.. have looked at you differently"  Aera smiled gently as she looked down. "And I am sorry... it wasn't my place to tell Oliver" Mila answered, Aera shook her head looking up at her again.

"I'm happy you did... I wouldn't have been able to leave him" She said honestly, Mila bit her lip as she leaned against the locker. "So you're a bisexual?" Mila asked carefully, Aera nodded slowly. "I think that's what it's called, I looked it up in a book in the library about sex and gender" Mila tried not to laugh as she shook her head.

"Of course you did" with this began the two girls and laughed, yet that laugh stopped as someone yelled at the end of the hallway.

"Mila, come on, we're all waiting for you!" Bobby was yelling as he stood with crossed arms, having lost in rock, paper, and scissors for who should go back into the school and try to find her.

"You should go, maybe we could hang out tomorrow, talk about everything? and... I am sorry" Aera said, Mila smiled and nodded. "Talk sounds good... we both are sorry Aera" And with that walked Mila towards a very confused Bobby.

She put a finger in his side, which made him smile for once. "What's that face about hmm?" Mila teased him as she walked past him and out to the parking lot, Bobby laughed gently as he walked with her. "Just didn't think you would talk to her again"

Mila shrugged as she waved at the boys that were all standing beside Reggie's blue car. "Neither did I"

"What took you so long?" Luke asked as he opened the car door for Mila to jump in. "I was talking with Aera" All the boys looked at each other with a worried face, as Bobby shrugged, with 'I don't know either'