[unedited]

I woke up to my phone buzzing vigorously. I stared at my alarm clock, which read 1:26 A.M. I groaned at the horrendous time to be awake, but checked my phone anyways. It was a text message. I woke up after midnight for a text message. Wow.

Once I saw that it was Lucas, I immediately rolled my eyes. Why is he awake at one in the morning? Probably playing video games and he got bored. I still looked at the next nevertheless because contrary to Lily's belief, I don't fall asleep easily after I wake up.

lucas: hey are u up?

me: now i am. what's up?

lucas: can we just

For a while, that was all he sent. I didn't know what was up with him. Can we just what? Appreciate that I'm still alive today? Hallelujah. Just kidding, I promise I'm not that conceited. After what seemed like a century, he finally texted a more specific answer.

lucas: can we call? can you come over?

me: lucas, it's 1:30 in the morning. what are you doing awake?

lucas: please

me: okay, fine. i'll call you in a second, but i can't come over. r u ok?

I sighed, getting up against my will and turning the light on. I jumped back into my cozy bed that I was married to. I love being single sometimes. Wait- I'm married to my bed.

I went to my contacts and called Lucas and hoped that when we started talking, it wouldn't wake my mother up. She hates being woken up, just like me. Like mother, like daughter.

"Lucas, hey," I greeted immediately as he picked up. It didn't even take a second when I noticed he was trying to choke back sobs. What was wrong?

"Lucas? What's wrong? Talk to me," I asked worriedly.

A few minutes passed and all I could hear were the sounds of his breathing and hiccuping. I didn't want him to be like this. Nobody should have to be like this, but that's just how the world works. Nothing and no one can always be happy without any worry in the world, though I wish it could be like that.

"My sister," he mumbled finally. I didn't miss the panic and agony in his voice.

"What about your sister? What happened?" I asked gently, trying not to panic him even more if I sounded panicky. I hope it worked.

There wasn't an answer. The only sound I could hear was the sound of Lucas's sniffling and hiccups.

"S-She got in a car crash," he finally answered. "Th-they said that she may n-not make i-it. She c-can't leave me! She can't, she can't, she ca-"

"Lucas, calm down. Stay with me now, okay?" I tried comforting him as best as I could. It didn't help that I couldn't help him physically.

"Everything's going to okay. You'll be fine," I reassured through the phone. I sucked at this kind of stuff.

A laugh rang through it, making me a little uncomfortable. I didn't know what to do; I was terrible at this. I could hear Lucas sniffling and wished that I was by his side so I could just hold him tightly. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how.

"R-really, Kylie? It's not going to be fucking fine! Nothing is fi-ine and nothing w-was fine! Let's face it— my life is a fucking m-mess. It- It always was, even w-when you came into m-my life," his retorted and his laugh was very evident, as well as his sobbing and hiccups in between words. His voice cracked at this end of the sentence and it broke my heart into pieces that I couldn't be there with him. I didn't know what to do.

I didn't know that his life was like this. I didn't know that he was hiding behind a mask, like many people were. Hell, don't we all hide behind a mask when we feel vulnerable and insecure? It's instinct— nobody wants to show people their weak side because they don't want to be seen as broken or weak. But maybe that's what they needed people to see. Lucas needed me to see this side of him so I could help him.

But how can I help him? I'm a teenage girl who knows barely anything about life.

"Even if it wasn't w-with Genevieve, my p-parents hated me," Lucas told me, his sniffles undeniably noticeable. "S-saying that I'd n-never become like e-ither of them. Th-ey were right. I'm s-shit at anythi-ng I do."

"Lucas, don't say that," I said gently, "you're capable of becoming better than them. And I'm glad you'll never become like them— they're cold. They don't deserve you."

     "They deserve better," I heard him mutter and my heart shattered.

     "Hey, Lucas?" I said.

     There was no response, so I just continued. "Tomorrow, meet me at the park at 10 o'clock in the morning. I want to show you something."

     "Okay, but don't hang up. Just talk with me for now please," Lucas replied, vulnerability laced in his voice. He wanted to be distracted. He let out a small chuckle, trying to change the topic. "I would ask you how your day was, but I bet you just slept when I took you to your house."

     "Wow, I can't believe you know me so well," I laughed sarcastically, but gently, still cautious over his feelings. I felt like if I made one wrong mistake, he'd break. Like a fragile porcelain doll.

     So then I distracted him with humorous, horrible jokes and telling him all of my embarrassing stories for a good hour or so.

"Thank you," Lucas said out of the blue. I was about to ask why, but then he continued, "for being there for me. It's funny to think that a week ago I wouldn't even be talking to you in a friendly manner, but we've become so close. You can't deny that fact."

     "Yeah, I guess so," I responded, thinking about it. I still haven't gotten that cupcake. There was a long silence before Lucas finally spoke again.

     "I think that I'm going to go visit the hospital," Lucas mumbled with a small yawn.

"Okay, but please try to get some sleep. I'm here for you, alright? Take care, I lo-" I stopped myself from finishing the last sentence as my eyes widened. Did I seriously almost say that I loved him? I shook my head and sighed before letting out a small laugh that was barely audible.

     "Goodnight, Lucas," I said before hanging up the phone.

     I yawned and stood up from my bed, turned the light to my room off, then jumped in bed, welcoming the sleeping sensation that took over me.

—

     I groaned at the alarm clock that rang all of the sudden. My hand formed into a fist and I slammed down on it, my eyes jolting open at the abrupt pain that flooded through my hand.

     I rolled out of the hot bed and sighed in relief. I was burning up laying in that horrid thing. I went to the kitchen with a yawn and opened the medicine cabinet. After rummaging through all of the medicine, I finally found what I was looking for. I took two pills and swallowed them without water, mostly because I was too lazy to get water.

       I had a small cough, but it wasn't very painful. My fever lowered slightly, but it wasn't drastic. I hated being sick. The sound of some abrupt thunder made me jump out of surprise. It took me a moment to process that it was about to rain outside and I had planned for Lucas to meet me... Outside. At the park. Uh, yeah, I didn't really check the weather.

     The memories of Lucas's call came flooding back to my mind and I sadly sighed. He didn't deserve to be in this kind of pain; no one did. That's just the truth. No matter how much I dislike him, I couldn't help but feel sympathetic for him. But any normal and sane person would feel sympathy.

     I didn't understand why he told me or why he trusted me enough to sob through the phone and let me see a part of him that he's never shown anybody. I shook my head, heading towards the bathroom to take a shower.

     After I was done, I threw on a pastel yellow crewneck and some basic black legging because that was the only thing that was comfortable and not dirty. I then put my glasses on because I didn't want to put contacts in and I hated my blurry vision.

     Afterwards, I headed out with my mom's keys, some money, and my phone. I quickly took the phone case off and put the money in between the phone and the phone case, then walked to the car. It wasn't like I couldn't just walk to my destination, I just didn't feel like doing any exercising today. Or tomorrow. Or forever. I'd prefer the latter.

I drove to a local coffee shop that wasn't too far away from my house. It was fairly small and very cute with it's light wallpaper and checkered floor. I yawned before realizing if it was even safe to drink coffee right after swallowing down some medicine.

     I'm probably fine.

     I took the money out of my shoe and took a look at the menu. I didn't order coffee often, but I did know the basics. Kind of.

     "Hi ma'am, what would you like to order?" the barista asked me with a grin on her face. It was obviously fake, but I didn't blame her. She had to put a smile on her face for however longed she worked. That must really suck.

     "Can I have the strawberry refresher? Venti. And then whatever you would suggest as a venti as well, it doesn't matter what. Thank you," I ordered with a small smile.

     "Alright! That would be 10.96 dollars," she replied and I handed her the money, getting four pennies back. "Name?"

     "Kylie for the refresher and Lucas for the surprise one," I responded, hoping the person who writes the names wouldn't spell them wrong. That would be really embarrassing considering how easy my name and Lucas's name is to spell.

     I walked to a nearby table and waited for the two drinks. I was excited yet nervous for today, which was odd. Why would I be nervous to hang out with Lucas?

—

i FINALLY finished the chapter and i'm honestly so glad i'm back. i feel so proud that i actually finished a chapter for the first time in like a million years. i'm so so SO sorry for the wait and i hope you guys can forgive me.

but AHHH i'm excited for the next chapter though, i have it all planned out :) thank you for being patient with me

qotd: do you keep your socks on or take them off when you go to bed?

aotd: i take them OFF

anyways, thank u guys for 4k reads. love u all.

stay beautiful. stay handsome. stay you.

- aspen