"um, I'm going out!" I inform as I open the front door.

She walks out of the kitchen, while drying her hands with a towel. "Where are you going, honey?"

"Luke's," I reply. "We have a project to work on."

She smiles, "Is that so?"

"Mum, please..." I sigh.

"What? I didn't say anything," she defends. "I'm just happy for you for having a great friend like Luke."

"Okay then," I say slowly as if testing her. "I'll be back in a few. I love you." I place a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you, sweetheart," she says back.

I walk out of the house, letting the door close behind, then I stroll next door to Luke's house. Sometimes I thank the lords for having my friends near me, so I wouldn't have to walk too much. I'm a very lazy person.

Then again, I end up cursing my school for being thirty minutes away from my house. My parents should have really asked me before enrolling me into that school.

Thanks a lot, guys.

I ring the doorbell. A few shuffles and footsteps come from inside the house, before the door swings open and Luna appears on the other side with a bright smile on her face.

One of the things I truly admire about Luke's sister is that she's always smiling. In a way, she reminded me of my younger self, or just me in general.

"Hey, Anna," she chirps. "Come in." She moves aside.

"Thanks," I tell her, stepping inside the house. I look around the place with awe. I could never stop admiring this place, it's truly beautiful.

"Cherries?" Luke pokes his head out of the kitchen.

"Hey," I greet.

"You're here," he says, walking out and standing next to his sister.

"Obviously," I roll my eyes and Luna laughs.

"Do you ever stop being sassy?" He scowls.

"Nope," I grin.

"Let's just get this over with. Come on," he turns around and starts walking upstairs.

"What's wrong with him?" I ask Luna.

"I don't know. He gets really moody sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"Don't worry he'll cool down after awhile," Luna assures me. "Good luck."

"Thanks," I give her a grateful smile, then I go up the carpeted stairs.

Recognizing Luke's room, I walk inside to find Luke lying down on his bed with the phone in his hands.

"Are we going to start working on the project or...?" I trail off.

"Give me a minute," he replies, not looking up from his phone.

I let out a sigh, then I walk over to his bed and snatch the phone from his hand. I know that was really annoying of me, but he was starting to get on my nerves. I had no choice...except, pushing him off of the bed maybe.

Now that I'm thinking about it, that would have been more entertaining.

His hands freeze in the air, "Why did you do that?" He asks in annoyance.

"Because I know that this 'minute' will turn into minutes and we'll never finish the project by the way you're being. I know that you don't like me and that you're not in a good mood right now. And you're probably only helping me for the scholarship thing the school's offering, but I really need to get this done because I'm counting on the scholarship more than my money. It's just two hours then you can go back to being a moody jerk," I rant in this really high pitched, pleading tone.

He rolls his eyes at my last comment, then he crosses his arms. "One, we still have two weeks to work on the project. Two, I don't dislike you. I never said that. Three, I'm not majoring in Astronomy. I'm majoring in Environmental Science and the teacher already informed the university about me. Four, the big ass speech wasn't necessary."

"Oh." I simple say. That was the only reply that seemed to fit as an answer.

"Yeah," he says. "But, you're right. We should start working on the project. The sooner, the better."

I smile in relief, "Thank you."

"No problem. Come on, let's start."

Luke and I work on the presentation for about an hour and a few minutes, before I start zoning out.

"Cherries," Luke calls out, waving his hand in front of my face.

"What?" I push his hand away.

"You zoned out, again."

"Sorry," I say sheepishly. "I blank out when I focus on school work for too long."

"Small break?" He suggests.

"Sure."

"Sooo, how's life?" I ask.

"Are you serious?"

"What? You can't expect me to sit here and stay quiet."

"That's exactly what I'm expecting you to do," he retorts.

"You're rude," I pout.

"Thanks," he says in all, but sarcasm.

Silence.

"I'm bored," I pipe up suddenly.

"That is not my fault," he responds.

"How about we play twenty questions?"

"No."

"Come on. Please?" I plead.

"No."

"Why not? It'll be fun."

He sighs. "Ten questions," he offers instead.

"Fifteen."

"Ten."

"Thirteen."

"Twelve. Take it or leave it."

"Deal."

"Okay."

"I'll start!" I say enthusiastically, "If you're majoring in Environmental Science, then why are you helping me?"

"Is it a crime to help a friend?"

"Aw, I'm your friend?" I place my hand over my heart.

I know we have established this before but I like teasing him about it. Maybe it's because I'm annoying or maybe it's because I like being Luke's friend. Or both.

"Moving on," he says.

Definitely both.

"Your turn," I tell him.

"Where are you from? Like you are Australian, but you can speak Spanish."

"Why that question?" I wonder.

"There aren't any rules about what I ask, is there?"

"Fair enough," I shrug.

"This might be really complicated, but my mum is originally Filipino, while my dad is half-Australian and half-Colombian. I was born in Colombia, which wasn't supposed to happen anyways, but oh well. After I was born, we went to Australia and I lived there for about nine years. I met Noah and Fiona there," Luke visibly cringes at the mention of Fiona, but I go on.

"My dad worked with Fiona's father until they both got a promotion in California and we moved here in Year four," I explain.

"Basically, you're Filipino, Latino, Australian and American?" He asks.

"Pretty much," I nod. "My turn. Did you take these photos?" I point at the hung up photos on the wall.

They look way too stunning to be realistic. It's like a professional photographer took them, not an eighteen-year-old.

"Yeah."

"Wow, these are gorgeous," I claim, swinging my legs off of the bed and walking over to the photo-crowded wall.

Almost all of the photos on the wall are of places. My eyes pass over them, the beautiful green forest and it's natural tropical decorations. Its flowers blooming brightly and it's like I could smell the scent of nature.

The towering mountains that look like snowy pyramids, almost like the Pyramids of Giza got covered in a huge fluffy white blanket.

The magical beach with its golden sand and its glimmering turquoise-like water. Trees standing tall at the far corner. The slightly cloudy sky is in a gradient blue colour, like someone got a paint brush and ever so slightly caressed the blank background with one enormous stripe from bottom to top.

My gaze lands on a photo of a tree house. The platform is constructed around the trunk of a tree–a cherry tree, I notice. A plywood door is set up at the top of a narrow, steep flight of stairs. All of the surfaces are painted either forest green or a dull gray that matched the atmosphere.

"Is that yours?" I ask.

"Yes," His voice comes from beside me.

"You built it?"

"Years ago, I did."

I turn my head to him, "Is it still built up?"

"Yeah. It's in the woods behind the houses." His gaze still fixed on the photo.

"It's beautiful," I comment.

He turns his head to look at me and genuinely smiles, two dimples showing on each corner of his mouth. And he looks so. freaking. adorable. Just when I thought he couldn't get anymore gorgeous, he did.

And it's driving me so freaking crazy! I feel like screaming, but I settle on screaming mentally instead.

I smile back at him and bite my lower lip, then I look down at my shifting foot before I look back up at him to find him still staring at me with the same smile on his face.

"What?" I ask when I feel my cheeks starting to heat up.

"Nothing," he looks away, but the smile is still stuck on his face.

"No, tell me," I press.

"It's nothing, I swear."

"Okay," I stare at him with suspicion.

"We should go back to working on the presentation," Luke says.

"We didn't finish the twelve questions though," I remind him.

"Later. I promise," he walks over to the bed and sits down on it, grabbing his laptop.

"Fine," I reply, then I walk to the bed and sit next to him.

"So-" he starts.

"By the way," I cut him off and he looks up from the laptop screen. "You should smile more. It looks good on you."

He grins at me, "I'll make sure of that, Cherries. Just for you."

Cue the mental screams again.

| | | |

A knock erupts from Luke's door and it opens, revealing Emily.

"Hey ho-oh hey, Anna," she smiles at me.

"Hey, Mrs. Carter," I wave at her, smiling back.

"Dear, I told you to call me Emily. Mrs. Carter makes me feel too old," she tells me as she walks inside the room.

"You are old, mom," Luke says.

She smacks her son's arm and he chuckles, "I'd be happy to tell you that I'm only forty seven years old," she says proudly.

I laugh, "Sorry, Emily. I keep forgetting. I'm just used to that."

"You're too nice, Anna. I wonder how you're friends with someone like my son."

"I wonder that sometimes too," I agree.

"I'm right here. Thanks," he mumbles from beside me.

"I know," I nod. "That's for being mean to me earlier," I stick my tongue out at him.

"I told you I'll smile more, for God's sake. What else do you want?" He exclaims.

"Lucas," his mother warns him.

"Sorry, mom," he sends her a sheepish look and I snort. He shoots me a scowl and I smile innocently at him.

He's such a mummy's boy.

"Well, Anna, since you're already here, how about you stay for dinner?" Emily asks.

"I don't wanna intrude," I respond.

"Nonsense. You should definitely stay," she insists.

I'm about to agree when I remember something, or more specifically, someone.

"I'd really love to, Emily, but you know mum..." I explain.

Emily's mood dampens a bit, but she still sends me an sympathetic smile, "Right. Maybe next time?"

"Definitely," I nod.

Last thing I want is mum bursting inside the house and dragging me home by my hair, just because I was dining with the Carter's. I'm not exaggerating. She would do it.

Because it's mum.

"I should probably go anyways," I stand up and gather my things.

"I'll walk you to the door," Luke stands up as well.

I nod and sling my backpack over my shoulder. We walk downstairs and I turn to Emily for a moment.

"Bye, Emily. Thank you for having me," I smile politely.

"Anytime, cara," she smiles back.

I open the front door and walk out of the house. "You owe me nine questions, Carter," I tell Luke, standing at the exit. "Don't forget."

"Nine questions," he affirms.

I grin, "Bye, Luke."

"Bye, Cherries."

| | | |

❀