Ella's pov:

I don't say anything as Luke takes a seat on the couch across from where I was sitting.

What should I say?

What could I say?

Nothing was running through my head except anger, hurt, and betrayal.

Sitting there, I couldn't even bring myself to make eye contact with him.

"Ella.... I am so sorry for everything." Luke's voice speaks up.

I sit there in silence as I stare down at the floor.

Is that what his voice sounds like?

It's only been a week and yet it felt so different to hear.

But his voice has been in my head all week, it couldn't possibly be the answer.

Could it?

"I swear on my everything, I never meant to hurt you, I am so sorry."

I find it in myself to look up and see his eyes watching my every move, like if I even attempted to walk away, he would already be ready to catch me.

So many times I thought about what I would say if Luke, well ever, tried to talk to me again.

But now that I am here, I can't even think of one thing to say.

All I could think of was him telling me how he would never leave me.

...

He did.

Without a warning or anything.

Him apologizing isn't the part that hurts... its the fact... that I don't know if I can even feel like his sorry matters.

Did I matter to him when he made that promise?

Did I matter to him when he left me in the park?

Did I matter to him when he ignored me for a week?

"I should have never left you alone in the park, and I shouldn't have pushed you away." His voice was soft, almost angelic.

But why did I feel like I was being stabbed repeatedly by every word that left his mouth?

His voice used to fill my heart with joy, made me feel full.

Now, his voice just fills my heart with hurt, makes me feel empty.

It's crazy to think how much a person can change your life.

One day, they can make you feel like the luckiest person on the planet.

And the next... you just feel like the gum on the bottom of their shoe.

I felt my hair fall to the side of my face as I try my best to focus on the comfort of the couch, instead of the sadness in my chest.

"Please Ella, say something." Luke's voice almost begs.

It takes me a second to put thoughts into words.

"What do you want me to say? That I am okay? That I am happy that you have come to see me after a week? Well thanks for stopping by." I say frustrated.

I hated being put in this position.

The fact that as much as I would like to hit him in the face with the lamp that's temptingly very close....

I also want to just run up to him and hug him.

But, that's when I realize how much of an asshole he has been and I think back to option one.

"Anything Ella, I want you to say anything and everything. I was wrong for not talking to you for a week, it was a mistake." He says leaning on the edge of the couch as if he was trying his best to be the closest to me without coming too close.

"Oh really? Was it also a mistake when you told me that you would always be there for me?"

"I'm-..."

"You said you would never leave after I basically bawled my eyes out to you, what did you think would happen? Or was I just put into the back of your mind like everyone else?"

"No it wasn't, it wasn't fair to you, I made a promise and I broke it. You were not, and will never be put at the back of my mind. I will never hurt you-.."

"Why does it even matter if you hurt me? Why are you even here?"

At this, Luke sits up straighter in his seat, his once rolled up sleeves from his sweatshirt are now hiding his arms. His lips make a thin line as his eyes don't even dare to break our eye contact.

His dark chocolate eyes almost making me want to melt in my seat, but I don't let myself fall.

Fall for him.

Again.

"What are you even talking about? I care about you so much to the point where I can't even put it into words. Every chance I get I think about you, you're always on my mind, and I don't know how to get you out. But the thing is, I don't want you out."

"But-..."

"And even thinking about you getting hurt will always effect me day after day. I never stopped caring about you, and I mean it."

"No... no you don't, I don't know the real you, I could have chose thousands of guys but I am stuck with you, she's special. Remember right?"

"I know you care about me! Please just believe me, I mean everything I am saying. I wouldn't be here if I didn't care about you so much-.."

"Then why did you say it!" I couldn't hold it back any longer, in front of him, I cried.

And it wasn't from my past.

My life.

My family.

My mom.

It was... because of him.

It was because of him I cried.

"Ella, please don't cry." He quickly stands up from the couch and moves closer, but I move away from him.

It wasn't much, just a lean back in the seat, but it meant something.

He sees what I do and hurt flashes across his eyes.

"Luke, please go." My voice cracks.

"Ella, please let me make things right, I just want to explain."

"Explain what Luke?! You were suppose to be there for me. I was suppose to trust you. But if you want to be with her, then just leave."

"Don't you dare say shit, I am not leaving you."

"But you already did."

"I did because I was an idiot, and I fixed my biggest mistake, I broke up with Fawn." He says, almost as if that was going to make things better.

That he would suddenly be my Prince Charming.

But the idea only made me sick to my stomach.

"Luke, just leave."

"No you don't understand why. Ella, do you know why I have such a past with dating girls?" His question catches me off guard as I look up at him.

He was standing only a couple feet away from the couch I have recently been having trouble leaving. And yet, he felt so far away.

A moment of silence passes as I take a second to really look at him. It almost shocks me to see his hair all over the place like he has been running his hand through it all day, his eyes were baggy, his usually energetic features looked tired.

"I... it's none of my business."

But, he only shakes his head, "I want you to know, but Ella, have you ever realized how strong you are?"

I only raise my eyebrow at him, "What are you talking about?" I somewhat sniffle, trying to wipe off my tear stained face.

"All those years you were able to stay strong, no matter how your parents treated you."

His words only made me more confused as I detach myself from the back of the seat and lean forward towards him, "I am not the strong one here, what your parents say to you don't even look like they effect you in the slightest bit."

But to add to my confusion, he only shakes his head as he takes a couple steps back and retakes his place on the other couch, "That's because the longer it goes on, the better it is to hide it."

"Hide what?"

He looks down at the ground, "A sense of loneliness, fear, and the fact that I was and will never be the perfect son they want me to be. The fact that I am not like my brothers."

I would have never thought that Luke was so effected by his parents. I just assumed that he didn't care what they thought, a skill that I always wished I had, the ability to be myself, without feeling guilty.

"And, it was because of that, that I felt like... it would always be like this. I knew that I had the guys, they were and always will be important in my life, but it wasn't enough. I started to get obsessed with the need... the need to find someone who will really care about me, who will love me for just me." He looks up at me.

"I-.... is that why?" I stumble upon my words, feeling slightly nervous by his gaze on me.

"Why I started dating girls, one after the other. And it wasn't even like they were different, they were all the same, it always ended with me getting hurt, but I never found it in myself to stop."

".... You could have told me."

"I wanted to, so many times. But I was so afraid of what you would think of me, not just the guy who dated the girl from the hospital, but the guy who was afraid of being lonely. I wanted you to see me differently."

I wanted you to see me differently.

I didn't understand why.

Why me?

"Why am I different?"

He stands up from the couch, taking small steps toward me, but this time, I didn't move back, I let him walk forward.

"Because... you are one of the few people who really care about me. Ella, without even trying, I was able to trust you, and I haven't been like that with a lot of people. That's why I did what I did, I was scared. I felt that if I had grown to attached to you....."

"That you would just leave." I finished his own thoughts with my own.

And then, it clicked.

I understood.

It wasn't just me who was afraid, it wasn't just him who was afraid, but it was both of us.

We were afraid of growing too attached to each other because we both have parents who could care less.

It isn't just me.

It isn't just him.

I look up to see that it must have clicked with him too, because we both shared the knowing expression.

"I'm sorry." We both suddenly say at the same exact time.

And for the first time since we thought things were okay, we both laughed...

Actual laughs.

"Do you think, we can be friends again?" Luke questions as his laughter dies down, along with mine.

It takes me a second to think about his question.

Am I willing to take the chance?

Am I willing to try again?

Although many thoughts of doubt started to flow freely through my brain, I knew for sure that I was no longer a runner, I was a fighter.

And if fighting for my happiness meant facing my fears, then bring it on.

"I think... I would like that."