The Dare
Chapter 2
6 years later..
''You're really sure you want to do this ? Los Angeles was your dream.'' Luke grabbed his coffee mug in front of him and took a sip. He was visiting me after he's been on a business trip in Germany.
'' I just can't settle down here, it's like my heart is in San Diego still. I'm not happy here.'' I sighed. Truth be told my heart was in Miami. Luke told me that Nathan moved to Florida a year after I left, got engaged quite recently. Hearing those news were enough to rip open old wounds. I never got over Nathan. He obviously moved on with his life where I never really did. Of course, there were some occasional dates and one night stands but nothing ever resulted from them.
I was not the girl I used to be. I used to be this shy, petite girl, not really something boys would look at. My pale skin was almost translucent, my hair was a messy mop of strawberry blonde curls that reached the small of my back. I was a late bloomer and I grew boobs really late. My eyes where a really pale grey.
Now my hair was still long and curly but instead of the strawberry blonde my hair was a fiery red fading into a trendy pale blonde ombre. My arms and torso were peppered with tattoos and I sported some piercings. I was a freelancing makeup artist struggling to make a name in LA. That's also one of the reasons I was moving back to San Diego. Less competition. I also wanted to move back because I missed my family and of course Luke. All the friends I had in school left but he remained.
Luke eventually made a living out of his hobby, which was photography. He has also moved on in the love department, he got married to his high school sweetheart Kate last year. I was invited to the wedding but due to my grandma passing away two days before the wedding I had to fly out to Ireland instead of watching my best friend get married. Now we were both sitting here at the kitchen island of my empty apartment. In just a few days I would be back in my home town, back to all the memories. Good and bad. Back to the days I sat on the front porch of my parents' house talking to Luke on the phone. Or the few times I sat on the patio of Luke's home watching him and his brother play football.
My mind wandered to the night that changed everything. What would have happened if I hadn't kissed him ? A question I asked myself a million times.The answer: I don't know. Now he was engaged and probably really happy, he also probably forgot about me.
''Earth to Noelle, I wanted to tell you something but it seems like your mind was abducted by aliens or something'' he waved a hand in my face and snapped me out of my pity party. I looked at him, giving him the attention he was requiring.
''Nathan is coming to visit with his fiancee Rachelle right around that time when you move back to SD. I got a call from him last night, telling me that he booked tickets and that he wants Molly and David to meet Rachelle. I know you don't like to hear it but I wanted to tell you in case you run into him, which is bound to happen anyway. ''
''I'm okay. I'm over it.'' I lied.
''I don't believe you a single bit but I don't want to start an argument over my brother, I want to see you happy. And someday someone will come around that makes you happy.'' Luke just stood, came around the kitchen island and hugged me. All the stress from the past weeks, quitting my job at a makeup counter, fighting with my pretentious landlord over my notice ,putting almost all of my stuff and furniture in storage, fell of my shoulders and I just let my emotions flow, cried my eyes out. My tears landing on his heather grey shirt. I was relieved and scared at the same time. Relieved that I finally took the step to move back and scared because I would inevitably run into Nathan and his fiancee and I if I didn't guard myself it would probably rip me to shreds seeing him.
''Come on, let's watch some movies on Netflix and go to bed.'' Luke carried me to my bed which was the only piece of furniture I hadn't stored away yet. We ended up choosing a superhero movie, hoping there would be no romance in it. Halfway through the movie I fell asleep on Luke's chest.
''You're really sure you want to do this ? Los Angeles was your dream.'' Luke grabbed his coffee mug in front of him and took a sip. He was visiting me after he's been on a business trip in Germany.
'' I just can't settle down here, it's like my heart is in San Diego still. I'm not happy here.'' I sighed. Truth be told my heart was in Miami. Luke told me that Nathan moved to Florida a year after I left, got engaged quite recently. Hearing those news were enough to rip open old wounds. I never got over Nathan. He obviously moved on with his life where I never really did. Of course, there were some occasional dates and one night stands but nothing ever resulted from them.
I was not the girl I used to be. I used to be this shy, petite girl, not really something boys would look at. My pale skin was almost translucent, my hair was a messy mop of strawberry blonde curls that reached the small of my back. I was a late bloomer and I grew boobs really late. My eyes where a really pale grey.
Now my hair was still long and curly but instead of the strawberry blonde my hair was a fiery red fading into a trendy pale blonde ombre. My arms and torso were peppered with tattoos and I sported some piercings. I was a freelancing makeup artist struggling to make a name in LA. That's also one of the reasons I was moving back to San Diego. Less competition. I also wanted to move back because I missed my family and of course Luke. All the friends I had in school left but he remained.
Luke eventually made a living out of his hobby, which was photography. He has also moved on in the love department, he got married to his high school sweetheart Kate last year. I was invited to the wedding but due to my grandma passing away two days before the wedding I had to fly out to Ireland instead of watching my best friend get married. Now we were both sitting here at the kitchen island of my empty apartment. In just a few days I would be back in my home town, back to all the memories. Good and bad. Back to the days I sat on the front porch of my parents' house talking to Luke on the phone. Or the few times I sat on the patio of Luke's home watching him and his brother play football.
My mind wandered to the night that changed everything. What would have happened if I hadn't kissed him ? A question I asked myself a million times.The answer: I don't know. Now he was engaged and probably really happy, he also probably forgot about me.
''Earth to Noelle, I wanted to tell you something but it seems like your mind was abducted by aliens or something'' he waved a hand in my face and snapped me out of my pity party. I looked at him, giving him the attention he was requiring.
''Nathan is coming to visit with his fiancee Rachelle right around that time when you move back to SD. I got a call from him last night, telling me that he booked tickets and that he wants Molly and David to meet Rachelle. I know you don't like to hear it but I wanted to tell you in case you run into him, which is bound to happen anyway. ''
''I'm okay. I'm over it.'' I lied.
''I don't believe you a single bit but I don't want to start an argument over my brother, I want to see you happy. And someday someone will come around that makes you happy.'' Luke just stood, came around the kitchen island and hugged me. All the stress from the past weeks, quitting my job at a makeup counter, fighting with my pretentious landlord over my notice ,putting almost all of my stuff and furniture in storage, fell of my shoulders and I just let my emotions flow, cried my eyes out. My tears landing on his heather grey shirt. I was relieved and scared at the same time. Relieved that I finally took the step to move back and scared because I would inevitably run into Nathan and his fiancee and I if I didn't guard myself it would probably rip me to shreds seeing him.
''Come on, let's watch some movies on Netflix and go to bed.'' Luke carried me to my bed which was the only piece of furniture I hadn't stored away yet. We ended up choosing a superhero movie, hoping there would be no romance in it. Halfway through the movie I fell asleep on Luke's chest.
♠ ♠ ♠
edited and new scene added