28

I'm sorry for not posting the day before but my battery died and I was only able to charge it recently. I hope you forgive me. Enjoy this.

Linda's POV

I feel the cool breeze on my face and hear the soft beats of Ed Sheehan's Perfect, coming from the radio of Luke's car.

I see him mouthing the lyrics and sometimes missing a few words causing me to smile. He looks so relaxed driving me from the hospital, where I'd once again, gone to see Nana.

She is not doing any better, but she is fighting just to hold on for our birthday - that is mine and Esperanza's

I know I wanted Esperanza to have more time with Nana. But seeing her suffer like this, I regret my decision.

Just as I know that I have no control over someone's life. If I did I would take her pain away and keep her with us always.

I'm glad I have Luke as a friend, if not him I wonder who I would run to when the need to cry arises.

For some reason I and Liam have been drifting apart. We don't seem to be as close as we used to be. I have a feeling that it might be because of all the time we've spent apart. Since we started dating a couple weeks back, we've never shared a kiss. This is supposed to be the kiss. The one I've been waiting for my whole life. Part of the reason why I've never dated anyone else. It's just so frustrating. But I can't help but question if I'm holding on to old feelings that might have faded away because I'm scared to love and in loving get hurt.

I continue scowling into an empty space.

" why do you look like you're constipated. " Luke asks with a smirk.

" I don't look... " I try defending myself but end up conceding when I take a look at the overhead mirror.

I hit Luke on his arm as he bursts out laughing, while I turn red in the cheeks.

After sometime, with Luke taking quiet minute by minute glances at me, he finally asks the question on his mind. " why do you look angry? "

" I thought I looked constipated. " I reply sassily as a result of the anger and embarrassment which is yet to die down.

I hear Luke sigh and then feel him elbow me.

" you should keep your eyes on the road. " I say without looking at him but rather looking straight ahead.

After a moment of silence, I finally give in. " I don't think Liam likes me anymore. "

Admitting the truth, makes everything seem so real and scary and I find the tears that have been so hard to shed in front of people other than my dad and Leah, pricking once more in my eyes. It's times like this that I wish I had mental me to talk to.

But before I even let one tear drop, I hear Luke quietly mutter under his breath. " he'd be crazy not to like you anymore. "

I'm not sure if I was supposed to hear that so I continue talking to him about something else entirely. " you are coming to my birthday party right? "

" birthday party? What birthday party? " he asks scrunching up his eyebrows.

" but I thought you knew, cause of the day we had that run in with that cop. " I ask clearly confused.

" I was kind of just bluffing. " he says sheepishly.

" oh

" yeah " he replies awkwardly. " anyways, when is it again? "

" next tomorrow in the evening " I reply looking at him while hoping for a positive reply.

" I'll be there " he says smiling. " but we still have to work on your list. " he says looking tired all of a sudden but at that moment he sits up. " I think I know a way you can work on your list and still prepare for your party. " he says smiling cockily.

" I'm not actually doing anything for the party. It's my first party and I don't want to ruin it, so my dad is talking about hiring people... " I tell him, feeling a bit ashamed that I can't host a party.

" tell him that you'll host the party yourself. I'll help you and I bet the others would be willing to help out too. " he says still smiling.

" but I have never ever... " I tell him all of a sudden feeling overwhelmed.

" I know, like I said I'm going to help you. Maybe Liam would help you too and whatever differences you both have can be settled. " he says then turns away from me as he parks the car in front of the house.

" fine " I say in a low voice and for some reason, wonder if I truly want that. That is Liam and I truly settling whatever this is. What if I want to end it.

I have so much to think about.

We head into the house and inform my dad of my decision to host my own party, which he reluctantly agrees to after a lot of guilt tripping.

Have I mentioned how stubborn my dad can be?

After making plans and calls, we soon have everyone engaged in some activity or the other.

" you still have to go shopping " I hear Luke say right next to my ears.

I turn around, only to realize how close we really are. I can see the silver flecks in his blue eyes. - I never knew anyone could have silver flecks or skin so smooth or lips so... " wh...what? " I ask trying to reorient myself.

He clears his throat and turns his face blushing slightly...

Blushing slightly? Now that's an understatement.

' wow right when I don't need you. '

" what? " I hear Luke ask me.

I blush when I realize what I said aloud. " I didn't...I wasn't...uhm talking to you. " I answer stuttering and out of sorts.

" so who are you talking to? " he asks folding his hands over his broad chest and raising a brow at the same time.

" no one " I say

He raises his brow further.

" myself. " I tell him jokingly hoping he would just laugh it off.

But he looks at me seriously like he understands. " since when? "

" what? " I ask a bit in shock that he would ask that. I start to move past him when he pulls me back to face him.

He places his warm hands on my cheeks and looks so softly into my eyes that I consider stepping into his arms so I can tell him all my troubles.

He sometimes has that effect on me.

But I shake myself from that wistful state and step back only to be held in place. " I don't want to talk about it. " I answer coldly, refusing to show him an once of emotion.

" you said I could talk to you but you're not letting me be here for you, you're not talking to me. " he says looking pained.

I feel guilty but I can't tell him that would mean answering questions that are best left unanswered. " just give me time. " with that said we walk out of my room in silence.

~~~

I stare at the shopping mall like a battle field. One with mothers running around like grenades being thrown about, while the giggling girls were the soldiers waiting to tear into you with their wonderful opinion of just where you are in the ladder of the fashion world.

For the first time in my life, I feel pretty small and kind of scared. Okay fine not the first time but that...

I shouldn't think about that. I breathe in deeply. Then take a look around.

Girl glares at me,

I can do this.

Scary mom matches towards me,

I can totally do this

Bunch of kids running towards me.

I turn around to head back out but I'm turned right back to face the busy mall. " do I really have to do this? "

" yep " Luke replies all smiles.

Wait till I rip that smile off his stupid face.

Stupid or pretty.

' Not you again. I'm going to murder you, then drown you in ketchup to serve to dogs. '

Ha! Funny, we're one and the same.

I see Luke watching me with amusement dancing in his eyes. " so when are we killing a certain mind you and drowning it in ketchup? "

I seriously think this guy's life goal is to make me blush.

I start walking off when I'm pulled back by the one and only Luke Matthew. " what?! " I snap at him.

" we're already here. " I look around and notice that he's right. We're already at the clothing section.

Sneaky bastard got me here while I wasn't looking.

" so what exactly I'm I getting? " I ask putting off the slight mad I'd worked up.

" something casual, but still fun and elegant. " Luke replies easily.

" I think you must be a party addict or something for you to know that without even thinking "

" like duh! " he says trying to sound like a girl.

" uh you sound like a five year old. " I say mocking him.

He throws some clothes at me which I expertly catch and in turn stick my tongue out at him, as I run into the closest changing room which luckily turns out to be empty.

Imagine. if. it. hadn't. been. Ha! The horror.

Author's note

Please, please please help me out by

Reading

Voting

Commenting

Sharing

And rating/reviewing.

All the help I can get would truly be appreciated.

Don't forget to check out my other book titled my sexy Greek god matchmaker right here on webnovel.