ARI.

Taking care of Brayson was a piece of cake. He was already a well-behaved kid and easily excitable, especially when Luke said he'd be teaching him how to play the guitar. Even though he wouldn't admit it right away, I could tell by the spark in his eye that Luke fell for the adorable little boy with the sucky lungs. After feeding him an extra cookie for dessert and giving him a warm bubble bath, Brayson was ready for bed. Instead of a story, he wanted a lullaby and Luke was the perfect guy for the job.

Luke sat on a small, plastic chair next to Brayson's Lightning McQueen bed. With the guitar propped on his knee, Luke strummed a soft melodic tune made up of a few simple chords. His voice resonated around the Cars themed bedroom, the small bedside table illuminated a soft, golden glow.

"I want you to want me this way, and I need you to need me to stay. If you say that you don't feel a thing, if you don't know, let me go..."

Luke behind that guitar was a beautiful sight to see. He had a crazy amount of talent and each time he'd open his mouth to sing, it was like a cure for cancer. Brayson tried to keep his eyes open to continue watching Luke play but eventually he succumbed to the fatigue. As Luke finished his song, Brayson was fast asleep.

"He's sleeping now," Luke whispered, gently standing up from the plastic chair.

I leaned against the door pane and watched as Luke tucked in the little tyke. He turned off the bedside table and turned on the small nightlight before joining me out in the hallway. We closed the door slightly and walked back to the living room where we both plopped down on the couch.

"Well done Lucas," I smiled at him. "Brayson really likes you."

"I definitely think he likes me more than you," Luke teased. I shot him a glare, twitching my eye at his stupid fúckery.

"Let's not get carried away now," I scoffed playfully before turning my body to face Luke fully. I smiled, changing my tone to a more serious one, "but seriously, thanks so much for helping me babysit tonight. It means a lot to me that you took the time to teach Brayson the guitar."

"It's not big deal Ari," Luke started, "I had a fun time with him. And his mum really knows how to cook too."

I giggled, "you're always thinking about food."

"I'm a growing boy," he proclaimed, a satisfied smirk etched on his face. "I need all the nutrients I can get."

"You're a dork,"

"You like it,"

"No I don't,"

"Yes you do,"

"Okay, maybe just a little," I admitted defeat and Luke grinned from ear to ear. "So what do you want to do now? Brayson's parents won't be home for another two hours."

"Well what do you usually do when you babysit?" Luke questioned.

"Homework," I shrugged.

"Well since we don't have homework to do, why don't we watch a movie or something?" he suggested.

"Or something," I said. "What are you doing for Halloween?"

"Well normally Jake throws an extravagant party but seeing that I'm not friends with them anymore..." his words trailed off.

"Have they been harassing you more?" I suddenly asked. I wasn't expecting to do so but my mouth was faster than my brain.

"A little yea," Luke disclosed, turning his head away from me.

"Hey, Luke, you okay?" I scooted closer to him, grabbing his face in my hands and turning it towards me. "Look at me," he gazed at me with somber eyes and I knew something was up, "it's not your first time getting bullied is it?"

Luke shook his head, "no it isn't," he paused, swallowing the lump in his throat before continuing with an expression filled with repressed pain, "it used to happen all the time back home in Sydney."

"Oh Lucas," I catapulted myself into his arms, feeling the utmost guilt and sorrow for him. The force of my hug knocked him backwards onto the couch, his head landing on the armrest and my body slamming on top of his.

"Whoa Ari, are you okay?" Luke looked down at me with a surprised expression on his face. I rested my chin on his chest and looked up at the blonde boy.

"I just feel bad. I'm sorry... what happened back home in Sydney? How bad was it?"

"It's not that important,"

"Luke don't lie to me. I can tell that it bothers you. You can talk to me about anything, you know that. Ride or die, remember?"

He didn't answer for a moment before letting out a sigh and nodded his head, "ride or die."

"Tell me," I gave him a half smile, re-situating myself and laying my head back down on his chest and clutching onto his sides. I could hear his heartbeat and God was it fast. He was nervous; anxious about it but I hoped that letting it out would help him cope with his past.

"I was a total nerd in Sydney. If you looked up the word in the dictionary, you'd see my brace-face smiling up at you," Luke wrapped his arms around me and I felt warm in his embrace. His words brought me back to the first time I stepped foot in the Hemmings household and the large portrait of an awkward Luke hanging on the wall.

"I remember the photo at your house," I reminisced. Luke chuckled and I felt the vibration from his chest tickle my cheek.

"I wanted my mum to take it down but it's the only memory I have of home," Luke explained. "Anyway, I had thick glasses and slicked back hair. I wore clothes that were absolutely hideous, as you saw in that terrible, terrible photograph. I was an easy target for all the kids at school. It wasn't just teasing or calling me mean names. They would physically hurt me too."

"That's so horrible," I commented quietly and I felt Luke's arms hug me tighter.

"It was, it really was," he agreed. "I had one of those rolling backpacks and when I'd walk down the aisles of the bus they'd kick at it. I'd get tripped in the hallways. These bigger guys would wait for me at the end of the school day to steal my school books and throw them into puddles or the dumpsters. It got so bad that my whole body would shut down and I'd be sick for weeks. I lost weight and became even more lanky. When word got out that my father was cheating on my mum with some woman across town, the bullying got worse. They spray painted our house, broke my mum's car windows... I almost died because of my bullies."

I stopped breathing for a second, my brain wrapping around Luke's last sentence. I lifted my head up in a haste to meet his cool. blue eyes with concern. I could see tears brimming his waterline as they did mine.

"Y-you al-almost d-died?" I stammered. Luke nodded, blinking until a stream of tears rolled down his cheeks. I inched myself up till we were chest to chest and I reached a hand up to wipe the tears away.

"I'm sorry," his voice cracked and so did a piece of my heart. I never wanted to see him this hurt ever again.

"Don't apologize, it's okay," I assured, bringing my head back down to rest on his clavicle, one of my arms lying across his chest and falling off the edge of the couch. Luke wrapped his legs around mine in comfort as he spoke again.

"My bullies would tell me that life would be better without me in it; that no one would miss me; that my dad left because I was a loser and he didn't want to raise a loser anymore," Luke cried, hiccuping in between his words. I felt ache in every word that escaped his lips and I could feel his heart break the more he continued.

"Stop Luke. Stop talking, you don't have to tell me anymore," I massaged his chest, afraid that if he kept talking his heart would literally explode out of his body. He didn't listen though and despite the painful memories, he continued.

"My mum was depressed herself about dad leaving and I felt so alone. I didn't have any friends and then one night I wrote a suicide letter. I took a bottle of wine from the kitchen and every pill bottle I could find in the house,"

"Lucas you didn't," I breathed, not even wanting to picture this dorky boy who I grew to admire attempting to take his life away.

"Oh, but I did Ari," he whimpered and I buried my face into the side of his neck, not wanting to hear anymore. Luke held me tighter, resting his cheek on top of my head and I could feel his tears fall onto my forehead.

"Please stop talking,"

"I want you to know everything Ari. So I locked myself in my room and chased pill after pill with the alcohol. I passed out but not for long because mum found me. Paramedics came and rushed me to the ER apparently, I don't remember. They pumped my stomach and I woke up in the hospital two days later. Mum said the second we got our citizenship papers all settled, we'd be moving out here to California."

"How long did that take?"

"A few months. I went to therapy and was home schooled during that time. When we came out here I saw it as an opportunity to change. I said goodbye to the old bully-prone Luke and said hello to the new cool Luke,"

"I don't want you to ever feel alone ever again. I'm here now," I declared.

"I know, that's why I appreciate you so much. With you I don't feel alone. I feel at home," he professed, feeling his hand rub my back with comfort.

"Thank you for telling me all of this. It hurts me to know that you've been bullied so bad and it makes me hate Katie, Jake and their entire crew even more," I sneered, feeling a wave of disgust come over me. "You know the boys and I got you right?"

"I know, I'm glad to have you all on my side. So thank you, for, well for everything,"

Luke and I continued to lay snuggled up together. We were able to reach the remote control from our position and watched cartoons as he stroked the back of my head, twirling his fingers in my hair. Friends don't normally do this, at least I didn't think they did. Sometimes I'd cuddle - strike that - I'd dog pile Ashton, Calum or Michael but we've never been this intimate before. I liked this, being in Luke's arms and feeling so protected in them even though it was him who needed the protection. I was growing more fond of Luke each day I'm with him and he was different to me than the other boys. As cliche as it sounds, he's the missing piece of the bigger picture in my life, and his jagged puzzle piece fit perfectly with mine.

The sound of jingling keys rattled in the distance and both our heads turned to the side door by the kitchen. The door opened and when it did, Gail and Norman Cole emerged from the evening darkness, just as Luke and I scrambled to get away from each other. We both ended up on opposite sides of the couch, watching TV nonchalantly like we've been in that position all night.

"Hey guys!" I exclaimed, turning my head to face the happy couple. "How was Maroon 5?"

"The best concert I've been to since Bon Jovi," Gail squealed excitedly.

"She fangirled way to hard," Norman chuckled, "but it was cute. How was Brayson? Was he any trouble?"

"None at all. He was very well behaved and Luke over here was able to teach him how to play a song on the guitar," I looked over to Luke and gave him a wink.

"Really? That's so sweet of you Luke, thank you so much," Gail sighed happily, placing her delicate hand to her heart. I could feel appreciation radiating all around her and Luke grinned happily.

"It's no problem at all. He's a fast learner," her complimented.

"That makes us feel good to know that he's happy," Norman professed. "Brayson needs to be happy."

Norman looked over to Gail who's smile slowly faltered into a smooth line. Her nostrils flared out slightly and I could see that she was trying to hide something.

"Are you alright Gail?" I asked, standing up from the couch. She nodded her head, but only a second later did she shake it, falling into Norman's arms.

"Shh, it's okay honey," Norman cooed. I approached the couple with Luke following behind.

"Is everything okay?" I whispered. Norman shook his head, sadness in his eyes and for the sake of his wife, held his ground.

"Brayson isn't going to make it," Norman dropped a bomb and I felt my entire heart plummet into Hell.

"What?" I breathed, but finding it harder to do so.

"He only has another two months,"

//

Awww poor Lukey :( This chapter was so sad for me to write because imagining him get bullied is really horrible for me to think about. Sorry if I triggered anything or made you feel sad but It's part of the story. Regardless, I hope you still liked this chapter and my story so far. Please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE with all your friends! Thank you SO MUCH for the 7K views, it means a lot to me! Thanks for reading my story and for all the support. I love you guys! <3