ARI.

Six hours in a car munching on Hot Cheetos, cookies, and sipping on coffee, all while Reese sang at the top of his lungs to every Death Cab for Cutie song ever made, all came down to this: staring at the off-white building that loomed before me as a thousand thoughts chaotically bombarded my mind. The sun had already set and despite the several, intricately designed lamp posts outside of The Cobb Rehab Center, the Napa Valley stars seemed to shine brightly. However, it wasn't long before mother nature wanted to change the game and allowed for dark, monstrous clouds to sweep in.

A roll of thunder shook the entire sky, causing me to shudder slightly from the clamorous sound. Despite the small rattle in my bones, my body was perpetually unmoving, as a bolt of lightning struck the sky. The golden glow seeping through the several windows of the building casted a radiance among myself and the car a foot behind me - one of the only vehicles in the parking lot. Several moments later and another round of thunder and lightening graced the darkening skies, and I knew the brackish clouds were about to burst.

"You better get inside," Reese came to stand next to me, "it's going to start pouring soon."

"Is it wrong that I'm a little nervous?" I asked, not really to Reese, but to the world. I kept my eyes locked in on the massive edifice, my eyes following the employees inside who were aiding the patients by their sides.

"No, not wrong at all," Reese answered without taking a second to think. "But I'm not letting your anxiety get the best of you. We drove six hours for a sole purpose and that purpose is inside those doors."

"What if he wants nothing to do with me?" I wondered out loud. The thought jerked my heartstrings with a icy and painful touch.

"Then he wants nothing to do with you," Reese simply declared. He let out a sigh before standing in front of me, barricading my view of the rehab center. He placed both hands on either sides of my shoulders, prompting me to look up at him. "Luke loves you- I know he does. And I know you love him back. It'll take more than the ground beneath our feet to open up and plummeting into the depths of Hell before you ever give up on him."

I didn't vocally respond because he knew he was right. I've come so far along, pushed through so many obstacles that there was no way I was going to give up. And I guessed mother nature wanted to give me a little push, because before I could even take another breath, I felt a cold drop of water fall onto my forehead. I looked up at the sky, as the clouds split open and a slew of cold rain plunged around us.

"Quick! Run! To the building!" Reese yelled over the roll of thunder that came as his mouth opened. He pointed straight for the building, pushing me towards our dry sanctuary.

I ran next to Reese, trying my hardest to swerve through the rain. As my black boots hit the terra porcelain tiles with a trail of wet shoe prints following behind me, I keeled over slightly to catch my breath. Reese did the same, his back pressed up against one of the white pillars. Just as we locked eyes, a strike of lightning flashed, strobing to the pitter-patter of the falling rain. It seemed to rain stronger as the seconds passed, and as they did, the more I grew nervous.

"Good thing we got out of that," Reese nodded towards the storm a few feet away from us, as we took liberation beneath the porch. Reese ran his fingers through his hair, droplets of rain hurdling from the ends.

"Yea, we would've gotten soak--" my words faded and my eyes drifted over to one of the windows on the far end corner of the building.

Through the glass, sitting at a table with a pencil in his hand, was Luke. I couldn't see his face, only the back of his body but I knew it was him. A hand suddenly rested on my shoulder and without taking a glance, I already knew it was Reese.

"I'll be here waiting," Reese declared.

I only nodded, feeling my heart pound against my chest at a million miles per hour. I was so close, yet so far and I was beyond anxious. My nerves felt like demonic rats, clawing and gnawing at my insides. For every step I took, the more my breathing seemed to stall and the more difficult it became. My fingers clutched onto the golden handle of the grand oak doors. Pulling open the heavy barricade, I stepped into the warm building.

I was met with a large oak countertop and an employee who stood behind it. She looked at me with a smile painted across her face as I felt my body become still. I noticed the woman's mouth move, a cue that she was speaking to me, but in that moment all I could hear was the thumping of my own heart like a kick drum connected to a speaker.

"Ari?"

When my name was called out, I turned my head in the direction of the voice. Everything was still slow motion, and I didn't quite remember what happened after that. What I do know, was that there were a pair of arms wrapped tightly around my body. When my brain finally kicked back in, that's when it started to piece together clues - the vanilla scent, the golden hair, and the motherly embrace all added up to one person.

"Mrs. Hemmings," I whispered, bringing my arms up to hold the woman.

"I didn't know you were coming to visit," she pulled away from the hug, to look at me with surprise.

"It was a spontaneous trip," I shrugged. "Where's- um, can I- may I-"

"Yes, of course sweetheart," Mrs. Hemmings softly chuckled at my sudden speech impediment. She knew exactly what I was trying to convey from my words- or lack thereof. "Follow me."

Mrs. Hemmings kept her arm draped across my back as she led me through the corridor. The rehab center was far more extravagant that I thought and I felt a pang of guilt shock my insides. I guessed Luke really was receiving top notch treatment in a facility as grandiose as The Cobb and I once had been selfish for trying to keep him away from here.

I don't remember how long I had been walking for, if it was only a few steps or a few thousand, but when my surroundings changed from a tiled floor to a carpeted one, that's when I found myself standing at a doorway with a clear pathway to Luke. I was pretty sure Mrs. Hemmings could sense my nervousness, because like the mother she was, simply took my hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. When I looked over to her, she gave me a nod before letting go of my hand. This was when I realized that she no longer was going to accompany me-- I was going to be alone.

Just Luke and I.

I took one step forward, then another and then another. I moved slowly, as if to stall and give my brain time to think about what I was going to say. Of course by the time I had reached the boy, my brain had yet to come up with a coherent sentence, so I stood awkwardly, sputtering random noises in an attempt to speak.

Luke hadn't noticed my presence yet. His eyes were glued to a small stack of paper before him and the pencil that glided across the sheet. He was writing something, and whatever it was seemed intense because I could feel an odd sensation radiate all around him like a brightly lit aura. But I wasn't even remotely interested in the words Luke was penciling down. What I cared more about, were his blue eyes latching onto mine.

"Hi," I softly muttered, forcing a small smile. I swallowed the growing lump in my throat and rounded the table to sit across from him.

Luke didn't say anything. He simply let his eyes trail my movements till I sat down before dropping his head to concentrate on the piece of paper before him.

"I miss you a lot Luke," I told him, not really sure what words to choose from my repertoire- not really sure what words would trigger him to speak to me.

I kept my eyes on Luke and the frailness he exuded. He definitely had lost weight, he was paler, and his hair flat. He was Luke, but not my Luke. As I sat in silence, observing the boy before me, an employee with a smile approached the two of us. Her hair was in a ponytail at the nape of her neck and wore a name tag on the right side of her Cobb Rehab shirt. Kelsey, was her name.

"Hi there," Kelsey grinned, resting a hand on Luke's shoulder, who looked up at her with a subtle smile. "I just wanted to let you know that visiting hours will be over in five minutes. Afterwards, Luke is due for dinner."

Kelsey's hand lingered on Luke's shoulder for a while and her gaze was dripping with an everlasting desire. I knew what this meant and the fùcker better back off because Luke is mine. And isn't it illegal for employees to fraternize with a patient?

"Kay thanks," I grumbled, crossing my arms above my chest as I waited for Kelsey to leave.

After giving Luke a small rub on his back, Kelsey turned on her heel, finally walking away with a stupid, satisfied smirk plastered on her pale face. I waited till she was out of earshot, before letting an annoyed groan escape from the depths of hell.

"She's such a skeeze," I scoffed, rolling my eyes before leaning forward to get closer to Luke. "I'm pretty sure there's a rule against flirting with patients. She's gonna get fired if she can't keep it in her pants."

I chuckled slightly, looking at Luke with a hopeful glance. My words exuded a tone fit for cafeteria gossip at Percival Shores High, but we weren't back home cackling about the stupid popular kids. We were in a reality that I didn't want to be in - suffering a real struggle that was more intense than what our peers at school were going through. And for lack of a better word, this sucked.

"Luke, I just want you to get better," I told him, "and I will be with you every step of the way. I want you to know that. I need you to know that I believe you can get better. I see you, but I don't feel you. Its like we're as close as strangers."

He didn't speak and I expected that. He kept his eyes on whatever he was writing, trying his hardest to ignore me. But I knew that somewhere deep down, he was listening. I looked at the clock on the wall opposite of I, and noticed that I only had three minutes left till visiting hours would end. I also noticed Kelsey hanging around by the door, tidying up the space, ready to pounce when those three minutes were up.

"Remember on Thanksgiving, when we were sitting out on my porch eating dinner, we told each other our number one college choice?" I asked Luke, the memory swirling around in my head as I tried to keep composure and not cry. "We both want to go to Newcoast University."

Two minutes.

"And um, we also made a pinky promise that night too," I let out a whimper even though I tried my hardest not to. "We promised that if we both got in, we'd get an apartment together, have the best college years and be friends forever."

One minute, thirty seconds.

"I'm still holding onto that promise Luke," I cried, my voice cracking at the end. I hiccuped, as I reached into my jacket pocket, pulling out a folded envelope. I opened the flap, reaching my fingers into the open package and pulled out a folded letter. Unraveling it, I took a deep breath inwards before reading the contents of the note.

One minute.

"'Dear Ms. Ariane Quiroz, we are delighted to offer you admission to Newcoast University as an undergraduate student in the College of Communications for Fall semester 2015...'" I choked on my words, wiping my face with my hand as the tears trickled from my eyes. I looked up at Luke, who still refused to look at me, which frustrated me but I was too tried to beg for his attention.

Thirty seconds.

"I got in Luke," I sobbed, nodding my head and pushing the acceptance letter towards him. "I will keep holding onto that promise that you and I will go to Newcoast, live together and be friends forever. But Luke," I paused, reaching forward to grab Luke's free hand.

His eyes lingered on our hands before lifting his head to lock eyes. Oh, how I missed his beaming blues and the way they seemed to read my soul with each glance.

"I need you to get better, okay?" I continued, "I need you to try your hardest while you're out here."

Fifteen seconds.

"I need you to do what your doctors tell you. I need you to talk to someone while you're here. Take as long as you need and I'll be back home waiting for you. If our pinky promise is going to work, then you have to work too," I sniffled, ceasing my tears on the spot. I had to be strong for the both of us, even if I had to fake it. "I hope you can do that for me. Because I'd do it for you."

Three minutes were up and without missing a beat, Kelsey sauntered over to the two of us. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a single syllable, I held my free hand up, terminating her endeavors to announce that visiting hours were over. I let go of Luke, pushing the chair back and standing up. I rounded the table, keeping my gaze on Luke who no longer had his eyes on me, but back on his writing.

"Ride or die, remember?" I placed a tender touch on his shoulder, as kind of a last touch of faith. My hand fell from his shoulder, as I walked away from Luke, leaving him alone till it was time for him to come home.

When I reached the entryway of the rec room, I turned over my shoulder to take one last glance at Luke. I expected him to be engrossed in his writing, but when I looked at him, he wasn't. Instead, he held my acceptance letter in both his hands, as if he were reading it. I felt my heart skip a beat in satisfaction, as a surge of warmth wavered through my nerves. It had seemed as if Luke heard my words and comprehended my pleas - and that was what I needed to get me through the night.

Maybe more.

//

What do you think Luke was writing while Ari was visiting??? And for those of you who guessed that the letter Ari received last chapter was an acceptance letter, awesome job for guessing correctly!!

Also, I think it is time to begin our countdown of the last five chapters of "Drunk Words, Sober Thoughts." YES! I said it, LAST FIVE chapters (not including the epilogue or character ask). Oh my, oh my! What a crazy, fun, awesome journey this was and while it's sad to see this story end, all good things must.

THANK YOU so much for reading my story, for voting and taking the time to comment!! I feel so loved whenever with each comment and direct message I receive about this story! A lot of you have told me that I've inspired you to write and as an author that is something so heartwarming! There are no words that could do justice to how much happiness I feel knowing that!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!