ARI.

Despite the amount of lacerations my heart took, and the months of pain that dwindled down my heart's ability to function, nothing seemed to have mended the broken pieces faster than in the moment my eyes locked with Luke's. It was like a beacon of light beaming through the cracks of my heart, weaving the shattered pieces together till it was whole again. All it took was one look; one genuine smile from the boy with the blonde quiff for me to feel complete.

I don't know how long I was standing there with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. I was just surprised that I was still standing. My entire body was shuddering from utter shock and I wasn't so sure I remembered how to breathe. I was completely overwhelmed, ransacked with emotion that I didn't know what to do but stand there with my hand to my open mouth and tears brimming my waterline.

"Lucas," I breathed to myself, still unsure if what I was seeing was real or just a figment of my imagination. And if it were just my brain messing with me, it'd be the sickest joke my subconscious could ever play.

"Good evening everyone. My name is Luke Hemmings. Hope every body is having a good time. I-um- I'm a friend of Ari's," Luke stammered, and his voice sounded so beautiful in my ears, "at least I hope I still am. I owe her a lot. The thing about Ari Quiroz that you may not know about her, is that she is loyal and she is true. She taught me how to be myself and she taught me that half-assed friendships aren't friendships at all."

"Oh my God," I whispered, still at an awe of what I was witnessing.

"Some of my greatest memories are with Ari, one of which was when she pulled me out of my shell. Well, more like dragged me out," Luke paused, giving the crowd time to chuckle at his remark. "But that's the thing I love the most about her," his eyes locked onto mine, like two puzzle pieces joining as one, "when she believes in you, she stops at nothing to make sure you believe in yourself."

"I adore you," I mouthed. I blinked, causing a few droplets to trickle down my cheek.

Luke still had his eyes on me, nodding his head before mouthing back, "I adore you."

It would be a lie to say I smiled, because what formed on my face was not a smile, but a grin so wide it could catch all the hopes and dreams the universe could hold. My grin turned into a chuckle, paired with more tears because God was I happy. And it wasn't a happy feeling that would only last a few minutes or a few hours, but a happiness that surged through my insides and could fuel enough energy to move mountains. It was the type of happy only Luke could produce, and the only kind of happy I wanted.

"This song that I'm going to play for you all, the song that Ari, her sister and their mother will dance to, is a song that is a family favorite. A song, I learned, that was used as a lullaby to help Ari and Mia fall asleep," Luke continued to speak, his voice reverberating from the microphone and against the walls.

But the words he used to describe this song, all added up to a song I didn't know he knew about. No one knew about this song except for family- hell, even Calum, Michael and Ashton didn't know about it. So how did Luke know?

"Ari, your mother told me that this song used to make you feel better," Luke broadcasted, "and I'm hoping that it still can... Happy Birthday, baby girl."

With that, Luke began to strum his fingers across the strings of his guitar, playing a tune I knew so well. He stepped back up to the microphone, opened his mouth, and with his soothing voice, sang the first verse. His singing could inspire a million people, cause stars to dance and the sun to shine brighter. It was epitome of beauty and I was blessed to be surrounded by it.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and when I turned over my head, Mia stood with her arm out. I smiled at her, grabbing her hand and leading me back to the center of the dance floor where our mother still was. With enclosed hands, the three of us swayed the the sound of Luke's voice, all with tears in our eyes. Every once in a while, I take a moment to look at Luke, whose eyes never gazed anywhere else but in my direction.

Towards the end of the song, both Mia and our mother dropped my hand. I looked at the two of them in confusion, wondering why we were disconnected. But instead of vocally responding to my concern, Mia only smirked, head nodding towards Luke. She knew exactly what I was feeling and knew exactly what I wanted. I think it was because her heart was still aching for Ashton and all she wanted was to hold him. Mia knew, even though I didn't at the time know, that what my heart really wanted was to feel Luke again.

And so I took a step in his direction. I took several steps towards the boy with the guitar, feeling my heart pound against my chest like a wrecking ball to a concrete wall. Keeping my gaze on Luke, who continued to sing and strum his guitar, helped me feel more at ease. Slowly everything around me morphed into blurred images, and the only thing I could see and feel, was Luke. The chatter of my party guests faded, as if my ears selectively only chose to listen to the boy before me.

"And I dropped out, I burned up, I fought my way back from the dead," Luke sang, his voice soothing to my soul, ebbing away any ache I still had in me. "I tuned in, I turned on, remembered the thing that you said..."

I went up each marble step till I was standing on the last landing of the stairs next to Luke. His blue eyes that I missed so much had never left mine, and I could feel both of our hearts beating together as they did once so long ago. Smiling at me, Luke sang straight to me- singing the same words I knew by heart; singing the same words my father once sang too. I smiled back at the quiff boy, letting out a little giggle in giddiness of his presence.

"And I'll be your cryin' shoulder, I'll be love suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life..." Luke serenaded me in front of the hundred-something party guests, but I couldn't see them. Not when the only thing I mattered to see was those radiant blues and how they seemed to gain their sparkle again. He was home.

Luke was really home, and damn, I was too.

"...the greatest fan of your life," Luke ended the song with one last stroke of the guitar, giving me a small smile that spoke bigger volumes.

"I love you," I whispered, my voice cracking as I declared my adoration for Luke who unslung his guitar around his body and placed it off to the side in one swift movement. He opened his arms wide and I wasted no time in leaping into him, securing my embrace.

"I love you too baby," Luke held onto me tightly, gripping onto my body with such strength it felt like a protective sheath.

I buried my face into his shoulder, my arms wrapped around his neck as I let myself cry. I couldn't believe Luke was here - it wasn't just a hollow body with eyes as cold as a frigid winter evening. It was Luke, the real him. With his touch I could feel his warm welcome, feel his caring demeanor with every light stroke of his thumb to my skin. When I breathed in deep, the smell of laundry detergent and his favorite cologne wafted into my nose, ticking my insides because it was a smell that reminded me of home.

"Please don't cry another tear," Luke told me, "I'm not worth it."

I separated from our hug, though it pained me to do so. I looked deeply into Luke's eyes, bringing my hands up to cup his face. Biting my bottom out of habit, I gave him a tender smile and declared,

"You're worth every tear... quiff boy."

Luke chuckled and his laughter was a like a symphony in my ears. He pulled me back into another tight squeeze, and placed a soft kiss on my temple, "I really missed you calling me that."

It was Luke's laughter that prompted my mind to revert back into my Debut reality, as I realized that there were a hundred-plus guests all watching Luke and I. Protectiveness runs hot in Filipino culture and I was pretty sure more than half of my family were ready to pounce. But in addition to being defensive, my family were also a very supportive bunch and a roar of cheers reverberated against my ear drums.

The two of us shifted our attention from each other to the crowd before us, clapping their hands and whistling loud. My protective male cousins rolled their eyes, while my female ones had expressions plastered across their face as if watching a lovey-dovey Nicholas Sparks film. Ashton and Calum cheered from the cotillion table, and when I looked at Michael, he was turning on his heel to walk away - I guessed he wasn't used to the idea of Luke and I.

The DJ turned on some music, gradually turning up the volume and this was the perfect cue for Luke and I to walk away. My uncle came up with the microphone in his hand.

"Sobra kilig! Jusko! Cute na cute, diba?" My uncle excitedly gushed into the mic, which only instigated more cheers from my family. "Dessert will served soon, but until then, let's dance!"

(translation: [i'm feeling] so giddy!; oh my God!; so cute, right?)

I was definitely blushing at this point, but with Luke holding onto me as we attempted to eschew the spotlight, I was able to get through the attention without barfing all over my dress. Together Luke and I walked hand in hand, as I led him out of the ballroom and to the outside courtyard. For February on the coast, it was pretty chilly, but the warmth in my heart was enough to keep me from freezing. The two of us sat on a bench beneath a large tree, decorated with strings of tiny lights.

"When did you come back?" I asked Luke, lifting my gaze from our laced fingers to his face.

"This morning," he answered. "My doctor let me come here for the weekend since I've been doing well at Cobb."

"Wait..." I narrowed in my eyebrows, "did you say weekend? You're not staying?"

Luke didn't answer right away, probably feeling the pang that hit my gut like a truck going at 100 miles per hour. I guess Luke wasn't home?

"Please believe me when I say that I am better - much better," Luke promised, "but I'm not at the best that I could be, at least not yet."

"So you have to go back to Napa?" I bit my bottom lip to keep me from crying. "Luke, call me selfish but I don't want you to."

"Baby," Luke whispered, grabbing onto both my hands with a tight grip. "I adore you - in every way possible that it drives me insane sometimes. I fùcking need you in my life Ari because I am in love with you. I still have my moments and I still have triggers that are hard to deal with. I need to go back to Napa; I need to finish my treatments because I need to get better for you."

Without warning, a few beads trickled from my eyes, cascading down my cheeks slowly. Without missing a beat, Luke leaned towards me, and placed a delicate kiss on each teardrop. On my cheek, on my chin, and on my jawline. Resting his forehead against mine, he took an exhale and I felt his warm breath fan against my skin - a familiar puff of air that I had missed.

"I'm not coming back until I'm better and I mean really better. I can understand if it takes too long and you find someone else interesting to keep you company..." Luke paused for a moment, probably thinking about the unfathomable idea of me being with another boy.

"Lucas," I breathed, taking that moment to close my eyes and press my lips against his. It was featherlike, slow, and quick, but it was enough to sustain me; enough for me to know how much Luke really did love me.

"I'm coming back for you baby girl," he told me, his lips grazing against mine with each word. Our eyes opened, our foreheads rested against each other, and when we stared deeply at each other I reiterated a promise made to him many weeks ago.

"I told you already Luke," I began, "I'm waiting for you. Take as long as you need, okay? I'm here when you come back."

Luke kissed me again. This time a little longer, a little more passionate, but still just as tender. He tightened his grip around my waist, as I did around his neck. Feeling the cool metal of his lip ring against my mouth sent familiar shivers down my spine and it was those shivers that made me smile through the kiss.

Memories flushed through my mind, bombarding it with happy feelings that I couldn't shake off. I remembered when we had our almost first kiss in Luke's kitchen. The laughter, the syrup, but mostly, all the fun we had. It was a time when we had no major worries - when all we could do was have a good time and it was okay. It was those kinds of memories I wanted to remember, and those kinds of memories I wanted to make with Luke.

"Should we get back to your party?" Luke suddenly asked.

"Probably," I chuckled, "but let's walk slow. So, keep your long-ass legs at bay."

"Whoa, who said that? Was that the wind?" Luke narrowed in his eyebrows, a playful tone to his voice.

I knew exactly what he was doing, and as Luke looked over my head to scope the area, my theory was confirmed. Suddenly, Luke glanced at me, gasped, and jumped back slightly in pseudo-shock.

"Oh Ari, that was you? I didn't see you there," Luke mocked, patting the top of my head. "You're so short."

"Ha. Ha. Funny," I stuck my tongue out and flipped him my middle finger.

"Just kidding," Luke giggled, grabbing onto my hand and lacing our fingers together. "Come on shorty, let's go back to your party."

"Fine. Just don't hit your head on any trees on the way there, okay Mister Skyscraper?" I joked, prompting Luke to roll his eyes at my statement.

The two of us walked through the courtyard, taking short, slow steps down the pathway. We continued our conversation, though it was nothing serious and mainly consisted of insulting each other. It felt like home, and every time I heard Luke giggle like a little boy, I knew I didn't want to be surrounded by anything else.

I didn't know how long it was going to take for Luke to feel one-hundred percent better, but what I was confident about, was the fact that it was going to happen. When he's ready to come home, I'll be there to greet him. Whether I'm struggling with freshman-15 at Newcoast, or studying endlessly with my dorm buddies, there won't be anything more important than being there when Luke comes back. Because if one thing is for sure, its that home doesn't discriminate; it doesn't go anywhere; and even if it's been days, months, or years, it'll always be there to welcome you back.

"Hey Ari," Luke stopped in his tracks, causing me to do the same.

"What's up?" I asked, looking at the boy before quickly adding, "besides you, of course. Because, well, you're skyscraper as fúck."

"Damn, I can't get a break can I?" Luke chuckled, amazement in his tone as his brain registered my somewhat insulting quip. "But seriously. Look over there."

I turned my head in the direction of where Luke was pointing, only to see a figure who seemed very frustrated about something. It wasn't until the lamppost cascaded a stream of light against this figure's face did I realize who it was.

"That's Michael," I announced at a whisper. I continued to stare at my best friend, watching as he smacked himself in the head, yelling things that I couldn't quite understand. Letting go of Luke's hand, I power walked my way over to Michael.

"The files! Singing! Blonde hair! Ugh! Black hair!" Michael bellowed, his slew of random words confusing me greatly.

"Michael!" I yelled, though he didn't hear me. I walked even closer to the boy, who continued to smack himself in the head. "Michael! Hey! What's wrong?"

"I saw, I saw, I saw, I saw..." Michael repeated.

"Hey," I breathed, grasping onto Michael's wrists. I looked at him, seeing fear dripping in his expression. "What's going on? What did you see?"

I waited for Michael to answer, waited for him to speak to me as Luke approached. Michael took a moment to breath in and out and I saw a pool of tears brimming his waterline.

"Ari," Michael began, "I was in Reese's room when I figured it out."

"Figured what out?" I questioned.

"The creep," Michael revealed breathlessly and I felt my chest tighten. "I called the phone and I said their name. Then ten minutes later, I heard singing... I'll be, your crying shoulder," Michael sang, his voice cracking at each word before continuing his anecdote, "then before I could do anything, I saw her with black hair."

"Her?" I breathed. I looked up at Luke, who had the same worried expression on his face at it did mine. "Black hair?"

"Michael, who exactly shot you?" Luke asked, and I knew he was thinking the same thing as I.

It was so hard to believe but yet it made perfect sense. How this creep was able to see, hear, and know exactly everything that was happening in my life. How this person knew exactly who to contact for an untraceable phone. How this person was everywhere but nowhere at the same time.

When Mia wasn't home, she was living in Lotus Cove for school. That school is where she met tech genius Reese. Mia was able to be close to me, to learn everything without being suspicious. It all started with that damn party at the end of the summer last year. The party that everyone was at- the same party Luke got drunk at before finding himself in the alley way of The Pier Pressure Shack. Reese mentioned being at a classmate's party where he confessed his feelings towards Mia, and if all this were true, Mia was at that same party too.

Holy shit.

"Is this person here now?" Luke questioned, continuing this interrogation.

"Yea, I didn't recognize her at first but then I saw her eyes when I was dancing with Ari," Michael explained, "you'd never forget those bright green eyes if they were the last thing you saw before getting shot in the head."

"Wait, green eyes?" I repeated, "Mia has brown eyes."

"Mia?" Michael was taken aback by my statement.

"Yea, you said black hair and you heard singing. Unless it's a coincidence, no one knows the significance of that song besides myself, Mia and our mom," I justified.

"Your sister didn't shoot me," Michael confidently stated, and it was that declaration that caused my chest to loosen up.

I hated the idea of Mia being the creep, and I hated myself even more for believing that she'd do such a thing. But if my sister wasn't the eerie bitch behind this cyber pandemonium, then who the fúck was?

"If it wasn't Mia, then who shot you?" I asked.

Michael pulled his wrists away from my grip to rub his face in frustration. I could see that whatever sight, sound, or smell that triggered his memory was firing up his synapses and stressing him out to no end. He breathed in before letting out a long exhale. He darted his eyes from Luke to me and without a falter in his voice he revealed the answer to months of sick torture.

"Jasey Lopes,"

//

GASP!

Finally!! The creep has been revealed!!! But before we can all party, let's go find the bitch so Ari can beat a hoe!

Let's recap a little. So remember last chapter when Michael wigged out while dancing with Ari? It was cause he saw Jasey's green eyes. Her eyes are one of the first things I mentioned in the first chapter. When Michael walks away from the cotillion table, he didn't do it because he wasn't upset with Ari and Luke. It was because the song "I'll Be," was another trigger.

If some of you are confused, as you probably are, your questions of WHY, WHAT, HOW will be answered next chapter!

And speaking of, only TWO more official chapters left till "Drunk Words, Sober Thoughts" is completed. Then there will be a character ask and an Epilogue to look forward to. I will TRY to get the next two chapters up as soon as possible. Thank you guys again for reading my story and for being so freaking awesome!! <333