Avow

/əˈvou/

verb

assert or confess openly

"You, Melissa, are infuriating," he muttered, his face so close to mine that if I moved a centimeter our lips would touch, and the scary part of that was I wouldn't have minded.

My heart skipped a beat in my chest as the beat became so clear that I was sure he could hear it, but if he could he didn't bring it up.

"Wou-would you mind backing up," I stuttered out, seeing my chest rise and fall almost touching his. This entire situation had played out in my mind before, however, I couldn't bring myself to accept that this could possibly be happening.

"Does this make you uncomfortable Lissa?" he asked in mock innocence. His voice said that he would back away if I said the word, but his eyes said that he wasn't about to move an inch.

I looked up at him with a cold gaze set in my eyes. He was pushing my patience as his body didn't move an inch back. I took a step back to put space in between us, only making him take a step forward.

"Yes," I muttered only loud enough for him to hear. "You are making me uncomfortable." The words leaving my mouth said the exact opposite of my brain, which wanted to give in to his every whim.

"And why is that?" he asked, a smirk dominating his features. He knew what he was doing, but his ego was refusing to admit it.

I continued glaring at him, but gave up on making him move away from me. "You know, for a guy that says I am infuriating, you are just as, if not more."

His face turned to one of amusement, the signature smirk I had begun to grow used to still plastered on his face.

"Should I take offence to that?" he asked lowly, his head coming closer to mine.

"Should you?" My breath was shallow, and my nerves skyrocketing at his close proximity. I didn't know why, but he was effecting me more than I wanted him to. He was like a drug, intoxicating and enticing at first, then would show all the consequences once you were hooked.

"You know Melissa," he began, backing away to give me space as I requested, "no other girl has denied me like this," he said with that gorgeous smile still on his face. "No one has ever treated me like this." That sentence hit my heart and spread confidence throughout my body as I refused to move my eyes from his gaze.

"Shocking, I would have thought all the girls would get word of your promiscuity," I said sarcastically, putting even more distance between us. my knees began to feel weak under his state and I knew I would be unable to last much longer in my facade of unaffectedness.

"This is what shocks me," he explained, motioning to me as I walked across the room. "You are like a puzzle that is impossible to put together, full of jagged edges. But, I bet when you are put together, you are the most magnificent masterpiece," he said, leaning against the bedpost. His eyes followed me, never leaving my actions as I observed him in a similar manner.

I shook my head at his personification, and how he was choosing to describe me. It was preposterous that he was saying such things while he was being so rude.

"What are you getting at?" I asked him, finally finding a place comfortable against the wall. "What's the catch?"

"Why does there have to be a catch?" he fired back, utterly relaxed. His arrogance annoyed and attracted me all at once as I took in his posture and words that flowed of his tongue effortlessly.

My blood boiled at his calm attitude at this moment. He was finding this as entertaining as a game, as if I was a only that to him; a game.

"Because it's you," I practically spat at him.

His face turned grim as his posture straightened. His relaxed muscles of before were now tense with anger. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

"You know nothing about me," he countered smugly, staying in the exact position next to his bed.

"What makes you so different from everyone else? Why is it you feel so high and mighty?" I asked, trying to keep my cool as he began walking toward me, obviously mad about something I had said. My palms began sweating from the amount fear coursing in my veins.

"Everything," he stated, his hands pinning mine above me to keep me from leaving his grasp, his lips once again less than a centimeter close to mine. "You wouldn't understand?"

"Enlighten me then," I breathed out lightly due to our close proximity and the nervous.

A puff of air was released from his mouth at this. Nevertheless, his hands stayed around my wrists and body as close as it could get to mine.

"You don't want to know about me Lissa," he whispered, his head falling in shame. "I am too many stories and full of too much hurt for one to bear."

"But you can bear all of it," I fought back, wanting so desperately to hear what he was hiding from me. His head shook, partly in amusement for my desire of knowledge and the other in disbelief that someone cared enough to argue with him to know his story.

"Barely," he muttered under his breath before looking back up at me. "I've made many mistakes in my life Melissa," he spoke, making me gulp in anxiousness, "but I couldn't live with myself if I put the weight of the world on your shoulders just to relieve myself of the burden."

"And I couldn't live with myself knowing that I could have helped you and I didn't," I whispered to him in response.

It was amazing to me how we went from practically yelling at each other to helping the other. I was in shock when Luke's head was placed on my shoulder, and I could almost make out the sound of crying coming from him as it was absorbed by my tee. When I felt the pelts of tears soak my shoulder, I knew he was crying, but I didn't know what to do.

"Shhh," I soothed as best as I could with my arms above my head.

His hands finally released mine as he hugged me tightly. My arms wrapped around him immediately, reciprocating the affection.

He pulled away quickly though, wiping away his tears and resuming his stone cold look.

"Don't do that," I muttered, my hands coming up to cup his cheek. It was as if all of the progress and gentle words suddenly vanished and we were left at square one again. My heart broke a little inside as I observed the shell of the young man in front of me.

"Don't do what?" he asked, still not showing any affection or emotion on his face. My previous assumptions of his character evaporated as I took in the immense damage he bore yet refused to show.

"Don't shut me out," I whispered, gently stroking his cheek and wiping away the tears with the pads of my thumbs. "You always do when we begin to make progress. Don't shut me out; let me in so I can help repair you."

"I'm past repairs," his husky voice spoke lightly. His tone said that he was bitter at the past while his words held the definition of someone drowning and screaming for help.

"No, you aren't. You just need someone to care," I responded gently, care evident in my voice.

"And you care?" he questioned, his arms wrapping around my waist, but keeping far enough to look me in the eyes. I rolled my eyes at his question but still answer it.

"Why else would I stay?"

He was silent for a few moments only holding me close to him. His and my breathing were the only things filling the silence of the air.

"You are so different," he admitted softly into my ear.

"How?" My heart was hammering in my chest as I relaxed into his arms and my head resting in his neck.

"I don't know, but you make me feel something that I haven't felt in a while. And I don't know how you do it," his gravely voice mumbled into neck, sending chills up my spine.

"How- What do I make you feel?" I asked, having trouble finding the right words.

"Happy, fearless; I don't know, just different." I nodded simply into his neck understanding his lack of articulation because he brought similar feelings to me, and like him, I had never knew these feelings even existed before I met him.

His arms pulled me away from him and held me arms length. I looked at him, confused by his gesture and hoping this was not his way of shutting me out again.

"You make me feel complete, and I don't know how to classify that feeling. I have this attraction to you that I just can't shake," he admitted sheepishly.

My initial reaction was plain shock. The boy that had spent so much time getting on my nerves was feeling complete because of me? The thought swirled into my brain as I tried to remember any clues as to why he would feel this way.

Then it dawned on me, one of the few things my brain grasped as it fell in and out of consciousness during the journey back from the raid.

"You got this Lissa," he whispered, flicks of his dirty blonde hair coming into my view. "I promise that I don't hate you." With that I fell back into the black abyss I was growing quite used to as of now.

"I don't know how, but you make me feel the same way," I spoke lightly after a moment of silence. "And you make me feel like I belong somewhere for the first time in my life."

He smirked down at me, causing me to roll my eyes at his cockiness and lightly hit his bicep. He laughed at my terrible attempt to hurt him, rubbing the area slightly with one hand.

"But you're a player," I said softly, looking away from him despite me knowing his face was falling. "And I don't want to be a game to you."

"I can't promise you won't be a game, but I can promise you this," I lifted my head up to look at him once again, "the game is going to be me chasing after you until you're mine."

I smiled up at him, nodding my head in agreement. "Let the games begin then, Hemmings," I whispered, making my way to his door and leaving.

It was a few weeks later when I made my way back to the core meeting room, wanting to do some more research on the records we received, scanning my badge before I entered. My fingers fly across the keyboard without my knowledge due to my mind being preoccupied with Luke, his confession that had happened the previous week, and the way he made me feel inside. With his confessions, I now acknowledged feelings I had never thought of before like the way he made me feel when he hugged me, or the way I would become nervous when he entered a room or was close to me.

The computer screen lit up with the files numbers and activation codes on the side. I picked the first one, assuming that would be the best place to begin. As I settled into the seat, getting ready to read all the files, an alarm went off and sent chills down my spine; but these were not the kind I got with Luke. This was kind that make you want to run and hide.

My eyes widened as the same voice that came on for the last bombing announced the same message over the speaker again. But this time, instead of having someone with me that would ensure my safety and get me to safety, I was alone, and no one knew where I was.

"The bomb shelter doors will close in five minutes, please make your way to your designated quarters in the shelter calm and orderly," the voice announced.

My nerves spiked as I look at the computer containing the files before making an executive decision. My hands clasped around the drive in my pocket as I ejected all the files onto the drive and made my way around the room to find anymore of our information laying out, either hiding it or putting it in a duffle bag to take with me when I evacuated.

I wasn't going down to the bunker without these files.

I have decided to make the next chapter just about questions. Questions about 5 Seconds of Summer, me, for Luke, Melissa, any other character, or the book in general. Just comment or send me your questions before next week. This will not be an update, therefore, there will be two updates; one for the questions and another for the chapter.

Please put your questions in the comment section under the person they apply to or PM them to me if that's more convenient. If I didn't put a character down and you have a question for them, you can leave the question under the 'Other' label at the end. :)

Melissa

Luke

Michael

Calum

Ashton

Riley

Bob

Janice

Myself (Can be about literally almost anything)

Other

Edited: 18 October 2016