Chapter 9Song for the chapter: Arms - Christina Perri “I tried my best to never let you in to

Chapter 9 Song for the chapter: Arms - Christina Perri “I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth, and I’ve never opened up, I’ve never truly loved ‘til you put your arms around me. And I believe that it’s easier for you to let me go” ★☆★ Vivian’s POV Walking in the through the school towards my locker, my stomach fills with butterflies. The fact that Luke and I have been texting so much embarrasses me. Not that texting him embarrasses me, it’s how easily he can make me smile, laugh, or blush over text, embarrasses me. He’s like the friend I’ve never had, but is a guy, and I can’t keep him out of my head. “Hey Vivian.” Luke’s deep voice interrupts my thoughts. I blush automatically, hoping that he doesn’t see it, “Hey Luke. How’s Molly?” As we texted each other last night he told be about his dog coming home from the Vet. She hurt her leg jumping off of a chair or something, and Luke would not stop telling me how happy he was that she was home. His face lights up, “She’s good, but she would not stop whining when I was leaving to school. I had to give her three treats before she’s stop jumping at me.” He frowns slightly, “Well I’m sure she missed you at the vet.” “What makes you so sure of that?” He smirks, causing my jaw to drop. “I-she was gone for a week… And uh you’ve lived with her for a long time.. So I’d assume she missed you.” I stumble on my words. He grins, “I was messing with you. You’re cute when you blush.” He says absentmindedly, and looks down the hallway. I’m here looking like a tomato, and Luke is completely calm. Suddenly his head snaps towards me. “Shit did I say that out loud?” His eyes are wide, and his own cheeks are beginning to crimson with embarrassment. I bite on the inside of my lip, and nod, both embarrassed and trying to hold back my laughter. Before Luke can say anything the bell rings, and we both walk to math without saying anything. As I sit in my spot, I glance up at Luke, who does the same, and looks away quickly. Everything was going so smoothly between us, now it’s so awkward, just after a few minutes. What did he even mean when he said, “you’re cute when you blush.” My mind comes up with a million questions, but they’re all interrupted when Mr. Hensley slaps a paper onto my desk. It’s my math test from yesterday, and in the top right corner, is a huge circles F in red. Underneath that is a small note that reads, 'See me after class.’ I slump back in my desk feeling a number of different emotions; embarrassed that I did this horrible, devastated of the grade, when I did so well with Luke, nervous about seeing Mr. Hensley after class, and angry at myself for failing. I place my face in my hands and let out a long sigh. After a few seconds my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out quickly. Luke,'You okay?’ I lift my towards Luke, to see him looking at me with a worried face. I send back, 'I failed.’ I look back towards him, to see him frowning at his phone. He sends, Luke,'You’ll do better next time.’ I’m about to say that I doubt that, but I don’t get the chance to send it. Mr. Hensley clears his throat, “Alright class, your results were.. predictable. Some of you did great, and others not so great.” His eyes land on me, and I shrink down, feeling humiliated. “Now that the test is over, we’re going to start on a new topic.” He announces, turning on the projector. Through the whole lesson, I pay as close attention as I can, and even take notes. By the end of the hour, I still don’t understand it. As the bell rings, I stay in my seat, doodling on my paper as I wait for everyone to leave. “Vivian, Luke, come here.” Mr. Hensley says once the room is empty. My head snaps to Luke, who is taking long strides towards his desk, his gaze on the ground. My eyebrows furrow in confusion, but I don’t say anything. “So, Vivian, we have a problem. You get all of the correct answers on your homework, but always fail your test. Luke here has agreed to tutor you, which if you don’t agree to, I’ll have to call your parents and have a talk with them.” He says, and my eyes widen. “Yes.” I answer quickly, not wanting my parents to be involved with this at all. “What?” Both Mr. Hensley and Luke ask at the same time, clearly shocked. “I’ll do the tutoring, just please don’t call my parents.” The last part of my reply is quieter. “Wow. I expected it to be a lot harder than that.” Mr. Hensley admits. “So did I.” Luke mutters in agreement. “Okay, so, meet two or three times a week, whichever is necessary, and make sure that you’re understanding the topic, if not, work on it and so on, sound good?” Our teacher claps his hands together looking up at the both of us. We both nod, “Okay, now get to your other classes so you’re not late.” We do as we’re told, and walk out the door. “I really thought it’d be harder to get you to agree.” Luke mumbles as he walks next to me. I think for a moment, “Well I want to get better at math and do better, and now I don’t thing that having a tutor will be so bad. If it was someone else, it’d be different.” I admit. He grins at me, “Well I’m glad it wasn’t someone else.” “Me too.” A smile appears on my lips, as well as a slight a blush on my cheeks. We part our ways, with a small wave. I enter French with that smile still on my face that Kenzie, and not even Trent could make disappear. ★☆★ As I enter my English class, I look around the room and see that none of my “friends” or Luke are in this class. Part of me feels happy, that I don’t have to deal with Kenzie, who’s voice is becoming one of my least favorite thing in the world. Trent is another burden of mine. All he does is flirt, and make moves on me. I’m running out of ways to politely reject him. It takes everything I have to not smack him, and scream, ’I’m not interested!’ It’s getting to the point where I’m afraid that he’ll actually make a move on me, and do something stupid. Trent is a good guy way way way deep down, he he’s just too much for me. “Okay class, we’re going to be doing a project. You will have partners, every other row, the person to your right is your partner.” My English teacher announces. I turn my head to my left and see Annie Moore, Charlie Thompson’s best friend. A small smile forms on my lips, happy that I don’t have to be paired up with someone who’ll treat me like I’m stupid and tell me that I don’t have to do any work, or be with someone who won’t do anything and I have to do all of the work. “Annie, right?” I ask, smiling at her. She nods her head, “Yep, and you’re Vivian.” She puts on a smile, but I see something false about it. I nod my head, and turn back to the teacher as she starts to give instructions. “So what you’re going to do is get to really know the person you’re talking about, not just their favorite color, and their hobbies, those are important, but what you need to know is the weird quirks, liuke they can’t sleep with the door open, or they’re scared of the dark, get down the their deepest secrets, become great friends, then you’re going to make a presentation about them, some kind of movie, song, poster, and you’re going to present that to the class, but only the information your partner allows you to present, do you understand?” she explains, looking towards the class for any wondering eyes. “No, okay, this will be due in a month, but you’ll only have a few days in class to work on it, after that you’ll have to meet up with your partner on your own time.” She announces, shocking me. I turn to Annie, not knowing what to say, “So..” “I know that you don’t want to do this as much as I don’t want to do it with you, so lets just get this done as soon as possible, okay?” Annie’s tone is rude, and unlike anything I’ve admired her for. My mouth drops open, in shock, “O-okay.” This project will be an interesting one. ★☆★ The last bell of the day rings, I sigh. I quickly gather my things and walk to my locker. Throughout the day I’ve been quite upset of how Annie reacted to me. I told Luke about it, and he comforted me, saying that she was just being judgmental, and once she gets to know me that all of her judgments will be changed. “Viv!” Julian’s voice calls from behind me. I turn around, “Yeah?” Julian and I hadn’t spoken for a few days, other than small talk as he gave me rides to school. After my two hour long of a shower he’s been cautious around me, and keeping a careful eye on me. “It’s storming outside, you’re getting a ride home with me.” He decides, and I smile at his efforts of being nice but in a 'manly’ way. “Okay, let me get my stuff from my locker.” I grin at him, and continue walking, Julian following me. After I place all of the things I don’t need to take home, and put the things I do need to take home in my locker, I shut my locker and turn to Julian. “Ready.” I chirp, being surprisingly in a good mood. We walk towards the front doors, but I stop walking when I hear a familiar voice shouting. Turning my head, I immediately spot out Luke, who’s yelling at Ashton. I can’t hear them, but it looks pretty serious. “Julian.” My voice is unlike anything I’ve heard, it’s worried and scared, unconsciously I clutch onto the fabric of his sweater. I pull him towards Luke and Ashton, neither of them noticing a small group of people forming around them. “She’s a stuck up daddies princess that thinks she’s better than everyone else Luke, why can’t you see that?!" Ashton shouts, pulling at his long curly hair. "She is not Ashton! Just because she turned you down doesn’t mean she’s stuck up or she thinks she’s better than everyone else! Maybe she turned you down because she saw behind all of the muscle and popularity and saw that you’re a huge asshole!” He shouts, and Ashton’s fist collides with Luke’s nose, instantly sending Luke to the ground. Before my brain can react my feet already are. The second I’m to Luke, I’m on my knees, holding his face in my hands. His eyes are closed and I start to worry. “Luke? Luke!” I lightly smack his cheek diagonal from his bleeding nose. His eyes open and he blinks a lot, “Shit, he actually hit me.” “What is your problem?” Julian shouts, and I see him holding Ashton against the wall. “Your bitch of a little sister is, she’s nothing but a princess that causes problems in my life.” He spits, sending me a look that makes me think he wants to punch me too. “Damn he hit you hard.” A voice remarks causing me to snap my head away from Ashton and Julian. Calum is kneeling next to me, staring at the blood drip down his chin. “We need to take him to the nurses office.” I say quickly. Calum nods and helps me get Luke to his feet. We both put one of Luke’s arms around our shoulders, but Calum carries most of the weight. Once we arrive to the nurses office I quickly explain what happened to him. “Put him on the chair.” She directs us towards a room with a chair like they have in doctors offices. The nurse quickly starts to clean up the blood, and looks over at me, “Honey go grab me an ice pack from the fridge by my desk for the swelling.” I quickly do as she says, grabbing the ice pack from the fridge, and hurrying it back to her. “Well put it on him!” She exclaims as she grabs a new rag. I jump and press it onto his nose. “Ow!” Luke exclaims, grabbing my hand and lifting it up so the ice pack isn’t putting as much pressure on his nose. “Sorry!” I squeak, my face burning up. His hand stays over mine and his eyes close as the nurse continues to look at his nose. She starts to poke and prod it, and Luke squeezes my hand tightly and clenches his teeth. After a few minutes of him holding back cusses, and squeezing my hand like there’s no tomorrow, she remover her hands and takes a step back. “Well it’s not broken.” She announces, “It will bruise and hurt though, just use I’ve for a little while so the swelling goes down. I need to go call your mother.” She leaves the room quickly. “Shit did she say she was calling Mum?” He sits up, letting go of my hand. “Yeah, I think they have to call the parents when they get hurt or something like that." Calum explains. "Oh, fuck!” Luke exclaims, laying back down. “Shit, no crap, sorry Viv.” He slips on his words. “I-It’s fine.” I stutter, my stomach doing backflips when he uses my nickname. I assume that he’s apologizing for swearing, which I don’t really mind, it’s a part of what makes him who he is. “I can’t believe that he actually hit you." Calum murmurs, staring at Luke’s red nose. I agree silently, so confused about everything. Who were they even talking about? "Neither can I.” Luke mutters, his eyes squeezing shut, “My mum’s going to flip.” “Yeah, she is." Calum scoffs, and Luke glares at him. "Ass. I’m assuming Mike’s on Ashton’s side.” Calum sighs, and sits back, “I’m sorry man.” “Figures.” Luke sighs. Calum is about to say something, but the door to flies open, and a short blonde woman walks in the door, gasping. “Oh, Luke.” The woman gasps, grabbing Luke’s face. “Mum, I’m fine.” Luke groans, his cheeks turning red. “We should leave," Calum whispers to me, and I nod. We both exit quietly, I doubt that Luke’s mother even noticed that we were there. We take a seat in the office, and I see Ashton outside the window, getting pulled into the principals office with Michael following him. "What even happened? I thought that you all are best friends, why would Ashton hit Luke? Who were they talking about?” Questions flood from my mouth, and Calum’s eyes widen. “Woah girly, calm down.” He laughs, then looks at me seriously. What leaves his mouth, makes my jaw fall to the flood, “Luke was defending you.” “What?” Calum grins, laughing lightly, then he clears his throat, “Ashton, he can hold grudges. When you turned him down a while back, he was so angry. Now he thinks you’re a stuck up daddy’s princess that thinks you’re better than everyone, and he had me and Mike believing it.” “Wow.” I mumble, looking at the ground. “Yeah, that’s not all. Luke wasn’t having any of it. He came to us one day, rambling on and on about finding you crying in the library, like he was obsessed. Ashton got pissed when Luke brought up that you turned him down, and ever since Ashton has been moody, and a huge dick to Luke. Luke had finally had enough, and snapped, and that whole fight happened.” He explains. “I turned Ashton down because my best friend really likes him, and I just couldn’t do that to her.” I admit honestly. Kenzie wouldn’t think twice of getting with someone I liked, but I’m a decient person so I wouldn’t do that to her. “Damn. I totally misjudged you Vivian." Calum looks at me with guilt on his face. "It seems like a lot of people have been doing that.” I mumble. I am still in shock, of everything. Luke was defending me? Why? Why would he care what Ashton thought of me? I don’t, I’ve stopped caring about a lot of things a long time ago, what people thought of me being one of them. All anyone needs to think about me is that I have a perfect life, and am perfectly happy. By the looks of it, they think that, and more. “Liz!" Calum exclaims, standing up, hugging Luke’s mother. "Who are you?” She asks once she notices me, her voice soft and sweet. “I’m just a friend of Luke’s.” I say quietly, admiring how much Luke looks like his mother. I guess I would classify Luke and I as friends now. “Well it’s nice to meet you, unfortunately the circumstances aren’t nice.” She frowns, then turns to Calum asking what happened. As they’re distracted, and stand up, and walk into the room where Luke is laying down with his eyes closed. I knock on the door, and Luke sits up. “Oh, Vivian, come in.” He smiles at me, causing butterflies in my stomach to wake up. “I-I um, I just met your mom. She’s nice.” I say, biting the inside of my lip. He nods, “Yeah, thank god she didn’t completely flip out.” I nod, and avoid his gaze, “So um I was talking to Calum..” Luke sits up more, “And?” “And he said that the reason Ashton hit you, was because you were defending me?” My voice is soft, and I look up at Luke, to see him biting his lip. He nods his head. “Why? Why would you care what Ashton says about me? Why couldn’t you just ignore him? You’re nose is all messed up because of me!” I exclaim, pacing around the room. “Because I couldn’t stand him talking about you like that, because I know it’s not true.” His voice matching mine. I snap my head towards him, “How do you know that?” Luke sets the ice pack down, and stands up walking towards me, “Because you’re letting me in. You used to push me away whenever I’d ask you something personal Vivian, but now you’re opening up. You’re trusting me, and I’m starting to see who you really are. You’re not a stuck up snob who thinks she’s better than everyone, you’re almost the complete opposite. I don’t know what it is yet, but you’re hiding something, and you don’t want anyone to see that, so you put on a smile, and pretend like nothing’s wrong. I won’t stop until I find that out, because I want to help you. But please don’t push me away Vivian, please, let me in, let me figure you out.” Luke’s voice is soft, his warm breath hitting my face putting me in a trance. I stare into his gorgeous blue eyes, and my knees start to weaken. My eyes travel down to Luke’s lips, where he’s chewing on his lip ring. I suddenly push Luke away, physically this time, his proximity affecting my thinking. He sighs and sits back down on the chair. “I can’t believe you got punched because of me.” My voice is soft, changing the topic because I don’t want to think about what he just said at all. Luke’s eyes stare intently at me as I gently run my fingers over his nose, and he winces. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, removing my hand from his face. Luke’s hand grabs mine, and tangles our fingers together, “It’s fine.” His whisper matches mine. My stomach fills with butterflies as we hold hands. His eyes stare into mine again, making my heart race, and he locks me in his trance again. Why aren’t I pulling away? I should pull away, it’s weird to be this close to him. But it feels so right, and comfortable. My brain buzzed with my racing thoughts. “You’re so confusing.” I mutter, and before he can reply, my lips are on his. Luke is still, probably shocked. After a few seconds he reacts by placing his hand that isn’t holding mine, is tangled into my hair, pulling me closer to him. My lips are on fire, and Luke’s touch fuels that fire. He pulls me so I’m standing in between his legs, and his hand moves to my jaw. Luke’s tongue runs across my bottom lip, begging for an entrance. “Hey, Luke your mum wa, oh damn." Calum’s voice sounds, making me jump away from Luke. My eyes widen as I realize what just happened, I just kissed Luke.  I just kissed Luke, I just kissed Luke.  "Damn Luke, and you said you didn’t like her." Calum scoffs.  "Not now Calum.” Luke’s tone is hard.  Luke stands up and walks towards me, “Viv?” He reaches out to grab my hand again, I back away from him shaking my head.  “That was a mistake, I-I have to go.” I turn around and walk out the door, but Luke grabs my arm before I can.  “Vivian, don’t shut me out, please.” his voice is dripping with desperation, and his eyes are begging me.  I bite the inside of my lip so hard that I can taste blood. I pull away from Luke and run. ★☆★ Authors Note: So that was intense, and probably my favorite chapter to write.  What do you think Viv’s gonna do? What about Ashton and Luke?  Vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter, because I know I did! Until next time  Hugs & Kisses -Hannahxx   -- source link

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