NOVEMBER 4, 2016. Right before Luke ran from Nick's place.
Nick watched, startled, as Luke ran out the front door, leaving behind his backpack and homework. How very unlike the ordinarily careful Luke.
Nick had been left halfway through his sentence, never finishing his thought. Was there something wrong with his words? He thought about what he had been about to say. 'You will never be alone, because you'll always have us, your friends.' Wasn't this something that should cheer him up? Why had Luke seemed flustered as he left? The sentence had had the opposite affect that had been hoped.
There didn't seem to be anything wrong with what he had wanted to say. So then, had he done~ something that he shouldn't have? Nick mulled over all he had done during the conversation. It could have been when he had traced Luke's face with his fingers. This was a bit unusual, but he had been so fascinated with the extreme pain and sadness that had covered a face that was normally expressionless.
Then again, Nick was a very physical friend and acted similarly to many of his other friends. Punching lightly in the shoulder, elbowing, and hugging were very ordinary occurrences. Though, he admitted, sometimes he let his feelings for Luke take control. One time, he had even almost kis-.
A revelation over took Nick. Promptly causing his face to turn red. When Luke had leaned over in a sort of sitting position, Nick had accidentally lost his balance, his hand slipping off the couch. During his fall, before he had regained his balance, Nick faintly remembered his face and Luke's colliding. What if they- What if he had- What if their lips had been forced together in a k- ki-.
Nick drove such thoughts from his head, lest his face over heat and he faint. Embarrassingly, this had actually happened before. Nick pondered over his accidental actions. Had that really happened, it felt unreal! But, there was really no other reason that Nick could think of at the moment that made sense other than it. Even more concerning, if Luke had found out Nick's feelings for him, would their friendship be destroyed? Aside from Luke, Nick only had two friends. Three if you included his brother. He couldn't exactly afford to lose a close relationship. Not to mention that Luke had just shared very personal information with him. And such depressing news at that! It didn't seem like Luke could afford to lose someone either...
That night, Nick went to bed full of anxiety for the next day. 'I hope I can smoothe things over. I had better be able to smoothe things over. I don't want to lose him.'
A couple hours before Luke and Nick fell asleep, Selene had received the text that Luke would be staying at his old house for the night. She informed her mom, and they both worried over him until bed. He had refused to even visit the house before then. What had suddenly caused him to change his mind? Had something bad happened? More than that, Selene and he mom worried that he would do something reckless. Why else go to the house of your dead family which you had refused to visit for so long. And the fact that he had gone alone... Let's just say that Nick wasn't the only one going to sleep while anxious for what would happen when the next day came. They had kinda hoped that Luke would gradually let the memories of his family fade into the past. Never revisiting the house which would undoubtedly bring up old memories. Of course, they knew that it wouldn't be that simple, but still, they could hope, right?