"When I am with you, there is nowhere else I'd rather be. And I am a person who always wants to be somewhere else."
— David Levithan

Eventually, Luke was called home because it was already late. I found Fi and Mike settled in the living room playing Minecraft, with our Xbox. I saw Charlotte in the kitchen, chopping something.

"Oh hi, Luke," My sister shouted from the kitchen. She ran, heading to the living room. She grinned widely the moment she both saw us.

"Hey, Charlotte," Luke said. I saw him nod and smiled in acknowledgement.

"Do you want to eat dinner with us? I was just chopping some onions." Charlotte offered. "And I'm leaking tears..." She rubbed her eyes softly.

I was shaking my head repeatedly and mouthing no. It's not that I don't want Luke to stay furthermore here, I like his company. But he won't be able to get home and survive a dinner with my family. It was a good thing that Charlotte was the only one here and my parents weren't here. They'll keep teasing me all night and make it all awkward.

"I'd like to but my mom's calling me to go home." He excused.

Silently I was saying yes in my mind. I glanced at Charlotte and she was looking peculiar at Luke. Perhaps she suspected Luke lying.

"I heard that you should chew a gum while chopping onions so you won't cry." Luke suggested, his tone was a bit cheery.

"Have you tried it?" Charlotte asked.

"Oh yeah. Worked like a charm. Then my mom came home and I told her, "mom I'm chopping onions and I'm not crying, wanna know why?"
My mom didn't even looked at me and said, "because you're dead in the inside."
That's my mom, I tell you." Luke chuckled and laughed after when Charlotte laughed. I was giggling.

"I know it's unbelievable that I'm going home early because my mom said so but I already have two strikes. If I hit the third one, I'm sleeping in a box. Outside. On the street." Luke must have felt Charlotte not believing him.

"Don't worry," Charlotte said and crossed her arms. "I'm sure you'll have room in Gwen's room." She was trying not laugh.

Why is my sister embarrassing me?! She should not be doing this! This is... this is... Dam it!
My cheeks were blushing red.

"I cannot be so sure, Charlotte. I was just up in her room and her books occupied most of her room than her personal stuff. Or her bed." Luke chuckled, joking.

Unacceptable! That's the word, this is utterly unacceptable!

"Oh, Gwen. Chin up, we were only joking." Charlotte excused herself and went back to the kitchen laughing lowly.

Luke looked at me with sympathy. I turned around, crossed my arms and huffed. How could I even like this guy? He's sorta rude and insensitive.

It was a habit of mine escorting Esme to the porch steps so I did the same with Luke. When we were outside, I could feel the cool breeze and I shivered. Luke patted my arm.

"Cut me some slack off, Gwen. I was just leaving an impression."

"Well you've done it. You left an impression." I snorted.

I was mad. I don't know why. Which was very weird. How could I be mad without any reason?

"We're back at that again," he sighed. "If you're done acting like that, call me."

"We'll see."

❤️❤️❤️

"What did you do to earn your freedom?" I asked Esme, browsing the book called, Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer.

"I picked fourteen whips over fourteen days of  being grounded." She joked, shrugging. "Dad told mom that it wasn't my fault." She explained.

Last night, after Luke left, around ten I called Luke and apologized for my odd behavior. I had this unsettling feeling so I just womaned up and called him. Thankfully he was still awake. He was finishing listening to Rick Riordan's book, Son of Neptune.

Somehow, he ended up listening to me read the book out loud. It was a win-win since it was in my December list to reread Uncle Rick's books. And because I love Son of Neptune. (You see, my boyfriend Percy, he's there.)

In the morning, for the first time in my life, I woke up thinking about a boy. Wait, let me be more specific, a boy not from a fictional world. I've wondered what his first thought in the morning. What it would be like to have an expected lunch with him. What it would be like if he reciprocated my feelings and wondered what our first date would be like. And then suddenly I realized that I was acting like one of those stereotypical girls when they like someone. Not that I have a problem with them. I was acting crazy.

"Life is so unfair." Esme said and I forgot about my thoughts. "Your winter break starts on Wednesday and mine starts until the end of the week." She whined.

"By the Angel!" Ignoring her statement, I gasped in astonishment. "Look at this book!" I gestured at the book and read the synopsis.

"Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah. And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her.

WE FOUND THE BOOK THAT CONTAINS OUR DREAM!" I declared, shaking Esme back and forth excitedly.

"Read further!" She insisted.

"Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He's a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He's sure there's more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom."

We both sighed dreamily.

"Imagine, Will Herondale or LEO VALDEZ is this Prince Oliver," I told Esme.

"IMAGINE, DRACO MALFOY. GWEN, IMAGINE IF IT'S DRACO!" Esme was freaking out.

"WE NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!" We both said in unison and we giggled.

Esme went to the bookshelf to get her own copy and I heard her shriek.

"What?" I frowned.

Esme gritted her teeth widely and excitedly. She gave me the book she shrieked about.

"Off the Page," I read the title "...Raziel! THIS IS A COMPANION NOVEL!" I said excitedly. I stared at oblivion. "This book contains what happened next after Delilah got Oliver out of the book. OUT. OF. THE. BOOK." I inhaled deeply and looked eye to eye at Esme and opened my mouth to squeal, however no sound came out.

"I KNOW!" She said like she knew what I was thinking.

On the line to the cashier, I bought three books —yet I promised myself I'll only buy one that I really was intending to buy. Oh well.— Between the Lines, Off the Page (both by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer) and a hardbound copy of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon —the book that was I meant to buy only. Whereas Esme, she bought a book bundle of the first four books in the book series of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and the two books we found that contained our dreams.

While waiting in the line, Esme asked me about Luke. I hesitated on telling Esme my feelings about Luke.

"Ha-have you ever been so weirdly attracted to someone that you can actually feel it driving you crazy?" I asked Esme, thinking that she's an expert with all these emotions I'm feeling.

"Are you saying you're weirdly attracted to Luke?" She asked excitedly.

"Esme, it's like I'm Kath from Fangirl and he's Levi. I've been telling myself that I've my Will, but really, I've found my Levi." I said daydreamy, ignoring her question.

"Gwen, this is so exciting! This is the —It's your turn in the line," she gestured and I put my books on the counter. I mumbled an "Oh," and "Sorry."

"It'll be 35.94," the cashier said. I gave him the money and he collected it.

When we were out of the bookstore, Esme continued what she was saying.

"This is the first time you like a boy from the real world!" She said, gripping my arm tightly.

"I hope it'll be the first and last." I mumbled and we both get in my car and drove home.

Not like: Luke would be my first and last that I like, meaning we'll end up being together and live happily ever after.

I meant, I hope he'll be the first and last guy I'll ever like because liking someone and keeping it a secret from that someone you like is difficult! Not only it was making me crazy and lovey-dopey, it's rather overwhelming.

I want familiar and comfortable feelings.

And so I opened a book when I got home and parted with Esme, and read until sunset.

A/N: GAAAH!!! SCHOOL IS BASICALLY KILLING READING HOURS!! I don't have time to do any fun anymore.

Anyway, thank you for waiting for me to update. The quote in the start of the chapter, I think I already used it. Maybe. Could anyone tell me if I have? 😂 I will deal with plot holes and errors when I edit this, and that's probably when this book is finished.

Comment below your thoughts and if you liked this chapter, please do vote. Share this book to your friends too!

Question of the chapter: What paperback are currently reading?

❤️M