ARI.

I've never had a hangover before. Granted, I never drank so much than I did last night, but damn did this fùcking suck. Not only did it feel like a train has run over my head twice, but the nauseating feeling in my stomach was like a handshake with death. My eyes were closed and it felt like my body was spinning in the Disneyland teacups. When I opened my eyes however, the spinning didn't stop and the dryness in my mouth and throat was utterly uncomfortable.

I slowly sat up in a bed that was not mine. How I got here was unknown to me and when I tried to recollect any memory of last night, all that bombarded my mind was beer pong and a few shots of Patron. The rest of the evening was gone.

I looked down at myself, expecting to still be dressed in that ridiculous sexy cop costume but to my surprise, I was comfortably clad in a Blink 182 shirt and a pair of plaid boxers.

Judging by my hangover and how several hours of my night were blacked out, I could only assume that had I had some help changing. Because there was no way I could've successfully got out of my costume and into these clothes by myself. Seriously, I have troubles putting on a hoodie sober.

My eyes scanned the bedroom. From the band posters adorning the walls, to the guitars in the corner, and the huge stuffed penguin on the floor, I knew exactly where I was. But the tall, blonde, quiff boy this room belonged to was nowhere to be found. Then the door slowly creaked open and the answers to my wandering questions sauntered in.

A dimpled grin, flat hair and sweat pants that rode low on his hips, Luke closed the door behind him and approached the bed.

"How you feeling?" He asked me, taking a seat on the empty space next to me.

"Like shit," I told him, my voice cracking at each word.

"Thought so," he smirked. "Which is why I brought you these," he threw a package of Excederin on my lap, "and because I'm the bestest friend ever, I also took the liberty of buying you some Maccas."

"You didn't," I gasped, oddly excited for the the greasy indulgence I didn't know I was yearning.

"Enjoy your nuggets and fries babe," he chuckled, placing the paper McDonald's bag on my lap, as well as handing me a huge plastic cup.

I took a long, hard swig of the ice cold lemonade in the cup, soothing the cotton mouth I had been plagued with. I could smell the deep fried heaven sitting on my lap and couldn't wait to dig in. But there was one thing that needed to be done before I could jubilantly indulge.

"Lucas?" I sat the cup of lemonade off to the side.

"Yes Ariane?" He replied, looking up at me as he laid on the bed with his phone at his fingertips.

"I'm sorry, for freaking out on you," I apologized. "You were just trying to look out for me and I shouldn't have yelled. I should've just calmly spoke to you instead. I will admit that I have a problem with being a little too independent and trying to be badass all the time. But thanks for having my back Luke."

"I adore you so much Ari, I hope you know that? And the last thing I want is to see you hurt. No half-assed friendships remember? Ride or die; Okay, okay; Hakuna Matata; whatever," Luke sat up on the bed, crossing his legs and scooting towards me. "Maybe I shouldn't have overreacted as well. I was just so frustrated and mad and maybe a little jealous. I said some shitty things to you and I can't take those words back."

"Hey," my voice soft, trying to send out a wave of comfort. "It really hurt me a lot, but I can move past it."

Luke suddenly cupped my cheeks into his large hands, resting his forehead against mine. His warm breath fanned against my face and I shivered from our close proximity.

"You shouldn't have to move past it. I said the most asshole thing and all I wanted to do was prove that I'm a decent guy; to be your bestest friend. But baby girl... I hope you can forgive me,"

Whether it was the little remnants of alcohol that still coursed through my veins or that I was expected to start my period soon, whatever it was, it caused tears to well up in my eyes. I wasn't expecting this apology to get so emotional, but I guessed that's what I get for choosing such a sensitive, sentimental and downright good guy as a bestest friend.

"I forgive you," I breathed, looking into Luke's radiant blue eyes. I saw a glow in them the moment my words escaped my lips and a smile formed on his face.

"You do?" Luke separated from me, a shocked expression painted on his face. I couldn't help but to chuckle at his expense and the tears that were collecting in my eyes, dribbled down my face-- but this time, in happiness.

"Yes, I do," I affirmed confidently. "Let's just move forward from this. My nuggets are getting cold."

Luke bursted into a fit of giggles, "you're so weird," he sighed and reached over to swipe his thumb beneath my eyes where the tears still remained.

"Can I ask you something?" I opened up the paper bag, sticking my hand in and pulling out a few fries.

"Yea, what's up?" Luke replied, following suit and grabbing a couple of fries as well.

"What the hell happened last night?" I stuffed about ten fries into my mouth before delving into the box of chicken nuggets.

"Nothing totally crazy. My team won at beer pong by the way which means you, Mia and Reese owe us pizza," he told me matter-of-factly.

"Ugh, Mia sucks at beer pong. You'd think university would teach her something useful besides ethics and organic chemistry," I half-joked, pulling out a chicken nugget and taking a bite.

"Yea well, the same can be said for Reese's pieces. He sucked too," Luke declared. I could still sense the animosity from within him and I wanted to smooth things over.

"If you don't want me hanging out with him anymore, I'll stop," I offered and I could see a giddy twinkling in Luke's eye. "I'd just feel bad because Reese is actually a decent person."

Luke grumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite understand. But knowing that we were on the subject of Reese, it was probably something belittling and rude.

"What was that?" I raised a brow, biting my bottom lip with a smirk.

"I said," he groaned, clearly not content with whatever was on the tip of his tongue, "you can still hang with Reese."

"White boy say what?"

"Please don't make me say it again!" He growled, crossing his arms in a huff. "If you think he's decent then I have to trust your judgment."

"Awe, Luke, that's really sweet of you," I honestly was touched. "It's really mature."

"Yea, yea, whatever," he flapped his hand, rolling his eyes at my compliment. He grabbed the drink on the side table and took a few sips before adding, "just don't replace me okay? I'm your bestest."

"I could never replace you. You're definitely one of a kind Lukey," I stated with a grin. "So after I finish all of this will you take me home so I can shower? Then afterwards we can rent a movie, eat cupcakes and be lazy all day. I'll even share a blanket with you."

"Wow, half a blanket all to myself?" He mocked me, a wide, goofy grin on his face. "You're too kind."

"Well I do try," I mused, flipping my hair behind my back.

It took me about 10 minutes to finish eating twenty chicken nuggets and a crap ton of fries. It soothed my hangover and satisfied my belly with no problem. After gathering all my things, Luke and I hopped into his car and drove back to my house. With the windows rolled down and the radio on full blast, the two of us happily trekked through the streets of Percival Shores singing to Taylor Swift's Blank Space. Luke was a dork but so was I and I couldn't be anymore pleased than to be a dork with the blue-eyed boy sitting in the driver's seat next to me.

As we approached my home, Luke slowed down the car. However as we did, the two of us caught glimpse of a very confusing sight.

"Isn't that..." Luke's voice faded, as he pointed towards the front door.

"Yea it is. What the heck is Reese doing here?" I wondered out loud.

Reese was standing on the front porch talking to my sister. Actually no, not talking, more like yelling. His arms were flailing around, an angry expression glazed his face and even over the loud music in the car, I could still hear bellowing coming from the Lotus Cove Cafe pizza boy.

After his rampage, Reese stomped away from Mia, who looked utterly distressed. He jumped back into his car before backing out of the drive way and zooming away. Luke parked his car against the curb and I looked at him with confusion.

"What the hell was all that about?" I questioned and Luke shrugged, shutting off the car's engine.

"I don't know, but he looked pretty pissed. He was actually pissy last night too for some reason," Luke informed. "Maybe he's mad that you went home with me instead."

I shot Luke a glare, unamused with his snarky, insinuating comment. I smacked him in the arm, causing him to smile, clearly not seeing the problem in his mischievous remark. I hopped out of the car, as did Luke and the two of us walked up the concrete pathway to the front door. When we walked in my feet continued forward, however because I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, I stumbled. But before I could crash onto the tiled floor, breaking my face, Luke's strong arms caught me.

"What's going on Ari? Falling for me already?" He giggled at his own joke, prompting me to roll my eyes and shake my head.

I stood up on my own, pushing him aside as Luke continued to laugh. He grabbed my wrist though, pulling me closer before trailing his hands up my arm and behind my neck. He gazed down at me, taking his lip piercing in between his teeth, causing my stomach to do backflips.

"Fall all you want, cause I'll always catch you," he winked before dropping his arm from my neck.

There was some major confidence in Luke, probably from the fries he helped me eat, because he was being more touchy-feely-flirty than normal. It wasn't like disliked it, I just wasn't sure what to make of it yet.

I looked down onto the floor, searching for the reason why Luke had to catch me in the first place. My eyes landed on a black suitcase lying on the floor. Etched with puzzlement, I kneeled down, examining the piece of luggage.

"Anak ko, you're home," mom walked down the staircase, hastily walking towards me. "Luke, hello. How are you?"

(translation: my child)

"Hi, I'm good," Luke waved with a smile, just as my mom pulled him in for a hug.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked her, pointing at the suitcase at my feet.

"Mia is accompanying me to a spa outside of town," she announced. "A coworker of mine is gave me a certificate."

"Um, thanks for the invite?" I wasn't exactly offended that I wasn't invited to this shindig, more offended that they didn't say one word about it. It was as if they were planning to leave without a word, only to text me when they had arrived.

"I'm sorry, I know it's last minute but I just need a little relaxation time, that's all. Stressed from the long hours. I know you have work, school and your friends so I didn't want to bother you," mom explained.

Suddenly, Mia came running downstairs with a pink duffle bag hanging from her shoulder. I looked over to Luke, who stood in the background.

"Oh hey, you're home," Mia observed. She waved at Luke, "hey!"

"I'm going to make sure I have everything and then we can go," mom told Mia who nodded her head. Just as mom went back up the stairs, I stepped up to my sister with a face full of curiosity.

"Sorry for the last minute thing," Mia apologized. "Mom left you money in the kitchen for food and if you get scared alone in the house, just have Luke or one of the guys accompany you."

"What was Reese doing here?" I questioned, completely ignoring Mia's previous string of words. She seemed surprised by my question, not answering immediately and instead scanning her eyes between Luke and I.

"He was just talking to me about school stuff," Mia answered but I had a gut feeling that there was more to the story than some lecture class.

"Ate, Reese didn't look like he was just discussing an English essay. He looked pretty pissed off about something," I brought up. "What's going on?"

(translation: older sister)

"It's really nothing," she insisted. "Reese is just overreacting about a project for class that he got a lower grade on while the rest of us received better marks. He has it in his head that I wrote shit about him in my peer evaluation."

"And why would he think you wrote shit?" I asked.

"Because we've always been in competition with each other," Mia revealed. "Who can score the best on each exam and who has the better GPA by the end of each semester. Reese can take things a little too far sometimes, that's all."

Just as I was about to ask more questions, our mom scaled down the stairs again, with a big purse in her hands. She approached us all, bending down to grab the luggage off of the floor.

"Ready Mia?" Mom looked over to my sister with an expression that told me she was itching to get out of the house. I didn't blame her, graveyard shifts were bound to catch up to her soon enough.

As mom and my sister gathered their bags, I said my goodbyes, watching as they headed out the door in a hurry. Closing the door, I turned to Luke who had been quiet the entire time. He gazed at me with a hopeful and sympathetic smile.

"You okay?" He asked me and I nodded, really just overwhelmed by the turn of events. First my mom going on some last minute spa day, and second, knowing that Reese likes to compete with my sister over grades.

Buzz. Buzz.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, staring at the glowing screen before me. My eyebrows narrowed with confusion as a shiver of utter creepiness tingled my spine. Sent by an unknown number, with no text, were three photos taken through the upstairs window of Luke's room. In one picture, I stood shirtless with Luke; another showed him taking off my shorts; and in the last, was a photograph of the two of us sleeping in bed. The third photo however was the most creepy, as it wasn't taken through a window, but from inside of Luke's bedroom.

"Is everything alright Ari?" Luke asked me, stepping up to my feet. I didn't answer him and kept my eyes glued to the device in my hand. "What's on your phone?"

Without a verbal response, I simply showed Luke my phone and his reaction was just as shocked as mine. I felt so violated; so dirty and I didn't know how to handle it. It creeped me out to know that someone was watching us; that it wasn't just some peeping tom, but someone who had the balls to break into the Hemmings household when we were sound asleep. It was disgusting and I was crazily freaked out.

Luke could sense this, I could tell because without one word, he pulled me into his chest. He wrapped his arms around my body, kissing me on the forehead before gently rubbing my back with care. I hugged Luke back, feeling so protected in his arms and I didn't want to let go just yet.

"I'm here Ari," Luke breathed, "I'm going to stay with you till your mom comes back."

//

Happy New Year's everyone!! And Maligayang Bagong Taon to all my fellow pinays / pinoys out there! :)

Hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve and is having an even better New Years day! Decided to update since it was a lazy day at home despite plans to go out.

Hope you guys liked this chapter. Not as eventful as the last but still got some information out there for you guys. I don't really believe in "filler chapters" because I always believe that each chapter has some significance that moves a story; whether it's through character developments, relationship arcs, or conflict. So if you're writing a story and deem a chapter a "filler chapter", don't think of it as that; that chapter is just as important as the others! :)

Also, I updated the "character/cast list"... aka the list of celebs I imagine. I've been meaning to alter it but kept neglecting it. I added it to the "synopsis" part of this story!

Anyways, THANKS to everyone who has voted, commented and shared this story! Means a ton to me that people actually like what I've got to write. This story is almost at 200K reads and that blows my mind! SO greatful for everything! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Or maraming salamat to my fellow Filipinos! <33