"i didn't even want to do this, i've been shitting myself since i suggested it." lola's hands were still trembling a little as she smoothed petunia's fur and avoided meeting luke's gaze.

he sighed, "i've been scared too, lo. but i've also been desperate to have a real conversation about this for the longest time."

lola shifted. she turned her body, picking petunia up and placing her more into her lap as she finally looked into luke's eyes. she couldn't help the nervous energy she became awash with, her body erupting into goosebumps as he bit his lip.

"i don't want to get too... invasive. but what happened with niall, then?"

"it's okay, of course you're going to be curious," lola smiled warmly, stopping to press a kiss to petunia's head, "he broke up with me.  it was because of hailee and i saw it coming if i'm honest. they'd been spending a lot of time together, which would usually be fine i'm not the jealous type and you know that, but when he came home without his jacket because he'd let her have it and he stank of her perfume i knew i'd lost him i think."

"but he always seemed so in love with you when i asked. he made it out like you were soulmates!" luke pried, leaning to cup lola's cheek with his hand and wipe a few tears he saw cascade down her face.

"you spoke to him about me?" lola questioned, confused, "that article made it seem like you hated eachother because of me and if i asked he'd always avoid the question?"

luke shook his head, "at first i felt so betrayed, and a bit shitty because i remembered him telling me i was punching above my weight when we first got together. but i text him and we talked it out and i could see how much he cared about you. all i wanted was for you to be happy, even if it wasn't with me, and he seemed to be doing such a good job i thought he'd never hurt you."

lola was a little lost for words, the butterflies in her stomach startling her a little. she didn't want to admit that it was luke making her feel like this all over again, but it was driving her insane.

she leaned up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind luke's ear, "what the fuck happened to us, luke? how the fuck did we go from being so in love to just cutting eachother off?"

"i don't know, baby— lola," lola bit her lip and tried not to grin at the familiar pet name rolling off his tongue, "but i really do regret it, even if you don't. you're all i've ever wanted and that hasn't changed."

"i don't know what to say, luke. i'm so confused about everything and my feelings are all over the place," she drew in a deep breath, "but you know i'll always care about you. i need to see where i'm at before we talk properly about us i think."

luke nodded meekly, "i'll wait for you princess, as long as it takes. if we only get to be friends again that'll suffice, i just want to get to put a smile on your face again."

lola beamed at this and luke licked his lips with a matching wide grin, "can i say something, though?"

lola silently nodded, her smile faltering slightly in fear of what he'd say.

"i really, really want to kiss you right now."

lola gulped, her stomach doing backflips as her eyes intently met his again and she was met with a resurgence of confidence. she shuffled closer to luke, sighing and realising that she couldn't pretend she didn't feel the same, even so fresh from another break up.

"what's stopping you?"

———
i don't want this to move too fast but at the same time i think that they were so in love in the first place and having just not seen/spoken to eachother since, the feelings wouldn't go away as much as they'd think? they'd just be blocked until now ! so hello