Reign's POV.

I'm nervous.

Why am I nervous?

It's just Luke.

I practically grew up with Luke and we used to fight all the time.

But now we don't.

Now I'm going out with Luke to a restaurant full of people and we're gonna eat and talk about God knows what.

I move to stand in front of my bedroom mirror, eyeing my red off shoulder floral dress and black pumps.

I look simple.

Simple is good since this isn't a date.

I smooth my hands over my straightened pink hair, sighing.

I hear the doorbell ring and I freeze.

Is he actually capable of walking up to my front door and ringing the doorbell?

It's Luke, of course he is.

Damnit!

I rush out of my room, "I'll get it!" I descend the stairs.

I spot Jordan at the landing, on her way to get the door. She looks up at me and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Someone looks nice, where are you headed?" She asks, I walk right passed her to get the door without giving her a response.

I pull the door open, Luke stands before me in a black suit.

I snort a laugh, covering my mouth in order to muffle my laugh.

"What?" He looks down at his appearance.

"Dude, we said this wasn't a date." I giggle.

He looks at me but then his gaze drifts behind me to where my sister is still standing.

"Hey," he waves at her.

"Hi." She responds.

"Shall we?" I step out of the house, closing the door behind me, Luke stares at me then at the door.

I know he has questions about Jordan cause this is the first time he's seen her, I've never talked about her with them, or any of my family members for that matter.

He opens the passenger side door for me, I roll my eyes at him but get in.

He goes around the car and joins me, he looks at my dress and smiles.

"You look nice,"

"Thanks,"

He starts the car.

I never cared about compliments before, but compliments from this guy hit differently, they get to me.

"Where are we going again?" I ask.

"A restaurant. My sister helped me pick it out." He says.

"I hope it's not a fancy restaurant," I say, looking out the window. "Fancy restaurants are insulting."

"Uh, no, it's not a fancy restaurant." He's clearly lying.

"Really? It's not?" I squint my eyes at him suspiciously.

"Nope." He pulls out his phone and dials a number, pressing his phone against his ear, I raise my brows. "Hey, me again, uh, change of plans, I'd like to cancel my reservation."

I burst out laughing.

He drops his phone from his ear and stares at me still laughing at him, he shakes his head, smiling.

We end up going to fresh fried, my favorite restaurant in town.

We get a booth right by the window.

I smile at Luke's suit.

I can't believe he wore a suit.

The last time I saw him in a suit we were at a school dance in sophomore year, he showed up with Mia Lance, which was a pretty big deal since Mia was a super popular senior.

Heads turned, whispers were made and time froze.

From that point forward, Luke became... More.

"Welcome to fresh fried, what can I get you?" A Waiter stands over our table.

I look up at the guy and my eyes go wide, he gives me the same shocked expression.

"Reign?" He asks like he doesn't believe his eyes.

"Albie, heyy." I greet nervously.

"Shit," he chuckles, "Are you on a date?" He glances at Luke.

"Uh, tsk, I'm having dinner." I stammer, nodding at him, I feel Luke's eyes on me.

"It looks like a date." He says.

"Can we order, or... " Luke trails.

"Oh, yeah, right, what can I get you?" Albie takes out his pen and notebook, looking back and forth between us.

"I'll have a burger, fries and a vanilla milkshake." I smile up at him.

"I'll have that too." Says Luke, fake smiling up at Albie.

I wonder what he could have ordered if this were a fancy restaurant.

"Coming right up." Albie walks away, Luke watches Albie's retreating back.

"You know the guy." He's now looking at me.

He's only the guy that broke my virginity, not that the guy is aware of that fact but yeah, I guess I know the guy.

"Yeah, we go way back." I snap my fingers.

"I saw." He nods.

"So, I have a request." I intertwine my fingers on the table.

"You do?" He sounds surprised, I nod. "Okay." He gives me his full attention.

"Can we be honest? Only for tonight?" I request.

"That's exactly what usually happens on dates." He smiles, I roll my eyes, leaning back in my seat.

"Does that mean I can ask you any question I want to ask?" I sigh.

Albie returns with our food, we both go silent as the guy transfers the food from the tray to the table, on our respective sides.

"Enjoy." He winks at me before walking away, Luke shoots daggers at his back.

"Do I also get to ask questions?" He looks down at his food.

"Of course." I pick a fry, biting it in half, I suck in a breath cause it's still very hot.

"Okay then, let's do it." He says, rubbing his hands together.

"Should I ask first?" I dip a fry in my milkshake before putting it in my mouth, Luke puts on a disgusted face as he stares at the action.

"Ask away."

I study him for a bit, slowly eating my food and feeling my nerves reacting again.

"Why do you drink so much?" I ask the question before I can stop myself.

"It helps me sleep." He answers, looking around the restaurant.

"No," I quickly shake my head, "The real reason." I say with my mouth full.

His eyes meet mine before they drop to the table, he sighs, scratching the back of his neck and looking uneasy.

"It helps me escape reality." He finally speaks but he looks uncomfortable.

"What makes you want to escape reality, dude, you're-"

"Rich? I know that, you don't have to remind me and ever heard of that saying, Money can't buy happiness?" He taps his fingers on the table while looking outside the window.

"Stupid thing I've ever heard cause if my Daddy was a billionaire, I'd be the happiest bitch alive." I mumble more to myself, matter-of-fact.

He scoffs, shaking his head, "You don't know what you're talking about."

He's putting on that face again, the one that I can't seem to read, the one that makes me feel like I don't know him at all.

Plus, he hasn't even touched his food.

"Then make me understand." I literally pinch myself for saying those words.

He places his hands on the table, staring down at them and looking so far away.

"Unlike most people, I don't get to lay out my future and look forward to it, my Dad's had my whole life planned out since the day I was born but I don't want to be his puppet, I wanna be my own person, make my own money, marry a girl that I fall in love with, start a family somewhere else and be happy." He explains.

"Why can't you just tell him that?"

"Because he's my father and I'm just eighteen, also because a part of me doesn't want him to cut me off just yet." He says.

"So that's why you drink?" Clearly, and excuse my language but it's a very pathetic excuse.

"No, Reign, I drink because it hurts to exist, because I don't know who I am most of the time and because I'm just tired of living a meaningless life." The amount of pain and hurt in his tone and on his face pierces through my chest.

It kills me.

"Oh." I feel speechless.

"I'm not suicidal, I promise." He's still looking down at the table.

I slouch forward, reaching for his hand on the table and squeezing it. He now stares at our touching hands.

"I don't think you're suicidal, I've felt like that at some point in my life and it's honestly the worst feeling ever." I tell him.

He raises his gaze to meet mine, I show him a genuine smile.

"Can I tell you something out of line?" He asks, I nod. "You're my favorite escape." He mutters.

Air gets caught up in my throat and my smile drops.

Totally out of line.

Weirdly, it gets to me, it makes me feel all warm inside which is why I freak out and retrieve my hand.

He's growing on me, I can feel it and I fucking hate it.

I hate the things I feel around him, they scare me.

Maybe this is as far as we can go.

Maybe it's finally time to tap out.

To make it stop.

I clear my throat, "Now ask me."

"What made you stop believing in love?" He doesn't hesitate.

Of course he goes for that.

God, I hate this subject.

But it's only fair for me to share since he shared, right?

I sigh, leaning back.

"My father preached to me and my sister about love all the time, told us to love our family and all that bullshit but then one day, I remember it was raining outside and my father and I were making brownies in the kitchen, these cops busted through our door and arrested my Dad, I watched them take him away and I stood in the rain, crying." I roll my eyes at my younger self. "My sister skipped town a month after that and my mother became so obsessed with proving that my Dad was innocent, she became a drunk and a total stranger so in the end, I was just left alone, they all left and I stayed, from that point on, love's been a myth." I shrug, biting on my burger.

"Is that why you get like that when it rains?" That's what he got from the whole story.

"Yup." I catch Albie's eyes on us from three tables down.

"I'm sorry." That makes me look at him.

I don't have to ask him what he's sorry for cause I already know, he's sorry my Dad got arrested, he's sorry that I feel so alone even though I'm surrounded by so many people and he's sorry that I'm probably never going to experience love like most girls my age.

"I'm sorry too." I tell him.

"People usually talk about their achievements on dates." He lightens up the thick air.

"This is not a date." I groan frustratedly, he chuckles, I smile at the sound of his chuckle.

And just like that, we put our masks back on and we bury our uglies six feet under, it's better that way.

We eat and we talk and we laugh and at the end of our.... Dinner, I feel like I'm the happiest girl alive.

We step out of the restaurant, he tries to open the car door for me but I lean against it, facing him.

He places his hands on my hips and grins down at me.

"Luke?" I trace my index finger on his sharp jawline.

"Yes?"

"I had fun tonight." I stare at his face from part to part.

He's so pretty.

"I was really trying to be a gentleman tonight but fuck it." He whispers before leaning over and kissing me so intense I feel the kiss at the tips of my toes and back to my brain then down to my belly where it squeezes, making me feel warm and excited and happy, so very happy.

I wrap my arms around him, holding him like he's so... Mine.

Yeah, we definitely need to make it stop.