The thing is, you can feel lonely even if you aren't alone.

Cierra sat in her room as she heard what sounded like a million people bustle and yell and walk way too loudly downstairs. There were really only 6 other people in the house, and some would come and go. But it always felt like too many. And she always felt lonely anyway.

Sometimes her family wouldn't really pay attention to her. It was probably because she was technically the oldest child in the house, with Johnny being off at college and everything. Her parents always seemed to care about the little ones way more than her. That didn't particularly bother her. Today it did for some reason.

Maybe she just wanted some attention. She had been sitting in her room all day, watching movies and tapping her way through Snapchat stories. She probably even cried a little bit. It was beginning to seem that she would cry everyday now, and everyday the reasons got stupider. Her phone wouldn't charge fast enough. She ran out of ice cream. Her friends annoyed her. Sometimes she just cried because she could.

It was only about 7:30 when Emma texted her. Cierra had planned to do nothing for the rest of the night, and she figured it was Emma asking her about plans or something. She decided not to answer until she thought about being lonely again. Maybe going out would be good. She needed to laugh over something and feel good.

from: em

do you wanna go to a party with me tonight

from: em

i know they're not really your type of scene but it'll be fun it's in a different neighborhood so different boys!! woo!!

from: em

also matt won't be there so i thought that might be a perk

(Matt was Cierra's ex. Sort of. He was kind of dead to her. And she hated saying that but she also really hated him. They had dated for a week, maybe not even, and Cierra, to this day, still doesn't know why. She just needed to feel something. Matt was a total asshole. She can't believe she ever let his tongue down her throat or his hand up her shirt. He was an asshole. And she couldn't seem to get him out of her life, no matter how hard she tried.)

from: cierra

ur right that is a perk

from: cierra

i'll come send me an address <3

Cierra started getting ready while she waited for Emma to send her the address. She was still in her pajamas. She didn't really know what to wear and she hated wearing skirts so she put on a pair of ripped jeans and a striped t-shirt. She rolled up her jeans to the ankles and put on her Converse, and she was set. With a touch of mascara and a scrunch of her hair, she was ready to go.

She hadn't been to a proper party in ages. She hoped she wouldn't do anything stupid. Knowing her, she probably would, though.

She said goodbye to her family and told her parents she was going out with friends. She didn't like saying party because then she would get the typical parent-y questions: will there be drinking, will there be drugs, will there be boys.

(Which, now that Cierra though about it, certain boys were kinda like drugs. She wondered why they weren't put in the same category.)

She got into her car and headed off. Throughout the car ride she wondered why she was actually going to this. Emma was right, parties weren't really her thing. She loved talking to people but she hated the loud (and terrible) music (she quite liked loud music, but not when it was terrible.) She hated the alcohol scent on their breath. She hated when her friends all left to go talk to other people. Better people.

She almost turned the car around at one point. But she didn't.

x x x x

Luke always liked to think that alone doesn't mean lonely.

And it really didn't. Luke sometimes liked being alone. He liked everything being quiet except the thoughts in his head. Which did, sometimes, get a little loud.

But today Luke was alone and he was also lonely.

He didn't like when his friends ignored him. He didn't like texting them and not getting a reply. (And he fucking saw them Tweeting, he wasn't oblivious.)

Luke also hated to be annoying, though. He didn't want to text them a million times if they obviously wanted nothing to do with him for some reason.

Luke questioned his friends a lot. They could be real assholes most of the time. But he couldn't seem to find anyone else. And his best friend being in his current situation was not helping him.

He was about to spread himself across the couch (literally, the whole couch. Luke was too tall for anything) and grab a beer (okay, he wasn't legal yet but two or three or seven beers wouldn't really hurt) when his phone buzzed.

Luke made a little pouty noise at it, because it was probably one of his asshole friends saying something stupid. He told himself not to look at it. He concentrated on the show he was watching on the T.V., but Luke had that stupid phone syndrome thing where if your phone was in your peripheral version you just have to check it. So he did.

from: mason

You ready to party mate

from: hemmings

not really but thanks

from: mason

?? Why not

from: hemmings

not in the mood buddy

from: mason

Buddy?? bro what

from: mason

u ok

from: hemmings

I'm fine what the fuck i just don't feel like going

from: mason

obviously something is wrong i mean why wouldn't you wanna come there will be GIRLS and BEER

Mason knew Luke's weaknesses. He made that very clear. How could Luke even say no now? He loved girls. He loved beer.

from: hemmings

Ugh fine send me the address

Luke never knew why Mason was so persistent with these parties. It wasn't like he would even hang out with Luke there. He'd have a girl up in some bedroom before Luke even got there. And then when he did get there, Mason would be too drunk to even realize it.

But Luke sorta felt like getting out of the house. Even if it was to see his friends who didn't care enough to reply to him all day.

Luke was in his normal all black attire. Black shoes, black jeans (hole in the knee, per usual), black shirt with some stupid (but also cool, in a way) saying on it. His hair was in a messy and sloppy quiff, and little pieces of his blonde hair always managed to fall onto his forehead.

He left a note on the counter for his mum (although he could have just texted her where he was going, but this just made him feel better) and grabbed his keys off the counter.

All Luke was expected was some lame party with mediocre beer. Luke got so much more. He got someone who cared.

x x x x

hello and welcome to u r in luv.

this is just a little introduction to the characters! i hope they don't seem boring because they r actually GR8

also the story will get better + more interesting when LUERRA actually meet. thanks

also AGAin i just rewrote this whole chapter and I'm not sure whether i like it so yeah sry