*ೃ༄ NEVER GROW UP ; LUKE HUGHES

twenty eight

ੈ✩‧₊˚   AND YOURE CURSING MY NAME, WISHING I STAYED
taylor swift

📍NEWARK, NEW JERSEY

"ARE YOU sure you're okay, bro?" Jack asked, glancing at his brother in the passenger seat as he drove.

Luke nodded, chewing on the tips of his fingers with his leg bouncing. He hadn't spoken a word all morning, it was a rare form of Luke that Jack hated.

"Cmon." Jack used his free hand to nudge him. "You can talk to me, you know? I'm actually good with this stuff."

Luke cracked a smile, peering over towards his brother. "I don't know. It's, like, I have girls that want me and I entertain them but the idea of even being in a room with them makes me itch."

Jack hummed. "Is it because you're not over her?"

"I'm not over her." Luke shook his head, toying with his seatbelt. "In a way I feel like I'm betraying her."

"Look, Luke, Adi is the most chill person on this planet." Jack shrugged. "And no offense but you did end things. I doubt she thinks you're sitting at home and reminiscing on the past."

Luke pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's the problem, Jack, I am doing those things. I'm starting to feel like ending things was a mistake."

"It probably was." Jack pursued his lips. "It's tough to say what would've happened if you hadn't ended it."

"I've liked her forever." Luke shifted, his eyes scanning the moving cars in front of him. "I've always been the one to chase her. I just feel like such an asshole."

Jack was silent, tapping his fingers along the steering wheel. "Maybe. But there's two sides to the story. You were both in each other's heads."

"Did I tell you she called me the other night?" Luke stared at Jacks side profile, watching him shake his head. "It was at three am and she was drunk. Why would she call me?"

"Two reasons." Jack cleared his throat, turning sharply onto their street as he headed into the parking garage. "She either misses you or she's guilty."

Luke furrowed his brows with confusion. "Sorry, what? Guilty? What does that even mean?"

"Who knows." Jack licked his lips with a slump of shoulders. "Maybe she did something and calling you would've helped her feel better. I don't know man."

"Yeah...but it's Adi. She wouldn't do something sketchy to me." Luke shook his head, attempting to convince himself and his brother.

Jack had his hands up, shutting the car off. "I don't know anything, okay? I'm just saying."

Luke was thrown for a loop, his leg bouncing up and down as his older brother's words replayed in his head.

"We'll be back in Michigan in two weeks, Luke." Jack took him out of thoughts. "You're bound to speak. You'll figure it out."

Luke nodded, earning a squeeze of reassurance from the brunette as they exited the car, hands in their pockets.

He headed up to his room, brushing his hair from his face as he threw off his sweatshirt, groaning softly from the ware down on practice.

His eyes drifted down to his wrist, fingers grabbing the charm delicately as his eyes lingered towards his dresser, disconnecting from reality.

"Would you stop looking at her?" Carson crossed her arms over her chest with annoyance, the small pout lingering on her lips.

Luke swallowed, quickly snapping his eyes back towards the ginger. "Sorry, what?"

She scoffed with an eye roll. "Do you like her or something? You've been staring at her all night."

He shook his head. "No. It's, uh, complicated. We're really close friends." Lie. He mentally face palmed as he watched the girl in front of him beam.

"Good." She leaned up to peck his lips, closing her eyes as he kissed her back.

Luke didn't know why he kissed her back, frankly, he didn't know he did it more than a dozen times. But the way that Adi laid, head on Cole's shoulder, legs sprawled out, it made him sick.

The way she kept peering at look at the older boy, sharing laughter, the only thing that could take his mind off her was Carson. And he absolutely hated it.

He wiped his lips, feeling the stickiness on his fingertips. "Hey, Carson. Can you get me a coke? They're in the fridge inside."

Carson nodded quickly, hurrying towards the house as Luke made his escape.

He stared at her backside, watching the way she couldn't tare her eyes from the fireworks. She'd always loved Fourth of July.

Luke walked up to stand beside her, blinking to himself as the sweet smell of strawberries filled his nose.

The two spoke, he got angry, she caved. He wanted to kiss her, he leaned in, she pulled back. Carson came running to find him. She pieced it together. It was all happening so fast he couldn't stop Adi as she practically sprinted away from the two.

Luke didn't quite know it, but that wasn't the first time he shattered Adi Blue's heart. He rolled his eyes as Carson stood in front of him, holding the can.

"Thanks." He replied flatly, hearing it sizzle as he opened it.

Carson rocked back on her heels slightly. "Luke...can you be honest with me? I really..."

He cut her off, kissing her softly as the sound of her voice made him want to drown. "Look, Adi...fuck. Carson."

Carson gulped with anger, narrowing her eyes at him. "What the fuck did you just call me? Did you really just call me her name?"

"It slipped." Luke defended. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to say that."

"You're a sack of shit." Carson chuckled in disbelief. "And so is she. She's little miss perfect, you know? Since we were kids everyone just falls to her feet but she's a fucking whore."

Luke tightened his grip around the can he thought it would explode. "Don't ever fucking talk about her like that, Carson."

"Fine." Carson shrugged. "Neither of you are going to make it work. One of you is going to get hurt in the end. My call is, her."

She left, he stood there and sulked. He was a mess, a puzzle that had pieces missing to never be found again.

wanted to switch it up a bit!!
fourth of july (luke's version)