*ೃ༄ NEVER GROW UP ; LUKE HUGHES

thirty four

ੈ✩‧₊˚ I HOPE YOU FEEL WHAT I FELT WHEN YOU SHATTERED MY SOUL
'CAUSE YOU WERE CRUEL AND IM A FOOL
the walters

"SO, WHAT are you doing here?" Adi asked, cocking a brow as she stood her porch.

"Luke invited us for the weekend." Dylan hummed, leaning on the railing. "Are you guys seriously still not talking?"

Adi shifted, her hands in her jean pockets. "It's complicated, alright?"

"We know a way to get your mind off it." Mark smirked. "Will you come with us to that bonfire party?"

"Hard pass." Adi shook her head. "Those things suck."

Dylan pouted. "Please? We won't see you until late August. It's only fair."

She wanted to say no but the way Dylan was looking at her, deep puppy eyes, she couldn't resist.

So, she stared at herself in the mirror, brushing her hands down the sundress, jean jacket thrown overtop. "I really don't want to go."

"Too bad." Helena scrunched her nose, placing her chin in the crook of Adi's neck. "I refuse to let you sit up here and rot."

"I'd much rather do that." Adi had her lips in a flat line. "What if he's there, Hels?"

Helena locked eyes with her through the mirror. "Then be the cuntiest version of yourself."

"I don't even think that's a word." Adi chuckled, shaking her head as she had her hands stuffed in her pockets, following Helena out of her home.

The walk to the bonfire was barely a block away, her slow pace only made the nerves rise. She hadn't seen him since that night, two days ago.

The music was becoming louder as they got closer, the crackle of the fire transparent as Adi could feel the sand beneath her sneakers.

"You want a drink?" Helena asked, nudging her.

Adi nodded with a hum, watching Helena pour a can of alcohol into a red solo cup, handing it to the blonde. She tapped her fingers along the cup, eyeing her friend as she wouldn't dare to let her gaze linger.

"Hey." Ethan nodded towards them, slinging an arm around Helena. "Long time no see, huh?"

Adi chuckled softly. "Right. Just watch your hands before Zegras sees."

"And she shows!" Dylan came beside her, his laughter her serotonin as it brought a small grin to her lips. "I'm really happy you came, Ads."

"Me too." Adi shrugged, she had only been there for a few minutes, sticking to the corner away from the party.

Adi finally glanced around, her entire body freezing up, the liquor in her cup swishing slightly from the grip.

He stood there, standing between two girls. Both brunettes, both girls they went to high school with. She could see the way they plotted, staring at him with competition.

Adi chugged half her drink at the sight.

"Easy now." She knew it was Luca right away. "Do we want a repeat of a few months ago?"

"Maybe I do." Adi pursued her lips, rolling her eyes at him. "Can we talk?"

Luca cocked a brow, glancing down as she took his hand in hers, leading him to a less populated area, in the eye-line of Luke Hughes.

She knew what she was doing but Adi Blue was a known pot stirrer. "Did Luke invite you here? Like, with everyone?"

"Well, yeah." Luca nodded, a confused expression on his features. "Why? What's up?"

"He knows, Luca." Adi admitted, biting her bottom lip. "He knows that we kissed."

Luca practically winced as the words left her tinted lips. "Fuck. How? I thought we were keeping this between us."

"It just got out." Adi half lied, knowing she couldn't throw Helena under the bus. "But, since you're here, I guess I'm the one he's still angry at. Not you."

"I'm sorry, Ads." Luca felt for the girl before him. "I know how much you care about him. If you want me to talk..."

Adi placed her hand up, making him stop talking. "No, no. I don't want to drag you into this more than I already have."

"Okay." Luca didn't fight. "If you ever need anything you know I'm here." He squeezed her shoulder in a comforting manner. "Nothing is awkward."

Adi smiled, genuinely. "Thank you, Luca." She considered the brunette to be one of her closest friends, small moments like this was enough to make her forget every problem.

To Luke Hughes, seeing the two speaking, alone, made him shake. He watched the two from across the fire, the second his hand made contact with the girls shoulder, thumb dragging along her collarbone, he was done.

Adi began to search for her friends, noticing them behind a few bodies as she headed towards them, stopping in her tracks as her name was called.

"Adi!" Emma waved, Luke's hand on her lower back. She had been one of the many girls falling to his feet that night. "Your dress is super cute."

"Thanks." Adi shifted awkwardly, furrowing her brows as she stared down at it. The simple white of it was basic.

The girl standing on the opposing side of Luke eyed her. "Isn't it a bit too short, though?"

Emma shot daggers at the girl, Delaney. Delaney pouted slightly, biting her lip to contain her smirk.

"I really don't give a fuck." Adi spat, taking Delaney by surprise.

Delaney drug her tongue along her teeth. "I didn't know this was the type of girl you went for, Luke. Sluts? Really?"

Adi could feel her blood rising, her free hand clenching into a fist.

"I guess so." Luke shrugged, his eyes red as he stared at Adi angrily.

Adi could feel herself going between emotions, she couldn't believe that he agreed. She shook her head, fighting tears as she refused to cry in front of them, more importantly, him.

"Fuck you." Adi seethed, her chest heaving.

"Calm down." Luke chuckled. "Why don't you go follow Luca around some more like a fucking puppy dog."

Adi couldn't process what she was doing. The drink in her hand came up, the liquor coming to soak Luke, his shirt darkening from the stain.

Both Emma and Delaney backed away, staring at Luke as he was in utter disbelief, wiping his chin of the droplets.

Adi could feel the lingering stares from the people around him, her eyes coming to lock with Quinn's.

Quinn stared at her with guilt. His lips in a flat line as his eyes flickered between the two. Adi scoffed,
rolling her eyes at him as she walked away, leaving the beach completely.

In that moment, Luke Hughes had become an utter stranger.

oh that's not...
me getting mad while writing this
my poor adi baby