Run (Punk Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 22

After the boys leave the stage, we make our way through the crowd to our car. Apparently there is a party at Connor's house after the performance, which I had no idea about until Lin asked if I wanted to go. I agree to go, but I have to not drink a lot or at all; I don't wanna embarrass myself two weekends in a row and I definitely don't want to end up with another hangover. We decide that we will see the boys when we all get to the party.

As we drive to Connor's, I am still enchanted by Luke's performance and I can't help but wonder what will happen when we see each other at the party. I want to still be mad at him for how he treated me the other day, but somehow he always lures me back to him. I have to at least try to hold my own.

When we pull up to the giant, familiar house, it is the usual scene: an ocean of teenagers flooding outside of the house and I wonder how they all got here so fast. There are red cups everywhere and I can see the lights flashing from the backyard. The music is blasting through speakers that are nowhere in sight. Seriously, how do these kids never get busted?

Lin and I make our way inside the house, both of us getting a couple of whistles directed our way. She leads me into the kitchen and starts to make herself a drink. 

"Want one?" She asks with a pleading smile.

I hesitate. "Yeah," I finally say. I've decided that after the week I've had I needed one. I also need to have something in me to prepare myself to see Luke.

She grabs a bottle of a raspberry vodka and mixes it with lemonade. She hands it to me and I take a sip, it is surprisingly delicious and I can barely taste the alcohol.

"Wow, you should be a bartender," I say as I laugh.

"I know," she winks. "Be careful though, the most delicious drinks are the most dangerous ones." She is right and I know I will have to limit myself unless I want to wake up feeling like I did last time.

Our conversation is interrupted when we hear Ashton's voice calling our names. My stomach drops once again when I see them walking towards us, including Luke. Linley runs to meet Michael's arms in a warm embrace. I take a large gulp of my drink before walking over to meet the rest of them. I congratulate all four of them on their amazing performance and we discuss how good the turnout was. They were just as surprised as me. As we are all talking, I notice Luke shyly looking at me.

"Can we talk?" He walks over and whispers in my ear, this being the first thing he has said. I shudder at his warm breath against my neck and quickly nod. "We'll be back," he says to the others who are obviously eyeing us. 

He walks to the backyard and I walk by his side. The music is louder out here and there are people swimming and dancing everywhere. 

"So what did you think of the show?" He asks me as we walk across the lawn, heading for the trees.

"I thought you guys were amazing," I say as I take another drink. Thinking about the tension between Luke and I as he basically sang to me made me want to drink and never stop.

"Thanks, that means a lot," he says with a small smile as he leans up against a tree. We are far enough away from the party that we can actually talk without having to yell.

"So what do you want?" I ask kind of harshly, remembering that I'm supposed to be mad at him. I take another gulp of the delicious drink that is now halfway gone. This is pretty awkward and I'm slightly relieved when I start to feel the effects of the alcohol. 

"I'm sorry," he quietly says. He is looking down and avoiding eye contact with me. 

"For what?" I demand. 

"You already know what for," he simply says.

"I want you to tell me what you're sorry for," I snap. I wasn't being as friendly as last time, but I didn't care. He deserved the rudeness.

"I'm not going to say it, apologizing should be good enough," he snaps back.

"Alright I'm just gonna go back to the party then," I say and turn to walk away.

 I hear him sigh then feel his hand wrap aorund my wrist. "Okay okay," he says. I turn back around to face him. He is now much closer to me and I can smell the scent that I love so much, the scent that only belongs to Luke. "I'm sorry for treating you like shit and for yelling at you," he says before hesitating. "And for saying we weren't a couple," he says quietly after a moment, moving his eyes up to meet mine. 

"Well you don't need to be sorry for that since we're not anything," I say harshly without meaning to. 

"I'm sorry, okay? I really am," he pleads and a sigh escapes my lips. He is good at making me believe him. 

"Well thank you for the apology," I say. I don't know what else to do, I can't tell what he is feeling right now. I take another drink. I am starting to feel warm.

"Listen," he begins before hesitating again. "I really like you Allis," he says as he puts his hand out as if asking for mine.

His words hit me hard and I feel like I've just been punched in the chest. I look from his hand and up to his face again before lightly setting my hand in his. A small smile appears on his lips. 

I sigh before speaking. "I really like you too Luke, but you were kind of an ass," I say to him remembering why I was mad at him in the first place. 

"I know, and again I'm really sorry. But there's something I want to know," he says, squeezing my hand in his. I give him a confused look. It feels like he is making me wait forever and I'm about to ask what until he speaks again. "Would you maybe want to go on a date with me sometime?"

I can't help it, but a smile spreads across my face. I wasn't expecting that from him, but it overjoyed me. It feels like we should be past the stage of a date, seeing as how he stays the night with me and we've already kissed among other things. But I realized that we haven't actually been on a proper date and it is a sweet and innocent gesture. 

"I'd like that," I say shyly. He gently tugs on my hand, pulling me close to him with a giant smile on his face. He leans down and plants a small kiss on my lips before pulling back away. Without meaning to, I whine at the short-lived kiss.

"Don't worry, there will be more later," he says with a mischievous smile, he is still so close to my face that I can feel his breath on my lips. He pulled away and took my hand as he led me back to the party. I whined the whole way back, now very frustrated at our lack of touch.

He was always leaving me wanting more.