ARI.

This was awkward. Really awkward. Maybe having Luke join my friends and I for lunch in the cafeteria wasn't the best idea as they all sat across from us with suspicious and disgusted looks on their faces. Luke was slumped in the hard, plastic chair his half-eaten sandwich on the table, as his eyes stayed fixated on Ashton, Calum and Michael. Michael was the one who looked more than pissed. His jaw was bruised, blues and purples painted on the left side of his face from Luke's unexpected punch. 

"So, you guys ready for the bio test on Wednesday?" I asked nonchalantly. I had to do something to release some of the tension that harbored over our table like some kind of indestructible bubble. 

"I still need to study," Luke chimed in. "Wanna do a group study tomorrow?" 

"I'm down for that," I smiled at him. At least he was trying. I turned to the other boys, "you down?"

"Ari quit the crap," Michael spoke up, irritation in his voice.

"Mikey, we have to study," I told him with a sigh. 

"No not that... this," Michael gestured to Luke, and glared at him with furrowed brows. 

"Yea, this is so freaking weird Ari," Ashton agreed, "why is he hanging out with us? Did you forget that he humiliated you? His stupid girlfriend dumped iced coffee on you, and he punched one of your best friends in the face! And this all happened a mere 4 hours ago." 

"Guys, please don't talk about Luke when he's sitting right here," I pleaded. I looked over to Luke who sat silently and I could tell he wanted to interject. I could see the frustration in him. 

"Bro, I'm not sure this is the greatest idea," Calum finally joined the conversation. "Are you sure we can trust him?" 

"Look, I'm sorry okay?" Luke leaned forward in his chair, "I was an asshole, and I hurt Ari. But I promise that I won't do it again. Her friendship is important to me - I know that now. And you all are important to her, so all I ask is a chance to prove that I'm a decent guy." 

There weren't immediate responses from Calum, Michael or Ashton. They simply sat glaring at Luke, contemplating his offer. I noticed their eyes vacillate between Luke and I before the three of them huddled together. I turned to Luke and shrugged, even I was unsure of what they were thinking. After a few seconds of stern whispers, and muffled banter, my three best friends looked back at us. 

"Okay here's the thing Hemmings," Calum began, leaning forward and resting his laced fingers on top of the table, "Ari is our best friend, and she's been our best friend for years. We've grown to protect her because even though she acts like a tough fúcker--"

"Excuse me?" my mouth was wide open, appalled by Calum's words.

"It's true," Calum shrugged

I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "whatever, carry on." 

"Even though Ari likes to pretend she's some kind of tenacious street fighter," Calum continued, drifting his eyes from me back to Luke, "she's still a girl with feelings. And don't even get me started on the emotional range she's got during her period. Damn, she's a fúcking monster who punches with an iron fist, and cries tears made of acid. And she has a garbage disposal for a stomach, a really really--"

"Okay enough! He gets it!" I bellowed, shooting Calum a displeased expression. 

"The point is Hemmings," Ashton took over Calum's speech. Thank God, at least Ashton is more mature. "Ari on her period is fúcking murder. Don't trust anything that bleeds for 5 days and doesn't die."

Never mind. I jinxed it.

I face palmed myself, letting out a drawn out groan, "you guys suck balls... Are you going to be nice to Luke or what?" 

"One more fúck up Hemmings..." Michael's words faded, and I saw Luke gulp. He knew what he was up against. 

"I swear, no half-assed friendships," Luke promised. Michael looked at Ashton and Calum before he spoke once more,

"One more question... Top three favorite bands."

"Easy. Green Day, Blink 182, and All Time Low," Luke sputtered instantly as Michael, Calum and Ashton smiled in approval. 

"Welcome to the greatest people you will ever meet," Ashton smirked, holding out his hand.

Luke shook it was a grin etched on his face, "did you just quote..."

"Mean girls? Yup," Ashton finished. 

"I like it here on this side of the cafeteria already," Luke mused, and suddenly I seemed to feel ten times better. 

//

LUKE.

I couldn't be anymore relieved than how I felt today. Not only did Ari forgive me for being a jerk, but her friends seemed to let things go and accept me into their group. Fate must've been on my side today because there was no way in hell would the popular group forgive so easily. They'd seek revenge and plot out weeks of misery before letting you back into their exclusive club. 

"So are you going to Ari's house on Thursday for dinner?" Ashton asked, as we filtered out of the cafeteria and towards our next class. 

"Yea, you should come. Ari's mum is a great cook," Michael persuaded. Ari waved us a quick goodbye, going down a different hallway to a class she didn't have with us.

"I'm not doing anything, so sure, I'll come by," I answered. Again, fate, the universe, Zeus, all of it was on my side. There wasn't an ounce of animosity from the guys - at least none that I could feel. They were already trying to convince me to join them for dinner at Ari's, something I never would've expected so soon.

Don't screw this up, Luke.

The four of us walked into our Psychology class, sauntering through the door like we were some kind of punk-rock band. The moment we did however, all eyes were glued to us and I felt my back heat up from anxiety. Jake, Katie, and our other friends sat at the back edge of the class with bewildered expressions on their faces. I simply gave them a half-smile, as I skipped passed the empty chair in their section, to one that was behind Calum and next to Ashton. 

"Looks like you're gonna need to do some damage control," Calum whispered to me, his neck craned towards me. 

"Huh?" I tilted my head, puzzled from his comment. "What do you mean?" 

"You're preppy cronies man," Calum referenced, giving a head nod towards Jake and Katie. I turned my head to glance over at the pair of blondes who were now whispering amongst each other. Another wave of guilt and apprehension came over me, driving my mind into a state of angst. 

I hated this feeling - it was a feeling I had hoped to never feel again when my mum and I stepped foot onto American soil. I spent my Australian high school days living in fear and my head in a toilet. Moving to California was the best part of my life because it gave me a chance to start over. I went from the geeky, awkward boy at school, to the cool kid that everyone wanted to be friends with. Now that I had Ari and the boys on my side, I was slowly reverting back to square one. 

And that absolutely terrified me.

When Psychology ended and we all shuffled out of the classroom, an unexpected pull of my body caused me to separate from the boys. I hastily turned my head, looking for the pair of hands who had grabbed me and tugged me into an empty classroom. 

"What the fúck is up Hemmings?" Jake and Katie were pissed. They both stood with arms crossed and glares so deadly, Ebola would be jealous. 

"Fess up Luke! Why the hell are you hanging out with the Blink 182 wannabes? Social suicide - I'm sure you learned about that in your favorite film? We're your friends," Katie gestured between herself and Jake.

"Look, I'm sorry. But I like them. Ari and the guys are actually really nice people. Can't I be friends with you both and them?" I bargained. 

Jake let out a chuckle, "fúck that Hemmings. It's either us or them. And we all know who has the power to make lives a living hell. Choose wisely Hemmings." 

"Come on babe, I'll forget this ever happened," Katie approached me, wrapping her arms around my neck and twisting the hair at the nape of my neck around her perfectly manicured finger. She pouted at me, her bright blue eyes trying to sway my loyalties. But then I did something I almost wished I hadn't: I pushed her away. 

"Katie no," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Katie shrieked, taken aback by my actions. 

"I said no," I repeated. "I'm sorry but if you were really my true friends, you wouldn't make me choose between groups. You don't even know Ari or Ashton or Michael or Calum. And you know what?"

"What?" Jake sneered.

"You fúcking don't even know me," I fumed, stepping back and giving the both of them one last look. 

Jake and Katie were oozing fury, baffled with my decision to choose Ari over them. It was a liberating feeling; like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. But at the same time, I had to prepare for whatever ammo were to come my way. Jake and Katie were relentless, conniving, and a little crazy. Anything they wanted to fire at me, I had to be sure I had a strong enough shield to buffer the blow. 

"Also, go fúck yourselves! We all know your tans are fake anyway!" I threw up both my middle fingers in the air with pride, stifling a laugh as I witnessed both Jake and Katie's jaws drop in amazement. 

I curtly turned on my heel, pushing open the classroom door and walking out into the crowded hallways. I made my way up the stairs to my biology classroom, where I found the boys and Ari all sitting at the back of the room with an empty seat in their area. 

"Hey what happened to you? One second you were next to us, and the next you're gone," Ashton explained, as I took the seat next to Ari. 

"Um, I had to handle some business," I told them. 

"You had to take a shit?" Michael guessed.

"Uhhh no," I replied, watching as Michael shrugged his shoulders, as if his explanation was perfectly acceptable. 

"You had to whack it off? I get it, our Psych teacher kinda has something there," Calum implied, nodding his head in approval. 

"What? No, jeeze!" I voiced, a displeasure in both my tone and face. An eruption of laughter came from all three of the boys, while Ari and I sat in confusion. 

"What's wrong with you guys?" Ari asked, as if reading my mind. 

"Nothing, we're just messing with him," Ashton said in between giggles.

"We saw him get pulled into the classroom by Jake and Katie," Calum explained, beginning to calm down from his chuckles. 

"No way!" Ari exclaimed, "what'd they say?" 

"Yea, what did bimbo one and bimbo two talk to you about?" Michael questioned.

"They made me choose between you guys or them," I honestly disclosed. 

"Who'd you choose?" Ari asked, looking at me with uncertainty. 

"I told them to go fúck themselves," I broadcasted, a smirk forming on my face. Ari and the boys all turned to each other, smiling in great approval, definitely pleased with my grand exit with the popular crowd. As the bell rang and the teacher sauntered in, Ari leaned over towards my desk.  

"You made a good choice... quiff boy,"

//

Yaaas!! This is Luke's "Independence Day" from the popular crowd-- get it?? Haha. I love that song! Anyway, what do you all think of Luke's departure from the top of the social chain, even though Jake and Katie could easily make his life hell. 

I hope you liked this chapter guys! If ya do, don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE with your friends! This story is almost at 2K and I feel so damn proud! Thank you so much for reading my story and I love you all!

<33