45

I Forgot 

After my conversation with Bryana in the hallway, not exactly in the mood to be the third wheel, I decide to spend the rest of the early morning next door, alternatively.

Luke is still fast asleep and I silently pad over to his bed, crawling in beside him. I wait to see if he's going to move or shift awake, and when he doesn't, I make myself comfortable. Tucking myself underneath his covers, I settle in close to his side; my head on his chest and my arm slung across him.

In the silence of his room, it's easy to hear Bryana's resonant laugh coming from the other side of the wall. I try not to think about what she could be talking about, or if Ashton's sitting there beside her flustered and awkwardly attentive. Instead, I let my body absorb the gentle rise and fall of Luke's chest, concentrating on the faint whisper of his warm breath in my hair and on breathing in the scent of him.

I tried not to think of anything at all. Not of the wedding, or the engagement, or the ever existing concern that there was someone just around the corner waiting to jump out and yell, "Busted!"

I just tried to just be here, in the comfort of his room. 

Cozy underneath warm covers.

Cool, early morning air pulsing through windows.  

The naive idea that maybe, just maybe, I could get used to this. 

I pressed myself closer, throwing my leg over his lap and pressing it between his. I could definitely get used to this.

This time, Luke stirs awake. For a second, he pauses -- clearly not remembering having fallen asleep with me in bed with him, and then he relaxes. I'm so close to him that when he gently parts his lips to speak, his words seem to vibrate through his chest and against me. "Hey, Annie?" Luke whispers, voice low and laced with sleep. "I really gotta pee."

It's so unexpected (and alright, adorable) that a sudden laugh slips past my lips. I press my face into the bare skin of his shoulder, "Good morning to you, too."

Luke leans down and kisses me chastely on the crown of my head; his thumb skimming gently down my cheek, "I'll only be a minute, I promise."

I lean back away from him, drawing the covers up around my shoulders, "Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven. You're still here?"

"Wait, restart. Restart." With that, he climbs briskly out of bed, stopping just barely to snatch a t-shirt from off the floor. I watch in amusement as he pulls it over his head, stumbling sleepily out and across the hall to the bathroom. While I wait, I stare up at his ceiling and make myself busy by focusing on the muted him of my television coming through the wall.

Only, in the quiet and stillness of Luke's bedroom, the sound of a ringing phone sounds out. I flinch, caught off guard, and I anxiously turn my head to look at where it buzzes loudly against his nightstand top.

I have half the mind to reach over and press END so that I don't have the hear the obnoxious, techno ringtone that blares from the speakers, but I resist the urge as it dies down; the call canceling out. Whatever, they'd leave a message. Turning over, I press my cheek against Luke's duvets and close my eyes again; willing him to finish up in the bathroom. Surely, a minute had gone by. I missed the feel of him against me, my head buried against his side, and the freckled, bare curve of his shou--

The ringing had started up again. Peeling back the covers, I snaked an arm out to grab it. Calum's name spread across the screen and without thinking twice, I right-swiped my thumb across the glass; answering it.

I didn't realize what I had actually done until it was too late. Calum's voice came clear and rushed through the speaker, "Luke? It's almost seven, where the hell are you, man?"

I cleared my throat, feeling rather awkward and almost as if I had invaded Luke's privacy. For a moment, I considered just hanging up, but then I realized that he'd only call back. Plus, it wasn't as if Calum was a stranger. Not anymore, at least. 

"Hello, Luke, would you stop messing around? Where are you?"

"Hey, Calum," I muttered, left with no other option but to speak. "It's Annie, actually. Not Luke."

The line went silent for a minute; a blatant pause in the conversation. Then, Calum coughed, "Oh," he sounded unsure. Annoyed, even. "Well, what are you doing with Luke's phone?

I debated in my mind for a good five seconds on how to respond. "He's in the bathroom. You called twice, so I answered." When he didn't respond, I pressed on, "Well, how are you? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is just ... chipper." A small laugh accompanied his statement; dry and completely without humor. Then, just that fast, he cut himself off, back to business. "Do you know when he's gonna be done? In the bathroom, I mean."

"Nope," I shrugged, even though he couldn't see me. "He said a minute, but that was minutes ago. Do you maybe want to leave a message?"

"A message?" Calum repeated. The line phone went silent, and for a moment I thought he'd actually hung up on me. But then he sighed, loud and irritable, "Fine, sure. Just tell him that someone needs to see him right away, and for him to get here ... and it's urgent."

I couldn't help myself, "Who?"

Pause. Then, "It's not my place to tell. Just tell him that. Please. Nice talking to you, Anastasia." This time, when the line went silent again, it was because he'd really hung up. I stared at Luke's phone screen, now set back to his lock screen, and I switched it off before settling it back on his nightstand.

Despite myself, I wondered who wanted to see Luke, where he needed to go and why Calum had sounded so reserved. Could it have something to do with Calum's job at the hospital? Only, the thoughts didn't linger for long, as the door pushed open and Luke quickly slipped inside. He smiled, whispering, "That was longer than a minute, I know. I brushed my teeth."

His hair was still messy from sleep, some flat on one side and the rest staticky and sticking up on the other. On cue, almost as if he could read my thoughts, he reached up and sifted a large hand through the disheveled, blonde locks; hurrying over to me.

Immediately, I shuffle over and pull the duvet back, inviting him into bed beside me. Luke doesn't hesitate. All too casual, he reaches over his shoulder and drags his t-shirt off over his head in one swift movement; discarding it on the floor and sliding in beside me. 

"I don't remember going to sleep with you last night." He starts, wrapping one arm around me. His head rests flat against my stomach, legs intertwining mine. 

"I may have snuck my way in here this morning. You don't mind, right?"

"Not if it means you being the first beautiful thing I get to see when I wake up." His hand rests on top of my bare thigh underneath the cover and he traces large, 'L' shaped patterns on my skin.

I sink my fingers in the soft, baby hairs at the nape of his neck, and I find myself thinking of yesterday and of my stupid plan that was pretty much doomed from the beginning. The thought alone makes me roll my eyes. Did I really think I was going to be able to stay away from Luke? I mentally blame the fact that it's only because of our close proximity that here I am again with him snuggled against me like it never even happened, and not the fact that I just plainly did not have enough will power to withstand him.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think is gonna happen after the wedding?"

Luke shrugs, murmuring into my hipbone, "Our parents will probably cut their cake, and do that really unsanitary thing where they smash frosting all over each other's faces. Then, the reception. Hopefully, I'll be drunk enough to not remember much of tha--"

I roll my eyes, "I mean, like with us."

"What do you mean?" His hand reaches around my leg, gently caressing the back of my naked thigh, and a shiver spreads through me.

I swallow, "I mean, if not being together, isn't an option, then what is? Are we gonna tell anyone? Or, is everything going to go back to normal?"

He lets out a quiet laugh, "It's not really normal is it, though? I can't exactly march you downstairs, introduce you to my dad as my girlfriend, and proceed to make out with you on the couch." His hand moves further up my leg, tenderly pressing, and I force myself to remain concentrated on him. 

"That's not really the point I'm trying to ma--"

Luke's fingers stop their sensual torture, and he tilts his head so that we meet eyes. "I don't want to fight with you."

"We aren't fighting, Luke. I was just wondering," I mutter, running my fingers through his hair. "You know what? Doesn't matter anyway, it's stupid. Just forget it."

His breath comes out in a low sigh and he whispers, "No, it's not stupid." Luke closes his eyes and furrows his brows. "It's just the thought of you possibly leaving me too is stressful enough, and I don't wanna talk about anything that might lead to that."

My mind falters, and I blink; confused. Why does he keep saying that? I frown, "That's not even what this conversation was about. I already told you, I'm not going to leave you." For now, it's an empty promise, but it's all I have.

His voice is flat, completely void of any emotion, "Yes you are. It's not like you have a choice." Then he buries his head further in my lap, clutching me tighter to him. "Do you wanna know how selfish I am?"

I don't answer him, but he continues on anyway, "I'm so selfish, that sometimes I wish your mom would just cheat on my dad. Or that, I could find a way to ruin their wedding. I know it's selfish of me, but I can't help it. I wish they never even knew each other existed."

My frown deepens, "That's harsh, Luke. If they had never met, then we would have never met."

He shrugs, "Well, if your mom was a lesbian and she did online dating and found like this hot babe that lived in our neighborhood, then we would have ultimately met at our high school."

I can't help myself, I smile. "Oh God, shut up Luke." He's still curled around me, and I'm hesitant to ask him to move, so I shift and slide back into the bed until we're completely facing each other. "I know what we have is complicated, but that doesn't make me like you any less."

Luke sighs like he doesn't believe me and I narrow my eyes. Was I really that hard of a person to trust? "Well, since I'm such a liar, here's your much-needed reassurance." Reaching out, I press my palm against the side of his jaw and lean forward to kiss him once on his lips. "I really really like you. I hope you still really really like me. I'm not going to leave you." Then to lighten the mood, "And the only way I'm letting you sabotage anyone's wedding is if you let me tag along with you."

Reluctantly, Luke smiles; an adorable half-grin that deepens his dimple, "Now that I think about it, something more along the lines of," he pauses, raising his voice in an attempt to mock me, "'Luke, I would die for you', would probably work better."

I barely have time to laugh, before he cups his hand against my jaw and pulls me towards him; his mouth pressing hard against mine in an open-mouthed kiss. It's slow and gentle, and I'm convinced that if it wasn't for the burst of laughter coming from Bryana and Ashton next door, it would've never stopped. I pull back, breathless.

"In case you were wondering, the feelings are mutual."

I smile at him, and he returns it; a pleasant combination of boyish delight and relief. Suddenly, he shifts and takes me with him, rolling me over so that I'm straddling him. My curls, tumble down around us, creating a chestnut veil, and I playfully shake my head so that the ends tickle his face.

Luke laughs, murmuring for me to stop, but he doesn't move. Instead, he slides his hands slowly up my thighs, over my hips, underneath my shirt, and then back down again to move around to my backside. The inexperienced side of myself wants to brush him off and play coy.  But, the other side, the curious side, wants to see what he'd do if I'd let him. And maybe he senses this, because when I don't move or playfully slap his hands away, he tightens his hold on me, pressing me further against him. 

A small smile graces his face, "What am I gonna do with you, Annie?"

"Well, that's what I'm trying to find out, Luke."

"Oh?" He stares at me, eyebrows slightly raised. "Is that so?"

I nod. 

"C'mere then," he whispers.

Shit. What now?  "Uh, I'm already here." 

Luke lets out a loud laugh, and embarrassed, I flush. Way to go, Annie. "Don't laugh at me."

"I'm not, I'm not. I swear, you're just," he shakes his head, taking his lip between his teeth. "Damn, you're so cute." 

Encircling his arm around my lower back, he guides me down so that our chests are touching, and presses his lips against mine. It's different this time. Warmer, more willing. Hands draw my shirt up around my stomach, fully revealing my panties and I instantly feel myself sink against him. 

"Whoa," Luke laughs mid-kiss, then he leans back, smiling dazedly when he announces, "Babe, this is probably not the position you're going to want to be in right now." 

"Why not?" He flushes, and it's such an adorable uncommon thing, that I laugh. Now, even more enthusiastically, I press,  "Why not?" 

"Well, there's this little thing that happens to guys when they make out with pretty girls."

Oh. 

Oh.

"Exactly," Luke smiles, reading my face. "But, I mean, I can ignore it." 

"Actually, you know what? We should probably go downstairs and eat breakfast or something."

He rolls his eyes, but his voice is light with humor, "Scared someone's gonna catch us?"

When he says this, I suddenly remember earlier and my conversation with Bryana and I hastily sit up, before yanking down my shirt collar and stabbing my finger against my neck, "Look at what you did!"

Luke leans up a bit, tilting his head to the side as he takes a look. I watch as a wide grin spreads across his face, "Nice."

"It's not nice," I laugh, incredulous. "You know, Bryana saw this?"

Blue eyes widen with excitement and he takes hold of my hips, holding me in place on his lap as he shuffles up into a proper sitting position. Luke slightly ducks his head to look straight at me, "She did?"

I nod, "She asked me who it came from, too." He stares expectantly at me and I laugh, "Yes, I told her it came from you."

"You did?"

I roll my eyes playfully at his repetitive emphasis, "Well, she actually kind of figured. By the way, do we ever do this smiley thing at each other when we think no one is looking?

Luke ignores me, "What did she say?"

I trail my finger across his exposed chest, writing my name, "She told me that I was old enough to make my own decisions." He gazes at me, eyes wide, almost like he's expecting me to finish telling him what happened. I deadpan, "I'm in your bed, aren't I?"

Luke launches himself at me, leaving soft, warm kisses against my face, my throat, my hair, and down on my collarbone against my newfound purple bruise. I giggle all the while, and after kissing me once more on my mouth he sits back, "Alright, breakfast. Let's go before I do want I really wanna do to you." 

Laughing, I slide off his lap and crawl towards the end of the bed, with him following me. His hand reaches out grabbing his phone, and I suddenly remember. "Oh! Calum called you, I answered."

Luke's smile slips suddenly from his face, and he turns his gaze to the phone screen before looking back up at me. "What do you mean, you answered?"

"Well, you have this really annoying ringtone and it was bothering me. So, I just answered it."

"Why didn't you just come to get me?" He says, voice low.

For a minute, I break. Talk about a sudden change in mood. "It was an accident," I whisper, sheepishly. My shoulders lift apologetically, "He told me to tell you that someone needed to see you, and th--". Before I even get the chance to finish my statement, Luke curses lowly, and I watch as he tucks his phone in his pocket and leans down to grab his shoes off the floor. I furrow my eyebrows, confused, "You don't exactly need to wearing sneakers to eat cereal, Luke."

He ignores me, "Did he say anything else, Annie?"

I pause, a little nervous as I watch him hastily maneuver around his room. He pulls on a hoodie, bends to grab a bag from under his bed, and then he reaches over to his dresser; yanking it open and rifling through it. When he notices that I'm not talking, he turns to scowl angrily at me, "Did he say anything else?"

I flush, taken aback at his sudden tone, and my flush deepens embarrassingly when I tell him the rest. "Yes. He said, that it was urgent."

I watch as his face pales, and he stands up, turning to glare down at me. His blue-eyed gaze is dark and intense,  "Why the hell didn't you tell me this?"

A knot forms in my stomach, and I search for a reason to pinpoint his sudden behavior. Who could be this important? Surely he was overreacting. Under his gaze, I feel every bit of two feet tall, and I knock hair from behind my ear so that I have something to hide behind. "I'm sorry, I forgot," I whisper, suddenly feeling ashamed and absolutely stupid.

"You forgot?" Luke inhales sharply, mortified. Reaching up, he drags his hand down his face and then turns to glower heatedly down at me. He stares impassively for a minute, his jaw locked and his mouth set into a hard line. I watch as a thought flashes across Luke's face, and he looks fleetingly uncomfortable. He turns quickly away from me, "Annie, can you please leave?"

I frown, "Why? What's wrong? Who needs to see y--"

"Just go." He snaps.

I flinch, and before he can say anything else, I hurry out of his room; stopping briefly to look over my shoulder at the sight of him pocketing a small, laminated ID badge.

---

AN - this chapter was short and unfinished but that's oKAY I'll add it all in the next update 

thanks for reading, please vote 💗 ily

(currently two chapters behind on shoutouts. sue me, I'm lazy)