Between You & Me || Luke & Jai Brooks

Chapter III - Drunk

* Meghan's pov *

It's been five hours. Five fucking hours. And no sign of Luke. Jai said he was coming and he was gonna walk, but we're four blocks apart. And still-

"Where the hell is Luke?" I ask in disbelief. Usually he's a little late, but this is a little more important than usual. I though he'd at least turn up if it involves his career.

Jai throws his hands out. "I don't know, okay? He texted a few hours ago saying he was dropping in to a friend's house, but he'd be back to plan the video!" The tension is real. I think back suddenly to his text to me. Maybe it was a little off. But I don't know why it would be.

"Well I'll fucking call him, should I?" Beau is saying in exasperation, rolling his eyes. He pulls out his phone and speed dials Luke's number. It almost rings out, but he picks up in time.

"Hellooo!" Luke's voice slurs out. Beau quickly flicks it off speaker and puts it to his ear but it's too late.

"He's fucking drunk. Are you serious?" I say flatly. Jai looks as furious as me.

"Ask him where the fuck he's at!" Jai hisses at Beau, who's intent on the phonecall. "Beau, ask- Oh, fucking give it here!" Jai snatches the phone off Beau and puts it back on loudspeaker. "Luke, where the hell are you?!" He yells.

There's a heavy sigh, like a child that's been caught out. "Soz. I'm at a par-tayy! And I'm not coming home!"

"Luke, you're coming home now. For fuck's sake. Are you twelve or what?" Jai chastises Luke. It's kind of cute. Or it would be, if Luke didn't have to be at my house five hours ago.

It feels like I'm watching all my planning go down the drain.

"No I'm not! Come find me then. Find me if you ca-aaann!"

Jai bangs his fist off the table suddenly. "You know what, Luke? If this was any other night, it'd be fine. We're used to it. But this is for Meghan, who's been planning this for months." He picks up the phone to position his mouth next to the microphone. "So fucking get your shit together!"

"Holy shit." Luke's voice sounds distant. "Well why should I do anything for her. She's a bitch."

I roll my eyes at Alicia but inside it's kinda like a dagger. Fuck him. "Luke, I don't even know what I'm supposed to have done!" I yell at the phone and I hear something break from his end.

"Are you serious. Don't fucking say shit to me." He sounds a lot more sober already. "You know what? Fuck you. Fuck you allll!" And he hangs up.

And he's pretty much just hung up the video. Because now we have 2/5 Janoskians. Oh wow, big deal, hey? My dreams for this whole thing are swirling away before my eyes and I suddenly want to cry. All my planning, efforts and ideas led to this. Luke going out and screwing us over by getting drunk, over some delusional prejudice.

Beau gets up and makes some drinks for us us all, and we gather around the lounge room. We sit in silence for what could be minutes, or could be hours, Jai drumming his fingers on the chair constantly. His eyes are in a daze, and I know he's deep in thought. Then Beau clears his throat.

"So, I guess we should-"

Bang. Bang. Two heavy thuds on the door. We all twist in our seats to stare down the hall. Even through the wobbly glass the Dirty Pig logo and dark curly hair is visible. So, he decided to grace us with his presence. The girls politely get up and leave, backing through into the kitchen and I thank them mentally.

Jai is the one that stands up to get the door. When he opens it, Luke almost falls through it. Jai catches him and holds him up. "Stand up yourself, dickhead." He says shortly. Luke rolls his eyes, then begins to stare down each of us. When he catches my eye, he starts forward angrily, but he can't barely put one foot in front of the other. Jai steps around him to talk to whoever's in the car at the driveway, but they pull away as he approaches. "Fucking Jacob." Jai spits, and Beau's teeth clench noticeably.

I get up and walk over to meet Luke. When I put out my hand to help him, he flinches away. And it does hurt, I can't hide it. His eyes are strangely alert for someone so intoxicated, and I can feel his eyes roaming my face. I determinedly keep a poker face.

"Luke, what is up with you?" Even through his drunken haze I can read the pain in his eyes. Jai backs out back through the kitchen, leaving Luke and I alone, and I reach out to steady him, ignoring his flinch.

He blinks a few times before slurring out his words. Though they're slurred, they're clear. And I was not expecting them at all.