choose | luke hemmings

chapter 21✿

I have been waiting for hours for Luke to come back; he hasn't. I don't understand why he got so worked up about me moving back to Melbourne- even though i'm not anymore, but he doesn't know that.

I pull out my phone to call him. It rings for what feels like forever, until it goes to voicemail.

I'm tired of waiting around so I decide to go out and look for him. I walk to the diner a few blocks away. I step inside but see no sign of Luke. Could he be at one of the guys house's?

I call Calum to see if he knows where he is.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's uh-May. Do you know where Luke is?" I ask.

"No, sorry May.Call your brother and ask him. They're probably together, as usual." He laughs.

I chuckle lightly before thanking him and hanging up.

"Is Luke with you?" I ask Michael as soon as he answers the phone.

"Hello to you too, May." He says sarcastically.

"Is he?" I ask again.

"No, he's not. I'm with Cora right now and we were kind of-uhh-" He says but I don't want to hear what comes after that.

"Okay, okay. Sorry for bothering." I say and hang up.

This is crazy. Where the hell could he be? I sit on the bench i'm close to and think.

Then it hits me.

The lake. Of course. Where he took me that one time. He did say he goes there when he wants to be alone and think, he has to be there.

I run as fast as my feet will take me, silently praying he's there and I didn't waste my energy running here for nothing.

Sure enough, there he is. Sitting right by the lake in amongst the beautiful purple flowers. I walk over and sit beside him silently.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, not even bothering to turn his head.

"I've been looking all over for you." I say.

"Yeah well, you found me. What now?" He says bitterly.

"Are you okay?" I ask even though I know the answer.

"Yeah i'm great. Are you okay?" He asks, not really caring for the answer I suppose.

"Not really actually." I say.

"Sucks. You should go home to talk to your friends about it. Oh, your home back in Melbourne, I mean. Because Sydney isn't your home and it never will be, you've made that perfectly clear." He spits.

"Luke I-"

"Save it, May. Honestly I don't know why I even wasted my time with you in the first place. You're my best friend's sister. Whatever this was, it's over now." He says, standing up.

I stand up too. "You don't mean that." I say.

"Oh now you know what I mean?" He asks.

"You're just saying that because you're angry." I say in hopes that i'm right.

"I'm saying it because it's true. You're better off with Ian, honestly." He says and walks away.

"No i'm not. I'm better off with you. I'm better with you. You make me better, Luke." I almost whisper the last part.

"I make you better, but you make me worse, May. Ever since you came here I'm not myself. I'm lying to friends, I helped you cheat on your boyfriend, and I'm sneaking around my best friend's back with his sister. I can't even think because all my thoughts are consumed by you. Do you know what it's like to think about someone constantly? I can't go one minute without thinking of you, or wanting to be with you. Fuck, May. It's torture." He says walking away.

I can't tell if that was meant to be bad or not. I know it was but, it's somewhat comforting to know he thinks about me all the time because all my thoughts are consumed by him too.

I run after him and stop in front of him, turning to face him. "You're all I think about too. You've taken over my mind. It's like I can't breathe when i'm not with you. You're mad at me because you think i'm leaving you but, i'm right here. I'm right here yet you're pushing me away." I say cupping his cheek in my hand.

He leans into my hand and sighs.

"I don't want to get close to you if you're just going to leave." He says.

"It's a little late for that." I giggle.

He chuckles. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I'm staying." I whisper.

His eyes shoot open.

"What?" He asks in disbelief.

"I'm staying." I repeat.

"But what about your dad? And school? What about-"

"I'll figure everything out as I go along I guess." I say.

I smile and lean in to kiss him. I press my lips to his and he immediately responds and slides his hands around my waist. He swipes his tongue across my bottom lip and I part my lips slightly, giving him access. His tongue explores my mouth as I pull gently at his hair. Whenever we're together, it's as if the rest of the world disappears.

As our lips pulled apart, our breathing comes out in short, desperate gasps. The intensity has faded. The rest of the world is slowly coming back into focus.

"Did you mean it when you said this was over?" I ask.

"You know I didn't." He says.

"I know." I say.

"Are you sure? About everything." He asks.

"I'm not really sure about anything, Luke. But everything is going to be fine." I say.

All I'm sure of is that I am staying. Because frankly, I don't think I could have physically left. Not if Luke wasn't right there with me.