Wrong Number || lrh [book one]

41

Luke's Point of View
I don't even care that the meet and greet isn't technically over yet -- all I'm concerned with is the location of Liv. She's not answering my texts and I'm super worried about her well being.

My voice is barely above a whisper when I tell Cal that I'm going to the bathroom. He gives me a suspicious look but I overlook it as I quickly leap up from my chair and walk off.

To make it seem legit, I go in the direction of the bathroom, but turn a corner at the last minute, going straight out front to where I last saw her.

People walk up and down the sidewalk at a fast pace, but there's no sign of Liv.

My eyes scan from person to person, but she's nowhere. It's like she up and disappeared without a sound.

"Liv," I say. No answer.

"Liv," I say, louder. No answer.

"Liv!" I shout. Still no answer.

All of a sudden I see a streak of deep auburn hair out of the corner of my eye.

"Hey," I holler. She stops abruptly at the sound of my voice, and the moment she turns around, a smirk forms on her face.

"Well, if it isn't Luke Hemmings," she says, strolling up to me.

"What did you do?" I don't even give her a chance to properly say hello. Liv is missing and I know that she had something to do with it.

"What are you talking about, Luke?" She places her arm softly on mine, and I immediately shake it off. I know exactly what she's trying to do and I'm not going to fall for it -- not again.

"Where the fück is Liv? I saw you talking to her earlier, Halley. What did you say to her?" My anger is rising the deeper I get into this conversation.

"I'm not sure what-," she begins to try and weave her way through this, but I'm done with her bullshït. It took me a long time, but I've finally come to my senses -- she's nothing compared to Liv and no matter how hard she tries, she never will be.

"Forget it. If you're not going to be cooperative then I'm done talking to you." I turn on my heel and storm away from her. She tries to get me to stop, but I refuse to waste anymore time on her.

My thoughts are racing as I try and decipher where Liv would go. I haven't ever had a conversation with her where she would've said 'if I get upset, this is where I would go,' but I'm suddenly wishing we had had a conversation like that. It certainly would come in handy for a time like this.

Suddenly, an obvious thought pops into my brain -- her hotel room.

Without even thinking twice, my feet scramble as I run back inside and into the nearest elevator. My finger literally punches the fifth floor, and before I know it, I'm rising up at an incredible speed.

Four knocks on her door without any type of sound emitting from the other side. I'm panicking now. I don't know where else to look, and I'm beginning to lose hope. I knock a few more times thinking maybe she fell asleep or she's in the bathroom.

A sigh of defeat escapes my lips as I'm left without any form of answer. Giving up, I begin the journey back downstairs, but as I'm walking, I notice a maid coming out of another room.

Lightbulb moment.

"Uhm, excuse me Miss," I politely obtain her attention. She looks at me with confusion written all over her face.

"Could you help me? I'm locked out of my room and I was hoping you had some type of universal key?" I fiddle my thumbs as she continues to just stare at me.