Proxy [l.h]

2. First Days and Other Disappointments

«DAY 2»

Luke

When I close my eyes, she's there - in the room with the white walls. It's just the two of us, like always. When I try to get closer to her, my legs won't move. I try to say "Excuse me," or anything that will catch her attention, but I'm incapable of speech. I don't know her name, and I never have.

All I know is that she's beautiful, and I want her.

But she doesn't turn around.

She never does.

"Luke, wake up," a feminine voice says, shaking my shoulders.

She's here. She's here with me?

A sleepy smile forms on my lips as I roll over in my bed. I reach towards the voice and grab her hands in mine, soft as angel skin, and bring them to my lips. It's so dreamlike, I can't believe it's actually happening.

The hand slowly slips out of my grip, and I moan in disappointment. One eye opens, and then the other. Then seeing the proxy in front of me, I scream and trip over the edge of my bed, still clumsy from sleep. A humiliating start to the morning.

"What the hell?" I grumble from the floor, glaring right at her. The proxy avoids my eyes.

"We're having breakfast downstairs," she mumbles in a barely audible voice. She's cleaned up for the day; with her brown hair styled half up, half down just like Amber does, and carefully applied salmon coloured lipstick, in the exact shade that Amber wears. I swear she's even picked clothes out of her closet, with a miniskirt and everything. She picks at the bottom of it in discomfort and tries miserably to pull it over her ass.

I reach over to my bedside and grab my shirt, pulling it over my head. But before the material is covering my chest, I notice her sneaking in a glance. On a regular day, I would feel smug. But not now, knowing I'd done the same yesterday night. Thinking I was asleep, she'd changed right in the room, and I'd watched every moment of it.

And then I realised I was deprived as fuck. Sometimes I just wish, like Michael had said, I wasn't so caught up on a girl who I would never see again. The biggest question was: Why couldn't I just fall for Amber? She's a model, she's Ben's daughter, and she's easy. Whenever we fucked, it was just that. Easy. She is a plaything, a one night stand.

If only the rest of my life was as easy.

+

When we get downstairs, Ben, Calum, Michael and Ashton are waiting for us at the usual table. Unfortunately, the proxy takes a seat next to Michael, so the only place left for me is next to Ben.

Ben is watching as Lissa interacts with Michael, who's getting more nervous each time he says something. Her face is blushing a beet red by the time he's done his yapping, and Ashton pokes Michael in the arm. "You're killing her, Michael," he jokes loudly, making Michael smile. With that, I imagine punching him in the face so hard that his teeth would be knocked out and he won't be smiling anymore. It'd be a beautiful sight. Just like how I gave him a makeover last night, with my fist. Now, his face is all patched up in bandages and band aids. On the other hand I'd left my wounds completely alone. I plan to wear the rest of them in plain sight just to piss off Ben, and for the hair and makeup crew who will just have to work with it.

"Look at her, she's adorable," Ben whispers, watching Lissa sneak glances at Michael. "Are you still pissed about hiring her?"

I take another bite of the croissant and pretend I didn't hear him. "Correction," he says, holding up his index finger. "To let you know, I didn't hire the proxy. Amber did."