Proxy [l.h]

6. Fly Aways and Sneaky Kisses

Thank you for the few people who are still reading this and voting <3 you're the motivation I have when I'm writing chapters at 1 AM in the morning.

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«DAY 5 cont.»     

Luke

Lissa keeps stumbling, falling all over herself. "What? Awre we going somewair?" She asks, her eyes threatening to close.

Beside her, Michael, Calum and Ashton are passed out, the beer in Michael's hand spilling onto his tee shirt, and onto the carpet. But those aren't the only stains I notice. There's Calum, too. But it's not his shirt, it's his face, streaked with the clear sign of tears. He's curled into a ball, his forehead almost touching Ashton's, in a weirdly affectionate way. And then I realise Lissa was right. I am an asshole. I was oblivious to the details of Ashton and Calum's drama, how much backlash they got from the kiss, and oblivious to Lissa's concern for her brother. But there's one thing Lissa was wrong about. I wasn't oblivious to Michael's crush on Amber. I've known that from the start, where this chain starts and ends. Michael likes Amber, Amber is pretending to like me, and I like Jane.

I look at him now, from the distance, hating him even more so. I've always known, somewhere deep down, that Michael envied me. I knew it made him angry when I boasted about sleeping with Amber. But I only made it obvious because I envy him. Michael has it easy. On a regular day, he sleeps around. He plays Xbox. He gets drunk. And he has no regrets. As hard as it is to say so, Michael's not a bad person. And his past doesn't tie him down. It doesn't define him, either.

I envy that.

"Luuke?" Lissa asks, drawing my attention back to her again.

"Stay there," I mumble, shaking my head clear of thoughts. Leaving Lissa slouched by the front door, I grab a duffel bag and quickly start shoving basic necessities in it; some clothes, a stash of underwear, and some of Lissa's as well. I don't feel comfortable going through her stuff, but I manage to grab a dress or two that Amber wore and some jeans. Then our toothbrushes, and our passports are next.

I zip up the contents in the bag, pausing midway. Only then it dawns on me that this is really happening. I can't go back now. We have to leave tonight, or we won't get another chance.

My head spinning, I pull Lissa outside and close the door with a soft click. The hallways are empty and dim, with not a single person in sight. Even the guard who usually accompanies us is gone for the night. Aware that Ben is asleep just a few doors down, I walk to the elevator as quietly as I can, pressing the down button. Lissa is taking wobbly steps towards me, walking at an intolerably slow pace. The elevator door opens with a ding before she can even get there. Approaching her, I decide to take an alternative route. Standing with my back to her, I loop Lissa's arms around the back of my neck, and hitch her onto my back. She shrieks loudly in joy.

"Shut up! You're going to get us caught," I hiss through my teeth, as I struggle to keep the weight distributed on my shoulders, with her wiggling around so much. I silently curse Michael for getting her so shit faced. He was inconsiderate to the fact that she's a virgin to everything; including alcohol, but at the same time, I'm not surprised he was. A sip or two would've been okay. Three cans of beer were not.

Lissa mumbles happily, her cheek coming to rest between my shoulder blades. I step inside the lift and the doors close with a small ding that echoes through the walls. Sighing gratefully, I reach out my free hand to press the button for the lobby. Now that she's drunk for the first time, Lissa's not so nervous and shy. I'm seeing a completely new side of her. She presses herself against me, her lips smacking. "You smell good, Michael," she says affectionately. I let out a long groan at the mention of his name. Apparently, Lissa hears it and interprets it in a different way.