don't you go // lrh

/twenty four/

/reality bytes/

/amara/

I knew Luke wouldn't be here when I finally woke up. But what I didn't know or expect at all was how bummed I would be when I realized it. It was almost like he wasn't here at all. Like he is confined to my dreams.

Like I made him up completely.

That's when I spot his green and blue flannel on the floor.

I carefully crawl out of bed, so Jesse won't wake up.

I grab my phone from the end table, fully expecting it to be 10am, the latest. But it's damn near noon. I grab my Marlboro Golds from my purse, and head out to the balcony while dialing Luke's number.

I used Luke leaving his flannel in our room as an excuse to call him up a couple hours after I saw him last. He told me I could keep it. Add it to the collection if I want.

I was on a high after our short conversation until another name appeared on my Home Screen.

"You hear from your folks yet?" Nate asks over the phone.

I exhale the smoke from my morning cigarette, "Nope. You?"

"Nah." He chuckles.

He proceeded to give me a status report of all their G-Rated activities from their first day in Miami in case any of our parents call. This way we we don't have to scramble for a lie. Though, we all doubt they'll call.

It's grayer in Los Angeles this morning than expected and ruined our plans of having brunch in a trendy restaurant's outdoor patio. We settled for indoor seating and lots of warm French toast.

"Guess we can't hit the pier today either." Maddie pouts, redoing her messy blonde bun for the millionth time.

I look out at the overcast sky and frown.

"Yup. And it'll probably be worse by the beach."

"I thought it was always sunny here. What gives?" Jesse frowns.

She's a beach babe stuck in wet, cold, crunchy leaf New England. So she's especially disappointed.

"Are we really hitting that thing tonight?" Maddie wonders, pretending she really couldn't care less if we attend or not.

In reality she's probably in the same boat as Jesse and I. Excited as can be.

"Uh yeah I hope so. I didn't get a stress pimple over this trip for nothing." Jesse giggles, pointing at her chin.

I chuckle, shaking my head as I check the time on my phone. It's about to be 2pm. We kinda slept in and took forever to eat. It's later than I thought. It was a long night okay! We needed extra Zzz's and extra fuel.

And yet I feel like it'll be centuries before I can see Luke again tonight.

"Mar?" Maddie asks.

"Hm?"

"You're in too right?" She wonders, looking around for our waitress.

"Yes, totally." I try to hide an embarrassingly large smile.

"Good. Grab your bags bitches, we're hitting Melrose."

We spent the afternoon sifting through vintage store racks like it was an Olympic sport. Maddie didn't like any of the clothes she brought with her so she was on a special mission.

As for me? I just have an addiction. I'm playing it off like I wasn't expecting shopping while we were here when in reality I only half packed my suitcase so I had room to bring stuff back.