caught☽ luke | ✓

Eleven | Polite

"Luke, you should come over my house today," Audrey said, looking up at Luke. His hair was neatly combed, which was rare, and he was wearing cologne, which was even more rare. He'd been starting to feel more confident lately ever since the whole painting thing. He didn't think that Audrey had even liked him, let alone saw him as her favorite person.

Luke was ready to say yes, but he couldn't. He was still grounded, and if he wasn't home on time, his mom would never forgive him. He couldn't risk that, even if he was still upset with her.

"I can't, my mom would be pissed," Luke admitted, slightly embarrassed.

"She doesn't have to know," she told him, grabbing his hand and walking with him through the hall.

Audrey never noticed the people staring or giving them weird looks, but Luke did. Luke saw everything and everyone until it swirled into a big blurry mess that made him feel sick, but then he focused on Audrey, and it all became clear. It was only her and him. Nobody else mattered.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

Audrey smiled and grabbed Luke's hand in hers.

"I mean we're leaving. Come on," she said, leading him through the halls with so much confidence that she had Luke in the palm of her hand.

Stopping in front of the nurses office, Audrey told Luke to wait outside until she came back out. So, Luke leaned against the wall and waited until the brown haired girl walked out of the nurses office with a smile on her face.

"Okay, go in there and tell her that you have a stomach ache, and when she tells you to call your mom, call me instead, okay?" Audrey said, scribbling her phone number onto Luke's hand. "Be polite, and meet me in the office."

Audrey kissed Luke on the cheek, then walked down the never-ending hallway of lockers towards the office.

She'd been in a better mood lately, or maybe she was just better at hiding it. Luke didn't know if she was okay or not but he was determined to find out.

Luke cleared his throat and entered the nurses office, trying his best to look like he was about to throw up.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Luke groaned, clutching onto his stomach as if it was about to explode.

"Oh dear, what's wrong, honey?" the nurse asked, standing up from her chair and looking at him carefully. She pressed her hand to Luke's forehead before he had even said anything. "You're all red, and you're burning up."

Luke was red because Audrey had just kissed him on the cheek, and whenever Audrey made any physical contact with him, he would blush and start sweating nervously.

"I feel like I'm gonna throw up. May I please call my mom?" he asked the women, who nodded and pointed towards the school phone.

"Of course. What's your name?" she questioned.

"Luke Hemmings," he replied, still clutching his stomach as if he was in pain.

"Make sure to have your mom talk to me so I know that you have permission to leave, okay dear?" she told Luke, who smiled politely at her.

"Yes ma'am, thank you," he said, then dialed Audrey's number, hoping that she could pull this off.

"Hello?" he heard Audrey say.

"Hey, mom," Luke said awkwardly. "Can you come pick me up? I feel sick."

"Sure thing, baby. Anything for my little boy," Audrey said in her best Mom voice.

Trying not to laugh, Luke handed the phone to the nurse, who was completely oblivious to their whole plan.

"Hello, Mrs. Hemmings. I just need to make sure that you're okay with Luke leaving school early. Oh, okay, just making sure. Bye now," the nurse said, then hung up the phone.