Hey There, Delilah - A 5 Seconds of Summer story

Chapter 39

Another chapter for today! I know they're both kind of really short and I could've combined them... but I sort of didn't want to, I like where each chapter started and ended, so I just put them separately. Sorry that they're short!

It was because I was a coward that I avoided Luke until that night.

I knew he was confused by what he’d seen with Ollie, and I needed to find the courage to explain, but for now I was too scared.

I knew it had to be done, though.

Which was why I found myself sitting in the now abandoned audience seats, watching as the crewmen cleared up the 5SOS instruments.

Their last song resounded in my head.

“Cos I’m always too late.”

I was always too late; it was always too late.

My sense of timing sucks.

I didn’t sing Breathe tonight.

I should’ve, and Ollie had told me I should’ve, but I didn’t.

Coward.

“I thought I might find you here.”

I looked up at Luke’s familiar voice and saw the blonde-haired boy standing awkwardly, looking at me.

“Why’s that?” I asked, my voice a little raspy from the singing I’d done.

He smiled slightly. “Delilah Cook, I know you so much better than you think I do.”

I smiled back. “That’s scary to know.”

Luke chuckled and sat down next to me, stretching out his long legs to rest them on the chair in front. “What’s going on?”

“Not much. Just some singing in front of a live audience. Whatever. The usual. Yourself?”

“Same. The usual.”

There was a silence.

“What were you doing today?” Luke blurted, finally.

I felt my body relax, but at the same time tense up.

I’d been waiting for that question since this afternoon, but now that he’d said it, I was afraid to answer it.

I opted for the evasive approach.

“I was jumping off the stage.” I explained. “I tripped and he caught me. That’s all. What was up with you?”

“With me?” Luke sounded…nervous? Or was that my imagination?

“Yeah. You looked…odd.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”

“I was worried about you, Del.”

“You don’t need to be, I was perfectly safe.”

“With Ollie.” Luke’s voice was bitter.

“With Ollie.” I repeated, my brow furrowing in confusion. “What’s wrong with Ollie?”

“Nothing!” Luke said, exasperatedly. “Nothing, and that’s the problem!”

There was a beat.

“I’m confused.” I admitted, nibbling my lip.

Luke put his head in his hands with a groan, running his fingers through his hair, which was already sticking up in all directions.

“Luke?” I asked.

“I was jealous.” He admitted, finally, softly. “I was jealous of him.”

“Jealous of…Ollie?”

The idea was ridiculous.

Of course Luke wasn’t aware of my feelings for him, but he thought I liked Ollie?

I burst out laughing, trying to stifle it for the sake of Luke’s red face.

I stopped when I saw the hurt in his eyes.

“Sorry. Just…the idea is ridiculous. I don’t like Ollie half as much as I like you and he basically called me a…chicken, so I had to jump. Then I tripped because I’m clumsy and he stopped me from falling.” I rambled.

Luke’s face had tipped into a smile. “You like me?”

I froze, my breath choking in my throat. “Uh, yeah, of course! You’re my best friend, silly!”

“Oh.” The smile slipped away and I immediately regretted my rash words. He got to his feet. “We’d better get going, we’re leaving for Perth in a few minutes. Alice Springs has been good though. Nice crowd. Nice swimming pools too.”

“Wait, Luke!” The words blurted themselves out of my mouth, and my throat went dry as he stopped and turned back curiously.

Here was the moment or truth, time to sink or swim.

Are you still a coward now, Delilah?

“I…” I swallowed tightly. “Yes. You’re my best friend. Still. And, I lied. I like you. I do. I really like you, Luke, and it scares the shit out of me.”

Slowly, heart-numbingly slowly, a smile spread across Luke’s face.

It was one of his rare smiles; the one that lit up his entire face, his eyes sparkling sapphire, his cheeks lifted, dusted with near invisible freckles and his teeth showing just slightly.

“Say something.” I murmured, turning my gaze to my clasped hands on my lap. “I’m sorry.”

A pair of familiar large hands covered my own and I glanced back up.

Luke’s face was inches from mine, our eyes locked on each other, as though committing the colours to memory.

“Don’t ever say sorry for how you feel.” Luke said, seriously. “And for the record, you’re still my best friend. And I like you too, Delilah Cook. Have done since I was five years old.”