teach me to be innocent, l.hemmings

#10: don't assume i'm a whore

If you had told me a month ago that I would be feeling guilty for something I said to Luke Hemmings I would have laughed, but now the thought just made me feel even worse.

Things had been going so well between Luke and I. An actual friendship had begun to form, and then I had to go say something petty. I probably shouldn't have pointed out how I thought he was a man whore, I admit that, but I honestly didn't think he'd get upset over it.

It was common knowledge not to fuck with Luke Hemmings. Half the girls in our grade had been there and tried to tame him.

"Arizona?" Mrs. Lewis called my name, and I snapped out of trance I was currently in. "Can you give me the answer?"

"Uhhh..." I looked around the room, completely forgetting what we were even talking about. "Um, no. Sorry?" I cringed at the disappointed look I received in return.

I think Mrs. Lewis moved on to someone else because it was rare I didn't respond or know the answer. She had honestly just caught me by surprise. For the rest of the period, I tried my hardest to pay attention and not think about how hurt Luke looked.

When Lunch rolled around I noticed Luke was absent from the table, and figured he was eating with Michael. It made me feel worse. Katherine was also no where to be found and after a little chatting with Ashton I found out it was because I went out with Luke after dropping her home on Friday.

Great, so my best friend and new friend both had the shits with me. Well done, Arizona. Two birds with one stone.

By the afternoon Katherine had promptly ignored three of my text messages. I hadn't even tried with Luke, a little more scared of his rejection.

I was leaning against an old Oak tree that had been here for years – back when my parents went to high school. The bus was always late, and today was no expectation. Ashton couldn't drive me home because he was meeting up with Hugh and although Calum offered to take me, I lived no where near him so I declined.

"I don't understand why you don't just get your license." A voice called behind me. I paused for a moment having recognised the voice, before twisting around and coming face to face with Tyler.

"I've told you before." I reminded him. "I don't like driving."

He cracked a smirk. "You're not willing to take control of a car, but you're okay with other people driving?"

"I only get in the car with someone I trust." I responded, wondering what he was even doing here.

"And on the back of motorbikes?"

"That's... none of your business." I said, straightening up. Luke would be proud.

"Yeah, I know." Tyler smiled sadly. "But that wasn't my choice, now was it?"