Salvation [Luke Hemmings A.U.]

XII - One Exception

Margo:

-

I step out from the taxi, exhaling a deep breath of warm air that produces a cloud of steam in the freezing air. My footing causes bits of newly formed frost to crunch on the grass as I cut across the lawn of the run-of-the-mill apartment complex I call home. Fortunately for me, the sun has yet to set so I don't have to fumble with my house keys in the darkness, reducing the time I must spend out in the bitter cold.

The wooden steps creak beneath my feet as I make my way up the outdoor stairwell to the upper level of the complex. In the semidarkness, I fish my keys out from the pocket of my tightly wrapped coat, my clammy fingers clumsily sorting through the keys on the ring to find the one I need. I grip the correct one, turning it in the lock of my apartment door with a soft 'click'. 

I throw the door open and waltz in, happy to be out of the cold. Slamming the door behind me, it quickly dawns on me that I am not engulfed by the warmth that I was anticipating. Instead, I take note that my apartment feels chilly, almost as cold as outside. Sighing, I drop my purse to the floor and shuffle over to the thermostat on the wall. 

A red envelope has been taped to the instrument. 

They turned my heat off... again. 

Of course, it has to be on the coldest night of the season - so far - that my landlord bothers to take note of the fact that I'm late on my heating bill and takes it upon himself to cut me off. There is no alternative way that I could foresee something like this happening to someone like me. 

Cursing profusely, I storm over to my bedroom where I intend to sort out the coziest pajamas I can find. Eventually, I'm satisfied with a pair of thermal leggings and fuzzy pajama pants, and a few long-sleeve t-shirts under a thick sweatshirt. I somewhat resemble a marshmallow, but at least I'm warm. 

It is when I am curled up on the couch under two heavy blankets that my phone lights up, signifying a text. 

From Evan: 
Sorry I totally got sidetracked today. I didn't mean to show you up haha

He can't be serious. 

To Evan:
"haha". Come on, Evan. I waited there for you for over an hour. You could have at least sent me a text saying you wouldn't make it.

His reply is almost instantaneous. 

From Evan:
I can't help it that I got busy. Sorry you got mad, I'll make it up to you. 

To Evan:
Just like you made it up to me that time that I picked your drunk ass up from the club? Just like you made it up to me that time that I bailed you out of jail? 

Of course, to this, there is no response. I let out a groan of exasperation which results in a steam leaving my mouth in exposure to the cold air of my apartment. Today has just not been my day.

With one exception:
Luke.

I don't know how to process someone as unusual as this stranger-turned-acquaintance. 

Between his uncanny habit to run into me at the most appropriate-yet-unfortunate occasions and his even more remarkable concern for my trivial problems, I can't wrap my mind around him as a person. Everything seems too good to be true with him... 

We spent a good amount of time in that coffee shop, occupied by interesting conversation and the occasional comfortable silences which we would fill by taste testing new drinks Luke's barista friend was eager for someone to try.

It's hard not to take notice of Luke's immense vocabulary and particular way of phrasing things. The way he speaks gives off a sense of confident knowledge, as if his twenty-something mind holds wisdom beyond his years. It's infectious, really. More than once I caught myself using words like "nor" or "despite". 

Who the hell uses words like that in casual conversation? 

Answer: Luke.

As I lay on the couch, contemplating today's events, it never really registers to me just when my thoughts transition into darkness.

-

I wake to the sound of my phone ringing.

"Hello?" I mumble groggily into the receiver as I wipe the sleep from my eyes, smudging my assumably atrocious eye makeup in the process. 

"Hi - er, can you hear me?" 

I pull the phone away from my ear to check the caller ID. 

Luke

"Yeah, what's up?" I sit up on the couch in my living room, surprise washing over me as I try to figure out why anyone, let alone him, would be calling me at... seven in the morning.

"Well, I know you have been having a rather difficult time, and you mentioned being low on groceries yesterday, so I thought I would pick you up some breakfast." Luke's voice replies nonchalantly, as if it is a completely normal thing to 'pick up some breakfast' for a newfound acquaintance. 

"Er, well... okay? Well, I don't know how you're going to get it to me." My teeth begin to chatter as goosebumps erupt up and down my arms from my now freezing apartment. I forgot that the heat was shut off.

"That is absolutely up to you, I just thought it would be a nice gesture since I was at a bakery... If you find that bizarre, I apologize; I do not mean to give off a bad impression."

I can't help but smile at this. There isn't any other word to describe Luke than as a dork. A considerate dork, but a dork all the same. 

"Okay, well this is definitely not something I anticipated... I'm not exactly looking my prime, and my house isn't exactly guest-friendly at the moment." I tell him as I meander across my living room to a small mirror hanging on the wall, eyeing my blotchy eye makeup smeared all over my eyes and cheeks.

There's a bit of rustling on Luke's end of the phone before his voice rings through, loud and clear. "That is completely fine, just let me know when and where I can meet you. If you want, we can go on a little adventure."

Usually, I would never in a million years consider saying yes to someone I know as little about as Luke. However, after everything he has done for me, and the way that he just seems like an absolutely genuine person, I cannot come up with a valid reason as to why I should turn down an adventure... and some breakfast.

-

Short chapter... long overdue.

I'm so so so so sorry for such a late update, and I know that hardly anyone will be reading this but hey, it's more for my peace of mind than anything >.<

If any of y'all are reading, I just want to say thank you so much for your patience, and the next chapter should be up soon :)

- Sarah x