ONE YEAR LATER
The incessant, rhythmic ticking of the small clock on my desk was the only thing keeping me awake, seeing as I'd been studying for essentially nothing and it was nearly midnight. My parents were hosting a party downstairs in celebration of the new year, but I was less than interested in getting drunk tonight. My sister's new boyfriend came to visit for the very first time and I'd been feeling particularly lonely watching them cuddle on our living room couch or make dinner together in the kitchen. I told myself that I was single by choice and it was better since I could focus on my school work, but even that couldn't satisfy the emptiness I felt inside.
My mother peered into my bedroom cautiously, tapping on the door once to alert me of her presence. "Honey, there's a band playing on TV. Your sister said to hurry downstairs," she said softly, hovering for a moment to see if I would come out.
I sighed at the thought of leaving the safety of my bedroom but still followed my mom to the television in our living room. Playful banter traveled around the room amongst the guests, whom I didn't recognize for the most part. They were scattered everywhere, dressed casually and gripping plastic red cups brimming with booze. Eventually my father hushed everyone and raised the volume on our TV.
It was Times Square, completely alive with people waiting for the ball to drop. A stage had been set up in the middle of the crowd, barely large enough for a band to set up. However, someone was clearly about to perform and I shot my sister an uneasy sideways glance. She nodded at me once before directing her attention back to the screen.
Luke and the other boys climbed up, equipped with their instruments. Ashton wasted no time starting a steady beat that everyone could dance to. Michael played some chords to pump up the crowd and Calum played a riff while Luke introduced the song.
"Man, it's crazy on this stage!" he laughs, adjusting the microphone slightly. He was nervous; I could tell by the way he brushed his hair to the side and chewed on the inside of his cheek. "So we're Five Seconds of Summer, and tonight we are going to start with a song we wrote early this year, dedicated to someone who never actually got to hear it."
I swallowed hard and slowly took a seat on the arm of our couch.
"She might not be watching this, but that girl was absolute royalty and I hope she's doing well. This is Close as Strangers."
Luke sang beautifully, as always, and I couldn't help but miss our text conversations. He never contacted me after that awful day in Dunkin Donuts, though Michael frequently updated me on his condition. I was eventually forgotten by all of them until tonight, apparently. My heart swelled with appreciation and a bit of guilt, and even a pang of excitement as I watched Luke live out his dream. It was great to see that the boys' career had taken them so far, but I was mostly ecstatic that Luke even remembered I existed.
"Ruby, are you alright?" Adrianna asks me from the other side of the room. She also kept up with all of the Luke Hemmings drama after her awkward encounter with him in February. She'd call me from college to make sure I was feeling okay since she believed I was utterly heartbroken over him. I truly wasn't, or at least that's what I convinced myself, but it was hard to be certain. I just threw myself into school work and aimed for graduating.
"I'm feeling really good right now," I stated truthfully. "In fact, I feel like a goddamn princess."
END OF BOOK 1
