Forced | cake au ✓

Chapter EIGHTEEN

Edited - 7/30/19

Calum

Spending time with my parents has been more than what I hoped for. We went all over L.A. visiting the sights. I had been the one to buy mom and dad their house in L.A. nearly two years ago. It was a promise I made to them when I started this whole performer thing. I made sure they lived in a quiet neighborhood where they could roam around and enjoy nature as much as they want.

Three weeks had passed by much quicker than I thought they would. I mostly kept to myself, not bothering to check social media much and just enjoying being with my family. It was like my own little vacation before the band became busy again.

Currently, I was stood waiting for my luggage at Sydney Airport. About ten different fans have already come up to me and asked for a picture or an autograph, and even though I barely got any sleep in the plane, I tried not to show how jet-lagged I was. It was the least I could do for them. Thankfully, they were all very nice and weren't that evasive. 

Luke had texted me a few minutes ago saying how he was already waiting for me. Truth be told, during the few weeks I was away there wasn't a day where I would not think about Luke at least once, which I knew was absolutely crazy.

Besides a few texts here and there, we didn't really talk after the video-call.

A few moments later, I had successfully claimed all my bags and was about to call Luke to ask where he was when I spotted the small crowd and the 6 foot-something blonde towering over all of them in the middle. I stopped in my tracks, smiling as I watched Luke interacting with the people around him. They weren't getting too close to him, which was a relief. I wasn't in the mood to be escorted by security right now. 

Luke paused from a conversation he was having when he saw me. He waved, said something to the people around him, and they let him pass so he could make his way towards me. He was actually jogging towards where I was. Behind him, phone cameras were being pointed at us.

I spoke up, Luke a few feet away. "I'm hoping you weren't too grumpy to those people."

He stopped rig in front of me, arms immediately wrapping around my waist and face ducking into my neck.

For a moment, I couldn't breathe, not at all prepared for the sudden affection. I could feel Luke's breath on my neck and his hair tickling my cheek.

The sudden awww sounds coming from the crowd of people filming us snapped me back into reality.

Luke was putting on a good show.

I hugged him back, ignoring whatever emotion was attempting to stir inside me. "Hey, Hemmings." I greeted him. He pulled away and I took a good look at his face. "You should shave, man."

"You're just jealous because you can't grow facial hair." Luke lifted his head, and I examined the small stubble he'd apparently been growing since I went away. I let out a sarcastic laugh, humoring him. My eyes landed back on the group of people who had been talking to Luke earlier. "They're still taking pictures."

"Shocking. I wonder why?" Luke whispered back. It was work not to roll my eyes. He looked like he was about to say something when I kissed his jaw, stubble and all. Another chorus of awww's erupted.

"What—"

"A reminder," I smirked, letting my arms fall to my sides and trying my damn hardest not to make it obvious that I was embarrassed by what I just did. "For you to shave. If I can't have facial hair, neither can you."