Faking It || l.r.h

7. Practice

*Luke's POV*

After school, I got in my car and drove to Ashton's place. I was gonna go try to find Brooke and really put my plan in motion but I figured that would be a little odd since she just found out I have a "girlfriend". It disgusts me just thinking about it but I've got to keep my true goal in mind: getting Brooke back.

But I can't let on to the fact that I'm mad that he's with her. The only one that knows about my true feelings for Brooke is Michael and I hope he doesn't bring it up. He met my "girlfriend" today and just yesterday I was pouring my heart out to him about another girl. What I don't need is speculation and drama. Hopefully we can get through practice without anything going wrong.

I arrived at Ashton's place and saw everyone's cars were already there. I got out and headed to his garage.

"About time you got here." Michael said.

"I'm not even that late." I chuckled.

"Looks like someone was busy with their girlfriend." Calum laughed.

"Shut up." I tried to sound playful but I really did want him to shut up. I don't want to talk about her while I'm here. Having to constantly be around her at school is enough.

Ashton was over on a couch typing away on his phone. I figured it was Brooke and I clenched my fists in anger. I made sure to calm myself down before I spoke again.

"Shall we get started?" I asked, trying my best to sound normal.

They nodded and we got to work. We sat and continued writing a song we had been working on for a while.

"Alright, so after Cal's bit, we need something before we go to the chorus." Ash said.

Mike took out his guitar. "Cal, sing your part and see if we can add to it."

I thought about what to write while he played the end of the chorus and then Cal came in.

"'Cause I feel so damn lost. And it comes with the cost of being alone."

I tapped my foot and came in with what I thought would fit. "Everything is falling down. We're suffering, helpless thoughts and out we sing, prayers go to the sky."

"How's that sound?" I asked.

"That's great." Ash said as he wrote it down. "Alright, we've got that and then the chorus is next...and I think we'll need something extra, then Luke will come in with the first verse again, and we should end with the chorus. Everybody good with that?" He asked.

"Yeah." We nodded in agreement.

"We could have this done and a video up as soon as next week." Mike said. "So I think this calls for a snack break."

"Actually could we end practice kind of early? I've got somewhere to be." Ash said.

"Like where?" I asked.

Just when he opened his mouth to answer, the door to the garage opened and in came Brooke. Damn it.

"Oh, hey guys." She said.

"Hey, Brooke." Michael and Calum said.

"I was just about to leave, babe." Ashton said.

Babe? I was two seconds away from throwing up.

"Oh, well your mum said you were in here and I wanted to come by and see how things were going." I could tell she was avoiding looking my way.

"We've almost finished writing that song." He said, standing up. "So guys, should we meet again Thursday?" He asked.

"Sounds good to me." Cal shrugged.

"I'm free." Michael said.

"Luke?" He asked.

"Yeah sure." I mumbled.

"Alright, see you guys later." He took her hand and left us in the garage.

The audacity of them...who do they think they are? Parading their relationship around me like it's fucking okay. If anything, she should understand how I feel. He doesn't know anything about it but you'd think she'd show a little more sympathy.

"Hello...earth to Luke?" Cal waved his hand in my face.

"Oh, what?" I shook my head.

"We were gonna go out for pizza, do you wanna come?" He asked.

"Oh, no thanks. I've got work to do." I stood up. "I'll see you guys later."

I left before I got to hear their response. I went through the house, saying goodbye to Anne before walking out of the house and to my car.

Of course I wasn't going to go do work, I never do my homework. I was going to follow them to see what they do on their dates. Does that kind of make me a stalker? Yes, but she was mine first and because of a few stupid mistakes, I lost her.

I could see his car up the street so I quickly pulled out to follow. I made sure to keep my distance and not draw my attention to myself.

After a bit of driving, they, well, we arrived at a drive in movie. I parked closer to the back while there were in one of the middle spaces. I wanted to be closer to them but I didn't want to risk being seen.

I stayed in my car the entire time, watching. I watched as he got out and returned with snacks, I watched what looked to be a bathroom trip by each of them, and I saw them kissing through his back window. That's the only time I looked away.

After the movie, he started up his car to leave and I did the same. I followed then to a pizza place, but I stayed in the car. No matter how hungry I was, I couldn't go inside and let them see me, they'd think something was up. Instead, I watched them through the big window. He pulled that same-side-of-the-booth cliché shit and she was just cuddling up to him.

I'm not afraid to admit it, I'm fucking jealous. I'm supposed to be the one she's cuddling up to in pizza parlors, making out with at drive-thru movies, and just being around her in general, not him. What does he know about her, honestly? When I said she was the first and only girl I cared about, I meant it. I actually took the time to get to know her, her likes and dislikes, her habits, everything. But I wasn't good enough at the time and continuously took advantage of her.

But I'm gonna change all of that now. I'm not gonna do the things I used to do and I'm going to treat her how she should be treated. They say you never know what you have until it's gone and I see that now. If she goes find me one last chance, I'm not gonna let her go. That's why it's important for me to stick to this plan. She needs to not only be convinced by me, but see that I have changed.

It was getting late and I couldn't take watching them anymore so I went home. I got to my house and went inside, not bothering to talk to anyone because I really wasn't in the mood. I went to my room and closed the door behind me and laid on my bed. I looked over at my nightstand and saw the necklace I had given to Brooke that she threw at me when she ended things. I reached over and picked it up, letting the cool chain fall in between my fingers.

Soon, I thought, we'll be together again.