Imperfect

Chapter 1 - Him

"Excuse me...excuse me!" I squeeze my way through a crowd of people I've stumbled upon. I jump, attempting to get a better look of what was ahead of me. My short frame limits me to look above the crowd. As I jump a couple of times I see two or three large buses that seem to have no one around.

"Hey, watch it!" A tall girl in short shorts and a crop top looked down at me, narrowing her eyebrows. "Don't push me!" She snapped.

"I-I'm sorry..." I looked down and continued to make my way through the crowd.

I finally reach of what seems to be the end of the crowd and see a barrier that surrounds the building. I jump the barrier and free myself from the crowd, walking towards where there was no one around.

I usually dislike being around people and being in public settings, but I needed to go for a walk to get my mind off things for once.

"HEY!" I hear a boy shout. "What do you think you're doing?" I turn around to see who is talking to me.

"Me?" I point to myself, confused.

"Yeah you, dumbass! You're not supposed to be there. The barrier is here for a reason!"

I look at the barrier, preventing the crowd from coming in. I completely ignored the fact of the barrier being there and just wanted to be alone. I shoved my hands in the front pocket of my sweater and continued to walk away from the crowd and toward behind the buses. I don't know what the hell the big deal is.

"COME BACK HERE!"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"SECURITY!" Girls screeched.

I press my back against the brick wall behind one of the buses. I slide down the wall until I'm seated on the ground. I rest my face on my knees and hold my clenched body close. I began to sob alone for the first time in a long time.

"Hello?" I heard a voice. "Are you okay?" I hear a deep male voice approaching me. I quickly wiped away my tears. I peered up at a tall boy in black skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. He's blue eyed and has dirty blonde hair. The tall boy sat down beside me on the ground.

"Are you okay? What's your name?" He seemed concerned, slightly biting down on his lip ring.

"Danielle." I said quietly.

"How did you end up back here?" The boy asked.

"It seemed quiet back here." It was silent for a moment. "Who are you?" I asked the boy. "Do you know why there's so many people around?"

The boy chuckled, throwing his head back in laughter.

"I'm Luke, Luke Hemmings. I'm preforming a concert here tonight with my band." Luke glared at me with a smile. Luke shook his head and looked away as his cheeks flushed red. Did he just blush?

"Aren't you hot in that sweater?" Luke asked.

"Meh..." I shrugged. I pulled up the sleeves of my sweater. It is really hot out today. Wearing big sweaters has always been comforting to me.

"Excuse me?!" A man in a bright coloured vest pushed through the door. "Does she have a ticket?!" The man asked in a rough tone.

"No..." I sighed.

"Then you shouldn't be here. Please leave the premises!"

"I'm sorry." I stood up and glanced down at Luke, still sitting on the ground. He frowned.

"Let's go! Move it." The security gaurd grabbed my wrist.

"Hey, let go of me!" I tried pulling my arm away, but it was no use. The man tightened his grib around my wrist, causing throbbing pain. "Ouch, stop it! You can't touch me." I completely forgot about the fresh cuts and scars on my wrist that he was now twisting and pulling on roughly.

"Hey, man let her go. You're hurting her!" Luke stood up and looked down at the security guard, towering over him. Luke grabbed the man's arm and yanked it from my wrist, scratching some of my scars. I grit my teeth. The security guard's nails dug into the scab of my cuts, causing them to bleed again. I immediately covered my bloody wrist, not wanting anyone to notice. I looked down at my wrist throbbing as the blood seeps from the scabs. It feels as if there is a heartbeat within my wrists from all the rubbing and pulling. I breathe sharply through my teeth, trying not to cry or shout out loud. Luke quickly rushed over to me and looked directly at my wrist. Of course, you can't really miss this bloody mess.

"Oh my God," He mouthed. "Are you serious?" He angrily whispered underneath his breath. The man gave Luke a nasty gaze and proceeded to walk away.

"Come with me!" Luke grabs my arm and pushed open a door to the back of the building. We rush through a hall and into the mens restroom.

"Luke, I can't be in here. I'm a-"

"That doesn't matter right now. You're bleeding!" Luke held my wrist over the sink and turned on the tap. I breathed in quickly and squeezed my eyes shut from the sharp pain. Cold water entered the bloody cuts, washing them out. I gritted my teeth, once again attempting not to make a sound.

"What the hell is going on?!" Another tall boy bursted through the restroom door. He had multiple hair dyes in his hair. Purple, black, dark pink and possibly even more colours.

"Michael!" Luke immediately turned around, stunned.

"Why is there a bleeding girl in the mens rest-"

"I'll talk to you later, okay. Just give us a minute. It's an emergancy!" Luke told him off and Michael slammed the door behind him. He turned off the tap and wrapped some paper towel around my wrist.

"Ouch!" I flinched.

"Sorry!" Luke looked at me with immense concern as if he felt bad for me. I've never been given that look. People always judged me before they speak to me. Luke's frown is contagious. "How did you get these cuts?!" I panicked at his question.

"Luke, I don't even know y-"

"But-" Luke cut me off.

"But, I met you like 10 minutes ago!" I huffed. I could feel the anxiety in the pit of my stomach rushing up my body. Cold sweats began to take over along with shivering. My breathing became unstable. I looked up at Luke with worry and frustration in his face.

"It was my cat..." Typical, stupid excuse.

"Your cat?" Luke raised an eyebrow, not looking convinced.  He held my wrist, looking at the blood bleed through the paper towel.

"Y-yes..." I could feel my cheeks flush red, embarrassed.

"Look." Luke sat me down on a chair near the restroom door. "I know we don't know each other, but I am genuinely concerned." Luke placed his hand on my knee. I jump, frightened.

"I'm sorry, did I do something?"

"No, no. You just startled me a little." I glanced off to the side.

I live with my older sister...she's all I have left, but she barely speaks to me. I have no one to go to, no one to talk to, but then there's Luke. I just met this dude out of the blue and I felt as if he cares for me more than anyone has cared for me in what feels like forever. But, it's easy to feel vulnerable in a state like this. It's too sudden.  It's too soon.  I stared at the floor, overthinking everything.

"Danielle?" Luke lifted my chin with his finger now looking into my dark brown eyes. I looked up at him for what seemed like a while. I wrap my arms and hands around Luke's body and held him close, embracing him tightly.

"Thank you..." I shed a tear.

"For what?" He awkwardly hugged me back.

"For caring..." I weakly smiled into his chest.