Connected [Luke Hemmings]

• Chapter 13 •

• Chapter 13 •

Luke

"I don't see the problem here," I say.
"Of course not! She's brainwashed you!" yells Dakota. She holds my face in her cold, brittle hands.
"Dakota you're being ridiculous. Delete those pictures off Twitter and let's watch a movie or something."
"Why don't you watch a movie with little miss Florence?"

I almost laugh hysterically. Is my ultimate best friend jealous of Renn? "You're not jealous," I say, "are you?"

"Why would I be jealous of a slut like her?" asks Dakota.
"Hey, come on I thought we were done with calling her names?" I say.
"We were never! You were! She took you away from me Luke! Can you not see? Your mum tells me that you've been kissing her cheeks, hands, forehead and such. You don't even hug me goodbye anymore!"

I shrug.

"It's not personal," I say, taking a drink of the waterbottle Dakota gave me.
"Of course not! Because the only thing that you're thinking of is Renn! She's personal!"

That date was pretty good. I liked it, especially how I learned a lot about her, and what she plans to do. She told me how she wants to build her life around the band's schedule, so that she can always be with her best friends. I smiled at it, I thought it was really sweet of her to want to devote herself to us so much.

"Did you even hear me?!" asks Dakota.
"Of course I did, but I'd like you to repeat it just because I want to make sure I heard right," I joke.

Dakota takes the half empty waterbottle from my hand and whacks my head. "Stop hanging out with Renn. Do you hear me?"

"I'm not going to do that Dakota, this isn't high school anymore," I say.
"I don't care if this isn't high school, I don't want you hanging out with that creep!"
"She's actually really cool. And she's different, you know?"
"Everyone's different Luke."
"No, well I don't know. She's cool okay? And we're friends so you need to be the bigger person and find common ground."

Dakota looks as if she is going to slap me. And she does. Then, she begins to cry and pound at my chest. I hold her forearms in my hands to stop her. "I hate you! I hate you!" she cries.

"Hey, you don't mean that," I say, walking her toward the lounge and sitting her next to me.

"You're not the Luke I wanted as my best friend."

*****

Later in the night, I think until midnight. Is Dakota right? Is Renn really brainwashing me? No, she isn't. Or is she? I don't know.

My eyes begin to droop and that's when I finally fall asleep, and I decide to leave Renn alone.

Renn

*Two days Later*

"I honestly don't get it," I say.
"Get what?" asks Jana.

She's staying overnight because it's the weekend and we miss each other.

"This thing with Luke," I say.
"Give it a rest Renn, you've hated him since Year 7," says Jana, taking a sip out of my drink. I slap her hand away and take my drink back.

"Maybe he's bipolar," suggests Jana.
"Maybe," I say, laughing.

"I think you should ring him, who cares about that stupid 'Guys do it first' thing," says Jana.
"I have," I say, sadly.

I've rang Luke about three times since we've went out. Tomorrow, Michael's inviting Jana and me to their band practice. Maybe Luke will tell me what's been occupying him so that he can't answer me.