Harsh | Punk Luke Hemmings

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Song: Pressure- The 1975

Luke

Zone had been very busy when me and Andy had arrived. This would be prime time for me to come, I loved the attention when I was fighting. The adrenaline when I fought was fueled by the many people screaming my name. I looked towards Andy, her curious eyes were still wandering ten minutes after we had been there.

She hadn't said much. She asked a few questions, but I could tell she was out of her element and I sort of regreted bringing her here. I wanted her to know what I have been doing but maybe letting her experience it up close was not a good idea.

She was still hanging on to my hand, squeezing whenever someone would come too close. "What do you do here?" She says finally, looking at me. I play with my lip ring, trying to find a good way to explain.

"Well-" I get cut off.

"LUKE! Hey man, what are you doing here?" It was Austin. I didn't know weather or not he would be here but I guess he answered my thought. I haven't introduced him to any of my friends so I guess Andy is a good start.

"Oh hey Austin, um this is Andy," I say to him, pointing towards her.

"So this is the famous Andy I hear about all the time?" Austin smirks, knowing that telling her that I talk about her a lot would make me mad.

Andy giggles, "You talk about me a lot?" My face fleshes, turning red only because it's true. "How do you know Austin? I've never heard you talk about him."

Well shit. I rather not tell her here that I met Austin when I was crying like a little bitch. "I'm sad to hear you never talk about me, and he was in a dilemma you could call it and I decided to help him. Like the amazing friend I am" Austin tells her. He was being very cheeky tonight and my tolerance towards him was running low. Yet I sigh relieved he doesn't say anything else.

Andy nods and I give her a look of I'll tell you later. "So did you come to fight?" Austin asks.

"Fight?" Andy questions, still not understanding what is going on.

"Uh I'll meet up with you later Austin, bye." He nods and I grab Andy's arm to pull her away from him.

I take her to the room where we first came in and no one else was in there. She looked at me for some kind of explanation.

"Okay, I'm just going to tell you. I fight here. Like fist fighting and knocking eachother out kind of thing. No pads, no gloves. It's pretty gruesome, but that's what happens and I got sucked into it." I sigh and continue, "It's how I get all my bruises and cuts and everything else. I haven't told anyone except for you, and Austin of course." I say, not telling her that Austin showed me it.

"Well I mean that explains a lot but I understand now," She says. I thought she was gonna keep talking but she says nothing.

"That's it? You're not going to say anything else? Not, 'Oh my god Luke, that's so dangerous'? Or anything?" I ramble not understanding why she was not freaking out over it. I start walking around the room in distress

"Okay first off, calm down please." She tells me and grabs my arm stopping me from pacing around the room, I feel better instantly just from her touch, "Second, didn't we make a deal of no judgment? I'm not going to say anything that can come off as me judging you. I mean obviously it's dangerous, but that's why you do it, right?"

"Wow, I mean thanks.. I guess?" She laughs at me, making me smile back at her. "I usually don't get a lot of support when I make decisions like this... So I'm not really sure what to say." I don't understand how she's so calm about me knocking people out.