Chapter 5

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(Thaaaanks for the feedback guys! I love all your comments! Oh and have you listened to the album yet?? IT'S AMAAAZING!! I love all the songs, but if I have to pick a favorite I'm guessing it has to be Everything I Didn't Say or English Love Affair. What about you, what's your favorite song on the album? :) xx ) 

The kitchen is just as crowded as the other rooms and no one takes notice of me when I grab a glass from the cabinet above the sink and pour some tap water in it, before I go outside to get some fresh air. A couple of guys, all wearing tank tops, are hanging by the swimming pool but no one dares to jump in. I see a girl, with an extreme short skirt, and a guy making out by the trees and another pair doing the same by the shed nearby. Two girls with heavy makeup are gossiping about the latest teen heartthrob or something, I’m not paying attention. I just want to find Michael but I don’t want to go inside again so I sit down on one of the benches on the porch.

Whoever these Hemmings’ people are, they have a really nice home. The backyard is the same size as the front. I never understood how people could earn that much money. Dad does have a good salary but he doesn’t spend the money on the house. Not until we moved here and it’s not that much of a difference. We never went abroad either. I've been to the US, Canada and Australia. That’s it. But that is only because those are the countries I’ve lived in. But I guess moving costs a lot of money? I lived in Toronto until I was 4 and then we moved to Chicago for 7 years, before moving back to Toronto and then here. And all the moving was because of dad and his work.

Something, or someone, bounces down next to me. I look up to find a pair of dimples smiling at me.

“Didn’t know you were a party-animal.”

“I’m not,” I respond.

Ashton looks really good in his messy hair and maroon t-shirt with a chest pocket. His jeans shorts are cut.

I heard you get butterflies in your stomach when you fall in love, or have a crush on someone.  I've never experienced it so I didn't know what it meant, until now. My stomach is fluttering and my heart is not beating at normal rate. How did this happen so fast?

I don’t know for how long we stare into each other’s eyes before he clears his throat.

“Sorry,” he says embarrassed and looks away. I wonder what he is thinking of.

I turn away my eyes and see a blonde guy walking over to us. He looks like a surfer with his bleach blonde quiff, broad shoulders and flip-flops. Oh excuse me; they are called thongs down here. What a weird name for flip-flops.

“What’s up, Ash?” His voice is deep.

“Not much, you?”

The way the surfer smiles at Ashton makes me uneasy. He reminds me of someone but I can’t put my finger on whom. I notice a dimple appear on his cheek and even though I have a soft spot for dimples, I feel nothing for him.

“I see you’ve found a pretty lady. Aren’t you gonna introduce me?” His intense eyes are on me, scanning my body.

“Luke, this is Joselyn. Joselyn this is Luke. Luke Hemmings.”

Of course, Hemmings. He does look like a rich kid with his perfect pearly whites. I wonder if his brother is the same.

“Joselyn. What a pretty name. I have never seen you here before. Are you new?” His smile makes me want to scream.

“She just moved here,” Ashton replies quickly. I can tell he isn’t very fond of Luke.

“I think Joselyn can speak for herself. Oh and Ash, where is that beautiful sister of mine? Shouldn’t you be with her?”

Sister? Wait…

“Amy is fine.”

Amy and Luke are siblings. That’s why I recognize him! They have the same smile and eyes, both so intense.

“Oh you know Amy. Worries sick if you’re gone for more than five minutes. Go find her Ash, so I can get to know pretty Joselyn.”

He waves Ashton away before crashing down next to me. So close, our knees and thighs are touching. I look up at Ashton, who clearly is afraid of him. His eyes darts between me and Luke but decides he isn’t going to fight Luke on this one.

“So where’re you from?”

“C-Canada,” I am intimidated by how close he is.

“Ohh, ice-hockey and shit. I prefer the heat and the summer. You know, anything hot. Like you.”

My cheeks heat up. Nobody has ever called me hot before, but hearing those words from Luke, makes me wanna throw up.

He hands me a red cup but I just shake my head, raising my glass of water.

“No, no. You don’t drink water at a party, Jos. Can I call you Jos? I’m gonna call you Jos. Pretty Jos. Drink the juice!”

I know it isn’t the same kind of juice I am thinking of. It looks exactly like Mountain Dew, except I know it’s not.

“Drink up.”

His eyes are so intense, still feels like he’s x-raying me. His breath smells of alcohol. I have two choices: I can say no, but I know he will never let me go if I do. So I take the second one, and pour the drink down my throat. The bubbles burn and I feel the tears coming. It is so strong! The aftertaste is awfully bad, a mix between soda and something else I can’t identify. Suddenly I feel my head start spinning. Is it really supposed to happen this fast?

Luke looks pleased when I hand him the empty cup. He pulls me up and begins pushing me in front of him, making his way inside. I try to fight it but his grip is hard around my arm and waist. A few people greets him, and he responds to them all, with his most charming smile, before opening a huge dark door.

I panic. What is he going to do with me? I try to spin around but his grip hardens.

“Shh, pretty Jos. I just want you to meet my friends.”

How can this douche have any friends? And will they be even worse than him?

“This is Joselyn,” Luke says when he opens the door.

“We know, we’ve met,” Michael smirks from across the room.

I breathe out; unaware I held my breath at all. How can Michael and Luke be friends? They are nothing alike. But wait, I recognize this room. I have been here before. I look around and see Calum on my right. This is the same room he dragged me into earlier but most of the people have left.

“Oh yeah? Why didn’t you say anything, Jos?” Luke asks, pouting his lips. A move I’ve seen before, only it was…

“Are you two friends?”

Amy. Her squeaky voice is so different than Luke’s deep one.

“I just met her, why sis, do you know her?”

“Yeah, she’s a…Ouch! What did you do that for?”

Amy looks irritated at the person who just elbowed her. I don’t have to look any closer to know it was Ashton, who is now whispering something into her ear. Her eyes are concentrated on me and I can see she is pissed. What is her problem? Why does she hate me?

“Since you already seem to know my friends, we can skip the whole introduction thingy.”

I look around and realize the only people left are the ones I actually know. What a coincidence. Calum sits in the couch with his arm around Liza, the girl I met earlier. Amy and Ashton are sitting at the floor behind Kyle, and Emma next to him. Then there is Michael. This is probably the weirdest group of friends I have ever met. Four athletes, two punk rockers and two cheerleaders, cause I figure Amy and Liza are. What are Michael and Emma doing here? Okay, I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, I know, but it just feels so wrong.

I meet Ashton’s gaze. He isn’t looking very happy. He almost looks hurt.

“Well, Jos and I are gonna get to know each other better. See you later,” Luke winks at me.

I can hear someone shouting an “oh” and that’s when it hits me what he meant with ‘get to know me better’.

Affection // irwinWhere stories live. Discover now