Mend Me? ➸ hemmings a.u

8. Take Me Away

The assignment was due this Friday. Friday, as in, tomorrow. And Michael and Calum hadn't started yet. Goofs.

"Good luck, you're going to be up all night," I said. He smirked, "we'll be having some Midnight Memories," he replied and I giggled. "Very punny, Michael." He played with his food for a moment before he couldn't help but asking, "so was it the shirt?" I blushed, "yeah, it was," I replied and he looked down with wide eyes, "wow."

Michael Clifford had been nothing, well, besides a sarcastic douche, supportive of me in every one of my decisions and thoughts. Of course he teases me in the most creative and dramatic ways, but he always knows what his limits are. And he's also become fully aware of the slap line over the last few years, the line he shouldn't cross unless he wants to be slapped.

"Michael, I love you," I said and he looked up with a small smile. "Love you, too," he mumbled. "But I don't get why you're being so cold because I'm hanging out with Luke!" I exclaimed and he sighed. "Rose. I don't want you getting hurt. I care about you heaps," he said and I nodded. "I know, but obviously nothing is going to happen," I said casually, but the green-eyed monster inside was screaming at me. "Ava," he said seriously and I looked up into his eyes. "He might like you," he said quietly. "What makes you think that?" I asked, still trying to sound nonchalant, but the monster inside was grinning wickedly. "I went over to his place last night to play video games. He was out of it. I knew he'd just left your place, so I asked him about you and he was all blushy and flustered an-" he cut himself off. "It was probably nothing," he shook his head and I slumped back down in my seat. What game was he playing?

***

I swung my bag over my left shoulder and was more than ready to escape this hell hole as quickly as possible. I was walking out the school doors when I felt my phone buzz. I checked it, expecting it to be Michael, but it was Luke.

'Come back to your locker? Quickly!'

I didn't hesitate to turn around and power walk awkwardly back to my locker. I saw Luke and Rose leaning against the wall opposite my locker talking. You could say I was a little more than confused. He looked up and acted surprised. "Oh, Ava!" He gave me a look telling me to play along and my chest tensed. What is he getting me into? He called me over and I walked slowly towards the two, trying to ignore the devil's glare eyeing me up and down. "We still have to do those finishing touches, yeah?" He asked and I thought it best to play along. "Uhm, yeah," I smiled and Rose huffed. "Aren't you able to finish them yourself, Ava?" She asked sweetly and I froze. Luke came in, "that isn't really fair," he laughed nervously and Rose huffed. "We'll only be a bit," Luke pleaded and she shrugged. "Text me when you can," she ordered and he nodded, "love you, Rosie."

Luke was lying to his girlfriend to spend time with me. This dimension was seeming pretty awesome right now. There's probably another Ava out there wishing she was here. Sorry, Ava. The insecure part of me argued though that there had to be another reason. Luke was silent as we boarded the bus and we took the same seats we'd sat in the last two occasions. I couldn't bring myself to ask him why or what in this dimension he was doing, as he was fiddling with his fingers again. "I left my jacket at your place," he mumbled and Miss. Insecure laughed in my face. "Oh, why didn't you tell Rose that?" I asked, curious as to why he had to come up with a lie. "I did, she said I should just text you to bring it tomorrow," he said and I nodded, "why didn't you?" I asked and he looked away, no longer looking me in the eyes. "Because I left it on purpose," he said quietly and I could make out a light blush on his cheeks. "W-why?" I stuttered, hoping for the answer I really, really wanted to hear. "I like hanging out with you," he shrugged and I let out a breath I was unknowingly holding. "I mean, you know. You know how Rose is," he began and I leaned in far too eagerly. "Ever since we got together, she hasn't really let me talk to other girls," he said shyly and I nodded. "She just gets jealous really easily, and I've felt kind of, shackled." Just like me and my parents. "So now I've finally got the chance to talk to you. And I think you're pretty awesome," he smiled and I blushed. "Thanks."

My parents were surprised when I brought Luke home again. "There was another written part to the assignment we didn't complete," I lied and Luke backed me up. As soon as he entered my room he dived under my bed, "Luke?" I laughed and he pulled out his jacket, "oh," he chuckled and placed it on top of my bed. "Our display is pretty awesome, you have to admit," he said, admiring it. I couldn't hold it in anymore, "do you love Rose?" I asked and of course immediately wanted to fly out of my window and disintegrate. He looked up, a little shocked. He nodded. "I love her. I'm just sad I have to sneak around to talk to you," he said and I nodded in understanding.

He bit his lip. "Michael kind of told me something," he admitted and I froze in place. Did he tell him I liked him? "He told me how your parents are really over protective. How they don't like you talking to guys," he laughed and I blushed, a little embarrassed. "And I was thinking..." he smiled cheekily. "If I was loosening the shackles Rose has around me, perhaps you could loosen the ones your parents have around you?" He suggested and I rose my eyebrows, definitely no pun intended. "Aren't I sort of doing that right now?" I asked and he shrugged. "How about you break free? Just for tonight?" There was the most mischievous look in his eyes, and I couldn't help the excitement building up in my chest. "What do you have in mind?" I asked and he gestured towards my window, where the sun was already setting. He stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards my window. "Luke?" I asked and he just giggled. He opened my window quietly and placed a finger on my lip. He stepped out and I began whisper-screaming at him. "My parents are gonna kill me! They're gonna kill you, Luke!" He took my hand again and started helping me out. He slipped slowly down the roof keeping a tight hold on me. He gripped the wooden pillar on the side of my house, "follow me," he said, climbing down slowly, placing his feet onto the railings of the pergola. "I can't, Luke," I cried but he assured me he wouldn't let me get hurt. He held onto my waist as I climbed down and we jumped off the railing together onto my front yard. "Woah," I said and Luke wrapped an arm around my waist. "C'mon," he lead me across the street and down the block. "Where are we going?" I asked, adrenaline surging through my veins. "An awesome place," he said as we ran down the streets. The setting sun painted a golden hue on the trees and houses around us. The sound of our shoes hitting heavily against the pavement was the only thing I could hear besides the pounding in my ears.

He led me through the local park and stopped in front of a tall, brick wall. "Ready?" He asked, looking at the wall. "What?" I laughed, completely out of breath. He moved some branches and vines on the floor and revealed two wooden crates, "my secret getaway," he said and my eyes widened. "You're insane," I smiled and he nodded, "I know."