All I Need ✘ [Hemmings] (On Hold)

ten: Fireworks

the giF I s2g

***

"Are you sure you're okay?" Luke asks from beside me for the umpteenth time in the past half hour.

I tear my gaze from Finding Nemo and turn to him. "I'm positive. Don't worry, okay?"

He studies my face for a moment more before nodding and returning his gaze to the big screen. I really wish I could tell him. I also wish I could concentrate on the movie, but something was wrong, something was very wrong.

"Do you want to do something else?" he asks when the movie is over.

"Sure."

"Do you want to go eat somewhere?"

"Yes," I say with a laugh.

"I know a place," he says, grabbing his keys from his pocket and then taking my hand.

We both pile into the car and when we pull up I can't help but squeal. "A diner!"

"Do you like diners?" He quirks an eyebrow. I nod and we skip to a booth.

"Can I order for you?" he asks. I just shrug and set my menu down in front of me.

Luke gets up to meet the waitress walking toward us. He mumbles our order in her ear before sitting back down in front of me.

"Now, do you want to tell me what's really bothering you?"

A wave of nausea comes over me. "What do you mean?" I panic.

He crosses his arms. "Abby, I'm not stupid, I know something's wrong," he explains. I copy his gesture, biting the inside of my cheek.

"It's dumb," I lie.

"I'm not going to judge you," he mumbles, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

I let out a frustrated groan. "I can't tell you."

Luke leans toward me, still not understanding the urgency in my voice. "Why not?"

"Can we just drop it?" I whine, avoiding his gaze.

"Sure," he complies, but I can tell he really doesn't want to.

"Thank you," I say, silence taking over. All of the sudden, a plate of Chicken Alfredo is set in front of me.

"Oh my God, yum," I manage to get out, Luke watching me with amusement in his eyes.

"You know what it is?" He groans.

"It's not Chicken Alfredo?" I ask, setting the fork back down on the plate and eyeing the dish.

"I guess you do know," he mutters just before his phone begins to ring. "I have to take this," he mumbles, heading outside. And I, being painfully curious, set down my fork and watch.

Luke looks grumpy when he answers the call, but after a few seconds of talking, he starts to smile. 

At one point during the call he glances at me, and I quickly revert my gaze. 

Finally, after a few more minutes of talking and biting his lip, Luke walks back inside, a large smile spreading across his face.

"Ashton's coming," he cheers, taking his seat across from me.

 Shit.

"You're not excited," he observes before the realization dawns upon his face. "Did Ashton do something? Is that why you're upset?"

"No, I, uh," I stumble, searching for the right excuse. "My phone just died in the middle of a conversation with my mom. She was about to tell me something important."

"You can use my phone," Luke offers, handing me his.

"I came here to hang out with you, I'll just call later," I shrug him off, placing his phone on the table and taking another bite of my food.

Luke stares at me for a couple of seconds and I know he's skeptical. I take a drink, drumming my fingers on the table.

"Hey, Luke!" someone says, taking a seat next to the boy. Ashton meets my gaze, but doesn't say anything and I get a feeling I won't be getting an apology tonight.

He tears his gaze from mine and looks to Luke, trying to be nonchalant. "Do they have good milkshakes?" he asks, not waiting for Luke's response to wave over a waiter. Luke gives me a weird look and I bite my lip; it's can only be so long until he figures it out.

"I'm gonna use the toilets," Ashton says. "Don't touch the milkshake," he threatens, taking time to pause between each word.

"What's going on between you two?" Luke asks when he's out of earshot.

I almost ask the same thing about Ashton and him, but decide against it. It just strikes me as odd that he would get angry over Ashton and I spending time together, yet he invites him to dinner with us. Guys say girls are the confusing ones.

"I told you, we got into a little argument," I repeat, folding my napkin over my lap.

His mouth opens slightly before snapping shut again. "Shit, Abby, I'm sorry. I thought you guys had worked it out."

"Nope," I mutter, keeping my gaze on the tiled floors.

Ashton returns a few moments later, but I could be less than ecstatic. This time, he sits between Luke and I, making me scoot over a few inches.

"Can I get you a dessert?" our waiter asks, flashing Luke a pearly smile.

"Wanna split something?" Luke asks me, wiggling his eyebrows. I nod, listening to him order the Monster Cookie. We wait a few minutes in awkward silence, listening to Ashton noisily drink his dumb milkshake. When the dessert finally arrives, my jaw nearly drops at the size.

"This is really good," Luke assures me, grabbing his fork and cutting himself a piece.

"So, how have you been?" Ashton asks. Both of the boys look expectantly at me before I realize that he was talking to me.

"Fine?" I reply cautiously.

"That's good. I've been bored out of my mind, we haven't hung out lately," he replies, not seeming to realize that I didn't ask his input. I clench my jaw.

I close my eyes, wishing that when I reopened them Ashton would disappear. "It's getting late, my mum is probably worried," I begin, fiddling my my hands. "Ashton, would you mind if Luke took me home?" I politely ask, watching his eyes meet mine.

"Not at all," he animatedly responds, sending me a friendly smile. I don't return it.

Luke nods at me, digging his keys out from his pocket before taking my arm and dragging me out.

***

"Thanks for inviting me out, I had fun," I say, flashing Luke a grin.

"Me too," he says, interlacing our hands together and swinging them back and forth.

I lead Luke to my front porch and take a seat, dragging him down with me. When the wind picks up, a shudder racks through my body, and he scoots a little closer and drapes his arm around me. "Better?" he mutters, leaning his chin on the top of my head.

I nod, leaning back in his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head, making goosebumps appear down my arms. Suddenly, he pulls my head toward his, bending down to bring his lips to mine. I melt into him when his hands come back around my neck, weaving through my hair. But much to my dismay, it's over just as fast as it started and I'm left staring into his shimmering blue orbs, fireworks exploding all around me.