Between You & Me || Luke & Jai Brooks

Chapter X - Underwater Kisses

*That Friday*
It's a public holiday today for the Melbourne Cup, yet I'm sprawled on my cheetah print rug on my bedroom floor, studying. Alicia's on my bed and Mel lies beside me, English book open with scattered essay pages surrounding her. I don't know if she's awake; her head rests on her arms and she's not moving.

The three of us are completely different. Mel's in artfully torn three-quarter length jeans with a maroon tank top and her dark blonde hair in a ponytail. Alicia's in a loose blue cropped top with light wash denim shorts, and a small hoop hangs from the top of her right ear. I have on a pair of high waisted denim shorts, a tank top with silver studs around the sleeve holes and a pair of tie dyed socks. Yet somehow, our differences make us closer.

My phone beeps from somewhere by my foot and I slowly rise with a yawn, assuming it's Luke. Who else texts me nowadays? Not even Jai. Suddenly, Mel snaps up and grabs my phone before I even twist.

"Hell no." She says quickly. "No Luke today. This is a day for studying. Don't you want to study? Studying is fun!" She adds hurriedly as she sees my skeptical expression.

"Sorry, hun, I'm gonna have to choose my boyfriend over studying any day." I snatch for my phone but she shuffles backwards, switching it on. I regret giving her my password as she reads through my message. Her eyes widen.

"It isn't Luke! Guys, listen here! It's Nicole, and she's... quitting. She's out. Listen: Hey Meghan, I'm so so so sorry and I just want you to know that we're still going to be as good friends as always, but you can count me out of Serendipity because now I want to focus on my personal channel, and on spending time with my boyfriend. I'm sorry. Much love, Nikki xxx"

We all gasp and exchange looks of horror. "Why has this suddenly come about?!" I ask, shocked.

"Well, we all know it's not her YouTube anyway." Mel says dryly, which is true. It's that Caleb boy.

My phone beeps again and Mel's face lights up. "That wasn't Luke, but this is!"

"Sorry... Lukey... not... today... I'm studying... with... my... beautiful... friend... Mel... xo" She speaks aloud as she types and I lunge for her as Ali laughs. "Send!" she smirks sweetly and drops my phone in her back pocket before sitting back on her heels.

"Mel!" I smack her with my science book, giggling. She just pulls her English book over and hands me her essay.

"I need to memorise this by Tuesday! Help me." She says and I sigh, shuffling her essay sheets.

"Okay. Shoot." I say and she begins to recite. I don't even look at the words as she reads them, I just nod. My mind is elsewhere; 4 blocks away in a little house with a boy called Luke. Mel knows the script; she doesn't really need to practice.

She makes it through to the second to last page before the doorbell rings and she and Ali both hop up and race to the window. As Mel parts the blinds, her expression turns mutinous. "It's Luke." She says sullenly and my face lights up. I run over and pull back one side of the blinds to see my gorgeous boyfriend standing there waiting. As we watch, he presses his face up to the little window and squints through. Then he leans back impatiently and I notice Daniel beside him.

"Why's Daniel here?" I ask aloud, and face the girls, expecting to see my confusion mirrored on their faces. Mel returns my expression but Alicia doesn't. Instead, a flush creeps up her cheeks and she shrugs guiltily.

"I honestly don't know." She replies quickly. Too quickly. Why did she say 'honestly'? I still don't believe her.

Another loud knock echoes through the house and we all jump. "Oops, should probably get that!" I laugh, pulling Alicia by her arm out the door. She stumbles a bit, and blushes nervously when I turn to look at her in amazement. "What is up with you?" I ask but she just shakes her head for 'no' and I can sense the silent 'not now'. Satisfied for the moment, I continue downstairs yelling in a sing-song tone, "Coming!" Mel catches my eye as we run down the stairs and she looks as if she'll be interested to hear Alicia's explanation too.