𝕤𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠 • 𝕝.𝕙

twelve

I stood at the back of the huge wooden deck, scanning the tables looking for a snack.

I had gotten used to the sound of the music, now, after having been hanging around for a couple of hours. The sun was getting lower every minute, and the sky was this pale shade of pink, with clouds that were looking as if they were catching on fire. The view was absolutely breathtaking.

I grabbed a handful of crisps and turned around to stare at the beautiful sunset, walking towards where the deck ended, before sitting down on the edge, letting my legs dangle in the air. I stared at my black boots, then back at the sky, squinting at the bright colour of the sun and clouds.

This was a beautiful house, and I couldn't quite wrap my head around it. All my life, I'd been wondering what it was like to be rich and being able to afford to live in a house that looked like this. I took my phone out, glancing at the screen to see if I had any missed texts, or calls. 

Nothing at all.

I grimaced and put my phone back in my skirt pocket, staring down at the swimming pool and the people gathered around it, in their perfect bikinis and bodies. I felt a hint of jealousy tingling inside of my head, but shook it off.

I'd left Andy half an hour after he'd linked with this girl he'd never met before. There had come to a point where I'd noticed I'd been third wheeling for about ten minutes, and that was when I had decided to step aside, letting Andy do his thing. I'm sure he'd be grateful in due time, although the glare he shot at me when I excused myself had been deadly. He was more of the shy type.

I took a cigarette out, lighting it and putting it to my mouth, inhaling the white smoke, closing my eyes. The nicotine rush mixed with my very slight tipsiness felt almost heavenly. I smiled to myself, and looked around. All those people were the beautiful people.

As I was staring at the people pouring out of the house through the back glass door that led to the deck, I recognised a familiar figure. And it wasn't Andy's.

"Fuck," I muttered, instantly turning my back to the figure, and peeking behind my own shoulder two seconds later.

In all his gorgeousness and glory, there he stood- Luke Hemmings.

What were the fucking chances? How come everybody in this town seemed to know Calum and Ashton except from me? The whole town had seemed to join in on the fun. A feeling of panic rushed through my body, but I couldn't stop looking, ready to hide if his gaze somehow caught mine, from sixty feet away.

He was wearing a black textured shirt that opened halfway through his chest, and a couple of necklaces. On his nose were his fucking sunglasses (again?) and as he leaned nonchalantly against the door frame, a bottle of beer in his hand, I could see him looking at everybody through his shades, not speaking to anyone, either. His gorgeous blonde curly hair was tucked behind his ears, and he ran a hand through them. He probably knew how handsome he was.

He took his sunglasses off, as I half-hid behind people, still sat at the edge of the terrace. Old rock and roll music was playing in the background, and I was waiting to see if he was going to talk to anyone at all.

A girl came up to him, and he started chatting with her. I took a drag of my cigarette nervously, still looking at him, like a fucking creep. I couldn't  take my eyes off him, and maybe, unconsciously, I wanted him to see me. It was either I was going to find Andy for him to drive me home at half nine in the evening, or I would stay avoiding Luke all night. I didn't know which one was worse.

And right as I thought I had perfected my technique of looking-and-staring-whenever-he-looked-into-my-direction, his eyes met mine. I couldn't quite discern the expression on his face, but he didn't look away, and I didn't either. We kept eye contact for thirty seconds, before he turned back to the girl who was talking to him, gently touching her arm and walking past her as she looked at him leaving with a disgruntled look, slowly walking towards me.