Perfectly Wrong || Luke Hemmings

9

"You what?!" Tori exclaims on the other end of the line, her voice going up an octave with every word. "Your roommate is Luke Hemmings?! You know what that implies to me, right? Izzy, you haven't even had your first kiss yet and you're fucking Luke Hemmings?"

I choke on my water, spitting it out all over the picnic table on campus. "I am not having sex with Luke! He just needed a place to stay and I couldn't just turn him away. And, actually, I have had my first kiss." I blush furiously, remembering the way Luke's lips felt on mine.

Tori just about loses her shit over that. "You didn't tell me that either! Isabelle Williams, we are going to have words later. Who was it?"

"Luke," I mutter, embarrassed. "It was at the party. He was teasing me about being innocent and he found out I'd never been kissed so he just leaned in and it kind of happened."

"You kissed Luke Hemmings?!" she screeches on the phone. "And now you're living with him? Girl, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I kind of like it. Have you made out with him yet? Do you like him? You know he's not really into relationships. He's more of a hit-it-and-quit-it kind of guy if you know what I mean."

"No and no. God, Tori, I know he's not good. He's... Well, he's not so bad. He helped me with my math and he pitches in with the expenses and stuff. It's been kind of nice to have a roommate. I hadn't realized I'd gotten so lonely."

"Well, I'm glad you're not alone, Iz," Tori starts sincerely, "but please don't get your heartbroken. You say you know, but trust me, he'll pull you in like a moth to a flame if you're not careful. I just don't want you to get hurt in any way or form."

I smile at the table, watching the kids from my classes walk by. I hardly know any of them even though I've been at this school for two years. "Thanks, Tor." After a moment, I blurt, "Oh and I have blue hair now, thanks to Luke. He accidentally brought one of Michael's hair dyes and I thought it was shampoo so now my hair's blue. I have him doing laundry to make up for it."

She laughs on the other end of the line and I realize just how much I miss my best friend. "Sounds like you're finally straightening him out. I'm glad Luke's not on his own, actually. He always seems to get himself into trouble when he's alone." Clearing her throat, she says, "I have to go now, sorry. Talk to you later?"

"Yeah, talk later," I murmur, running my fingers over the wooden surface of the table. "Bye, Tori."

"Bye, Izzy!"

Sighing, I shove my phone into my pocket and walk to my car. As I reach for the door handle, a hand closes around my wrist and spins me around. A boy from one of my classes, Isaac I'm pretty sure, stares down at me. He pins me to my car with his body and I struggle to get away from him.

"Hey, beautiful," he murmurs, pressing his lips to my neck. I try to push him off but he's too strong. "You wanna get out of here?"

"Get the hell away from me," I grind out, starting to panic now. His hand trails lazily down my body and every inch of me squirms beneath his touch. He's like poison. I thrash but he doesn't move.

Isaac puts his face close to mine as his hand grabs my ass. "Calm down, babe. I'll make you feel real good."

I struggle harder, helpless to get away from him. He leans in to kiss my neck again but he's ripped away from me. I stumble to see someone punch Isaac in the face and watch him fall to the pavement. Luke kicks my classmate in the side for good measure, fury etched across his face. "Get lost before I fucking kill you," he growls and Isaac scrambles to his feet and runs away. Luke turns back to me, opening his mouth to ask me if I'm alright, and I throw my arms around him, clinging to his shirt as I tremble uncontrollably. He awkwardly pats my back and puts his arms around me. "Are you okay?" he murmurs.

"I-I thought he was really-" I cut off, sobbing into his chest.

He strokes my hair, trying to soothe me, but I can tell that he's not used to this. Usually girls are crying because of him, not to him. But I can't seem to make myself stop. If I let go of him I'd fall to the ground.

"Let's get you home," he says, leading me over to my car. He opens the passenger seat and carefully sets me down in it, walking around to the driver's side. He picks my keys gently out of my hands, sliding them into the ignition.

I curl up in the seat and clutch my legs to my chest as I try to stifle my sobs. That was so close. What he would have done if Luke hadn't showed up... I bury my face in my knees and let my hair fall around me like a curtain. I don't want him to see me cry. When my tears subside a little, I manage to croak out, "How'd you find me? You were supposed to be at home."

"You didn't come back when you said you would and so I texted you, but you didn't answer, so I walked here." He turns onto the road that will take us back to the apartment, keeping his eyes on the road. "It's a good thing I did, I guess."

"Why did you help me?" I murmur, picking my head up slightly. "Why did you care that I didn't come back when I said I would?"

He frowns, it quickly turning into a scowl as he stops at a red light. "I helped you because no one should be treated like that. I always ask girls if they want it. I never do anything without their consent. Despite what you may think about me, I have more respect than that." He's silent for a beat before adding sharply, "And I don't know why I cared, okay?"

I wince as he steps on the accelerator with a bit more force than necessary, careening into my parking spot. He tosses the keys to me, not lightly, slamming the car door shut behind him. He doesn't wait for me and storms up the stairs to the apartment. Dragging a hand down my face, I tuck my keys into my pocket and start after him.