His / l.h ✔️

5

~Asteria's POV~

The next day, I woke up in the morning and immediately headed towards my bathroom to take my shower, my feet lightly padding against the soft carpet that covered my floor. My shower was pretty quick and, when I was done, I simply pulled on a sports bra, a tank top and a pair of shorts before I grabbed two suitcases from my closet so I could pack my bags. I didn't really feel like doing my makeup today, so I just left my face bare.

I used one bag to pack my clothes, like pajamas and day clothes, socks, and shoes. However, my other bag was used for my bras and underwear, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, one of my rollerball perfumes, my toothbrush and toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, body wash, face wash, all my usual makeup supplies, and pads for when I'd be on my period. The second bag was definitely pretty full of stuff, to say the least. I zipped my second bag closed and then my first one, but only after I made sure to put a bathing suit in with the rest of my clothes. As I was closing up my first bag, I heard the sound of my mom calling my name from downstairs.

A soft huff left my lips as I closed my bag and then headed downstairs, finding my mom in the kitchen, making herself some tea. "Yes?" I asked, raising a brow curiously. She looked up at me and smiled. "Oh, good. I was wondering if you could go and check the mail for me." She requested, but I knew it wasn't really a request. It was simply a demand that was made to look like a request, as if I actually had a choice in the matter. With my mom, I didn't and I knew I didn't, so I just nodded and turned to leave, even though I didn't want to do it. I opened the front door and let it swing shut behind me, feeling the heat meet my skin the second I opened the door and stepped outside. It was awful.

As I walked down the driveway, a big Range Rover came driving into Cecilia's driveway and then parked, my curiosity causing me to stop halfway down my driveway and stare at the car. Of course, I should've expected that it be Luke who got out of that car, but I found myself surprised anyways when he walked around the car. "What?" He asked when he saw me looking, raising a brow. I turned away and continued down the driveway, feeling my feet burning. I obviously thought that was the end of that, but I found I was wrong when I turned around after grabbing the mail and Luke was right behind me. Startled, I yelped in surprise and jerked away, slamming into the edge of the stone mailbox. It really fucking hurt, actually. "What the hell, Luke?" I snapped, scowling up at him.

His full lips turned up into a little smile. "Damn, sorry. I didn't know you were so jumpy." He chuckled, but I just rolled my eyes and held the mail close to my chest. "What do you want?" I asked dryly, letting out a heavy sigh. I didn't really have any desire to know what he wanted, but if it meant I got to go back inside sooner, I'd ask.

"You know, you've become quite the moody, mouthy little thing over the last six years." He said, causing me to narrow my eyes at him. "Is that all you came here to tell me?" I snapped, watching as the edge of his lips twitched up into a little smile. "No." He admitted, shaking his head. I gave him an impatient look, keeping my arms crossed over my chest. "I originally came over here to tell you that I decided to leave at eleven AM instead, but now I'm thinking I could use you." He hummed, narrowing his eyes at me in thought. Alarm bells went off in my head and I found myself going wide eyed. "Use me?" I echoed, practically squeaking the words out.

Luke smirked. "Definitely not in the way that you're thinking, Star." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I was moreso thinking that you could give me information on this Cormac kid." He suggested instead.

I immediately sighed in relief and nodded my head, but then it processed with me what he'd first said and I suddenly felt defensive. "Hey!" I scowled at him. "I wasn't thinking of anything like that!" I snapped, knowing what he'd been thinking of by the tone his voice had taken. "Oh, yeah? Then what?" He asked flatly, raising a brow at me. I blushed, not wanting him to know that the first thing that had popped into my mind was of when I was ten and he was seventeen. He'd literally used me as a broom by dragging me all around his house against my will, even all the way down the stairs as I'd been screaming and yelling. The reason it had scared me so much was because, at the time, they'd been dog-sitting a huge ass dog that had chased us, trying to bite me all the while.

"Um..." I cleared my throat, not wanting to think about that. "Nothing." I said, shrugging. "But...not that." I insisted awkwardly. The last thing I wanted Luke to think was that I'd thought of him and I doing anything sexual for even a second.

An amused smile sat on his lips. "Whatever you say." He teased, shaking his head. "So, what can you tell me about this Cormac kid?" He pressed, going all serious again. I rolled my eyes. "Can you stop calling us all kids? You're twenty five, not sixty." I said dryly, shaking my head at him. In response, he raised a brow. "I'm seven years older than you, Asteria. You're not a kid, but you're definitely not a grown woman yet." He scoffed, causing me to send him an offended look. "Excuse you, I am eighteen. I am a legal adult, thank you very much." I scowled, shoving past him and heading up the driveway.

I heard him laugh from behind me. "You've still not told me what I came here for. Details on Cormac, Assy, now." He demanded, using the nickname that he knew ticked me off. When I just glared at him, he sighed. "I just want to be sure he's good for Cee. Come on? At least tell me something." He pleaded, causing me to narrow my eyes at him in thought. "Fine." I decided eventually, crossing my arms over my chest again.

"They've been friends five years, and they've been dating for three of those five years." I began, peering up at him. "He really does love her, you know. They're really good together. They make each other happy and cheer each other up if they need to, whatever the reason. You honestly don't have anything to worry about with him." I assured, giving him a genuine smile. If there was one thing I could be serious about around Luke, it was definitely Cecilia's well-being and her as a whole. She's an important person to me.

"You're sure I don't have to worry about him?" He pressed. I raised a brow. "Absolutely. He's crazy about her, Luke." I insisted, causing him to seemingly relax. "Good." He sighed happily. He ran a hand through his curls and I turned away, heading up the driveway again. I walked up the porch steps and, once I was stood in front of the front door, I couldn't fight against my curiosity and turned around.

Like I'd expected, he was gone.