Santa's Helper • Luke Hemmings

Five - Christmas Cooking

After school, I had a message from Luke asking me to go round to his house and hang out. Luke and I had been texting each other for the last couple of days and I'd been almost hoping that at some point he would make the first move to meet up at some point.

I had been thinking about him since we'd hung out on Saturday, now feeling a new light to help Luke see the hype behind Christmas since he'd been missing out. I like him and I like how he acts, I want him to stop being so unhappy and maybe I could help that. I'm not a wizard or anything, but I like to think that we're making some progress and I feel like I'm almost on a mission to help Luke have a Christmas he'll remember and hopefully the start of many.

I drive round to Luke's house straight after school, not bothering to go home first since it would only mean I'd be spending more hours away from him. I suddenly felt an urge over the last couple of days to want to know more about Luke, other than about why he hates Christmas. I suddenly want to know stupid stuff like his favourite color or his favorite animal.

 I knock on Luke's door, the feeling of nervous returning as I wait for him to open the door. The door flies open and out storms a tall blond woman - yelling at Luke as she leaves the house. I stand watching the pair bicker, Luke stood shirtless in the door way as he insults his mother and shes so in return. I awkwardly stay back, feeling extremely uncomfortable and lost.

"Is this girl here for you?" The lady snaps, looking to me and then glaring back to Luke. 

Luke rolls his eyes, seeming stressed by this lady. "What's it to you?"

The lady turns to me, causing my heart to pound and palms sweat. "Sweetheart, what's a pretty girl like you doing hanging around with my disrespectful, fucked up son?"

I gasp, startled by her words and feeling my legs take a step back from Luke's Mom. Apparently. 

"Just leave her alone," Luke spits towards his Mom. Jeez. "Shouldn't you be off fucking Darren right now?"

My eyes widen at his choice of words towards his Mom, as he says things I could never imagine myself saying to one of my parents. Perhaps there really is more to Luke that I didn't know. Seeing him like this didn't lessen my thoughts towards him though and that scares me. Even watching him now watch his mother in disgust climb into her car, I still feel completely drawn to him. He's like a light luring me in and I can't help but follow.

Luke and I sit in the lounge in complete silence, the quietness being almost painful to suffer. Snowy, the cat, sits between the two of us on the couch - purring as Luke tickles her gently behind her ears. If I just walked into the room as Luke were to do this, without knowing anything about that fight with his Mom - I'd have said he's as innocent as a baby duckling, just peaceful and cute. I like this side to him. I just hope that I never have to see the other one again.

"I'm sorry about before," Luke murmurs. He's still sat beside me with no shirt on, with only a pair of grey jogging bottoms hanging low at him hips. Holy fuck. He looks good. It's hard to believe he's the same dude, who works every other day at the mall as an elf. 

"Don't apologize," I say softly, avoiding Luke's gaze as I honestly have no idea what to say. Actually, that's a lie - I know exactly what I want to say, but hold myself back. Why do you talk to your mother like that? What has she done? 

"Have you tried-"

"Don't ask me what I think you're going to ask," Luke snaps, although his voice is cool and calm. "I really don't want to talk about it, just pretend you saw nothing."

I nod to his request, not wanting to press on the subject either or I may find myself blabbing off in the areas I was not needed. It didn't take a genius to realize that Luke's a little broken and all he needs is somewhere there to help him feel wanted. Do I really want to put myself forward for that role? Can I really handle this boy's emotional and personal issues?