cool » l. hemmings

xiii.

GUYS WE HIT 1K IM SO LAME TYSM

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Today was a special day. It was a special day because it was no different from any other day of my life; spent waiting in the hallways of school for the bell to ring so I can sulk my way to the always boring lessons I was forced to attend.

I was equipped with my normal pair of bags - Prada, only I can't afford the real thing. Nor do I want it. So I've settled for the bags under my eyes.

Falling asleep only two hours before I was meant to wake up for school wasn't such a good decision on my part, seeing as I've already fallen asleep in two of my classes today. I've also gotten yelled at, and threatened of a detention - which I managed to bribe my way out of with promises I wasn't going to keep.

"Why do you look so dead?" Luke, who had made a habit of finding me by the tree I was at the other day, released a laugh while he sat next to me against the old tree.

"I'm pale enough to pass as dead," I said. My head leaning against my knees, I felt the wind blow my sorry mess of hair across my face. "So yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"Yesterday. Who's this girl?" I asked him, my head turning from one side to the other to look at him.

He looked down at the grass while he kicked at nothing and let out a small laugh. "Just a girl."

Well yes, I knew that much. Just a girl that could get you away from another girl who everyone in this town should probably hate by now and whoever 'just a girl,' was, I going to have to congratulate her on actualy managing to do so. But if he wasn't going to tell me, I'm not going to make him. I probably should, because that's what friends are for, really, but I don't feel the effort today.

"Anyway, I think we need to go on an adventure."

"An adventure, sounds exciting." My fingers picked at the grass like usual, and there was a growing bald patch on the ground now thanks to me, getting bigger each lunch period I was sat here; which was every lunch period.

Luke's head was against the tree and his hands were occupied with playing with a loose piece of bark that had fallen off of it. "Well, not really. I was planning on taking you to this one place I used to go to somewhere close to here."

"Where?"

He shrugged. "Just somewhere."

"You're taking me to a-whole-nother part of Australia and you're just telling me it's somewhere?"

"I mean, yeah. You don't seem like the type of person to worry if I'm going to murder you, right?"

I'm not that cliché girl in the books, no, but I was only worried about not getting back in time to pick up Grady, and I really wasn't going to let Luke miss another day of picking up his brother as well. "We'll never get back in time to pick up our brothers."

"Oh, I know. We're going tomorrow. I promise I'll choose good road trip music," his joking tone took over his voice and he chewed on his lip.

Growing hopeful, I lifted my tired head excitedly. "The 1975?" Yes, I do love that band too much, probably.

You know one thing I've grown to like, a lot actually? The way Luke's eyes crinkle when he's got the type of smile that could turn into a laugh any second. He only seems to do it when I say something stupid, which happens a lot. "I may give them a try."

Quite honestly, I would be up for going right now if I weren't about ready to pass out right under the shade of this tree. I would totally go right at this moment if I wasn't practically on educational parole thanks to my mother.

The ring of the outdoor bell caused the scramble of teenagers to rush from where ever they were on the school grounds and toward the old, grumpy teachers who had just opened the door to let us inside to continue our forced education.

"I'm coming 'round yours tomorrow, be ready," Luke told me before standing up, pulling his book bag strap over his shoulder. He moved his hand up to help me stand up also, which I was grateful for since he witnessed me practically forget how to walk properly last week.

I mumbled a thanks and for the rest of this horribly tiring day I was left to brace through my remaining classes alone.

† † † † † † †

"Me and Michelle are going to that one place tomorrow, Ethan," Luke told his brother, who was sat playing a video game with Grady in our usual spot in my basement.

With Grady impatiently waiting for them to start the game again, Ethan looked at me and then immediately at Luke, puzzled. 'But you only go there when-'

"She can read your signing, idiot!" Luke moved his hands quickly and I tried not to fall off of the edge of the couch when I'd watched him hit his head too hard in his quick pace when he signed 'idiot,' and groaned.

Grady and Ethan beat me to the falling off the couch part, already clutching their stomachs.

Luke looked at me with a pout, still rubbing his forehead. "It wasn't that funny."

"Aw, Luke 's pouting! That's adorable." My attempts to not laugh failed when Ethan kicked what had just happened, over exaggerating and falling back onto the carpet when he'd hit himself. I fell from the ledge of the couch with my head landing on the very edge of Luke's lap, practically falling off of the couch. My back was turned to him as I fell, landing on my side and feeling Luke's knee digging into my ribcage.

Repositioning myself so I was looking up and in a more comfortable position, Luke still sat pouting while me, Grady, and Ethan stopped laughing. "You have bony knees." Not to mention that his knees were exposed in his jeans today.

"And you have...sleepy eyes?" he failed to come up with a comeback quick enough and poked at my cheek.

"Hey, sleepy eyes and bony knees," I laughed to myself.

"What?" his head tilted and his left eyebrow raised.

"Real Friends!"

"Well, I would hope we were."

"You are the literal biggest idiot in all of Australia." Finding this the perfect moment to make fun of him again, I mimicked his signing and head hitting from earlier.

He just about pushed me of the couch and into Ethan, who was sitting directly in front of us and now getting back to video games with Grady. "At least I'm not from Canada."

"I happen to be a great Canadian. So loyal to my country that I'm immune to even getting the accent of your people." I was still resting my head on his lap, too lazy and still too tired to even move from the more than comfortable position. "So what about this place is so secretive?"

Luke shrugged and continued to absent mindedly poke at my face. "Nothing, honestly. It's what about the place is so special, though."

"So why is it special?" I think this is the first time I've ever actually been close to Luke without goosebumps. I still have no idea why I get those.

Again, the blonde boy moved his broad shoulders in a shrug and told me not to worry.

"I think I've got a ninety-nine-point-nine percent chance of being murdered by you tomorrow."

"Maybe."

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ok so i just wanted to say that this is a rlly confusing book but i guess it's kind of supposed to be that way bc if you haven't noticed their friendship is kind of weird to begin with and it progresses in weird ways idk man i am a horrible piece of human garbage goodbye friends