Photographs (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 41

We got to the music shop, and Luke got out of the car faster than I had ever seen him move.

"Come on," he said walking quickly to the door. I had to jog lightly to catch up to him.I giggled at him as he pulled open the door to the shop. We walked in and there were hundreds of guitars lining the walls.

"Did you have anything in mind?" I asked Luke as I watched him admiring all the guitars.

"An electric, I just don't know which one," he said not taking his eyes off of the walls.

A man came and asked Luke if he needed any help, and Luke asked what his favorites were. While they talked about guitars, I walked around the shop aimlessly looking at all the guitars on the walls. I then scanned over some old albums they had framed on the wall behind the counter, some of them were even signed by the artist or band.

When I walked back over to Luke, he was handing the man a black electric guitar and trading it for a white one that was partially black. He sat down the stool next to him and began to play a few riffs.

I went to get my phone out of my back pocket, then realized I left it into the car. I knew that picking a guitar out would take some time, but I wasn't sure how much time. I was starting to get bored.

"I like it," I said with a smile after Luke stopped playing.

"Me too," he said smiling, and then playing a bit more.

"Did we decide?" the salesman asked.

"I think this is the winner," Luke said standing up and holding the guitar in hand.

"That's a good choice," the man smiled.

We followed the man to the counter, and Luke gave him the slip of paper that his parents had given him. The man scanned the sheet.

"You get a free case with this," he said looking up at Luke. "You can pick from over there," the man pointed.

A minute later, Luke came back with an all black case.

"You're good to go," the man said handing Luke a receipt. Luke thanked him and we were out the door.

"I'm excited," he said putting the case in the backseat of the car.

"I bet," I smiled as Luke pulled on his seat belt before leaving the parking lot.

"Remember the night I taught you how to play?" Luke asked.

"I do," I smiled at the memory.

"You've been practicing right?" Luke asked looking at me.

"Little bit," I said truthfully. I had been practicing more since Luke and I moved in together because I never had a guitar of my own when I lived with my dad. I could only play 2 songs, not very well of course but I was getting better slowly.

We drove towards the apartment, and I made a list of things we needed to do once we got to the community center where the party was being held.

We got back to the apartment, and I noted that the others should be here in twenty minutes. I didn't even realize how long Luke and I took at the guitar shop.

I walked in my room to freshen up before we had to leave again. I touched up my makeup before walking to the kitchen to grab a drink. I saw my headache medication on the counter so I put it in my purse just in case I were to need it tonight.

As the clock hit 4:30 I heard knocks on the door. I opened it to reveal Calum, Michael, Ashton, and Casey. Ally was going to meet us later.

I ushered them inside, and the boys went straight to checking out Luke's new guitar which he had sitting in it's open case on the couch.

-

The party had only started an hour ago, but I was sitting through my sisters speech. She was so nervous she wanted to go first and get it over with. She was the only one speaking about me, because no one else in my family wanted to stand in front of a crowd of people. My sister wasn't the public speaker type either, but my mom wasn't here to speak for my graduation like she did for my sisters. I think my sister felt sympathy for that. After all, my sister did play a big role in my childhood.

"So I hope you know how proud I am of you, congratulations," she said concluding her speech and I had gotten up to hug her.

Casey's mom was now talking, and slightly crying. Her getting emotional was something that was rarely seen. She talked for a few minutes, trying to keep it short and sweet.

After her mom was done, we took some pictures with family, and some group pictures with all our friends before the music was turned up.

"How are you feeling?" Luke said next to me taking a sip of his water bottle.

"Extremely exhausted," I said with a small smile. He slung his arm around my shoulder and kissed me quickly on the cheek.

"It was a long day," he said and I nodded in agreement. He then took my hand and led us to the table where our family and friends were sitting.

The night was full of music, pictures, and talking about my future. It made me feel very nostalgic and grown up. High school was over, and now I was being thrown into adulthood.

Before I knew it, I was saying goodbye to my relatives and telling them I would see them for Thanksgiving, even though in the back of my mind I knew that wasn't guaranteed.

After everyone left, I was left with Luke's family, my family, and Casey's family trying to clean up the community center before we turned the keys in. It was only 9pm, but I was ready to crawl in bed. It felt like today has lasted forever.

I was throwing the last of the plastic table cloths in the trash when Luke came over to me.

"Bailey sit down," Luke said continuing to clean up whatever was needed to be cleaned up. I sat down in a cold blue plastic chair and drank some water from the bottle Luke handed me.

"Are you alright? You look a little pale," Luke's mom asked rubbing my back slightly.

"Just tired. It was a long day, and I have a slight headache," I said with a small smile. I just felt tired, I had no motivation to do anything but lay in bed.

"We'll leave soon okay? I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind cleaning the rest of the place up," Luke smiled.

"That's the last of the stuff," my dad said walking into the building. He had just taken all the gifts and things we had brought to the party to our car.

"Thanks," I smiled at my dad.

I stared at the wall in front of me, zoning out from the tiredness that was taking over my body.

"Bailey?" Luke asked in front of me breaking my trance. "Bailey," he said again slightly waving his hands in front of my face.

I moved my eyes from the wall to meet his.

"Come on," he said picking me up into his arms.

-
A/N

People are asking me if I'm going to continue to write even after I finished photographs. Yes! I have some things coming your way very very soon. :-)