Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Luke sat, very nervously, on a park bench under a big tree. He was facing a small duck pond, watching them swim about as he bounced his leg.
He decided to wear a backwards baseball cap and sunglasses; it was a particularly hot day in Sydney so he stuck to shorts and a tank top.
His phone was clutched in his hand; if his grip was any tighter he'd snap the device. He couldn't remember the last time he was actually this nervous. Maybe the first few times he played on a big stage in front of a massive audience, but that was almost always over once they started to play.
But out here, in the open, there was no audience or help from his band mates, he was on his own.
He tapped his screen, hoping that Val would have sent him another message, but she hadn't. The last message she had sent was confirming his location and telling him that she'd be there in ten minutes. That was twelve minutes ago.
Just before he could start panicking for real, he heard movement on the gravel pathway behind him. He stood up, nearly dropping his phone and turned around.
"Oh my God, it's Luke Hemmings!"
This area of the park was particularly empty, so Luke didn't have to worry about anyone hearing her. He chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"For fucks sake, Val."
She laughed, tipping her head back. Luke admired her for a second, long tan legs and beautiful black hair. She was wearing a tight gingham dress, white sneakers and a cropped denim jacket in her hand. She walked the last few steps it took to get to him and nearly bounced into him.
She stood up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck.
It shocked Luke at how natural that felt.
He embraced her back, tucking his head into the crook of her neck, his arms enclosing around her back. "Hi," She mumbled into his chest, shamelessly smelling his shirt. It smelt like clean laundry and the beach, and she loved it. "Hey." He laughed softly, pulling away even though everything inside him told him to hold her tighter.
"Do you wanna sit down?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck as she admired the ducks and then cooed at the ducklings. She nodded, looking back at him. His knees nearly gave in.
They sat on the bench, talking and joking and teasing each other for two hours. Luke then asked her if she'd like to grab some ice-cream, wanting any excuse to spend more time with her.
She accepted his offer, and the pair made their way back to their cars.
More talking, more joking, more teasing.
He put his arm around her shoulders, his tall frame a massive difference to her small one. He would pull her closer into him if they had to make space for someone sharing the pathway with them.
When they reached their cars, they agreed on which ice-cream they were going to, and Val couldn't help but hug him. He let out a deep laugh, embracing her. His long arms wrapped around her neck, and he placed his cheek on the top of her head.
"Race you there!" Luke called over his shoulder after making sure she got into her car safely, "You're on!" She laughed, buckling her seatbelt.
After that afternoon, they spent nearly every day together for two weeks—the day only coming to an end when Val had to leave to meet up with Leo or Connor or Matt. It still annoyed Luke that he had to share this amazing woman with three other people, but there wasn't really anything he could do about it.
For now.
Things between the pair had changed; they definitely had feelings for each other. They'd met each other's friends, gone to parties together, Luke even featured in a few of her TikTok videos.
He wasn't about to give up on her, on the girl of his dreams. The girl he fell for while watching her through short videos on an app.
