As Luke relaxed again, he leaned back in his chair, thus spreading his legs to my side of the table. He stretched, and I noticed his shirt rise above his waistline just a bit; I bit my lip and forced myself to turn my attention elsewhere.
"So," he said, letting out the breath of his stretch, "ever been to Australia?"
"Only vicariously, though my mom has wanted to go there for as long as I can remember." I restlessly tapped my fingers on the table top as I observed my surroundings once more.
"You're really not missing much. It's great, yeah, but a lot like parts of the States. We just have kangaroos and emu." Luke shrugged his shoulders and picked at the ends of his sleeves.
"Don't be modest. I've done projects on Australia, and nothing comes close to it. Plus, you have extremely pleasing accents." I tilted my head toward him with raised eyebrows as if to say I've got you beat.
"I think our accents are so annoying. You, you have a nice accent." Luke tried his best to immitate my accent, and I laughed at the attempt.
"Well, thanks." I made a weird shape with my lips and began to study Luke's shirt. I looked back up. "But for the record, yours is endearing."
"For the record," Luke mocked, again, in an American accent.
"But an endearing accent cannot rescue you from the annoyingness that is yourself." I pursed my lips and folded my arms as I held back a smile.
Luke nodded, his lips puckered, as he thought through his response. "You know what? I'll give you that one."
"I'll give you that one," I did my best Australian accent and felt my cheeks darken with the utter failure of it.
Luke squeezed his eyes shut, opening his mouth and throwing his head back in laughter. He sat straight again and rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger from the outer corner in. It was humorous, but I didn't expect this reaction-- though I'm not complaining.
"What?" Luke asked, growing conscious of himself.
I realized I had been staring and quickly darted my eyes away from him. "Sorry..." I mumbled.
"It's fine, really," Luke chuckled.
I was chewing on the inside of my cheek and looked up at him sheepishly, but I didn't speak.
"I think it's safe for me to say that I'm fortunate to have been trapped out here with you, who is actually rather calm, rather than some crazed girl who can't hold a conversation." Luke spoke softly, probably trying to bring me back from whatever just happened.
"Oh, I'm holding on for dear life." I mumbled quickly, not entirely making sense. I crossed my arms out on the table top and laid my head in them, my eyes just peaking above.
Luke bit back a smile and just sort of stared again. "Are you tired?"
"I could sleep," I admitted.
"But you won't. Because I'm easily bored but also, conveniently, easily entertained." He shrugged and flashed a charming smile.
I rolled my eyes and shifted my head slightly. "Then entertain yourself."
"Oh, I already did that today." Luke shot out but immediately regretted it.
I felt my face drain of color as his quickly filled in. "I..." I stuttered as I was at a lack for words. My mouth fell open, and I couldn't look away from him. He tried to shy into himself, but it didn't work.
"I am so sorry." He confessed with all the sincerity he could manage.
"I feel worse for you than I do myself," I sympathized. "But in good humor, the joke was pretty funny."
