lyrical ➸ hemmings

Chapter Seven>>>Bro Time

[INFORM ME OF ANY TYPOS; THIS WAS DONE AT MIDNIGHT]

The same thoughts kept spinning around inside of my head for the next couple of days. Did I do something wrong? Were all of my jokes finally getting annoying? All I knew is that I made a fool of myself by moving too fast and acting as if me and Cass were actually a couple. Ever since I dropped the team back off at the studio, she didn't respond to my texts, and when I stopped by to see if everything was alright there was no answer at the front door.

"Hey Lukey," I heard the familar voice of my older brother, Jack, and turned around to face him standing inside of my bedroom. I wasn't expecting company so my room had dirty laundry all over the carpeted room. Hopefully mom didn't come.

"What are you doing here, Jack?" I questioned as he made his way over to me, kicking over some cluttered clothing items as he did so. He wasn't that much of a suck up, so I wasn't all too worried about him mentioning my living conditions to my mother. Unlike Ben.

"Just checking in to see how things are going," he replied and looked around at the few pieces of artwork I had decorating the wallpaper.

"Oh, okay. Do you want to grab a bite to eat while you're here?" I asked as I heard my stomach make another inhuman noise. Now that I think about it, I can't remember the last time I ate today or even yesterday.

"You know I can't pass up a good calorie filled pasta dinner, mate." He laughed at me and I nodded while grabbing my lightweight jacket.

The car ride to Olive Garden was pretty quiet as I let the music do all the speaking. The giant sign came into sight and I silently prayed as I would probably pass out if I had to wait another minute. I'm probably exaggerating but at the same time i've never been more excited to stuff my face.

After both of us had ordered off the menu, I decided that I should just get the small talk over with. Jack must've been thinking the same thing because nearly a few seconds later he started up a conversation.

"So.. any girls in your life?"

"I guess you could say so," I thought. I spend almost three days a week with a room full of women so if Cass didn't count then they did.

"Anyone in particular?" He asked and if I could rip that smirk off his face, believe me, I would.

"Well there's this girl I really fancy but she's been showing zero interest in me lately."

"The female species can be so confusing sometimes. On a side note though, there's no one you would totally miss if you had to leave here. Excluding Michael and Ashton, obviously." I thought about what he said for a moment but concluded that my life was at a low point because there was not a single person I could think of besides Cass. Although someone who doesn't even respond to your texts hardly counts as a friend.

"No one that I can think of,"

Lies.

"Well that's good." He responds and continues to fidget with the plastic straw inside his glass.

"What are you getting at here?" I ask because clearly something has been bothering him all night.

"Um, this is hard to say, lad," Jack started and my breathing almost stopped entirely, "We wanted to know if you would like to join us and move back to Australia after this summer. None of us are too fond of America and figured you'd be the same." Well, besides leaving Ashton and Michael there would really be nothing for me to lose since my acting career is on a downward spiral. I'm sure they would like a fresh start anyway.

"I'll think about it. Give me a few days," I replied and he put his lips in a flat line and slowly nodded, making his way to the door. Maybe I will stay, if a certain brunette would talk to me that is.

[A/N surprise I'm actually the certain brunette]

-

I rub my eyes as I step into the somewhat empty studio and put down my bag and freezing plastic cup of iced coffee.

"Mr. Hemmings, what are you doing?" A quite small girl asks as I begin writing on the clean whiteboard in the front of the studio. Finally, once in my life I am actually doing something for a person besides myself; getting these girls the practice they all deserve.

"My job," I respond as the rest of the team comes in and begins stretching their legs on the floor. I begin to hear whispers flooding around the room as they read the routines on the board. Maybe surprised that they're not just going to be doing jumping jacks or something like that. It eventually dies down as I turn to face them, nervously nudging at the ring on my lip as they stand up slowly.

"Alright, there's going to be some changes around here starting today. I did some research and set up a kind of advanced number since you all seem pretty fit." I say and regret the last part as they begin to snicker like little girls. That's when I notice that Cass isn't in class today, which means I'm required to call her house, for totally professional reasons of course.

"Okay, have any of you seen Cassandra lately?" I ask and most everyone mutters 'no's and some are even confused to who I'm talking about. The ones who do must think I'm hooking up with her or something since I'm either always with her or asking about her. Now that I think I about it, I've definitely come off too strong, considering when I'm around her I always make perverted remarks or get caught staring at her. Referring to her face, obviously.

I look back to the class and they're all waiting for me to begin instructions. Let's just hope that Abby Lee Miller knows her stuff considering that she's my only source of knowledge.

-

After not hearing from Cassandra (yes, she was downgraded from Cass to strictly her proper name) for a consecutive four days, I decided that I should just make the call considering the only thing I ever look forward to is eating leftover pizza on my couch. Due to my harder assignments, the ladies are starting to strongly dislike me and throw me stink eyes whenever possible. I'm sure my absence will not be a huge impact on their lifes. Plus, they do deserve someone with an actual degree and not some teenage boy who used teaching as a backup plan.

I rubbed my palms against my glistening cheeks and took one last breath before taking out my phone and doing it.

"Hi, mom. I decided that I want to move to Australia after all.