You Only Live Once | lrh

1.7

L U K E

I blink, trying to remember where I am. I feel a warm body beside mine, and I look down to see Ember. Her hair is a mess, but she still looks beautiful. I brush her hair behind her ear, wanting to see her face better. She makes a noise, moving a bit in my arms before settling down again. I fumble for my phone in my pocket before pulling it out to check the time. 9 pm. We'd decided to watch movies and apparently passed out. The TV, luckily, was turned off by either her or me, although I don't remember who. I don't have any texts from the guys, so I decide to just go back to sleep. I'm too comfortable to move, anyway.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

"WHAT?" Ember screams, crashing to the floor with a thud. She shrieks, and I quickly get up, only to trip over my own feet and crash to the floor on top of her. "Luke!" she complains, shoving me off her.

"Sorry," I say sheepishly, managing to get to my feet. My eyes meet a woman's, and I swallow nervously. Her brown hair hangs in waves around her shoulders, and she has bright green eyes, quite different from Ember's soft brown ones. Even so, it's clear that she's Ember's mother.

"Luke Hemmings. What the fuck are you doing in my house." It sounds like a statement, and I glance at Ember. She looks panicked, and it doesn't take a genius to know she hadn't told her parents about me.

"I'm her boyfriend?" I say, tilting my head to the side nervously.

"Ember!"

Ember jumps, and her mother comes up to us, passing me and standing in front of Ember. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You weren't here. It's not something to tell you over the phone," she responds, and I shift from foot to foot, unsure of what to do.

Ember's mother turns to me. "I swear to god, if you got her pregnant—"

"Mom!" Ember exclaims, a horrified expression on her face.

"It's my job to worry about the creatures around my daughter," she replies. "Especially male creatures in bands," she adds, narrowing her eyes at me.

"I assure you, this male creature has not impregnated your daughter," I say, making her laugh.

"Luke!" Ember hisses, clearly embarrassed.

"Just stating the facts here," I respond, raising my hands innocently. Ember's mother laughs harder, and Ember groans.

"I like you more already," she laughs.

"Thank you, Mrs. ... um," I trail off, not remembering Ember's last name.

"Call me Rachel," she replies, and I smile.

"Thank you, Rachel."