Underneath The Same Sky (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 26: Nicholas Sparks

Luke’s POV:

“You’re up early,” I heard Calum murmured under his sheets. It was a Saturday morning.

“How did you know?” I asked, knowing it was a stupid question and would only irk Calum. I heard Calum shuffle on his bed and threw his duvet at me.

“Your video game is so loud!!!!” Calum yelled as he stood up to retrieve his duvet as I threw it on the floor. I guffawed because it was true. I woke up an hour earlier than usual but since the slacker is still asleep, I decided to play video games on my own.

“Have you taken a bath?” Calum asked as he checked his wardrobe for his outfit of the day. Sometimes he remind me of my mother.

“Yeah, so hurry up if you don’t want to miss that sale!” I informed him. This is probably the first time Calum and I woke up before 10 on a weekend. And it’s all Calum’s fault. There’s gonna be a huge sale in one of the records store in the mall, it’s not like Duke and Darry’s so I’m not that excited but hey, if they slash the prices of the album I like, why the hell not?

Calum dashed out to get into the shower and I continued my game.

A few minutes later, Calum was back in fresh, new clothes and a dripping wet head.

“What are you waiting for, you slowpoke? Hurry up!!!” he screamed as he tactlessly destroyed our table where we kept almost everything from car keys to dorm keys to phones and guitar picks.

I chuckled. I’ve never seen Calum be this excited over a sale.

…………………………………………..

“Found anything you like?” Calum asked me an hour later as he carried the stack of the albums he liked.

“Woah, that’s a lot! Do you even like some of them?” I raised my eyebrow at him. There was an album with a man in a tux and his mouth was wide open.

Calum tried shrugging but failed at it, “No, but they knocked off 50% of the original price and I just can’t put it back and it will be good as exchange gifts for Christmas,”

I chuckled and checked the rack. This record store is completely different from Duke and Darry’s. First, this store looks like a storage room, it’s so grimy that it looks like nobody has been here for years. And there were only four people inside, Calum and I, the old man behind the cash register and a lady with multiple piercings.

“Hey Cal, I’ll be across this store, okay? I’ll be back for you!” I yelled over my shoulder as I dodged out of the way of the lady who was checking out a rock album.

I got out of the store faster than I can get out of Maths class. I wandered this part of the mall for a few minutes when I spotted someone that looked overly familiar.

I walked over to that store, which is a phone store. I stared at the glass that separates us and sure it was, it was Teddy. She was talking to a saleslady who was making hand gestures with the little phone she’s holding.

Finally! Teddy’s finally getting her phone! I decided this was the perfect time to intrude. It was perfect because there were only like six people inside.

“Hey Teddy! I didn’t see you there!” I called out nonchalantly. I sauntered over her with a huge smile on my face.

Instead of being greeted by that lit-up Christmas tree smile I just saw last night, I was greeted by a scowl and a stressed out face.

“Oh, hey Luke,” she said as she returned her attention to the saleslady.

I moved next to her and whispered, “Are you alright?”