Duplicity (Luke Hemmings AU)

Twelve

Katherine giggled and threw her arms around Ashton's neck, causing him to flinch. We were currently cooped up in my room playing cheesy card games. Katherine was spending the night with me, and Ashton was staying until late. My parents were never keen on having a boy sleep over at my house. It's not like I would be the one doing anything, anyway.

"I forgot how to play crazy eights." I laughed as Katherine and Ashton pulled apart. It was good to see their little no strings attached relationship was becoming finally stable. I guess Katherine finally realized she was capable of feelings for Ashton.

"We should skip it, then. How about a nice old game of spin the bottle?" Katherine suggested.

"No. You'll just end up making out with Ashton the whole time." I was much more comfortable with their relationship than I had been previously.

"What about truth or dare?"

"You'll just dare Ashton to make out with you."

"If I choose dare." Ashton interjected.

"Shut up." I stifled a bubble of laughter. "What about would you rather?"

"Okay." The two agreed simultaneously.

"I'll go first." Katherine said. "Raelynn, would you rather," she thought about it for a minute, "date Luke or screw Luke?"

"Isn't there an option without Luke?" I wrinkled my nose. Not that I really minded that much.

"If there was another option I would have said it." Katherine snorted.

"Fine, date Luke. I don't screw around with people." I mumbled.

"Right." Ashton blushed. The whole s-word topic was becoming awkward, especially with the two friends with benefits sitting in the room.

"Anyway," I laughed nervously, "Ashton, would you rather eat a banana with sprite, or throw up."

"Won't I just throw up both times?" Ashton scratched his head.

"Exactly the point of the question." So far, this game wasn't working out too well. I glanced at the clock. 9:57. It was going to be a long night. A part of me wished I could talk to Luke, because deep down I knew I genuinely enjoyed talking to him. Out of all of my friends, he was the one who equated me in everything. We could ask each other for help; it wasn't simply one way. I liked that we could talk about things my other friends had no interest in. I liked that he took interest in talking to me, even if half of it consisted of teasing. It was the good kind of teasing, though, and he often said things that made my insides tingle in the best way possible.

"I would rather just throw up. I don't want to have to anticipate it." Ashton finally answered. "Katherine, would you rather make out with me, or make out with Luke."

"You." Katherine said. "I don't like Luke's lip piercing."

"Why?" I asked, before I could stop myself. "Your ex-boyfriend had one."

"Exactly why I don't like Luke's. Bad memories."

"Raelynn's just asking because she finds Luke's to be hot." Ashton smirked at me.

"No, I don't like piercings." It wasn't a total lie, I personally did not find any appeal to a bunch of facial piercings, but Luke's lip ring made the edgy side of his personality come out more. I think it made him more confident, and confidence was worn well on him.

"Of course you don't, Luke's an exception." Ashton said. He was right, of course. Luke was the exception. It worried me, that I liked him so much. In fact, I liked him so much I was denying it to everyone, including myself. There was no way Luke could like me back. I was me and he was him. He could get people more suited toward him. He could get someone much smarter and more beautiful and kind than me, and I had to say, it broke my heart. I wanted him to like me, but it was improbable. I wasn't up to his standards.