The Stepbrother // Luke Hemmings

Can We Talk?

     My stomach twists. "What do you mean?"

     "It's just I—"

     "Calum, plea—"

     "Luke was the one that sent me over to talk to you, alright?"

    Wait, what? Suddenly red-faced and self-conscious, my eyes anxiously cut to the backyard in search of the blonde-haired boy. When I find him, he's standing alone at the bar, solemnly circling a straw around a full glass. Besides me, Calum steps up to the deck railing and leans over it; his forearms pressing against the ledge.

    "At dinner, he saw you sitting at the pool alone. You had already made it clear that you didn't want to be near him at the rehearsal, so he asked if I could check on you, instead."

    "But ... that doesn't explain why?"

    "What do you mean, why? He cares about you, he's been going insane these last few days."

     Bowing my head, I kick my toes against the wooden flooring and scoff. It's an asshole thing to do, especially after hearing that, but I can't help it. "Oh, yeah? I couldn't tell between the glasses of champagne he was happily gulping down earlier."

     "Don't be so naive, Annie," Calum announces, seemingly disappointed in my response. He turns his head over his shoulder to look at me. "That's just a front. There's not a day that goes by that he doesn't talk about you."

     A cozy, tingly sensation settles deep in my stomach and I flush. Could that mean he misses me too? On cue, Calum voices, "He misses you", practically reading my mind. "He just wants to know you're okay."

     "I'm fine."

    Brown eyes narrow. "Right."

     Frustrated, I wrap my arms around myself and I pad over to join him at the ledge. "Okay well, in two weeks, I will be."

     "What does that mean?"

     And maybe it's the emphatic way that he's staring at me, like, he truly understands what both his best friend and I are going through, but suddenly, I'm not so embarrassed. I clear my throat, "Once our parents are married, we won't have a choice but to stay away from each other. It's a win/win."

    "A win/win," Calum repeats. He nods. "For your mom and Andrew? Sure. But you and I both know that's not what you and Luke want."

    "We don't have a choice."

  He scoffs. "I'm sorry, but that's bullshit."

    "Excuse me?"

    "Everyone has a choice." His hand reaches out, quickly cupping mine. "Talk to Luke before you make that decision on your own. You're only one half in this." Then he pushes himself up off the ledge and starts towards the stairs.

    When I turn my eyes back out to the bar, Luke's gone.

—

    "This is the last one," I quietly call out, stepping forward with a folding chair cradled against my chest.

    It's the end of the night, the adults have decided to move their afterparty to some downtown nightclub, and Luke, Bryana, and I are on clean-up duty. Usually, I'd complain. But after the emotional exhaust that I've experienced today, focusing my thoughts on something other than well, my thoughts, really doesn't seem like too bad of an idea.

    From where he's standing in the driveway, Luke turns to me and gingerly takes the chair from out of my hold. For the past hour, we've kept our conversation minimal, only talking when necessary, and when necessary, keeping it nothing short of cordial. Like now. Blue eyes glance up at me, and Luke mutters a mere, "Thanks."