Kill My Time | luke hemmings ✓

chapter twenty- eight

"That is adorable," I cooed as Crystal awed at the same time.

ME, 12:32PM | that was the cutest thing ive seen

LUCY, 12:34PM | i know. the person i paid to do it did a great job.

LUCY, 12:34PM | so, uh

LUCY, 12:34PM | did he like it?

ME, 12:36PM | like it? he's literally running around showing everyone

She stopped replying after that and Calum remembered he still had a gift for me under his arm. He left a group of people who shared looks with one another like he was crazy.

"This is for you," he said, bowing and holding out the package. I rolled my eyes at his theatrics and took the box.

"A bright red flannel?" I asked holding it up, examine it.

His cheesy grin never faded. "Now you and Luke can be that cute couple that matches one another," Calum said, Luke punching him in the shoulder for being so ridiculous. Now that I think of it, I vaguely remember seeing a tabloid with him wearing it before.

"Thanks, Calum for your weird gift," I honestly said, putting it with the others under the table Luke had hidden them.

Crystal grabbed my hand and pulled me towards people. "Come on, let's introduce you to people," she said, pulling me into the crowd with Luke holding onto the hack of my shirt so he didn't lose me.

How many people did Liz and Andrew invite? The house was a decent size and it felt like a cramped high school party. Names started to fly at me and I didn't remember a single one.

Luke had his arms around me, my back to his chest, and his chin on my head as we stood in a circle talking to one of his cousins. His thumb had slipped up my sweater and he was rubbing it in circles. Honestly, it was the only thing keeping me grounded in reality right now. I prepared for this, but the party was too overwhelming.

Plus, some of them were giving me dirty looks as if I was some sort of monster ready to snatch Luke away at any second. I knew it was because of his ex but it still made me uncomfortable.

After a while, I untangled myself from Luke in favor of going to the bathroom. Though, with all of these strangers I wished I had just held it instead. When I stepped out, I jumped as his cousin Tanner stepped in front of me.

He looked me up and down as if he was trying to figure me out. There was nothing flirtatious-like about it, but it still made me shuffle back a bit. I had my hand on the handle of the bathroom in case I needed an out. The thought flashed in my mind only because I didn't know him well. Luke's cousin or not.

"Can I help you?" I asked, clearing my throat, trying to keep it steady.

"I'm just sizing you up that's all," he nonchalantly stated, my eyebrows knitting together.

"For what?" I asked, a little waver breaking in my voice.

He laughed as if I asked a dumb question. "Well my cousin's last girlfriend was kind of ruining his life and I've decided that I wasn't going to let that happen again."

"Well, who Luke wants to date is up to him. Now if you'll excuse me," I said, trying to move past him but he stepped with me. "I'm not that type of person."

I didn't mean to snap but now he was making me feel trapped. "I don't know you so I don't believe you."

"If Luke's best friends don't have a problem with me, then you shouldn't wither," I replied, a little bite to my tone.

"Just remember, he had to cheat on his ex to realize how unhappy he was. Just keep that in mind," Tanner snapped before leaving me alone, paralyzed.

Luke did what now?