Hoodwinked | Calum Hood AU

18.

Walking into Ashton's with my hand in Luke's is completely different to the last time I came to one of these parties. Before, I was just another face lost in the crowd but tonight, I'm the girl that managed to get Luke Hemmings to settle down. 

And apparently people want to know this girl.

"Hey, you're Ruby, right?" Ashton himself greets us, handing over two red cups of cocktail mix. Luke immediately discards his on the side table in the hallway but I eagerly drink half of mine down in one gulp, taking advantage of the fact that I'm not staying at home tonight.

"The one and only," I laugh, trying to let Ashton know that it was a joke.

"So I hear," Ashton grins at me for another second and then turns to Luke. "You better look after her, man. You've got yourself a good one." And then he turns around to talk to a group of boys who look like they graduated last year.

As we continue walking through the party to the backyard, my head's still spinning that Ashton actually spoke to me, and that he told Luke that I was a good one.

"He doesn't even know me," I say to Luke, finishing off my drink. When I look up, Luke smiles at me like, I told you so, and for the first time this entire fake relationship doesn't seem like a waste of time.

By the time we get out to the backyard, I've got another drink in my hand courtesy of another one of Luke's friends that came to introduce himself to me. We keep moving past the pool to a vacant patch of grass where three poolside couches have been pushed. On one is Michael, Heath, a few guys I don't recognise and perched on the other couch, Calum.

He's wearing black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt, which is practically his unofficial uniform but I notice something different about him as well.

"You cut your hair!" I'm saying before I can catch the words. The other boys turn to face Calum, gazing over the fringe that stands out against the rest of his hair which has been cut shorter.

Calum looks kind of uncomfortable as everyone stares at him which makes me feel bad but also sort of surprised. I thought he'd be used to being the centre of attention and the fact that he isn't kind of makes me love him more.

Luke introduces me to the other boys but their names blur along with their faces. The only person sticking to my senses tonight is Calum. He sits quietly, sipping his drink occasionally but mostly staring out into space, his jaw tense and a slight frown above his eyebrows. I could stare at his beauty all day...

"Another drink, baby?" Luke asks, squeezing my thigh with his hand. Our eyes meet and like a lot of times lately, our faces are so close together.

The totem lights that surround the pool reflect off of Luke's lip ring and it makes me think of how the metal felt against my own lips when he kissed me outside Calum's house the day that I dropped him off.

I think Luke says my name but it gets lost on me as I suddenly launch forward and put my lips to his. I feel him hesitate for a moment but then his hand is on my cheek and he's opening his mouth, allowing our tongues to meet.

He pulls away from the kiss first and the other boys start cheering with encouragement and making suggestive sounds. "Can I have that drink now?" I giggle into Luke's ear, and he nods before heading inside with my empty cup.

"You've got him wrapped around your finger," Michael slurs, his eyes out of focus as he directs his attention to me. "It's fucking hilarious."

I lean against the pool lounge, vaguely aware of Calum staring at me. My cheeks are hot from the alcohol and the kiss with Luke, and there's something in the warm air that makes me feel invincible to everything. "Hilarious?"