The Stepbrother // Luke Hemmings

I Forgot

The ringing had started up again. Peeling back the covers, I snaked an arm out to grab it. Calum's name spread across the screen and without thinking twice, I right-swiped my thumb across the glass; answering it.

I didn't realize what I had actually done until it was too late. Calum's voice came clear and rushed through the speaker, "Luke? It's almost seven, where the hell are you, man?"

I cleared my throat, feeling rather awkward and almost as if I had invaded Luke's privacy. For a moment, I considered just hanging up, but then I realized that he'd only call back. Plus, it wasn't as if Calum was a stranger. Not anymore, at least. 

"Hello, Luke, would you stop messing around? Where are you?"

"Hey, Calum," I muttered, left with no other option but to speak. "It's Annie, actually. Not Luke."

The line went silent for a minute; a blatant pause in the conversation. Then, Calum coughed, "Oh," he sounded unsure. Annoyed, even. "Well, what are you doing with Luke's phone?

I debated in my mind for a good five seconds on how to respond. "He's in the bathroom. You called twice, so I answered." When he didn't respond, I pressed on, "Well, how are you? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is just ... chipper." A small laugh accompanied his statement; dry and completely without humor. Then, just that fast, he cut himself off, back to business. "Do you know when he's gonna be done? In the bathroom, I mean."

"Nope," I shrugged, even though he couldn't see me. "He said a minute, but that was minutes ago. Do you maybe want to leave a message?"

"A message?" Calum repeated. The line phone went silent, and for a moment I thought he'd actually hung up on me. But then he sighed, loud and irritable, "Fine, sure. Just tell him that someone needs to see him right away, and for him to get here ... and it's urgent."

I couldn't help myself, "Who?"

Pause. Then, "It's not my place to tell. Just tell him that. Please. Nice talking to you, Anastasia." This time, when the line went silent again, it was because he'd really hung up. I stared at Luke's phone screen, now set back to his lock screen, and I switched it off before settling it back on his nightstand.

Despite myself, I wondered who wanted to see Luke, where he needed to go and why Calum had sounded so reserved. Could it have something to do with Calum's job at the hospital? Only, the thoughts didn't linger for long, as the door pushed open and Luke quickly slipped inside. He smiled, whispering, "That was longer than a minute, I know. I brushed my teeth."

His hair was still messy from sleep, some flat on one side and the rest staticky and sticking up on the other. On cue, almost as if he could read my thoughts, he reached up and sifted a large hand through the disheveled, blonde locks; hurrying over to me.

Immediately, I shuffle over and pull the duvet back, inviting him into bed beside me. Luke doesn't hesitate. All too casual, he reaches over his shoulder and drags his t-shirt off over his head in one swift movement; discarding it on the floor and sliding in beside me. 

"I don't remember going to sleep with you last night." He starts, wrapping one arm around me. His head rests flat against my stomach, legs intertwining mine. 

"I may have snuck my way in here this morning. You don't mind, right?"

"Not if it means you being the first beautiful thing I get to see when I wake up." His hand rests on top of my bare thigh underneath the cover and he traces large, 'L' shaped patterns on my skin.