vanilla // lrh

seven

"What the fuck are you doing?"

My heart jumped out of my chest, leaving me standing completely lifeless and speachless. I wasn't ready for whatever cruelty he planned to spit at me.

He sat up from the couch, yawning.

"I-" I started, but I didn't know what to say.

'I couldn't stop thinking about you so I came in here to spy on you' didn't sound too good.

Instead of his typical harshness, he let out a laugh, a real laugh.

His laugh was loud, and his smile could make the world stop.

"Why are you not wearing any clothes?" He chuckled, nodding at me, as I remembered I was standing there just in my underwear and bra.

I wasn't at all flattered to see him looking at my body, I was embarrassed.

Not that I was ashamed of my body, but that he was laughing at me. I've never met a guy in my life that just glanced at the fact that there was a half naked girl standing over him. He barely acknowledged me.

"I couldn't sleep," I blurted, stumbling over my words.

Luke leaned over the table and grabbed the paper that I was reading, with the lines of words like poetry on it, and crumbled it into his pocket.

"You really need to learn to mind your own business," he said, but not in a snarky way, it was almost as if he was joking.

I shrugged nervously, biting the corner of my lip.

He laid back down on the couch, groaning sightly as he spread out his long body on the cushions.

"I'd like to sleep," he said, as I waited for one of his famous comments.

"Do you need someone to sleep with?" He asked, and I was so shocked I had to stop my mouth from falling to the floor. He didn't look at me when he said it though, just stared at his bare feet that were hanging off of the couch.

"I'm-" I started, but he interrupted.

"Not in like a sex way or a cuddle way or any of that," he retorted. "Just so you don't feel alone."

"I'll be okay," I managed. "I'm sorry for being a bother."

"It's fine," he said. "But you need to mind your own business and keep your mouth shut."

I nodded slowly, humiliated again.

"Go to bed," he said, calmly. "Sleep tight."

I turned around, and walked back toward my bedroom, the thoughts that I had been hoping to get rid of only growing.

**

When I woke up the next morning, or afternoon I should say, Luke was gone.

All that was left was a ripped corner from one of his papers that said 'Thanks'.

That was nice, I suppose.

I didn't have work today, and I decided I should visit Michael's- and help clean like I usually did.

"What died in here?" I hollared, opening the door, to the smell of sweat and vomit.

"Not to be a dick Els, but can you like quiet the fuck down?" Michael groaned from the couch, a hand supporting his head.

The apartment had pretty much cleared out, only two unfamiliar pairs of shoes remained, a pair of black vans and black sperrys.

"Sorry, Mike. Rough night?" I asked, knowing he had absolutely no intention of being rude, but that his head was pounding as loud as the usual music that carried through his apartment.

"It was a good one," he laughed, standing from the couch and walking over to me, as I grabbed a trash bag from under the kitchen sink and began filling it with empty cans.

"I think your friend sucked my dick."

"You think?"

"I don't really remember much," he chuckled. "She definitely wanted some though."

"She wants Calum, or at least she did." I told him, as he leaned over the counter and watched me clean up.

"He's not interested," Michael snorted, before adding that he wasn't really either, but he thought her 'party personality' was kind of hot.

"Did you end up taking that guy home?"

I laughed, briefly remembering the dark eyed boy that I ditched.

"No, no, actually I-"

"Oh fuck!" Michael screamed. "There were too many people here and someone fucked the drinks and I hope nothing happened, I-I put you in a room with Luke, cause I know he won't try-"

"It's okay," I assured him. "He didn't try anything, he slept on my couch, though."

Michael raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "Only Luke would sleep on your couch and not take you to bed."

Reminding me of the purple haired girl from Ashton's party, Michael and her alike both talked about Luke as if he had the social skills of a toddler, though Luke was hardly anything less than brutally honest (and sexy) any time he had spoke to me.

"What's up with him?" I ask, immediately regretting opening my mouth as I asked, remembering the exact way Luke's lips looked when he told me to stop opening my mouth so much.

Michael shrugged. "I just met him a few weeks ago,"

"He's fun and all, just kinda different."

"How do you mean different?"

I knew I shouldn't ask, but I was so curious. He was a puzzle I wanted to figure out.

"Sometimes he's quiet, sometimes he's not. Never really interested in girls, never drinks more than two beers."

I began to think of the list that I saw Luke had wrote last night.

I remembered that it said Psych, Pills, Boxing.

Boxing.

I imagined him taking out his anger, as I wondered if it was on a punching bag or a person. I wanted to know what he looked like when the aggression was released from him.

"Eloise! Hey!" I heard call, as I turned toward the doorway and saw a sleepy Ashton, still with a wide smile.

I smiled at him, as he approached me and Michael, leaning over the counter.

"I can't wait for the party tonight!" He shouted, his tired eyes widening with joy.

I thought of when Luke called him a drunk, and how maybe that was true. Maybe there was a good reason for Luke to blow up on Ashton like that, I wouldn't be able to handle a drunk roommate either.

"Dude, you need to go to psych tomorrow," Michael told him. "You're going to flunk if you keep missing."

"It's not just psych," Ashton laughed. "I haven't been to class in four days."

I smiled along with him, although I didn't find it humorous that he was taking his classwork for granted, I would've love to have to opportunity to go to school.

"I'm gonna run some errands," I said, excusing myself.

"Listen, Els, I'm sorry about last night. I'm glad you're okay," Michael smiled at me, as I left his apartment and headed out of the complex.

I began to concentrate on directions, mapping out the city in my head, trying to remember where the boxing gym was.