CHANGE - Book 1 (A Luke Hemmings Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

~~~ Chapter 17 ~~~ Aimee's POV

The throbbing inside my head had stopped. The dizzy sensation had left me. The feeling off blood in my hair no longer weighed down my curls.

My eyes fluttered slowly open. I could here the faint hum of news reporters in the distance and the gently buzz of crickets outside.

As my vision cleared, my eyes took in a high ceiling, decorated with long wooden beams. I looked around. I was in what seemed to be a lounging area.

My eyes rested on a figure dressed in black skinny jeans, a black hooded leather jacket and a black t-shirt. He was rolling his lip piercing in between his fingers and dreamily staring into nothingness. His blue eyes were unfocused and his body was hunched as he sat on the couch opposite me.

I tried to sit up when I realized I was with Luke and his head shot towards me. He instantly got up and began to come over to me, but I quickly slid off the sofa and darted out of the room.

A dizzy spell hit me at getting up too fast and my vision clouded. I felt myself sway and almost topple over, but two strong hands caught me.

"Whoa," said Luke, steadying me and standing me up. "Let's get you back to the couch."

I tried to wriggle out of his grasp. "Why have you kidnapped me!?" I growled.

He raised his eyebrows at me and laughed. "Do you remember what happened? Well you did hit your head so probably not..."

I felt confusion flood my head. "You found me?"

"Yeah. You were under the bridge and blood was coming out of your head. If you sit down I'll tell you more." Luke put his hands on my shoulders and bent his head to my height so he could look me in the eye.

"Mmm... fine." I obliged and he turned and, gripping my arm, led me back through the white framed door into the living room.

He seated my on the couch I had been sleeping on and sat down next to me. I felt my heart beat quickly, excitedly. A month ago I would have been thinking my dreams were coming true... Then Michael told me everything, changing my mind about Luke.

"My Dad fixed up your head. It was a gash with a couple of splinters in, but he managed to move your hair out the way and clean it up. He also gave you some pain killers. Do you feel any better?"

Graciousness over came me. " Yeah I guess. Where is he? Your Dad? I should say thanks."

Luke shook his head. "He went up to bed. It's-" he looked at what must be a clock on the other side of the room, "two forty-six in the morning."

"Geez," I said and tried to get up again but Luke guided me back into a lying position. "Luke, listen. I need to go. I shouldn't be here with you at all."

"Do you think your parents are wondering where you are?" he asked, his voice flat.

For a second, I was about to reply yes but then remembered where they were. "No. They're in Canada."

"Why didn't they take you?"

"They're marine biologists. The Orca Rescue centre in Sydney has set up a branch in Alaska so my parents went to help with the rehabilitation."

Luke's eyes were excited for a minute. "I love whales. My dad used to take me with him when he went surfing but I always went to search for whales." He smiled at the memory.

"Did you ever surf?" I asked.

"I look like I can surf but I can't according to my friend." Luke grinned.

Never before had I wanted to kiss those pale pink lips of his more than now, curved upwards in a smile.

I laye my head back down on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. "I can't be here Luke."

He bent over me and looked down at my face. His eyes were sad but slightly angry. "Why? Because you believe what Michael told you?" Luke looked away angrily.

I propped myself up on my elbows, glaring at him. "I suppose you have another explanation as to what happened?"

He shook his head, laughing coldly. "If you had given me the chance to tell you maybe you wouldn't have hit your head and been here in the first place." I could see he regretted the words as he said them.

"Oh so you don't want me here? You seem to want me all for yourself though." I swung my legs over the side of the couch and marched out of the room.

"Aimee come back," his voice was whiny.

"Nope." I found the front door and was turning the handle when Luke came up behind me and wrapped two arms around my waist. He rested his head on my shoulder and turned his lips to my ear. His breath tickled down my ear and my body seemed to catch fire.

"Sorry," he whispered. "come back and I'll tell you what really happened."

I sighed. "I don't want to know. All I know is one of you is going to be lying." I wriggled out of Luke's arms, even though I wanted to stay in them forever.

"How can you know which one of us is lying if you don't even here the whole story!" Luke's eyes were desperate, he clearly didn't want me to believe Michael.

"You've got four minutes starting now." I crossed my arms.

Luke looked panicked. "Um okay well. You must have told Michael that I was flirting with you that day in Drama because I was putting my books in my locker when he came up behind me and slammed me into the lockers. He was shouting at me saying that I was messing with you on purpose. Then he was like attacking me and saying I caused the you know what on your wrist-" he looked at me to check if I was okay and I nodded, "and then said some cruel stuff about me wanting to kill every girl. Look I know it's not the clearest of explanations but I didn't memorize the thing. You have to believe me."

"Okay." I said quietly.

"What?" He asked, surprised.

"I believe you."

I still was unsure but the desperation in his voice made me sway automatically to his side. Luke was telling the truth. I knew it.

He put his arms round me. "Thanks."

I buried my face into his chest. He smelled amazing, like the beach: the sun, the sea, the sand. He was so warm too. It felt so nice to hug him.

"Let's get some rest." He pulled out of the hug, linked his hand with mine and guided me to the couch once more