The Only Exception • Luke Hemmings

Twenty Three

"No..?" I blush.

"Right,"

Finally I turn to face Luke and he mirrors my actions, smirking still from how red I was clearly still lighting up like a tomato. I'm glad he found humor in all of this, after all, I am only about to basically ruin my entire life for some guy.

The thing is, Luke isn't just some guy. From the moment we had met I knew I was taken away by his irritating behaviour, his ability to make me feel like someone and his drop dead gorgeous self. In few months of knowing each other, I felt like it had been years. All of this just seemed completely irrelevant, allowing him to string me along like a lost puppy - but the truth is, I was fine with it.

"Look," Luke sighs, "I really don't care what your parents have to say, we're friends, do they really think I'd have bad intentions with you? Or any at all?" Luke chuckles, running a hand through his messy hair.

It took a moment to digest the words, but when I did - it stung. Perhaps I was fine with not being thought of as highly as he was in my thoughts, but I didn't need to hear it out loud - I didn't even need the thought of him having those thoughts in my mind. If he had no intentions with me, then what was I doing?

Luke slowly erases the smile from his face and gasps, realising his words, "I didn't mean it like that,"

I shake my head, not really knowing what to say and shrug it off, even though in my head it hadn't gone away, "It's fine, I get it,"

"I swear, Fran, I meant I-"

"Frances?"

I close my eyes for a split second, hoping this wasn't happening in such bad timing. Not only had I felt like I had now been betrayed and dumbly strung along, I now had to explain to my mum why Luke was with me on the doorstep after a night that I had gone missing consequently I was sleeping with Luke on a beach.

Luke looks to me quickly and I snap my gaze to him and then back to my mum. Considering I had been missing all night, she hadn't been concerned enough to not put her make up on and put her hair curlers in. Perhaps this was a little more awkward with Luke and I on the pathway to the doorstep and my mum at the door wearing a pink dressing gown and hair curlers.

"Hey," I say dumbly, not really knowing what else to say.

My mum looks to Luke with a mixture of confusion and anger and then back to me, "I don't even think I want to know,"

I don't have any clue on how to respond, but before I'm giving the chance, Luke jumps in.

"I really don't think you do, love," Luke shrugs, his voice mimicking the asshole whom I had come across on a few occasions and didn't like it. Luke takes a step forward, as if he didn't have a care in the world and chews on his lip ring as I stand frozen in the background, "I have some family issues, so Frances is going to stay with me for the night, is that cool?"

My mum's mouth hangs agape in shock, as does mine slowly copy. This was one way to go about things, although not the right way. Luke was lucky my dad was at work, since I'm pretty sure he'd be on the ground by now. Although, by the fury in my mum's face and eyes and the blood boiling in her now red with anger skin, she looked as if she was going to pounce.

"Is that cool?" My mum's eyes widen, as her voice gets louder, "Is that...cool?!"

Luke doesn't seem fazed by my mum's anger as he just turns behind him, gives me a devilish wink, before turning back to my angered mum, "Yeah, that's what I said, this is awkward. You however didn't answer my question. I myself am no disrespectful being, therefore I did feel the need to just clarify this with the mother,"

My mum clenches her jaw and her fists as she steps out of the doorway, causing me to step back from things about to get ugly, and walks closer to Luke. Luke keeps his cool though, not moving an inch as I see him half smirk. God, he's an asshole.

"Let me tell you something," My mum snaps, "If a piece of filth like you ever considers going near my daughter again, I will tear you to pieces. Do you understand?"

Please say yes. Please say yes.

"Um, kind of," Luke shrugs, stepping back from my mum and running his hand through his hair as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, "I do have a few questions though,"

I don't even need to Luke to my mum to know she's enraged and my heart begins to pound from whatever the next new minutes were about to bring. I thought I had made it clear to Luke to go about things my way, clearly, Luke only has one way in his mind - his way.

"Get out of my house," My mum snaps, "Stay away from my daughter, keep your filthy hands to yourself and get some respect. Gosh, what did your parents teach you?"

Luke darkly chuckles, I'm guessing from the mention of his parents since it was a topic he didn't want to discuss, especially with my mum.

"Actually, I used some of Fran's hand gel stuff on the way here," Luke grins cheekily at his comment before allowing his grin to face, "Oh and as for the 'get out of my house' comment, I shall be leaving. Come on Fran,"

Luke turns to me as he begins to walk over to where I'm hidden behind the wall as my mum marches after him. Whatever was happening right now, was not going to end well. I felt awful for so many reasons. I felt bad for putting my mum through this and allowing Luke to act like this towards her and I felt awful for my feelings towards Luke, which didn't allow me to hate him right now.

"If you really think she's going with you, then you really do not know me," My mum shouts to Luke as she grabs my wrist quickly and begins to drag me away before I pull away from her grasp.

"Can we just talk about this?" I finally say, looking to my right to my mum and then to my left so I could see Luke.

"What's there to talk about?" Luke chuckles, "You're coming with me," Luke pauses as he looks to my face, clearly not showing signs of the answer he had wanted, "Right?"

Before I can answer my mum snaps, "No, she's not,"

I ignore whatever Luke is saying and walk to my mum, not really knowing where or what I was going to say. All I knew was if I was alone in a situations like this, which thank goodness I'm not, I wouldn't want Luke to leave me in a house so empty and alone - just like he's feeling inside. Perhaps Luke was an asshole, but I know the real him and I put faith into the fact that he's just an empty and lost boy.

"Luke needs me," I say to my mum and she only seems to get angrier as my calm voice doesn't help.

"Don't be so ridiculous, Frances, grow up," My mum rages in fury, allowing all the neighbours in on our argument on the front lawn, "Now get inside,"

I take a deep breath before shaking my head hesitantly, "Please," I plead.

"No!" My mum finally bursts as she cracks, her face bright red and her hands clenching with anger. I gulp as I turn to Luke, who all of a sudden looks just as shocked as I am.

"Luke, it's time for Plan B," I say as I skip over to him, with my mum still yelling towards Luke to get off her of lawn.

"Um, what's plan B?" Luke asks, scratching the back of his neck as he continues to soak in the words my mum is screaming.

"RUN!"

-

oooooooh shit

basically i feel like the chapters have been really shitty recently and maybe this is pretty shitty but i feel like its a bit better than the previous ones idk?? also this chapter is shit going down and frances realising her feelings for luke but lukes basically an asshole still

btw i have 2 other fanfics that you should check out :)