gone ✧*｡ luke a.u.

24: august 4 2011

LUKE

MONDAY, AUGUST 4TH, 2011

By the time Ellie and Luke left the harbour, the cold had won; rain poured from the sky in icy torrents, sweeping the sidewalk clean as they ran for the car. At Luke's side, Ellie shrieked with laughter as she moved, her hair sticking to her face in dark, wet tendrils. Even then she looked beautiful.

He turned the heater on full blast when they finally managed to get in, both their clothes soaked with rain. He groaned, tugging on the ruined fabric of his black jumper. "This is gonna smell like wet dog."

Ellie smiled, catching her tongue between her teeth. He had never seen her look so bright. "Have you smelt these uniforms once they get wet? It's a whole new league of stink."

Luke snorted, then started to peel off his sweater. "This is disgusting," he muttered, the fabric clinging to his wet skin. The tank top he was wearing underneath was no less soaked, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the jumper, and it allowed the heat of the car to reach him.

Ellie laid her head back against the rest. "The heat is so nice," she murmured, closing her eyes. She had taken off her school blazer, but she was still in the heavy skirt and thick winter stockings; Luke couldn't even imagine how uncomfortable she must've been. "It was freezing out there."

He hummed his agreement, and they stayed like that for a few minutes longer, just letting the heat seep in to dry their clothes and warm their skin.

With a sigh, he slid in his key and switched on the ignition. "Where to now?" he asked her quietly, putting his arm over the back of her seat as he reversed from their park.

"I . . ." She trailed off slowly, frowning out the window. Her happiness had faded. "I don't know. I have nowhere to go."

"You could always come home with me," Luke suggested mildly, trying to pretend he didn't care as much as he did. "Mum would be happy to have you."

"No." She shook her head, running her fingers through her hair to loosen the heavy strands. "You don't have to."

"I want to."

"It's okay." She sent him a tight smile, but he could tell her heart wasn't in it. He didn't press her, just smiled back, glancing away when the sight of her became too much.

It had been killing him for the past few hours -- days -- how much he wanted her. He hadn't stopped thinking about it since Sunday night; even before that. It was driving him half-mad, this constant longing. But I don't wanna screw things up, he thought. She's just started warming up to me touching her; what if I kiss her and she runs again? He didn't think he'd be able to stand it.

"Luke?" she asked quietly, after they'd already been driving for ten minutes. He had no idea where he was going; he was just driving aimlessly through streets, trying his best not to think.

"Yeah?" He looked at her curiously, but she was staring out the window, watching the rainfall.

"Take me home." Her voice was little more than a whisper. "I'll have to go back there eventually."

"Ellie . . ." He shook his head slowly, desperate for her to glance over and meet his eyes. "She'll go crazy at you. I don't want her to hurt you."

"She won't hurt me, not physically." Ellie stayed completely still as she talked, as though she was made of stone. Her face was expressionless. "She's usually out by now, anyway. She doesn't like to be home much."

"So you're going to hide out in your room and pretend you don't exist until things die down?" As hard as he tried, Luke couldn't hide the frustration in his voice. He wasn't angry at her, but he knew going back would only hurt her, and the sight of her sadness was almost as unbearable as the touch of her fingers.