piercings and cigarettes | luke hemmings

Chapter Twenty Two

"I really don't want to go to religion, can we just skip and go to our spot?" Megan complained as we were walking in the hallway to the class.

"I definitely wouldn't mind missing that class, do you want to skip?" I asked looking back at Charlie.

"Yes please, that teacher is crazy. I told her I was an atheist and she was going to give me detention for a month," Charlie said and we split from the crowd of students and went outside. We quickly ran to the shed.

"What are you doing for your birthday next week?" Megan asked sitting down in her usual spot "Are you having a house party? Please tell me you're having a house party."

"My parents are home so we'll go out for dinner or something." I said getting my pack of cigarettes and lighter out of my bag.

"So no party?" Megan asked disappointed.

"It's your birthday next month you can have a massive house party then," I said lighting up a cigarette.

"What date is your birthday?" Charlie asked.

"Mine is the thirteenth and Megan's is the eleventh of July," I replied, not knowing which one of us she was asking.

"I'll get planning the perfect birthday party for you just in case your parents bail," Megan said.

"Don't say that," I said.

"Did you hear that?" Charlie asked looking towards the door.

There was the sound of footsteps coming from outside the shed and then the faint sound of voices before the door opened.

"What are you doing here Noah?" I asked as him and two of his friends walked in.

"I think you're forgetting that I showed you this place, you know back when it was our make out spot," Noah said sitting down beside me.

"Noah just leave and take dumb and dumber with you," Megan said glaring at him.

"I don't think so," Noah said and took my cigarette off me. He took a draw and handed it back to me.

"Just checking you don't have any STDs do you?" I asked staring at the cigarette.

"Ouch, come on two years ago you were all over me," he said putting his hand on my knee.

"I think you're forgetting that you broke up with me. Remember?" I said shoving his hand off me.

"Who's this?" he asked noticing Charlie.

"Her name's Charlie and don't even think about it," Megan said crossing her arms.

"I was just wondering who she was," Noah said defensively.

"Sure you were."

"Lets talk in private for a minute," Noah whispered to me.

"Piss off," I said giving him a look of disgust and edging away from him.

"Come on, one minute."

"No."

"Just one minute and I'll leave you alone," he pleaded.

"Fuck. Off."

"Don't you have anything better to be doing?" Megan asked still glaring at him.

"Nope," he said smirking, making me roll my eyes.

"Do they always just stand there doing nothing?" Megan asked looking over at his two friends who've been standing by the door the entire time.

"Well it was shit seeing you but we're going to go now," I said once I finished my cigarette and put it out on the ground. Megan and I got up and left. A minute went by before Charlie came out.

"If he gave you his number or Snapchat I recommend deleting it now," I said when Charlie caught up with us.

***

When I got home mam had dinner ready so we all sat down to eat. She had made lasagna which meant something was wrong. When I was younger it was my favourite food until my mam started making it every time they had bad news for us.

"Just tell me already," I said playing with my food.

"Honey, I know we said we'd be there for you birthday but something came up. We have a really important meeting that day and we won't be back until Sunday," Mam said putting on a sympathetic smile. My heart sank as the words left her mouth.

"Seriously?" Michael said with an angry tone to his voice.

"Michael this has nothing to do with you," Dad said sternly putting down his knife and fork.

"In the last sixteen years you've only been there for five of her birthdays. Five. I'm the one who was there with her and had to be there for her and see how upset it makes her, but yeah it has nothing to do with me," Michael said raising his voice and standing up.

"You promised you'd be here for it this year," I said quietly before getting up and leaving the kitchen. I walked upstairs and went to my bedroom, Michael following behind me.

"I don't know why I get my hopes up every year," I said and sat on my bed. I let out a shaky breath as a tear ran down my cheek.

"It's okay, it's easy to get your hopes up about things like this. Plus they can be very convincing liars," Michael said hugging me.

"It hurts how they're almost never here and when they are home, they act like they were never gone and like everything is okay and it's not," I mumbled crying into his shoulder.

"It's okay," he repeated hugging me tighter.

After I had ran out of tears to cry, I wiped away the cold tears from my face and texted Megan.

Me: My parents bailed. You can have your party.

Megan: Shit

Megan: I'm so sorry. Are you sure you want a party?

Me: I don't even care anymore

_______________
author's note
Don't worry this isn't going to turn into a love triangle or anything like that. This is a Luke fanfic and it's going to stay as one. Noah is just going to cause a little bit of drama.
♡ Don't forget to vote ♡