Warped ||Luke Hemmings

Chapter Eighteen

Light. Free. Maxine Jacobs felt free for the first time in her life. She wasn't weighted down with the looming exodus to school, wasn't bothered by her failing family life, couldn't even find a shit to give at the fact that she had just given her virginity, something she had held with reverence for eighteen years, to a famous, near stranger. She didn't care about that because when it was happening, and even all these hours after Max felt her heart flutter at the thought of Luke, his lips on her skin muttering sweet nothings, telling her she is perfect and how much he likes her and is happy that he got to share this with someone as wonderful as her.

Max didn't understand why people complained about their first times, Max didn't think it was too painful, though she had played a full season of basketball on a shredded ACL. She also didn't understand how people could say that it isn't pleasurable because her body still had fireworks racing through it and she could still feel the sweet burn of Luke biting at the junction of her neck and shoulder. She wanted to examine her neck for the purplish bruises she knew would be there but she couldn't drag herself from the cocoon that she and Luke had made once they arrived back to the tour bus.

After giving each other their virginitys, Max and Luke laid on the bed of the hotel for about three hours, cuddling and Luke telling her secrets, his past, his hopes for the future and how he hopes she will be a part of it. Max had never planned to have anyone romantically in her future. She didn't want to be held back by relationships but when she heard Luke say that she was flooded with thoughts of how to incorporate him into her plans. Once the clock struck midnight Luke declared they needed to get back to Warped Tour. Jac was probably worried about Max, Max had accidentally left her phone on the bus and Luke had turned his off when they were in the park. She nodded and started to put her clothing back on, getting distracted whenever Luke would press lingering kisses to her bare shoulders as he called the driver.

It was a little before one in the morning when the two tumbled onto the tour bus, luckily all the Warped Go-ers were at the midnight show so they didn't see them arrive. They walked past the sleeping areas, Calum snored lightly with his arms wrapped protectively around Britt and Max smiled fondly at the cuddling couple while Luke snorted next to her and flipped Michael off who, his room being across from Calum's, was still awake with Naomi watching a movie on Michael's laptop. Naomi slapped playfully at his chest and Max just shook her head, not wanting to know what had transpired before Luke was tugging her hand and pulling her into his room with her. There was note next to Max's phone which laid on Luke's bunk.

"Ashton and I are back at ours, call me when you get this or check your voicemail." Max didn't check it or call her back because she was tired and Jac was probably asleep and hopefully making smart choices. Even though Max hadn't really but she couldn't care at the time and still didn't as the sun rose and peeked through the blinds on Luke's bunk. Max groaned and felt a little pain in her lower body but all it did was remind her what she and Luke had done and how amazing it had been. She grabbed her phone, surprised to see that it still had thirty percent battery, she guessed miracles do happen, and called Jac.

"MAX!" She answered on the third ring and Max jumped back at the girl's loud voice so early in the morning. "Where were you? You left your phone and I was worried and mom called and Curtis is hurt and -"

"Jac." Max exhaled and the rambling girl finally stopped talking. "I was with Luke. I'm back at the bus, what happened to Curtis and what did mom want." She heard Jac gulp audibly but didn't question it.

"He broke his arm, Lara wants us back before three and its nearly eleven. Brian, Christopher, Ashton and I packed up camp. Don't worry about it, it didn't take long." Jac added because she knew that Max was going to feel bad for not helping tear down. "I just said goodbye to Ashton, he's headed back to the bus for a meeting with their managers so if you want a proper goodbye I would go now." Jac's voice sounded flat but Max attributed it to her actually really liking the curly headed drummer that had actually grown on Max as well. She didn't want to say goodbye to any of the boys, especially not Luke.

"Okay, be there in twenty minutes max, meet me at the car." She giggled and Jac told her that Brian and Christopher had moved it to the parking outside the gate so they could get going. Max said she understood and flung herself from bed, eager to see Luke but was a bit anxious to say goodbye. They would make it work though, they obviously had real feelings for each other so it had to work so this wasn't a real goodbye it was just a see ya later. She only got lost once, poking her head into Michael's room instead of the living area and waving brightly to Britt and Naomi who sat talking. They smiled and shook their phones, a moment later Max's beeped and she had two new followers on twitter. Cool. Max exited and nearly called out for Luke but someone's voice stopped her.

"Are you kidding me Luke, it's all over twitter, you know the deal. No girls." She recognized the voice from the countless interviews she had watched, it was Jack their manager. "The deal was that the other boys could get girlfriends but you have to stay single. It helps with pulling in more fans." Max crept towards the slightly cracked door to the living area and watched the events unfold. Michael, Calum and Ashton sat on the couch, looking uncomfortable but Luke stood face to face with a dark haired man, Jack.

"I know the deal Jack," Luke barked out a laugh and Max waited for him to say he didn't care about it but that was not what he said. "The truth is I made a bet with Ashton that I could lose my virginity before we left Warped. She was a part of the bet. She's just a quick fuck Jack, nothing more. And twitter? She is just an obsessed fan who followed me around all day. Easy to dismantle the rumors and that's the truth. I don't care about her at all so we can throw her to the tabloids, no big deal." Luke shrugged as if what he was saying was no big deal and Max felt her heart shatter. She wanted to scream and she was breathing too loudly. She worried one of the boys would hear her and her fears became reality when Michael glanced up at a noise and his eyes widened when they met hers.

"Uh Luke-" Max dashed away from the door and tugged on her shoes, happy she had slept in her clothes at Luke's. She snatched up her belongings and searched frantically for another door, not willing to face him after he said that or having security escort her out. She spotted a rear door just as she heard Luke call out "Fuck." And Max was tearing away from the bus. Every ones eyes were on her, on the bruises on her neck, on her slight limp but still Max ran and ran until she saw the gate that Jac had told her she was at. Max barely registered the group of girls that had gathered at the gates with 5 Seconds of Summer shirts on. Max saw Jac standing a couple of rows back, her eyes scanning the crowds as she twirled Max's keys anxiously and Max nearly sobbed when she saw Jac but actually sobbed when she felt a hand close on her upper arm. She knew who it was by the way her skin erupted in sparks but also made her skin crawl.

"Max-" Luke began but Max just jerked her arm free and whirled on him.

"No Luke it's okay, I'm just a quick fuck. Just an obsessed fan. Nothing more. Everything you said was a lie, I hope you enjoy whatever you won in the bet and if you think I won't tell Jac then you're dead wrong. I trusted you! A mistake I always seem to make, I always trust who I shouldn't. I won't make that mistake again. I didn't think I could be more broken but I was wrong. Fuck you Luke Hemmings. Fuck you." Luke winced as tears fell hot and fast down her face and onto the front of her top. Her hair was trashed and she looked disheveled and Luke would always remember her like this, broken, destroyed and beautiful.

"Max please let me explain." He tried to step closer but he didn't stand a chance, Max backed up and shook her head quickly.

"Never speak to me again." She said finally and went to turn away but Luke tried to catch her hand again so Max got pissed off. She didn't want to hear anymore of his lies. She glanced at the group of girls that she had been running through and an evil idea came to her mind.

"Good luck Skyscraper," she spat venomously and Luke's eyes widened as realization crashed over him, all he had was a hood on so Max moved quickly, ripping it from his head and screaming as loud as she could. "OH MY GOD! IT'S LUKE HEMMINGS!" It took about three milliseconds for the girls to realize and start over, screaming and running.

"Max, please." He tried before the crowd enveloped him and Max ran to the car and jumped in, ignoring the confused look Jac gave her and sped away from Warped Tour, driving over her broken heart with every mile.

SHIT HITTING THE FAN! Going to try and update twice tonight. Three updates in two days. Crying Max in the media. I love you guys! -Meg :)