Warped ||Luke Hemmings

Chapter Thirty-Five

DO NOT LISTEN TO SECONDHAND SERENADE FALL FOR YOU OR ALL TIME LOW THERAPY WHEN YOURE SAD IT IS NOT HELPFUL! Public service announcement

They knew that this bliss couldn't last forever. The teenagers weren't stupid, nor blindingly hopeful they knew that at some point the events of the past few months were going to catch up with them and rip this happiness they had found in each other's company away from them.

Max may believe that Luke is sorry but she for damn sure doesn't forgive him. Being an eternal pessimist she can only think of the wrong reasons as to why Luke is begging for her forgiveness. It simply didn't add up to her. Luke seemed genuinely confused when she mentioned the interview and she realized that he wasn't sick at all he was just missing to his manager and the boys weren't giving him up. Still that doesn't mean that what Jack had said in Luke's place wasn't Luke's actual thoughts.

She's delusional.

She needs help.

The words that Luke had supposedly told his manager bounced around her head as she looked at the sleeping boy in her bed. They had watched movies last night, cuddled together in her bed for about two hours before Luke pulled Max from the nest and tended to her cuts. He placed salve on them, tenderly swiping the liquid across the still weeping cuts. He was maticulous as he placed bandaids over each and then kissed each. It was cliche but Max smiled none the less.

The morning sun filtered into Max's small dorm room and Luke slightly stirred, small puffs of breath coming out of his mouth in quick successions. He looked beautiful and innocent but Max had to remind herself that she couldn't go outside because of this boy. She couldn't look at food because of this boy and she couldn't be happy because of him.

I'm letting a boy control my life. Max thought bitterly but she knew it wasn't really true. At first she had tried to go one as if nothing was wrong, convinced the decision to lose weight was her own not the fans'; however this all stopped when people started to recognize her and now it was dangerous for her to live normally.

Detatching herself from Luke's tight arms as slowly as possible Max padded to her desk and pulled out a small box. Inside of it was random items, her memory box. There was pictures of her and Jac, all of her friends from Ohio she no longer spoke to and even pictures of Luke she had printed months ago to put in the box. Underneath all of it was a package of letters, her aunt Kay had sent them to her just before she passed away and Max cuddled the package to her chest.

She wished her aunt was here, she would know what to do. Max undid the ribbon and pulled out the first letter, knowing exactly what it would say.

"My dearest Maxine, if you are reading this then I am no longer there to give you advice but I hope that you remember for the rest of your life what I have always told you to be true. Everything passes; me, you, whatever you are going through, it all passes. Do not allow them to hurt you more than they already have love, keep your head up and show them how strong you are. You are the strongest person I have ever met. Love, Aunt Kay." Little tears rolled down her cheeks at the fancy script of her aunt's handwriting and Max experienced her death all over again. Kay had battled ALS and had never been depressed by it, she was handed a death sentence and said is that all you've got?

"I will be strong for you Aunt Kay." Max declared and went to shower again, determined to get her life back in order.

Luke awoke to the sound of someone singing, the shower wasn't running but the bathroom door was slightly ajar and Max's voice was leaking through the gap. Of course, she was singing Bad Blood by Taylor Swift and Luke felt his heart ache because it was definitley directed at him. He rolled over, mussing up his blond quiff that had fallen flat in the night and scrolled through his phone feed.

Several missed calls from Jack and several from his mother? There were texts from Ashton saying that they were doing their best to keep Jack off his trail but he would figure it out soon. Luke replied to him and texted Jac that Max was up and listening to Taylor Swift which caused the girl to send him a lot of random letters in a fangirling fasion because apparently Taylor Swift with Max meant she was feeling better.

Luke was shocked at a text from Harry saying that he hoped he fixes things with Max, and if he doesn't he is going to steal her ;) Luke wasn't sure if he was kidding or not but he assumed not. His attention was pulled away from his phone when the bathroom door and Max walked out, looking more like the girl he had met months ago rather than the one he found last night.

She had her hair straightened and it fell all the way to her hips. She had on skinny jeans and ripped up band tee, All Time Low, not 5Sos but still. Her eyes were rimmed with black eye liner and a bit of mascara but no other makeup as far as Luke could see. She had a pair of combat boots on and looked absolutely beautiful and terrifying.

Max said something, he didn't catch it and she rolled her eyes before repeating herself. "Shouldn't you be going soon?" She asked with a sassy tone and Luke about fell off the bed. He was still in his jeans and teeshirt from yesterday and was craving a shower because he had been still tired but now he was wide awake.

"Wha-what? Why would I leave you?" He stammered and tripped over his words. Why was Max kicking him out?

"Well," Max examined her cuticles with a bored expression. "It's the morning after we slept together, doesn't that mean you're needed somewhere to tell everyone how much of a stalker I am?" Ouch, shit. Okay this Max is pissed.

Luke was immediatley reminded of the Max he met at Warped, sassy and daunting. "Max-" He began but she held up a hand.

"Oh no Luke. I get it. You're sorry. You've said it a couple times but that doesn't mean you actually mean it or that you are going to try and fix this. You see, you ruined my life but yours is still just fine. You could tell me you're sorry until you're blue in the face but that doesn't mean that when you leave here you aren't going to go do another interview and crucify me further." Her eyes were blazing and instead of feeling sick Max felt strong. She felt like she was finally doing something that would help her.

"I won't Max!" Luke defended himself. He had decided he would tell everyone the truth, he would make them all see. He would show them the Max he lo-likes. Max didn't buy it though.

"Righttt, so if your manager asks you to jump through a little hoop then you won't?" Max challenged and when Luke looked down at his bare feet she pressed on. "That's what I thought Luke, you're a fucking coward. You won't be the bad guy will you? You can't bear to have your reputation tarnished and don't give me this shit about the rest of the band being upset at you because I know that they are all on your back to tell the truth." When Luke's head snapped up in shock Max just laughed. "I'm not an idiot Luke. I know you're sad about what happened. Probably wish you could take it back but the thing is you can't. You could fix it but you won't because you've got your nose so far up your manager's ass."

"That's not true Max! I don't care what Jack thinks!"

"Really? Is that why I'm a stalker? Is that why I can't go to class today because everyone saw that interview and I will probably get threatened by your girls? Is that why I can kiss any hopes I have of making something of myself goodbye because I will always be Luke Hemmings' stalker? You fucking ruined my life but you're sorry so that makes it okay?" Max had been advancing on the singer, pushing him against the wall of her room and her voice rising to a shout. Luke didn't falter, he just kept stepping back and keeping his eyes trained on Max's.

"You're wrong." Luke said finally. "You're so wrong but I don't blame you for thinking that. I will make this right Max. I promise."

"Yea, well I am fucking sick and tired of your promises Luke." She grabbed her bag and slipped on a hoodie and sunglasses, looking so much like Luke had that day at Warped. "Fix this or never fucking speak to me again." Max declared before stepping out the door, leaving Luke in the dorm room, surprisingly happy that his Maxamillion was back.

Sorry I have been MIA lately!

SASSY MAX IS BACK! I missed her!

What do you guys think? Will Luke fix it or is Max right?

Liz Hemmings on her way!

Love you all -Meg:)