Luke
By 7 am on Friday Luke knew it just wasn't going to be his day. Not only did his alarm fail to go off on time, but then the hot water went out and left him with stringy, conditioner-soaked hair. Luke cursed as he tried to pull it back into a semi-presentable bun, but it wasn't any use. No matter how he styled it, he looked like he dipped his head in a vat of grease.
"I can't win, can I?" Luke groaned as he turned on the sink and stuck his head under the cold water. He knew it would make him late for work, but he didn't have much of a choice. After managing to tame his hair, he realized he was five minutes late for the train and would have to run to make it on time. Luke rushed around his apartment, gathering up his wallet, shoes and backpack. He fumbled his phone as it began to ring, and it fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"Can't catch a fucking break." He groaned, picking it up to see a few small scratches in the corner. Luke didn't have time to dwell on it though. He was now running 10 minutes behind. He barreled out the door and took the steps two at a time.
Luke's phone began to ring again, and he flipped it open without a second thought.
"Hello?" Luke hopped along on one foot as he attempted to tie his shoe.
"Hi, Love."
Luke's blood ran cold and he wished he'd checked the caller I.D. He ended the call with shaky fingers. Before he could even return his phone to his pocket, it rang again. Against his better judgment, he answered.
"Liam, Stop calling me-"
"Tsk, tsk, Sweetheart. It's rude to hang up on your boyfriend, don't you know that?" He could hear the smirk in Liam's voice, and he clenched his jaw.
"You're not my boyfriend." Luke was proud that his voice didn't waiver.
"You know I always loved when you played hard to get."
Luke bit at his thumbnail as he sped walked down the street, eyes scanning the street around him. He didn't think his day could get any worse than it already was, but he stood corrected as the voice on the other end laughed.
"Fuck you." He hung up before Liam could respond and turned his phone off. The beginnings of a headache pulled at Luke's temples, and he wanted to scream. It was barely 8am and he already wanted to give up. He knew Calum was right; he should have changed his number long ago but getting a new phone cost money. Money that Luke couldn't afford to part with right now.
Calum had already blocked Liam's number on Luke's phone, but it didn't stop Liam from finding ways around it. Luke was about at his wits end. He knew he'd have to tell Calum about this. He hated burdening his best friend with his troubles, no matter how many times Calum told him it wasn't one. Luke was an adult for god's sakes, he should be able to fight his own battles. He knew when it came to Liam, however, he would always lose the war.
All Luke could hope for was that Liam would keep his distance.
By the time Luke arrived at the spa, he was running nearly 15 minutes behind and was visibly shaking. Between the late start to the day and the phone call, Luke was a mess. He felt like a house of cards one gust of wind away from toppling over.
"Good morning, Sweets." Lauraline's smile morphed to concern as she took in Luke's distress. "What's got you worked up so early?"
"Just not my day, I guess. Sorry I'm late, Ma." Luke threw himself down in his chair. His backpack slumped to the floor and he kicked it under the desk. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes and he forced them away with a shaky breath.
"Oh sweets," She sighed, taking a seat on the edge of his desk and running her fingers through his damp hair. "You gonna be alright today?" He knew she could feel the way his muscles shook under her hand. He could just imagine the look she was giving him.
Luke's shoulders twitched in a shrug. "Yeah, just need a minute."
Lauraline patted his back and stood up. "Okay, sweetheart. You take a couple minutes to collect yourself, but if you need to take the day, let me know."
Luke wanted to take her up on the offer. He so badly wanted to run back home and break down in peace, but he couldn't afford it.
"I'll be okay, thanks Ma." He leaned back in his chair and let his hands run over his face. Lauraline made her way back around his desk and handed him a file.
"Alright, but you let me know if you're not, okay?"
Luke nodded as he took the file from her and booted up the computer. "Yeah," He glanced at the note on top of the file and groaned. "Mrs. Kria is coming in today?"
Lauraline looked apologetic as she disappeared into the back. Luke threw his head down, letting it bounce off of the wooden desk. "Just my fucking luck."
***
The only thing that kept Luke from clocking out early and calling it a day were the few texts Michael had sent him. They'd exchanged numbers after Luke had agreed to the date, and they'd been texting on and off during the week. After an exceptionally frustrating encounter with Mrs. Kria that once again left Luke in tears, he complained to Michael, who playfully suggested he poison her prized rose bushes like Dominic Talebi did to Mrs. Renshaw in the Mayfire Dawn sequel. For the first time since he woke up Luke actually smiled. Michael seemed to be able to do that a lot- make him laugh and forget about the shit show that was real life. In many ways, talking with Michael was like escaping into the pages of a book. As much as Luke wanted to spend the rest of his shift texting Michael, he knew he couldn't. So, he confirmed that 6 o'clock at the Starbucks down the block from their apartment complex still worked before shutting off his phone. When Luke walked out of the spa after eight long hours, his body sagged in relief. Having to keep a smile on his face all day despite the verbal abuse thrown at him and the tears pooling behind his eyelids was exhausting, and he desperately needed a nap to recharge.
Luke began the journey home, opting to walk instead of taking the train. The sky was dark with rain clouds, and the first big droplets began to fall. It was the icing on top of an already bad day. It was just after four o'clock by the time Luke neared his apartment complex, giving him just under two hours to prepare for his date with Michael. Plenty of time for a quick nap and dinner beforehand. He was glad he'd spent the night before agonizing over what to wear; the stress of having to pick a first date outfit on top of his already stressful day might have broken him completely. The thought of getting to sit down face to face with Michael after talking to him through the wall for the last week and a half was enough to put a pep in his step, and Luke felt like his shitty day might actually start to turn around.
As he neared home, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned it back on. One missed call from Liz and three unread messages from Calum. He was just about to read the messages from Calum when another unread one caught his attention. Assuming it was Michael, he clicked on it.
From: unknown
I'll see you soon, Love. -Liam
Just as quickly as Luke's mood lifted, it came crashing down. His fingers shook as he deleted the message and blocked the number. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up. He needed to talk to Calum, and soon. Locking his phone and stuffing it in his pocket, Luke dragged himself up the stairs towards his apartment. When Luke neared his door, however, he froze. It was cracked open and light shone from inside.
Luke quickly decided this was one of the worst days of his life.
With hesitant steps, he crept towards the door, pushing it open. Something felt off. Like when you can feel someone watching you even when you can't see them. Luke wasn't alone and he knew it.
The sweat beaded the back of his neck as he crept forward, staying light on his feet as he crossed the threshold. His heart jackhammered so hard Luke worried it might crack a couple ribs. He could hear the blood whooshing in his ears and his hands shook so bad he almost dropped his phone. His finger hesitated over the 'call' button, 9-1-1 already dialed. A million thoughts ran through his head, all of them revolving around the possibility that Liam's text was right, he'd found him.
He held his breath as the floorboard creaked under his foot.
"Luke?"
Just as quickly as the adrenaline spiked in his veins, it fell away.
"Luke? You home?"
His best friend's voice carried from the kitchen and all Luke could do was fall to the floor.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Calum asked in alarm as he exited the kitchen to find Luke catatonic. He dropped his head into his hands, folding in on himself.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Calum fell to his knees and engulfed the blonde in his arms. Luke just shook his head. He couldn't answer. All he could do was climb into Calum's lap and bury his head into his best friend's chest. Calum rocked Luke back and forth as he consoled him, trying to calm him down before he had a panic attack.
Luke wasn't sure how long he sat there, willing himself not to cry. Eventually his breaths evened out.
"You ready to tell me why you're all worked up?" Calum's soft voice spoke in Luke's ear, and he shivered as lips touched his skin. He shook his head and buried his face further in Calum's neck. The Maori boy sighed as he tightened his grip on Luke. "That's okay. How 'bout some dinner? I made your favorite."
"You didn't have to do that." The words were barely heard around Calum's tee shirt.
"C'mon, the potatoes should be done by now." Calum stood and pulled Luke up with him, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Sit, Lu." Calum guided Luke into the kitchen and busied himself at the stove. "So, it's been a rough day, huh?"
"More like the worst day of my life."
"Worse than the day my mom took us to the zoo and that llama spit in your eye?"
Luke couldn't help but laugh. Calum had always been able to do that, make him laugh even when it was the last thing he wanted to do. His giggles died away and his eyes softened when Calum put a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes in front of him.
"I love you, Cal."
"Love you too, Lu." Calum squeezed Luke's hand and the two friends began to eat. They didn't talk much as they ate, Calum knowing Luke was too lost in his thoughts to hold a conversation, and so they just enjoyed each other's company. And when they were done, Luke offered to do the dishes. He filled the basin with hot, soapy water.
"So," Calum leaned against the counter next to Luke, "you wanna tell me what had you on the brink of a mental breakdown before you even stepped foot in the living room?"
Luke's shoulders slumped as he worked on cleaning a pot. "Just had a bad day s'all."
A pair of arms wrapped around his waist. "You sure that's all it is?"
Luke dropped the pot back into the sudsy water and leaned against the sink. "Liam called again."
Luke felt Calum's arms tighten around his waist and he winced. The silence rang heavy between them and Luke turned in his best friend's arms. He leaned in so that their foreheads pressed together. Calum's eyes were dark, the pupils blown wide.
"What did he say to you?" Calum's warm breath washed across his face and he closed his eyes.
"Nothing that I can't handle."
Calum's hands tightened on his waist. "Don't lie to me, Lu." Luke sighed, dropping his hands from around Calum's neck.
"Cal, I-" Luke swallowed around a dry throat, "I'm scared." The knot in Luke's throat threatened to give way and he forced the tears away.
"Lu, Baby, we need to go to the police."
Luke shook his head. "You know they won't do anything, Cal. They won't do shit till he kills me."
A growl ripped from deep in Calum's throat and he tore away from Luke, stalking across the room. "Don't fucking say that."
Luke slumped down in the nearest chair. "You know I'm right. All they did last time was hold him a couple days! And that cost me a broken collar bone. They can't do anything until it's too late, Cal." Luke wiped at his eyes. "I-I thought today was that day, ya'know? I was having such a god-awful day and, and w-when I came home and the door was open, I-I thought, I-" Luke's words choked up, and he let his body fall limp against the table.
"Hey, Lu," Calum dropped down to the floor and laid his head in Luke's lap. "I didn't mean to scare you, you didn't respond to any of my messages, so I thought I'd stop by and check on you, I just-." Calum grabbed Luke's hand and intertwined their fingers. "I'm sorry I scared you, Baby."
"S'not your fault." Luke took a deep breath and carted his fingers through Calum's hair. "Thanks for making dinner, Cal."
"I'm sorry you had a shit day," Calum rubbed his cheek against Luke's thigh, "why don't you go take a hot shower and I'll make up your bed?" Calum patted Luke's thigh as he stood and made his way towards the pull-out couch. The vent next to Calum's leg caught Luke's eye and he gasped.
"Cal, what time is it?"
"Quarter to six... why?"
Luke's eyes bugged out as he rushed around his apartment. "Shit shit shit, my date!"
"Excuse me, your what?" Calum didn't even attempt to mask the anger in his voice, but Luke didn't have the time to address it. He'd been so caught up in the accumulation of his bad day and the near panic attack that his date with Michael slipped to the back of his mind. He stripped out of his work clothes and threw on the white cable knit sweater and sage green trousers he had laid out last night.
"I almost forgot I'm supposed to meet Michael at Starbucks in 15 minutes! Fuck, where's my other shoe?"
"Are you shitting me? You're going out with Michael? Were you gonna tell me?"
Luke hopped around on one foot as he pulled on his black boots. "Of course, I was going to tell you, Cal," he raced into the bathroom and splashed water on his face, "it just slipped my mind."
"Slipped your mind? Luke, you haven't gone anywhere alone in months! You can't even open your goddamn door by yourself and now you're going on a date? That kinda thing doesn't just slip your mind." Luke felt a twinge of guilt at Calum's hurt expression. He knows he should have told Calum, but he was afraid of what he would say.
After agreeing to go out with Michael, Luke hadn't slept the rest of the night. He went to work an exhausted mess, his head full as he weighed the pros and cons. He almost canceled on Michael multiple times. Luke was scared, but a larger part of him was excited. He really liked Michael, and for the first time in forever, Luke wanted to leave the apartment. Wanted to go on a date.
"I'm sorry, Cal," Luke tried to hug him, but Calum brushed him off. To say Luke was hurt would be an understatement. Calum has never pushed him away before.
"Whatever. Better get going, don't want to be late for your date." Calum's words were bitter, and as much as Luke wanted to talk about it, he couldn't keep Michael waiting.
"I'll be back by nine... will you be here?" Luke reached for Calum's hand and the Maori boy let him intertwine their fingers. A sigh fell from Calum's lips and the fire behind his eyes fizzled just the slightest bit. He looked from their hands back to Luke.
"Yeah, I'll be here."
Luke beamed as he pressed a kiss to Calum's cheek. "Wish me luck."
Calum was silent as Luke grabbed his wallet and ran out the door. He checked his phone. Ten minutes. Luke rushed out of the building, pulling up his hood as the rain poured down on him. The Starbucks was only two blocks, but Luke still picked up the pace as he weaved through sidewalk traffic.
Nerves built up in Luke's stomach as he neared the shop, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets to stop the shaking. It had been so long since Luke had been out with anyone other than Calum, and on a date no less! What if he said something wrong? What if he spilled his coffee? So many worst-case scenarios ran through his head.
Luke could feel the panic rise in his chest. His legs felt like jello. He needed to sit down. Luke found a cozy two-person table next to the door and took a seat. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. It was Michael. He was running a couple minutes behind. Luke texted him back, letting him know it was okay and he had a table near the door. He smiled as Michael texted back a string of stupid emoticons almost immediately.
Luke's nerves melted away as he waited. He checked in on the latest M.G May chat room gossip and texted his mom. His terrible day fell to the back of his mind until a body slid into the seat across from him.
"Hey Michael, I'm so glad to finally-" The words stopped dead on Luke's tongue as he looked up. The color drained from his face. His hair was a bit longer than Luke remembered, but other than that he looked exactly the same. Dark eyes humorless and lips turned up in his signature smirk. It was as if all of Luke's nightmares culminated in this moment.
"Long time no see, Love."
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A/N: Hi I know it's been like 978950 years but here is a new chapter for this story! If you also haven't seen, I've gone back and edited the story so the chapters are a bit different so I'd recommend going back and rereading if it's been awhile:-)
This is the end of part one!!! I'm hoping for there to be at least 2 parts if not 3, but we'll see on how this plays out. Love you all for reading and I hope to have an update out much sooner this time. xoxo
-Emma