*warning: this part discusses abuse and sexual assault
//CHARLEIGH//
"We've literally been waiting for the pizza for like two hours." Michael complains. I groan, and throw a pillow at him.
"Be patient."
"I can't. I'm fucking hungry."
I'm startled by the hotel phone ringing, and I answer it, my voice a bit too harsh than I meant. "Hello?"
"Ms. Hansen? Did you order a pizza?" he asks.
"Yes. Is it here?"
"It's definitely here, but your room is completely surrounded by screaming girls."
Fuck. "I'll come down and get it myself."
"Okay." I hang up the phone, and throw on some shoes, heading for the door.
"Where you going?" Michael and Luke ask at the same time.
"Apparently the entire floor is covered in screaming girls." I say back. "The pizza guy couldn't get up here."
"Wow, okay. You have fun trying to get downstairs."
"Yeah. I will." I sneer, walking toward the door. How the hell could we have not heard them all? As my hand reaches for the door, I feel a hand press against the small of my back. I turn around to find Luke, smirking. "I'm going with you."
"No. They're going to literally clobber you. Stay here." I say, pushing him back with my other hand.
"I'm not letting you go out there by yourself, Char. I'll be fine." He flashes me a bright smile, and I reluctantly open the door.
They are everywhere.
Luke pulls his hoody up over his head, and pulls the draw strings, covering his beautiful face. I close the door behind me, and we begin to weave our way through the crowd. I'm surprised they haven't noticed us yet, but its pretty obvious it's Luke.
Any Luke girl would recognize that lip ring anywhere.
Once one of them recognizes him, they all will. I have to stay positive though, having Luke Hemmings attached to your hip is pretty damn nice.
The girls all seem so disoriented, wandering around like stray puppies. It's quite pathetic though, their next concert isn't for another three months, but it's at a pretty cheap price. I was honestly going to go to that one after yesterday, but given the fact that I get to spend a few days with the boys, I could care less.
One girl attempts to pull down Luke's hood, but he pulls it back up, and continues to walk, his hand never leaving mine.
"Oh my gosh! It's Luke!"
And they were off.
I couldn't tell exactly how far we were from the elevator, but given the amount of girls chasing us, it didn't matter. I had to protect this boy the best I could. I grab his hand, and pull him along, just barely missing stray hands fighting their way towards Luke's grasp. We finally reach the elevator, and shut the door, taking a chunk of a brunette's hair with us.
Luke sits on the elevator floor, bringing his knees to his chest, panting. "You okay?"
I laugh, and sit down next to him. "I could ask you the same question."
"I'm cool." He starts, brushing a stray hair out of my face. "I was so worried about you."
I feel my cheeks heat up, and I turn my blushing face away. "You don't mean that."
"What makes you think I don't?" he asks, pulling my head back to face him.
"Luke, you barely know me. I'm nothing but a worthless fan." I spit out, trying to contain my emotions.
"Why in hell do you think you're worthless? You're fucking perfection, Charleigh, and it's a privilege to be sitting in this elevator with you."
"Shut up! I am nothing compared to you! You barely know me! I don't understand how you could feel this way about a piece of literal trash."
"That kiss last night says otherwise."
Well that shut me up.
You got me there, Hemmings. Little shit.
The elevator door flies open, and the pizza guys hands us the pizza, running straight for the hotel door.
"We didn't even pay." Luke says.
"I know. He must be really freaked out." I reply, hugging the pizza tightly to me, and pressing the door-shut button.
As we pass floor fifteen, Luke speaks. "You're explaining this bullshit to me when we get upstairs."
"What bullshit?" I say, looking him dead in the eye.
"The 'I'm a worthless piece of trash' bullshit." He says, mocking me.
"I have nothing to explain. It's true. I have no redeeming qualities."
He doesn't respond. He just huffs, and turns the other way.
When we reach the top floor, security is everywhere. Holding back crazed fans, and looking quite frustrated. "Please hurry." One of them shouts.
Luke and I run for the door. I slide in the key card, and we both run in, shutting the door behind us.
"Finally!" Michael exclaims, snatching the pizza box from me, and plopping down on the bed. Luke grabs my wrist, hauls me into the bathroom, and shuts the door behind him. I sit down on the toilet, and avoid his gaze.
"Look at me, Char." He says softly, grazing my cheek with the palm of his hand.
I can feel the sincerity running through his veins, and I impulsively turn my head and look at him. "What, Luke."
"Why are you acting like this?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Obviously if you're acting like this, you need to tell someone." He says, sitting on the floor in front of me.
"It was in the past, and I'm trying to forget it." I say, trying to push the oncoming tears back into my eyes.
"Char, I like you. I don't want to make you feel like this."
"Luke, this isn't something I just spill to everyone I meet. This is personal, and I'm not comfortable talking about it."
He runs a hand through his quiff, and grabs me by my hips, pulling me into his lap. "Fine. If you're not gonna talk, I will. Charleigh Danielle Hansen, and by the way I only know that from your Instagram bio, you are one of the most extraordinary girls I've ever met. I feel like I can really be myself around you. You're so lively, and free thinking, and just fucking cool. You make me happier than a lot of other people have. I don't understand why, but you just do. I've honestly never felt this way about any other girl before. I don't understand why, but Charleigh, I feel like I'm gonna lose you, and I really don't want to."
I let the tears fall freely from my eyes this time, burying my face into his chest. "I'm not going to go into extraordinary detail, but I'll try to give you some insight. Ever since my dad left us, my mom has blamed me. She's been.." I gulp, and breathe in deeply, trying not to cry. "Abusing me." I lift up my shirt, and show him a large scar on my stomach. "She hasn't been doing it as much, but back then it was bad. My stepdad, also my brother's dad, hates me. He didn't come with us this time on vacation, and I'm thankful he didn't."
Luke squeezes me tighter, and I feel like I could bear my soul to him. "I'm sorry, Char."
"If I tell you this, will you promise not to hate me?" I say, looking up at him.
"I couldn't hate you even if I tried, Charleigh."
"My father sexually abused me. A lot. My mother got extremely jealous. She thought my dad liked me more than her. She thought my dad and I were having sex on purpose, that we secretly liked each other. We didn't." I breathe in, hard and jagged, suppressing another sob. "My dad left when my mom threatened to press charges. She says it's my fault he left. She says I'm a whore, and that I mean nothing. A few years later, she married Steve, and they had Jake. She started being nicer to me, and I was so grateful. But then Steve started up the cycle my dad had ended." I choke up, cough a bit, and continue, Luke rubbing my back. "Steve threatened to kill me when he found out I planned on telling my mom. I never said a word to anyone. Not even Makynli. This past Christmas, I got an iPhone. I was so happy! I made Instagram, and I started listening to you guys. My life got better. You made me better. I can't tell you how much I thank you boys for helping me."
Luke has tears in his eyes, and I giggle, wiping them away. "I told you. I'm worthless."
"No you're not! You are fucking perfect. What your mom, and your dad, and your stepdad did was fucking unforgivable, and I swear to god if I find out what floor she's staying on, I'm going to beat the fucking shit out of her." He says, kissing my forehead. "I never thought I could feel this way about somebody I just met, but damn Charleigh, I do."
"Me too." I say, lifting my face up to kiss him. His cold lip ring grazes my chin, and I moan a bit, his hands holding me firmly, pulling my body around to his front, my legs straddling him. My hands are in his hair, and I can't help but just hold onto this boy, and savor the moment of a feeling I've never felt before.
The feeling that somebody actually cared about me.
We pull apart, and he stands me up, opening the bathroom door, and I follow him out. Michael visibly notices that I've been crying, and peers his head up. "You okay, Char? You look like you've been bawling your eyes out."
"I good." I say pulling him into a big bear hug. "Thanks for asking, though."
"You're welcome, pretty girl." He says, and I see the rage flicker in Luke's eyes.
Jealous boy.
He doesn't need to be though, he's already got me wrapped around his finger.
I grab a slice of pizza, and begin nibbling on it, chewing it slowly.
I see Luke fumbling with my phone, and I get up, walking over to him. "What'cha doing?"
I see that same rage reignite in his eyes, and that's when I read the messages. From my mother.
Mom: get your slutty ass down here
Mom: you don't think I saw those pictures do you?
Mom: Charleigh, I'm fucking done being nice. I've tried. Come down here now.
Mom: I'm in room 123D. I suggest you fucking hurry. Floor 15.
Luke makes a huge sprint for the door, and I chase after him. "Luke, no!"
He pushes me back, and slams the hotel door in my face. I slide my back down the wall, and bawl. The tears flow unrestrained from my cheeks, and I can't help but regret telling Luke any of that. I knew it was a fucking mistake.
"What's wrong, Charleigh?" Michael says, bending down to my level, and pulling me into his arms. Makynli, Ashton, and Calum approach me too, concern in their eyes.
"Tell me what's wrong, Char!" Makynli pleads, pulling me from Michael's grasp, and hugging me tightly to her.
"I don't want to talk about it." I say quietly.
"Charleigh, I'm fucking done with you hiding shit from me! Tell me what's wrong!"
"I don't want to talk about it, Makynli. End of fucking discussion. I don't feel like talking about it."
"No! It's not the end of the fucking discussion! I'm so sick of you keeping shit from me, Charleigh! You're my fucking best friend! Despite what you might thing, I actually give two shits about you! Talk to me! Let me in! stop shutting me out, Charleigh. I'm done with you hiding everything from me!"
"I said, I don't want to fucking talk about it!" I say, pushing her off of my forcefully, racing to the bathroom, and locking to door behind me. I sit in the empty bathtub, and cry, ignoring the cries on the other side of the door.
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dayummmm drama
so i actually teared up writing this part
im such a sissy right
but i also want you guys to know that sexually assault and abuse are not okay
and if any of you want to talk to me (anonymously of course) please know that you can
i'd be really happy to help
anyway
sorry i took so long getting this part up
i was out of town
im back! :)
but i knew i wanted char to have a fucked up past
and i knew i wanted her to tell luke
so yah
but thank you all for reading (if you even are reading)
but obviously someone is because i just hit 100 reads!
what even
y'all are pretty damn cool
thank you all so much
-tay