chapter three: smile.
"When do you think this thing's gonna get fixed?"
Luke and Ava had been sitting together on a small, silver bench ever since Ava had gotten Luke his kitkat. Luke chomped on one bar, sucking on the chocolate before eating the wafer inside and then sucking all the remains off his fingers. He was a bit weird, he'd admit, but Ava didn't seem to mind. She was too preoccupied with her cigarette, but she managed to get distracted from the burning and answer Luke's question.
"That's a good question. I wish I knew." Her words came out more rude and sarcastic than she had intended, but she couldn't help it. That's how she was. She bit her lip nervously and glanced to Luke, hoping she hadn't come off as more of a bitch than she really was and made him uncomfortable.
Luke's face held no emotion, besides boredom (or was it just blankness?) although on the inside, his stomach felt funny and he had to force his eyes on his candy to stop from staring at Ava, because he was just so attracted to her. He didn't even know why; she wasn't anything special and it's not like they were even acquainted long enough for him to like her. He shook away the feeling and pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind. Everyone who knew Luke also knew of his reputation, and he just didn't do relationships. It's not that he didn't treat the girls and guys he dated poorly, he just never stuck around long enough to even treat them well. Too much commitment and fear was involved with being with someone and that scared him. He was afraid.
He let out a sigh, partially upset that his conversation with Ava had lasted shortly, but he was simultaneously just as glad that the continuing silence between them wasn't awkward. He broke off another piece of his chocolate and chewed.
Out of the blue, Ava began whispering: "I can't believe that this is happening. Just my luck."
Luke listened as the brunette next to him began talking to herself, the cigarette hanging out of her mouth, bobbing up and down after she finished a pronouncing something. She took out her ponytail and ran a hand through her hair, which Luke just noticed was wavy, and let out a grunt of frustration.
"You alright?" The words came out before he could stop them.
Luke didn't know if it was right to interrupt her whilst she was talking to herself nonchalantly since he knew that she most likely didn't want - or mean - for him to hear her. She blushed vibrantly when he addressed her and Luke took that as a yes: she hadn't wanted him to hear her. She let out a nervous chuckle and Luke found it very cute that she rambled off to herself, and he could tell she did it often.
"Yeah, uhm, I'm fine," Ava played it off, taking her cigarette out of her mouth and letting out one last huff before putting it out on the concrete below her, as if she wasn't feeling frantic about getting home. It's only been five or ten minutes and it wasn't midnight yet; the train would be fixed in no time. Right?
Out of habit, she fished in her pockets for her lighter, flicking the flame on and off a couple times, only paying attention to that. From the angle she was holding it, Luke could finally see a smidge of what the phrase scrawled on it had said. He subconsciously scooted closer to her - frankly - broad and short frame, pointing to the item in her hands.
"What's it say?"
Ava looked up and was startled by the proximity of their faces. He had gotten a lot closer; if he had just leaned his head down a bit more, he would have been able to kiss her. Not that kissing Luke was what her main priority was right now. Not at all. She gulped, careful not breathe directly into his stream of oxygen in fear her breath stunk from the smoke, and lifted her lighter, showing it off to Luke. The phrase read, If you wanna fuck, smile when you give the lighter back, but the word 'fuck' had been written over with the word 'makeout'. Luke looked back at her in confusion, mainly since she didn't seem like the censoring type.
"I'm asexual," she openly admitted, not really caring what Luke thought of her. It's rare that they'd ever see each other again, "My friend got it as a gift after I came out to her."
Luke didn't seem to care much, but realization dawned on his face and he nodded as a way of accepting her. He made a mental note: banging her was definitely off the table.
"That's cool. One of my friends is like that. I, on the other hand, love sex." He drawled out, prolonging each syllable in love, lifting his head up high. "It's great."
Ava shrugged, "I guess I will have to take your word for it then."
She held back a sentence how she had a feeling that he enjoyed sex from the get-go and instead checked the time and handed her lighter to Luke, who made no protests against holding it for her.
"Damn, is it nearly twelve o'clock already? I've got work in the morning," Luke exclaimed after catching a glimpse of the time when he looked over Ava's shoulder, scaring a frail looking and dainty old woman not too far away from the bunch. He gave her a sheepish and apologetic grin.
"I've got work too, pal. I'm not exactly peachy either," Ava pointed out, and then realizing it herself, "Oh, crap."
"Where do you work?" To be completely honest, Luke was still amused by her exemplary vocabulary (he thought her use of 'pal' and 'peachy' were medal worthy) to care, but he desired for the conversation to travel further.
"A comic book shop, a club, wherever I get paid," she replied, "What about you? What's your job? You attend college, or university, or whatever you people from Australia call it?"
"Oh, so you have noticed the accent," Luke teased, causing her to roll her eyes, "but nah, the college life isn't for me and I work at a flower shop, but I don't enjoy it."
"So what do you plan on doing the rest of your life?" Ava questioned Luke, tilting her head to the side, reminding him of a cute puppy.
"Dunno," he admitted, "But I hope it changes the world."
Ava smiled at hearing his aspirations, and opened her mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by men in uniform clambering throughout the tunnels. They carried no tools, only clipboards, and Ava's heart sunk. This needed to get a move on before she fell asleep on this bench; people had already started leaving. She let out a heavy breath and felt like crying.
Luke had noticed her change in mood and bit his lip nervously, not sure what to do. He didn't know if he had the right to comfort her considering they were barely acquainted, but he also didn't just want to sit there and let her wallow alone in her misery. It was an ironic situation that he, the smooth talker and flirtatious charmer (out of all people), suddenly found himself anxious around a girl he barely knew. Yet, though unsure, he kept his body against hers in a friendly manner.
"Do you want to get out of here? We could go get something to eat. I'm sure that there are some twenty four hour open restaurants or something like that we could go to. Oh and I'm not trying to ask you out or anything, it's not like that, it's just that you seem upset and I thought that you could use cheering up, oh, but I understand if you just want to get a taxi -" He was interrupted by Ava shushing him and laughing at his ongoing babble.
She usually wasn't one to take up an offer made by someone who was practically a totally stranger, but in the couple minutes she had gotten to know Luke, he seemed...harmless and undoubtedly innocent.
She pursed her lips and nodded, "Okay. But I'm a black belt in martial arts and either way I can totally kick your ass if you try anything. Just a warning."
Luke lifted his hands in defense. "Okay, I have been warned. Here's your lighter back by the way. Sorry if I got chocolate on it."
His hands brushed against Ava's as he handed her back the lighter, and a bunch of moths (as Luke liked to call them to make himself sound less of a sap) erupted in his belly. Remembering what the lighter had said, he looked her in the eyes and smiled.
Ava rolling her eyes was enough of a response for him.
•••
i hope you liked this bc i hated it. sorry it's trash whoops. i'm so repetitive im sorry, but hey! now there's a change in setting. vote and comment or post feedback. ((also im so excited for girlstalkboys by fivesos just come at me.)) i highly doubt anyone reads my authors notes, or even my stories lmaoooo but if you do, thanks ur the real mvp.
p.s the gif on the side kills me thanks rip the quiff and the lip ring