The second Ashley's loud voice booms throughout the hallway is the very second Luke and I spring apart.
"Soph!" she repeats, and I scramble to get to my feet.
Luke helps me up, his face slightly red.
"Sophie, are you-" Ashley pokes her head through the doorway and I blush. "Woah. You look like a tomato."
"Thanks." I mumble, walking towards her with my head down. I turn to Luke. "S-see you downstairs?"
My voice cracks just a bit and I watch as he swallows. His eyes haven't fully left my lips just yet. "Yeah. Sure."
I smile softly at him, before meeting Ashley at the door.
I take her by the wrist and together we walk down the stairs, where loud 80's hits are being played and my father's singing resonates through the halls.
"Oh, by the way, I borrowed this one," she tells me, lifting her shirt up to expose the bra.
I nod in approval at the white lace with the tiny pink bow. "Looks good on you."
"You think?" she grins. "It doesn't make my boobs look like saggy granny boobs?"
"No, Ash," I laugh. "It doesn't make your boobs look like saggy granny boobs."
"Boobs? Grannies?"
Our heads turn to the front door, where Ashton, Michael and Calum are letting themselves in.
They're carrying sleeping bags and rucksacks, all three of them getting stuck in the doorway due to attempting to come through at the exact same time.
Michael grins wildly as Ashley tugs her shirt down. "Should I be concerned that you two are talking about old lady breasts?"
"No, Mikey." I roll my eyes. Calum extends a hand and I take it, successfully pulling him into the hallway.
His eyes meet mine and he winks. I expect him to let go of my hand the second he stands next to me, but he doesn't.
"So," Ashton grins, setting his bags down next to the empty space near the door. "Who's coming today?"
"A few of our parent's friends. Our neighbours. You guys. Ashley." I tell him.
Ashton nods, running a hand through his curly brown hair before making his way to the living room.
We follow him, each of us crashing onto the couch.
Calum's hand is still in my own and I fight back the urge to smile.
"So the life-sucking, Prada-wearing, soul-taking, she-demon in disguise isn't going to be here?" Michael mumbles, switching the TV on.
I raise an eyebrow. "Who?"
"He means Chloe," Ashton chuckles, making Ashley howl in laughter.
I laugh uncertainly along with them, until I feel Calum's grip tighten ever so slightly on my hand.
He looks pale and dazed; guilty, almost.
I squeeze his hand and frown slightly. "Are you okay?"
"Hm?" he looks at me. "Me? Yeah, I'm fine."
"Good." I smile. But he doesn't smile back.
Suddenly the doorbell rings yet again, and I go to answer it- but Calum holds me down.
"I'll get it," he tells me quietly. "Why don't you go upstairs and ask Luke to come down?"
Slightly confused, yet feeling like I have no reason to be, I nod my head.
Together we walk back out of the living room, and I watch as Calum's hand lands on the door knob.
He looks at me expectantly, and I soon realize that it's because he's waiting for me to go upstairs.
So I do so, without even questioning it. Though it does seem a little weird, I trust him, not even bothering to look back as my foot reaches the landing and the front door is flung open.
Loud rock music is playing from Luke's room, and I open the door just a tiny bit. "Luke?" I say.
He lowers the volume, tossing the remote back onto the floor.
"Come in."
I oblige, poking my head through.
Luke's sprawled across the bed, his hands behind his head as he leans against the headboard. His longs legs are parted and he's staring up at the ceiling, only averting his eyes to look at me.
"Hey, baby."
"Hi," I say, somewhat shyly. "Everyone's downstairs waiting for you."
He nods, but he doesn't stand up.
Instead, he shifts to the other side of the bed and extends a long arm out.
I look at him, puzzled. "Come cuddle." Luke says, stifling a yawn.
I bite my lip. "Everyone's downstai-"
"I heard you, princess," he chuckles, turning his body to face me. "Let them wait. I just really want to hug you right now."
I let out a small, hesitant giggle, unable to stop the red from creeping on my cheeks. I turn around and quickly shut the door behind me.
I walk towards him, sitting gingerly at the foot of his bed.
Luke rolls his eyes and sits up, leaning over to effortlessly pull me against him.
A small squeak leaves my mouth at the short impact. He lays flat on his back, my head resting on his arm and my own draped lazily over his torso.
We stay like that for a while, as I watch his chest go up and down with each breath.
Finally, after a long, comfortable silence, his lips part.
"You haven't hugged me like this in a long time," he murmurs, somewhat sadly. "I've missed it."
I shrug, playing with the collar of his red flannel. "You're always out at night."
"What, cuddles have a schedule now?" he jokes. I grin.
"Mine do."
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Because they're special."
"That they are," he mumbles, and I feel him kiss my forehead softly. "Sophie?"
"Yes?"
"Do you love me?"
I frown, lifting my head to look at him. He's still gazing at the ceiling, only this time, his eyebrows are furrowed and he looks worried.
"Of course I do." I say, confused. "I love you so, so, so much."
Every 'so' lands a small kiss on Luke's jaw, because I can't quite reach high enough to touch his actual cheek.
I smile to myself as I see his face light up, wondering what on earth I was so mad at him for yesterday.
Then again, stuff like this always happens between me and Luke. We have our tiny little 'fights'- most of them just being me overreacting- but we always manage to make up in the end.
Apologies are never exactly made, but words aren't exactly necessary, either. Not for us, anyway.
After a fight we always bounce back like bouncy balls. We can never stay mad at each other for too long, and it's never proven to be a bad thing, so I just let it happen.
I'm snapped back to reality when I feel his finger trace shapes on the skin of my leg.
It's only now that I realize what I'm wearing; a dress with the skirt slowly inching up with every move that I make.
"How much do you love me?" he breathes. I giggle.
"Want me to show you?"
He laughs. "How can you do that?"
I smile devilishly at him before jolting up from his embrace.
I resume the position I was in just the day before, with both legs on either side of his hips, subconsciously pinning him to the bed.
His eyes widen. "What are y-"
"Shush," I giggle, leaning forward and taking his face in my hands, all while straddling him. "I thought you wanted me to show you?"
Luke just blinks at me, surprised.
I smile, before sucking in a deep breath. I give him no time to question what I'm doing before I start planting kisses all over his cheek.
They're small, but consistent, which makes him laugh.
"Sophie!" he chuckles after a while, and I feel him place his hands on the backs of my thighs,
pulling me up.
"This- is- how- much- I- love- you." I say, every pause filled with a kiss. "Got- that?"
"Oh, I don't know, little one." he smirks, eyes twinkling. "Is that all you've got?"
"Nope." I say, but I'm unable to stay true to my word when I feel him quickly shift the bed, flipping us over.
Our roles have now been reversed; he's on top of me, and I'm the one trapped helpessly to the bed.
I pout. "No fair."
"I think it's very fair, baby."
The sound of the front door slamming shut downstairs distracts us, and I'm wondering why the hell it took Calum so long to let someone inside.
It must be bothering Luke, too, because when I look back at him, his eyes are no longer on me.
"Luke," I say, quietly catching his attention. His eyes flutter back to my face and the familiar feeling of warmth floods my body yet again. "How much do you love me?" I imitate him softly.
His blue eyes twinkle in that usual, mischevious, Luke-like-way, and I feel him lean in; planting a sloppy yet somewhat comforting kiss on my cheek.
I'm about to call him out on how wet his lips are, when I feel them graze ever so slightly against my jawline in a much more tender, gentle way.
I tilt my head back, seeing his head move and feeling the contact of his skin against mine.
His lips leave a trail, and I can feel it, but it doesn't gross me out.
It does the exact opposite; it mesmerizes me, and I don't notice that Luke's made his way to my neck until I reach a hand up to roam through his hair.
A soft, mellow sensation lingers on my skin. It feels like the exact equivalent to sucking through a straw, and my suspicions are confirmed as Luke's lips willingly part against my neck.
I see his Adam's apple bob up and down ever so slightly as he works his magic, his leg positioned carefully between my thighs.
I tug lightly on his perfectly quiffed hair and he groans, eyes still shut, coincidentally hitting a spot on my neck that makes a sound slip through my lips.
"Luke," I moan.
It's a sound that I have never heard come out of my mouth until now.
Surprised, he pulls back. Our eyes lock and my cheeks heat up.
"I-I'm sorry," I stammer, going to sit up. But Luke doesn't budge.
His eyes are wild, wide open and his chest is slowly going up and down.
His once perfect hair is untamed and tousled, and as I reach my hand up to fix what I messed up, I feel his own grab my wrist.
Luke slyly links our fingers and leans his forehead against mine. I exhale slowly, my dull eyes meeting his.
"Let's go down now, shall we?" he murmurs, and I nod, my face probably as red as ever.
He carefully gets off of the bed and I go to do the same- until I feel strong arms snake their way underneath my body.
"Luke!" I gasp, as he lifts me off of the bed with no trouble.
I grip onto his shoulders as he nudges the door open with his foot, laughing.
"Don't drop me," I mumble incoherently, burying my face in the crook of his neck.
I hear him chuckle, feeling the vibrations against my body. "I'd never, babygirl."
I smile, more to myself, as Luke carries me down the stairs bridal-style.
And suddenly we're back to normal again; I'm still the little girl who's much too innocent for the world, and he's still the over-protective older brother who'd do anything to make sure I stayed that way.
Sophie and Luke, the Hemmings siblings with different family trees. That's what it's always been, and what it always will be.
Luke kicks the door to the living room wide open, me still cradled in his arms.
All heads turn to us in amusement as Luke delicately puts me down. I try to fight the blush that's fighting it's way to my cheeks as I tug at the hem of my skirt.
"Nice of you to join us," Ashley says, through grit teeth. She looks angry, and I'm about to question why, until she gestures to the other side of the living room.
I look over at the person and my heart stops.
Clad in gold, shimmery heels, a sparkly blue hat, and a dress much shorter than mine, is Chloe Marshall.
She's wearing sunglasses, despite it raining outside, and a stick of pink gum is being smacked obnoxiously between her teeth.
I have no time to ask why she's here, because in the short space of me realizing her existence, she manages to lower her over-sized Aviators and squint at me.
"Sophie," she says, her voice full of spite and everything you'd expect.
I cross my arms, waiting for her to say something sarcastic or rude, maybe even borderline psychotic. But the words that leave her mouth are much worse.
"Is that a hickey on your neck?"
❥
Aight fam. Abort mission. A B O R T.
Hopefully you all liked this chapter (I had so much fun writing it I can't even explain) because it's a step-up from Sophie and Luke's lil cheek kisses.
SO HOW DID I DOOOO??? Is it fluffy enough for yous. IS IT
As always, thank you for reading! I love you :-)
-m xx