Chapter 11
Luke
"Walk and talk Cal, walk and talk. I'm gonna be late and Mason's band have their final session today," I said hastily, shoving a slice of toast in my mouth as we rushed down the stairs.
"Well, if you hadn't gotten back to late last night, I could've told you yesterday," he replied, following closely behind.
"Taxi!" I hollered, waving one down at lightning speed.
"Wait, can't we drive?"
"Car's parked on the next block down. No time! Get in."
Calum seemed to be super agitated about something. It wasn't exactly my fault Michael wanted a drink with me last night, nor that we got so hammered that by the time we sobered up enough to make it home, it was already three in the morning.
However, I didn't have time for that. Yesterday I was supposed to finish arranging the lyrics for the lyric booklet for the CD. I whipped out the iPad and began working on that.
"Luke, you have to listen to me."
"I am," I responded idly.
"Please, this is important."
I sighed and locked the iPad, turning to look at Calum in the eye. "What is it?"
"Something's fishy about Harper and this Vic guy. I think there's something they're hiding."
I chuckled. "Jesus Cal, we've been through this. They're exes, and besides I'm sure they're just working on something together. You gotta stop thinking about this; it's making you think up crazy shit. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to-"
"I'm serious. I met Vic at my interview yesterday, and-"
"How do you even know it's the same Vic? There must be hundreds of people with that name in New York alone."
"I just know, okay?!" he snapped. "God, aren't you suspicious of your fiancée at all?"
"People don't usually get suspicious of the people they're gonna marry! That's not how we're wired to work. And I'm sorry that you have trust issues, okay, but Harper's a good human being. She wouldn't have something on with her ex and not tell me."
He looked at me with this disappointed look in his eyes. He wasn't finished, I could tell – but the taxi had stopped right in front of Hi and Hey. I checked the meter and handed the change over to the driver, before getting out the car.
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't mean to get all up in your grill, but I'd prefer if we didn't talk about this again," I reaffirmed. "Now, are you coming with me to work with Mason's band? If not I'll pay the taxi driver to take you home."
~
Despite Calum silently agreeing not to talk about it again, I could tell he was distracted. That distant look in his eyes, the dull shade of skin, constant lip biting – anyone watching the guy would be able to guess that he was anxious. It was almost time for lunch, and Harper had asked me to meet her outside her studio. Part of me was tempted to cancel on her and talk to Calum about his concerns. I mean, I didn't think they were genuine, but it was clearly bothering him and I didn't want to work with that kind of atmosphere.
Michael got there before I could, though.
"Morning boys, as employees of this wonderful, successful and amazing company, you are entitled to a lunch break so go stuff some food down your throats!" he yelled, entering the room glamorously. I laughed, rolling my eyes and flinging the lyric booklet draft on the stereo board in front of me. I gestured for the band boys to come out of the recording room and they all went down to the company canteen for lunch.
"Calum?" I asked, nudging him in the arm. He broke out of his little daydream and raised his brows, glancing up at us both.
"Where did everyone go? I swear they were just-"
"They went for lunch Calum dear," Michael replied condescendingly. "And now it's our turn. Luke, where are we eating?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but hesitated. Calum would be fine with Michael, right? I felt bad about always ditching Harper and with the recent doubts from Calum, I wanted to meet up with her and check everything was okay. "I won't be joining you guys. Harper's asked me to eat with her today."
"Can't we all eat together?" he suggested.
"Yeah no... we'll be talking about baby stuff so..."
Michael winked, slinging his arm around Calum, very almost suffocating the poor guy as they left the room too for lunch. I sighed and flicked the light switch, grabbing my coat from the back of the door and leaving too.
The restaurant Harper had picked was just down the road and we converged in front of the door, greeting each other with a brief kiss.
"Hey Harp, how's your morning been?"
She immediately linked arms with me and smiled. "Good! The director's been in a bit of a mood lately, but I think that's cause they've just hired a new set cleaner – hey, remember my ex?"
I nodded. "Victor, right?"
"Yeah! He's on set now." I raised my eyebrows. "It's kinda weird being around him now but we're keeping it civil," she explained as we ordered. "Yep, can I have the brie and bacon pasta?"
I stopped her. "Wait hold up, you shouldn't be eating brie, you're pregnant," I informed, looking up at the waiter as he crossed it off his list. "Why don't you have something else? Cheddar's fine I think..."
"Aw Lukey-poo, you always take such good care of me! I love how much you care about this baby," she said, clasping my hand.
Something about that comment irked me a little. 'This baby'? Wasn't it 'our baby'?
"Of course I care, it's ours!"
She sort of looked away, as if avoiding that comment or something. I quickly chose a meal for myself and turned my full attention back to her.
"So, have you spoken to Victor much since he got the job?"
She shrugged. "Oh, just now and then. It's hard not to when you work in the same place!"
"And did he approach you first?"
"Jeez Luke, what's with all the questions? I never took you for the possessive type..." she remarked. I pursed my lips.
"That's not what this is... I'm just curious. Calum for some reason, has been suspecting you guys."
"Calum? What you mean, suspect? Does he even know Victor?" she inquired, a hint of worry in her voice.
"I have no idea. I find it really weird too; he says you guys are hiding something, but it's probably nothing."
She chuckled nervously and sipped her water. "Y-yeah. Probably nothing."
~
By the time Calum and I got home, it was way past eleven, and all we wanted to do was go to sleep – but once I switched the TV on, we saw that our favourite film The Runaways starring Kristen Stewart had just begun airing so of course we had to drop everything, jump on the sofa and watch.
When the film first came out, Calum took me on a date to see it. I had never been much of a film-watcher, but something about being in a dark theatre room with him changed that. He opened my eyes to a completely different world, one of rock music that was strangely different to the Good Charlotte and Green Day I'd listened to as a boy.
Since then the film had always been special for us. Every year, to celebrate our first date, we'd watch it curled up in my bed with my old laptop propped up on our knees as we slurped from beer bottles and devoured bags and bags of chips – all followed by a hot make-out session and well... you know what.
The teenage angst and rebellion factor also changed me into ceasing to be the obedient little kid who did as his mother said; from that point on, forming a band was the only thing in my sight and that was all that mattered.
Calum didn't know that. He didn't know that the band that he inspired me to create was ruined by his very self.
"Who knew that all these years later, we'd still be watching this very film," Calum commented halfway through the movie. I chuckled, taking a moment to reminisce.
"I know right. Did you watch it when you were gone?"
"Every year. You?" I grinned. So he'd watched it too.
I nodded. "How could I not? You were everything to me," I added with a lingering touch. He edged slightly closer so I was practically sitting on top of him.
He paused. "And I still can be."
"Not this again-"
"Luke, look at me." I looked at him. "It's not over yet. Us, I mean. The spark's still there, and you know it."
The urge to agree with him, kiss his lips and leave Harper was strong... but as an adult I had certain responsibilities that I couldn't just leave behind, not like Calum had done ten years ago. It was different now, wasn't it?
"I know it is. I've wanted to kiss you every day since you got here – and every day during those ten years you'd disappeared. But the thing is, I've got a kid on the way. And Harper is still my fiancée. And no matter what stories you make up about her and Victor, until there's solid evidence I just can't take that risk. I'd hate to have a kid with separated parents, that's just such a painful thought for me. I mean it's not only that – there's also the fact that you picked up your things and left without a trace, in such a way that pretty much ruined me for a while."
He nodded, but not in an understanding way. "So if I told you the truth, would you come with me?"
"Where?"
"Anywhere but here."
"Calum... that's not how it works anymore."
"Come on Luke. Imagine – we could go anywhere, do anything, whatever we wanted."
I sighed, knowing how badly I wanted go with him and be happy.
"Luke... let's runaway."
***
there it is!!!
btw, anyone else obsessed with imagine dragon's thunder? i wasn't a fan at first but... now i just can't stop XD
kimmy xx