• Chapter 2 •
Renn
I push Luke's heavy, unconscious body off of me as he groans. "Stop moving," he mumbles.
Again, Luke pats his head on my lap and holds my thigh for comfort. It's a comforting grip, not a horribly tight one.
"Wow, he got you good," jokes Ashton.
"Oh shut up. When he wakes up he'll realise it," I say.
Luke's been asleep since he came back from Dakota's house. To my understanding, Luke, Calum and Ashton are sleeping here, at Michael's house. I live across the busy street, separating Michael's and my neighbourhoods. So, there's no point of waking Luke up now. They won't get any sleep, so he should thank me.
"Luke," I call. I begin to slap Luke's back, and push him off but he groans and stays put.
"You're the worst bed ever Renn." I gasp at my name coming out of his mouth. He knows?
"Sorry that I'm not used to a 6-foot-four teenage idiot sleeping on me," I say.
"Technically I'm resting my head on you. I'm not full on sleeping," he says.
I roll my eyes and Luke smirks. "This..." he says, "would be sleeping on you."
Before I know it, Luke's large body tackles mine on the couch and he nuzzles my head in the crook of his neck.
"Luke! I can't breathe!" I yell.
"Good! Makes it easier for me," he jokes.
You know, I don't see why heaps of girls liked him, and still do. He's nothing but a cold-hearted jerk. His songs are nothing to what he really is.
Finally, Luke gets off of me, and begins to flick my ear as I scroll through Facebook on my phone.
"Stop," I mumble.
"Hmm?" asks Luke, flicking my ear.
"Stop," I say louder.
"I don't think I want to."
"Stop it you prick!"
Roman runs down the stairs, being followed by Harry.
"Flory what's wrong?" asks Roman. Of course he'd come running. He recognises my voice, and if I'm yelling, he thinks I need help.
"Nothing Rome, you can go back upstairs," I say. Roman has dyslexia, and has trouble learning.
"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you if you are not okay," he says.
"I'm fine Roman. Go with Harry upstairs please," I say.
"Okay then."
Harry takes Roman's hand and takes him upstairs to play.
"I like your brother," says Ashton. I completely ignore him and push Luke off the couch. He ticked me off, and scared my little brother.
"What was that for?" Luke asks.
"For being such a prick! I didn't do anything to you, and hell I don't even know why you hate me so much!" I yell.
Luke holds my forearms to stand up, and meet above my level. I look up into his blue eyes, filled with hatred and anger.
"I'm the prick? Come on Renn you and I both know you hate me as much as I hate you," says Luke.
"I only hate you because you treat me like shit!" I yell.
"Hey, calm down. Don't want to scare your brother."
I slap Luke's cheek, and my free hand is trapped into a small cold brace. I look down to see my right hand in a handcuff. The other side is connected to Luke's left hand. No. Way.
"What the hell is this?" I ask.
"It's a handcuff. We're tired of you and Luke always arguing. So the only way to stop it, is to spend some time handcuffed together," says Calum.
"This rubbish never works," says Luke.
"For once, the idiot is right," I say.
"Thank you," says Luke.
"Ah-a-a! There's progress right there! At least 7 days connected, and we'll see from there," says Michael.
In five days, the 5SOS boys will be in North America, carrying out their tour. That gives Luke and I enough time to prove that we don't hate each other so he can leave.
Luke lets out a scoff and lifts our arms up then letting them down. "This is stupid, undo the locks," he says.
For once in my life, I agree with Luke.
"Fighting for six years is stupid, this is a wicked solution. Just admit it," says Ashton.
"You're handcuffed for a week to make up for six years of obnoxious bickering," says Michael, laughing at our connected wrists.
Luke's phone rings and he answers it with his free hand. "Hello?... yeah... okay... see you." Luke hangs up and looks at me.
"I need to get home," he says, "Ben and Jack are over for dinner."
"Okay boys, you can separate us now," I say.
"It hasn't been seven days," says Calum.
"You were serious about that?" asks Luke.
"Good luck," says Michael.
I end up dropping Roman at home, and I get Verona to pack me some clothes... after she laughs ridiculously hysterically.
"This is good," she laughs, "really really good."
"Hurry up, Vee, I'm not in the mood," I groan. I don't need Luke staring at my collection of underwear probably laughing about how small my breasts are or the boring patterns of my panties. I don't need it, and I will not be getting it.
Verona packs me a week of clothes and tells Mum that I'm off at Jana's for the week before her 18th birthday. It's not technically all a lie, Jana has asked me to help her with picking a dress for her big bash. Except now she knows Luke will have to come along. She knows about all of this, and thinks it's a great idea. She sends me luck and fun, things that I won't be getting.
*****
When Luke takes me to his house, he takes me upstairs to his room. It's a deep blue room with heaps of posters pasted on every wall. "So uh... I kind of need to shower," says Luke, scratching the back of his head and setting both of us down on the checkered blue bed.
"Uh..." I stammer, "ring Ashton?"
"Good idea."
I guess because Luke and I are together, not matter what we do, arguing and bickering hasn't really come up.
I watch as Luke takes his phone, types in his password and rings Ashton. Their conversation consists of "We got a problem," "yeah sure" and "see you." I wonder how they communicate in real life... I've never really paid attention to the boys when I hang out with them. Well at least not Luke. If I do, we usually end up in a big fight.
"He'll let us go when we both shower, and then lock us back up after," says Luke.
"Great..." I say, sighing.
"Look Renn, I'm doing this for my friends. They obviously want us to be friends, so for the sake of our friends, could we do this?"
I gasp. "Luke Hemmings wanting to be friends with Renn Knight? What is this world?"
"Very funny. Can we just act like we love each other so dearly so they could undo us when the week is over?" pleads Luke.
"You know I never thought of the day Luke Hemmings would plead before me."
"Flora!"
"Fine fine fine. Just one condition."
"What?"
"Don't call me Flora."
"Why not? Everyone called you that when we were kids."
"Yeah, that was when we were kids. I'm 18 now."
"I don't think that's going to work, I like the name Flora."
"Then I continue to annoy and bicker with you so that you'll have to play onstage with me connected to your wrist."
Luke takes in a deep breath and closes his eyes tightly. "Okay okay, fine," he agrees. "Just for this week."
I nod and Liz knocks on the door. "Luke? Ashton's here," she says.
Ashton walks in the room and smiles. "So, how's the non-bickering rule?" he asks.
"Well there isn't any rules, we're just handcuffed," I say.
"True true, okay Luke you go shower and come back, then Renn will go do the same."
Ashton takes his key and uncuffs us. I rub my irritated wrist and Luke goes to shower. I go into my bag while Ashton flips open Luke's laptop. My eyes travel to the background. It's of him and Dakota, ew.
I don't really know the case about Luke and Dakota. One day, they're just friends, the next day Dakota's sitting on his lap while she kisses his cheek repeatedly. I know Luke's had his fair share in girlfriends in the years he was in regular high school. He's about 3, almost four if you count a girl he asked out before shutting out of our world.
"Hey Ash?" I call.
"Yeah?" asks Ashton, looking away from the Twitter screen.
"What's the case with Dakota and Luke?"
"Hmm, for all I know they were friends since Kindergarten."
The door bursts open and Luke walks in without a t-shirt. Ew once again.
"Who were?" asks Luke.
"Oh, um me and Belle," says Ashton.
"Oh you were? And she managed to have feelings for you? Weird," jokes Luke.
Isabelle, or Belle is Ashton's girlfriend of like 4 years. They're inseparable, and I love the Ashton that Ashton becomes when he is around her. It's like a happy, content Ashton. When they're apart, like now, Ashton is normal, and sometimes out of place. Isabelle is from Sydney, but most of her family lives in New Zealand. She's there now.
"Shut it Hemmings. Okay Renn you go on and shower so I can leave," says Ashton.
"What, you don't trust us?" chuckles Luke.
"Not one bit," says Ashton, shooing me away to the bathroom.
*****
When I am changed, hair is somewhat dry, and such, Ashton clamps my wrist into the cuff, and does the same for Luke. "Thank God you're left handed, this would've been much harder," jokes Ashton.
I roll my eyes at him. "You're lucky I like you," I say.
"Aww I like you too. But I have a girlfriend," Ashton winks playfully at me.
"If you're done flirting, my family is waiting downstairs," scoffs Luke. Okay maybe he didn't change in the last hour or so.
At dinner, Liz tells Jack's wife that Luke and I are 'enemies' that's why we're handcuffed.
"It'd be quite a study in my class," says Carla.
"Carla's in human communications and stuff," says Luke, swallowing his meat.
"Really? That sounds really cool," I say.
"Are you not going to eat any meat?" asks Liz.
Before I can respond, Luke speaks for me. "Florence doesn't eat pork," he says softly.
"Oh Renn I didn't know," says Liz.
"It's no big deal," I say, smiling.
"May I ask why?" asks Carla.
"Cultural tradition stuff," I say, shrugging.
"Interesting."
Carla has the ability to make you feel like an experiment, constantly being examined and analysed. Kind of creepy. She smiles at me, though and Ben smiles... apologetically. I should be the one doing it, I feel like a brat. My mother and father had to raise me this way.
"Oh, since this whole concoction occurred, I've spoken to your mum about taking you on tour with the boys in North America," says Liz. I nearly choke on my potatoes.
"I'm sorry did you say North America?" I ask, taking a sip of water.
Liz nods happily and says yes.
"I-I don't think that's appropriate. I-I have school and such," I say.
"It's just for a few weeks, plus, it'll be fun," says Liz.
I look at Luke and his eyes are closed, head hanging low. Jack nudges him and he looks up, looking straight at me. "It'd be fun, don't you think?" asks Luke, giving me a look as if saying 'play along.'
I smile at him and nod. "I guess so," I say.
*****
The next day, Jana has Luke and I help her pick out some decorations, themes and entertainment for her party. It's just before the boys leave for tour, and I'm glad.
"How many dresses are you trying on?" Luke groans.
"This is my second one," says Jana.
"But you spend so much time in them," Luke groans again.
"Spare me the whining."
I look at Luke and he rests his head on my shoulder. I push his head off. "Why don't you ever let me lean on you?" he asks.
"Because I don't look like a pillow," I say.
"Well you're puffy and stuffed like one," says Luke.
A smirk is placed on his lips and he laughs softly to himself. I scoff and roll my eyes. I know better than to take his comments and remarks to heart.
"I am not, if anything, you look like an abnormally tall toothpick," I say.
"Doesn't bother me. There are heaps of girls out there that want to date me," says Luke.
"God bless their souls."
Luke pushes me with his broad shoulder, and I nearly fall off the bench, but he pulls me close to him. I look into his eyes and I see a blank face. Nothing. He doesn't see me as a friend or as an enemy. He sees me as nothing.
"Okay, what do you think about this one?" I quickly turn my head to see Jana in another light blue dress.
"I'm guessing your theme is blue?" asks Luke.
"It's actually Tiffany," says Jana.
"Translation please," asks Luke.
"It's a light blue, with a bit of green on it," I say.
Luke nods once and then smiles. "Oooohhhh," he drags out. "I get it!"
After dresses, Jana goes to a party planner shop place...
There, Luke gets extremely impatient, and frustrated. He wants to be un-cuffed as much as I do. I suggest that he text or ring someone that would be good company. He ends up texting Calum for awhile.
A few hours later, we're back at Luke's. Jana is sleeping here too, except in the guest room to ensure no 'funny business.'
I lie down on Luke's left side of the bed, and turn to face his side. He's on his phone, typing away. I notice how his eyebrows are pursed together, and his lips are pushed inward. He's trying to concentrate on something he doesn't want to.
"Stop it," he says.
"Stop what?" I ask.
"Staring. It makes me uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry?"
"I hope you know that those things only happen in movies."
"What does?"
"Two people hate each other, and then somehow they're bound together and fall in love?"
"I didn't-"
"I don't care. Just don't get your hopes up when I don't fall for your ugly butt."
Luke locks his phone and pulls the thin covers over himself. The days are getting slightly colder, as in a few degrees by day. The coldest it gets is at night, where Luke's family's air conditioning is low.
"Night Florence," mutters Luke. That's all I hear until soft snores come from Luke.
Good night Luke.
In the morning, my phone is blowing up loudly and a soft pillow is smacked to my face. "Turn it off!" yells Luke.
"I'm doing it, I'm doing it," I say, putting my phone on silent.
My eyes open to see all the Twitter notifications.
@rennlouisa OH. MY. GOD. YOU AND LUKE. SERIOUSLY AH SO CUTE I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN
@rennlouisa #ruke? Or like #fluke oh my god. Yes. #lenn? #lurence i kinda like flucas ha!
What on earth is #fluke? #lenn?
I sit up slowly and find Luke move to get his phone. When he opens his Twitter, his eyes go wide and he looks at me.
Luke turns his phone so I can see a photo. What photo? A photo of Luke's arm around my waist, above the blankets, sleeping. His face is in the crook of my neck and we both look very... comfortable.
The door bursts open to reveal Ashton, Michael, Calum and Jana.
"I see you saw my tweet," says Michael, smirking.
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Hahahahaha okay seriously, what's a good ship name?? Social media plays a big part in this story :-/
Renn's full name is Florence Louisa Knight. So any ideas??? :)
And also idk luke's brother's fiance or wife's name haha so let's call her Carla :)
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