I wake up in the middle of the night, confused at the absence of Luke's arms around me.
I sit up abruptly, my eyes adjusting to the dark. "Luke?" I call softly.
"Hmm."
I follow his voice to the window where he leans, staring out. Even in the dark room, I see his vibrant blue eyes, and the purple ring surrounding one of them.
"What are you doing up?" I ask him as I check the clock next to my bed. "It's two in the morning."
"Couldn't sleep."
UI furrow my brows. "Why not?"
He looks down. "I, uh... I'm in a bit of pain."
I get out of the bed, walking into the bathroom and sifting throught my bottles of medicines. "Shit, Luke, why didn't you wake me up?"
"I didn't want to disturb you. You look so peaceful."
I return with ibuprofen and a new band aid, sitting beside Luke on the bed.
His lip has scabbed over a bit and so has his cut when I remove the band aid. His black eye, however, doesn't look any better.
"I hate seeing you so hurt," I murmer as I replace the old Winnie the Pooh band aid with a new one.
Something changes in his eyes as I move my hands from his face.
He wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace, his head resting on my shoulder.
I respond quickly, unsure of why he's hugging me so out of the blue, but I don't protest.
"Thank you," he breathes in my ear, his rough voice breaking the silence.
He pulls away without a word and takes the pill I hand him, swallowing it with some water.
"It should kick in soon," I tell him as he sets the water bottle on my night stand.
"What's on the new band aid?"
I squint at it in the dark. "Oh my god," I say, putting a hand over my mouth to stifle my laughs.
"What?"
"It's, uh... Dora the Explorer..."
"God damn it, Alaska!"
We both laugh at my jouvenile band aid selection before laying back in bed.
"I don't want to go to sleep yet," Luke admits as we lay on our backs, staring at the ceiling.
"I guess I can stay awake with you intil your medication kicks in," I sigh.
"You know, Tyler may be a little twat, but he can definately hit hard."
"I know right."
It's silent for a few moments.
"Hey, want to play a game?"
"When have I ever wanted to play one of your games?"
"Come on, it's fun."
I roll my eyes at him. "Fine, what game?"
"Would you rather."
"Not this bullshit, please," I groan.
"Okay, so would you rather..." He furrows his brows in thought. "Be hunted by a trained assassin, or rot in jail?"
"Rot in jail," I answer.
"Why the hell would you want that?"
"Because if you were hunted by a trained assassin, you'd be living in suspense your whole life, waiting for the trained assassin to strike."
"Interesting answer, Alaska."
"What about you then?"
"I think it would be exhilarating to be hunted," Luke says. "You know, living on the edge."
"There are plenty of other ways you could live on the edge."
"Oh, like how? Buying regular Coke instead of Diet?"
"Shut up," I snap. "You know I'd never buy regular Coke."
"Sorry, I should have known that was too extreme of an example," Luke says and we both laugh.
"Your turn," Luke says.
"Alright would you rather... eat gum off the ground or use a toilet brush to brush your teeth?"
"Shit, Alaska, you can't just ask something like that."
"You have to answer," I smile.
Luke stares at the ceiling for a good five minutes before answering. "Eat gum off the ground."
"And why?"
"Because I could eat gum off a very sterile floor, like at my house."
"It would have to be gum off the street."
"You didn't say that!" He smirks at the loophole he found.
I roll my eyes at him. "Cheater."
"Alaska, you cannot cheat at would you rather. It's inhumanly possible."
"Well, you just did, so that means you must not be human."
"You caught me. I am actually a god."
I laugh, turning on my side to face him.
"What's your answer then?" He asks me. "Gum off the ground or toilet brush?"
"Well, I'd have to agree with you on this one," I say. "Who knows what kind of shit toilet brushes clean."
"All kinds of shit. That's what toilet brushes are for, Alaska."
I laugh again, Luke cracking up too. Luke's sense of humor never fails to entertain me.
"My turn," Luke says gleefully. "Would you rather be married to someone you hate, or never be with someone you love?"
His question shocks me a bit, as he told me he doesn't believe in love.
"Never be with someone I love," I answer.
"And why is that?"
"Because it would be worth it, if I'm in love with that person."
"You really believe that?"
"Yep. What about you?" I ask.
"Neither of them."
"Come on, you can't do that!"
"Im a god, remember?"
"What if you fall in love Luke? Will you still not believe in it?" I ask.
"I'm incapable," he answers simply.
"You're incapable of loving someone?"
"Well, no, I'm capable of loving someone. I'm incapable of ever wanting it."
I feel sad for him, at that moment. I know this is all undoubtedly because of Isabel, and it angers me a bit.
"Can we go to sleep now?" I ask.
"C'mon, it's Friday. What could you possible have planned tomorrow?"
"Well, I was going to Google how to eliminate gods that cheat at would you rather."
"Easy, you kiss them." He grins childishly and I laugh again.
"It's almost two," I say. "I really am tired."
"I really am tired," Luke mocks, his voice a few octaves higher than usual.
I smack him lightly on the arm, laughing at how ridiculous he sounds. "I don't sound like that!"
"I don't sound like that!" He continues his mockery and I give up, rolling my eyes.
"I'm going to sleep."
"But the medication hasn't kicked in yet!"
"You're a little shit."
He grins and I sigh.
"I don't want to play any more would you rather," I say.
"We could play twenty--"
"No."
"How about the guessing--"
"No."
"Fine, what about--"
"No."
"How about I just talk and you listen, then?"
"Talk about what?" I ask him.
"I don't know, anything that comes to mind."
"Well, alright."
So he begins talking, his deep and raspy voice sliding over each syllable like butter. He talks about things I've never even heard of, and things I've never even thought about. He's content with just talking, and I'm content with just listening. I fall asleep to the sound of his voice, and the vision of his ocean eyes.
-
In the morning I wake up with Luke draped over me.
His head is resting on my stomach, his arms wrapped tightly around me. My hands take comfort in his hair, the soft strands wrapping around my fingers.
He's out like a light.
I try to sit up, but he groans and pushes me back down.
Even in his sleep, he does everything to spite me.
"Luke," I say. "Get off."
"Alaska, why the fuck are you up at the ass crack of dawn?"
I roll my eyes. "It's ten thirty."
"Exactly," he says, closing his eyes again.
"I have to pee."
"Hold it in."
"Fine, I'll just pee here. That's fine, too."
Luke doesn't answer.
"I'm sure you'd like fresh, yellow urine all over your nice clean clothes, wouldn't you Luke?"
He shoots up, garbbing one of my pillows to hug instead of me and shutting his eyes again.
"This is what you get for staying up until two am," I singsong as I make my way to the bathroom.
"Ha ha, fuck you."
I shut the door to the bathroom and take my time to refresh myself. I take a shower and blow dry my hair, running the straightening iron quickly. I dress myself in a floral top and dark skinny jeans, swiping mascara across my eyelashes.
I emerge from the bathroom, and Luke's still out. I fold my clothes neatly and go back to my apartment, straightening the place up. I cook eggs on toast for breakfast, wrinkling my nose at the supply of food at my place. I should go shopping soon.
I'm in the middle of checking my emails on my laptop around noon when Luke finally stumbles out of my room, rubbing his eyes.
"Well, well, look who decided to show," I say, smirking.
"I know, I bring the party." He smiles sleepily as I hand him a plate of breakfast.
"Yeah, sure. Party."
"You know you love it, Allie."
Love.
I swallow.
I turn my attention back to my computer screen as Luke eats, watching TV as he does so. Afternoon news is on, talking about the weather.
I look up from my laptop, watching Luke.
For a moment, I pretend that I'm his girlfriend and he's my boyfriend. That he takes me on romantic dates and buys me flowers. That we spend passionate nights together, and spend the entire next day with each other, laughing and kissing and being in love.
I snap out of my stupid, pointless daydream and look back up to my computer.
"Fuck, it's going to rain heaps this weekend."
Luke's voice brings my attention back to the TV.
"Again?"
"Yeah, the fat ass with the ugly tie just said so."
I silly smile spreads across my face, and Luke notices.
"Why are you smiling? Rain makes everything worse."
"No it doesn't, I love the rain."
"The roads are going to be all slippery."
"So don't take the busy roads, obviously."
"Ugh, but rain is so.... wet."
I stare at him. "Really, I had no idea."
Luke rolls his eyes ar me and gets up to put his plate away. "And all the kids are going to be skipping school, so that means they'll prank the office."
"Prank the office?"
"Yeah, every year on flood days these little middle school shits play some dumb ass trick at Capitol, like making someone slip or something" he says as he returns to the couch.
I stifle a laugh.
"It's not funny."
"I bet you've slipped before, haven't you?"
"That's beside the point."
"Oh, I would have paid to see that. Do you know if anyone got it on tape?"
Luke rolls his eyes at me as I continue to laugh.
Suddenly, my phone blares from the coffee table and I pick it up quickly.
"Hello?"
"I hope you saw what we did to dear Luke."
I stiffen at Tyler's voice.
"Yes, I did."
"Good. I should hope you wouldn't want to see him in worse condition."
"That is correct." I try to keep my voice steady under Luke's confused gaze.
"Thought so. Meet me tomorrow, in the alley ten blocks down and around the corner of your apartment. Alone."
"And if I don't?"
"If you don't... well, I think you know exactly what will happen if you don't."
"I don't believe I do."
"Then I'll explain it to you," he says. "I will notify my uncle of Luke, Calum and Ashton's betrayal. And I think I'll add your name in there, too."
So he hasn't told.
And he's using it as blackmail.
"Fine," I snap.
"Good, see you soon Allie."
Beep.
"Who was that?" Luke asks.
I can't tell him. Somehow Tyler wil find out.
"Just... uh, my father. He was talking about the divorce."
"Oh," Luke nods, seeming to buy into my lie.
I feel queasy and sickened by Tyler's threats. What could he possibly want?
I have a feeling I don't want to find out.