Ah, the ARIA's. It was tonight and Luke was the only one in the band without a date. He considered taking his mum but she wanted to sit with his family instead. In the end, he didn't care anymore. He was sitting at St Ignatius Academy's front, waiting for Rebecca. She had told him she was on her way, only two minutes away.
Soon enough, she saw him and Luke stood up to greet her with a tight smile. He was upset with her and he didn't know why.
"Hey," she said.
"Hi," Luke said. They stared at each other for awhile until Luke pulled out the brown paper bag from the bench and gave it to Rebecca.
"I got you a double chocolate chip cookie," he said, "I know how much you like them."
"Thanks," Rebecca said. They took a seat as Rebecca began to break pieces off of the cookie and put it in her mouth. Luke watched her eat and decline the offer of some of her large cookie.
"So what are we doing?" Rebecca asked.
"Well at first I wanted to take you to a drawing place just north of here but my mum's been bugging me about buying some nice clothes for the ARIA's."
"Oh right, that's tonight!"
"Yeah. My stylist is gone to French Polynesia for her wedding anniversary and the other guys already have clothes. I've been stalling because I hate shopping for clothes."
"I could help you."
"Yeah but I booked the drawing place for you."
"Why don't we go after? Noah's tackling the wedding prep stuff today so I could be yours all afternoon."
I could be yours. If Rebecca meant it any other way, Luke would've accepted in a heartbeat. He loved those words. He wanted Rebecca to be his.
"Sure," Luke said with a smile. And then he looked away, suddenly ashamed he was willing to have Rebecca even if that meant her cheating on Noah. He was the monster now.
"Shall we go?" Rebecca said, throwing the bag into the trash bin and standing up, happily to go.
"Let's," Luke said, walking her to his car. He opened the door for her and then he went into his seat to drive Rebecca to the art place in town. Luke paid enough to have Rebecca's own easel, her own paint and anything else she needed. He would wait for her to finish her artwork because he loved to see her face when she was determined and focus. She was so cute.
"Derrick's Art Room? Really? This place is like... expensive," Rebecca said.
"You know it's still odd as a girl rich as you, would say expensive," Luke said.
"Things are expensive, no matter how much money you have."
Luke opened the door and let Rebecca walk through. It was empty except for the front desk worker who let them freely walk into one of the rooms and Rebecca had the largest one. It was wonderful to watch her touch all of the things in the room like a child touching their gifts on Christmas morning. She was in awe as Luke was in awe watching her.
"This is so awesome," she giggled.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Draw," Luke laughed, taking a seat.
"What do I draw?" Rebecca asked. Luke shrugged. He thought to himself.
"Okay um, close your eyes and think of your happy place. Draw what makes you happy and why it makes you happy."
Rebecca did as told and soon her hand was moving with fiery and passion across the paper on the easel with her pencil. She wasn't stopping and Luke didn't want her to. He watched the lines across the page slowly and slowly change into something new each time Rebecca added more. She added more and more and the scene was still confusing for Luke. Rebecca switched to acrylic paint, painting the scene. The background was a gloomy blueish grey and the bottom a dark forest green. She painted quickly but with precision and not to mention utter perfection.
An hour and a half later, Rebecca had paint all over her apron, her arms and some green on her cheekbone. She stepped back and looked at her easel. The look on her face was the same look that Luke's mum gave him when they played their first stadium show in Sydney in front of all of their family. It was the same look that Luke longed for from all of the people he tried to make proud.
"Two people playing chess?" Luke asked, a little confused. He stared at the painting of two black silhouettes playing chess; a girl and a boy. The girl's slender fingers picked up a bishop and the boy had his chin resting on his intertwined hands. Why did the picture seem so familiar, like Luke saw it before? But he could've swore he didn't.
"I-I don't know. It was the first thing in my mind. I remember playing chess in some dark place, I remember being so happy but I-I don't remember where or who with," Rebecca said, sounding a little shaken up. Luke smiled at her.
"It looks great," he muttered, finally remembering the time Rebecca played Luke in chess.
After a rainy Saturday, Luke was stuck in Cal's Café to close it up and Rebecca had just finished watching the Riverstone Hawks verse the Cronulla Vipers in a soccer game. She walked in, completely soaked in her pretty sundress. The forecast said nothing about rain but it was winter, so they should've suspected something. Luke was stunned to see Rebecca. He didn't know how to react as he just turned sixteen. He hadn't liked someone as much as he liked Rebecca.
"Are you going to just stand there or help me dry up?" she chuckled. Luke pulled her into his arms and hugged her. He felt her beating heart quicken at his motions and he smiled to himself. He knew that heart beat for no one but him.
"Come, I have some clothes in the back," Luke said, pulling his almost-girlfriend into the back room, behind the kitchen.
"Thanks," Rebecca said. Luke handed her black soccer shorts that he's had for awhile and a The Killers shirt he got from his Nan the Christmas before. He waited for her just outside of the bathroom and he looked at Rebecca up and down and smirked.
"Well don't you look cute."
"Don't I always?"
Luke led Rebecca to a seat and pulled out a chess box from under it. During the times that he had shifts, he saw so many people play. The last to play were two twin elders. Intently he watched and the man that ordered unlimited decaf coffees won against his brother.
"Chess?" Rebecca laughed.
"Don't underestimate my skills," Luke said, setting up the little statues to where they were supposed to go.
"Okay, okay I won't. So, is this what you do in your free time? Play chess?"
"Yup. I'll make you a deal. If you win, you get the honour of being my girlfriend. If I win, I get the honour of being your boyfriend. Deal?"
Rebecca's cheeks turned the brightest red as she giggled at Luke's stupid deal. He thought it was the idea was genius but it was probably stupid. It didn't matter in that moment because Rebecca won and she gave Luke a kiss on the cheek saying "Well well well boyfriend, it looks like you need to sharpen up your skills!"
Luke made her waffles and loaded the maple syrup and whipped cream. He put a heap of fruits on top and the same chocolate malt shake he made her on their 'first date.' Little did he know that was all it take to win her over.
"It can dry in your car; come on I want to see you in a tux," Rebecca laughed. Luke rolled his eyes.
"I don't wear tuxes to award shows. Maybe something close to it," he said. Luke let Rebecca go out the door first and he drove to the usual shop he went to, to find whatever he needed.
Rebecca spied a few shirts and threw them in Luke's way. She filled his arms with a big pile of clothes and shooed him off into the dressing rooms.
"All of this?" he groaned.
"Yes Luke, go," Rebecca said.
Although he hated trying on so many clothes and feeling like a girl, he longed for Rebecca to say his name again. It sounded the way chocolate felt in your mouth: amazing. Rebecca was all Luke thought about whilst he changed. Did she remember playing chess with Luke when they officially became a couple? Did she remember the malt shake and the waffles? Did she remember the track meets in the rain, the track meets in the hot blazing sun? Did Rebecca remember the sweet kisses when Rocco wasn't looking? Did she feel anything? Why was it so easy to break his heart and move on?
"Luke? Are you done?" Rebecca called. Luke sighed and opened the door. He hated the colour orange on him but he had to show Rebecca anyway. He turned around and Rebecca laughed loudly, covering her mouth right after.
"Okay, okay the next one," she giggled. Luke grunted before changing into a dark blue one and Rebecca thought it was too dark.
"What if I wear a white tie, will it still be too dark?" Luke asked.
"Oh so you're wearing a tie?"
Luke turned red. He originally didn't even want to dress up so nicely but it slipped his mind. Quickly, he changed into a charcoal black shirt and Rebecca shook her head. A white one was the last one and she had a smirk on her face and asked Luke to turn around.
"Wear a leather jacket with that and you'll look great. It's like formal but not too formal," she laughed.
"Gee thanks Stylist," Luke rolled his eyes but smiled at the beautiful girl.
"That's what I'm here for."
Luke bought the shirt and they drove back to Luke's house. The ride was silent with the muffled sound of random pop music from riding with Indie. Luke wasn't going to change the music because he missed Indie. That was the only thing he had left of her.
"So, have you talked to Indiana?" Rebecca asked softly, as if she were scared to die if things went wrong.
"No," Luke said, sighing, defeated.
"So what, you're just not going to talk to her?"
"She'll just tell me 'I told you so' because her boyfriend probably isn't a dick and all that crap."
"Then why'd you say it?"
"Honestly? No clue. But... I-I didn't want her to leave me. She's the only person who will willingly help me during my highs and lows, you know?"
Luke frowned. He wasn't supposed to say that. He was a famous rockstar. He could go up to a random person on the street and tell them to be his best friend and they'd do it. Luke could do so much but he didn't.
"I understand," Rebecca said quietly, "But what about Calum? Ashton? Michael?"
"They have this... theory that I'm some stupid little kid afraid of the future or something. I don't know, they always act like I'm twelve."
"Why don't you talk to them?"
Luke chuckled. "Because unlike the Scotts, we don't look for drama for people to watch."
Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Don't even go there. Do you know how excited he is to broadcast the wedding across the nation? People in New Zealand could watch it too and that's like his ultimate goal."
"Why is that his goal out of all things?"
"Who knows? It's Noah."
The two shared a brief laugh and Luke smiled to himself. If things ended somewhat properly, the two of them could be friends. He wanted that to say the least.
When they reached Luke's home, Luke went in first to see it was just the way he left it. Things were in its place except for the odd little things and such. Rebecca took a seat on the lounge and Luke went into the refrigerator for two bottles of water and handed one to Rebecca.
"One of the main things of being perfect: stay hydrated," she chuckled.
Luke stayed silent, took a sip and cleared his throat quietly. "You're still after that whole thing?"
"What thing?" Rebecca asked, raising her eyebrow.
"The whole perfection thing. You still want to be perfect?"
"Doesn't everybody?"
Luke shook his head slowly. How could he want to be perfect if he had no idea what perfect was?
"Oh, well then yes. I want to be perfect," Rebecca shrugged, "It's just a thing Luke."
"Yeah but it's irrational."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing is perfect Becc. It's just... fact. You can't be perfect."
"Excuse me?"
Why was Rebecca so offended by this?
"Look I don't know what crawled up your punk-ass but just because you're nowhere near perfect doesn't mean I can't be!" Rebecca put her water bottle on the coffee table and pulled her bag over her shoulder and stormed out of Luke's house.
He sighed and hit his forehead with the bottom of his hand. Of course he ruined things. Of course he said that. Luke thought Rebecca was perfect and he should've said that. It would've changed the course of their conversation and their relationship. But now, Luke lost her before he had her.
* * * * *
"They want us to perform an oldie," Michael shrugged, "'Cause all our singles are done."
"Then which one?" Luke asked.
The three boys were waiting on Ashton in the dressing room. They were going to open up the ARIA's due to another great year of music. All of them were nervous and Luke was too because if they won one of the awards that they were nominated for, Rebecca would be giving them their award. Half of him wanted to win and half of him hoped One Direction pulled up to win, as they always did.
"Maybe we could do like a mash-up! I've always wanted to do one," Calum said.
"No, we're not cool enough," Michael chuckled.
"We're never cool enough to do things," Luke said.
"And the truth is spoken," Michael rolled his eyes.
Ashton came seven minutes later all dressed up. Soundcheck was this morning but they played a new single. The managers of the award show didn't want another single, they wanted a crazy entrance. The boys just didn't know how to give one.
"What if we do like... American Idiot," Michael said, giving his favourite cover a shout out.
"In Australia?" Ashton laughed.
"Okay maybe not."
"What about Try Hard? It's always a crowd favourite," Calum said.
"Yeah, until we stopped playing it. You don't know what people think now," Luke said.
"This is horrible. Why don't we just wing it?" Michael said.
"Yes because winging award shows is usually how it goes," Calum rolled his eyes. "Everyone does a mash-up in the entrance!"
"Fine, we'll do a mash-up now shut up," Ashton said.
"That rhymed," Luke snickered. And as if one cue, all the boys hit him.
The performance was flawless. Everyone jumped to their feet and Luke found Rebecca and Noah standing too. Noah seemed to have the time of his life listening to two of 5 Seconds of Summer's songs. Rebecca had this big smile on her face, and it was the same smile she had when she stared at her finish painting.
"Welcome to the 2014 ARIA awards!" Ashton yelled just before they finished their set and the music died down. Everyone was screaming and yelling at the boys' performance. It was like they didn't want it to end.
Luke was the last to leave the stage, giving a lingering look to the people in the crowd before running off behind Michael. They were hyped up for the rest of the show and the boys quickly changed before taking a seat in the fifth row. Holly was there with Lynn, heavily speaking in no other than gossip. Ashton sat next to Holly and Calum with Lynn. A girl named Zoe was sitting with Michael. Luke shook her hand as it was the first time he had seen her and sat next to Michael, on the end. In front of them was Ashton and Holly, and Lynn and Calum.
The show kicked off and Luke wasn't really into it but he paid attention. They gave out a few awards and then another performance came to play. This went a couple of times until Rebecca came up. She wore a beautiful silver glittery dress with black accents and her hair was put in an up do with curled pieces dangling down near her ear. As usual, she was beautiful. Luke felt his stomach churn when the suspenseful silence seconds turned up.
"It seems like every generation has their handful of amazing bands and I'm very honoured to give this award to this group for their music, personalities and let's be real here, they're pretty cute," Rebecca laughed. She held the the award in her hand and flashed a smile into the crowd. Luke could've sworn it was to him but there were thousands of people around him. It could've been anyone.
"The group for best group is," Rebecca giggled, "5 Seconds of Summer!"
The four boys clapped alongside everyone else and calmly went up the stage. They had won this award the year before and nominated the year before that. Luke felt his stomach turn sideways, upside down and everywhere. He hugged his band mates.
"We did it!" Ashton yelled into their hug and Luke lead the way to the stage.
As much as he didn't want to, he couldn't resist giving a one over to the beautiful girl right in front of him. Luke smiled at Rebecca and she laughed, handing him the triangular pyramid and she kissed him on the cheek as they hugged.
"Congratulations," she said. The boys followed in suit to give her a quick hug and give a thank you speech.
"Every time an award is shipped to us, it's shipped to my mum's house and every time she cries on the phone with me as she tells me to pick it up. I'm so happy and excited for her to do it again when an ARIA is sent to us. Thank you everyone for voting and for supporting us, we'd be nowhere without you," Ashton said quickly. The boys kept quiet and were ushered backstage as Rebecca looped her arm around Luke's waist and Luke put his arm over her shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you," Rebecca said as they went backstage.
Luke turned to her as the other boys greeted other celebrities backstage. "Rebecca... about what I said today..." Rebecca smiled and put her hand on Luke's scruffy cheek.
"You were right, nothing is perfect. I was stupid to think I could be-"
"No Becc I was wrong. You're more than perfect and if you can't see that, I feel bad for you. If you don't look in the mirror and see what I see, I feel bad for you because you're everything any man could ever wish for."
If there weren't cameras everywhere, Luke would've given her a kiss on the cheek or some type of sign of affection but he just smiled at her. Luke gave her a real smile and she let one out too.
"I better get back to Noah," she said quietly, looking down at the ground.
"Right."
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