Luke's POV
Memories. When most people think of memories, they associate the word with happy little flashbacks from the past. In my case, however, I see myself still sitting there, in that place, for three months. My only happy memories revolve around her. She was the light in the cloud of darkness that I call life.
I pulled into school Monday morning, and parked in my usual spot in the back of the parking lot. That way I'm out of the way. Out of sight; out of mind, right? As I walk through the parking lot, I see the usual little cliques. A group of freshman girls squealing over some sophomore that had walked by, a group of guys smoking to the side of the parking lot where they thought no one would see them, and about four other groups.
I've never really been a part of a clique, you could say. If I wasn't around Calum, I was always alone. I didn't ever fit in with, like, anyone. I didn't play any sport, or have any hobby in general that would make me click with anyone. Of course I had music, so I could have joined the band, but I was never comfortable playing for anyone. I wouldn't even play for my mom, regardless of how many times she asked.
As soon as I enter the school, I was greeted by Calum. We started a short conversation and finally he told me about his morning events.
"Well, Mindy and I broke it off this morning," he began. He sighed. "She really hates me now," He said it calmly like it didn't bother him, but I knew he was heartbroken. He really loved her, I knew he did. That's why I couldn't believe it when he told me that he cheated on her. Leona was extremely attractive, no doubt about it, but I still couldn't understand why he would do that. It's not like I could really say much about it, though, because ever since I was admitted to Golden Creek last fall, not many girls had much to do with me. I had 2 girlfriends in the past, one in middle school, and one in 9th grade. I was in 10th grade when I got bad.
"Honestly, Calum, do you blame her?" I asked.
"Well, not exactly but I apologized! And it's not like I even liked Leona like that, at all. We just hooked up, one time. It was meaningless,"
"Wouldn't you be slightly upset if she would have hooked up with someone else? Even if it was 'meaningless'." I turned the situation back on him. He rolled his eyes but the bell rang before he could argue with my point. We nodded at each other before going our own ways.
As I walked into my first period class, I locked eyes with the girl that spoke to me at the party the other night. She called me Mason, because she thought I was someone else I guess. We spoke for a few minutes, until Calum made us leave. It was only small talk, and I never even got her name. I started wondering how I never met her before. I recognized her as the girl who always had something smart or sassy to say in class, and she hung out with Mindy a lot. She was surprisingly easy to talk to, despite how beautiful she was.
Jacey's POV
I didn't even know I had first period with Luke Hemmings until I saw him looking in my direction all day. How long has he even been going to our school? The bell finally rang, and I stood up. Before I could exit my classroom, however, Luke slid in front of me.
"Hi," he began awkwardly. "I, uh, I'm Luke. You know, Mason? Well I'm not Mason, but you thought I was Mason, and -" I cut him off with a laugh at his awkward greeting. Before he could continue to embarrass himself, I began talking.
"I know, Hemmings, I know who you are. I remember you," I said. He just smiled, silently thanking me for shutting him up.
"Well, I just happened to notice that I never got your name," he said as he scratched the back of his neck. I grinned as I looked into his deep blue eyes. He really was an attractive boy. I don't know how I've overlooked him this long.
"Jacey Green,"
"Jacey," he repeats. "Like the song,"
"Song? What song?"
Whatever song he was referring to, I guess I should have heard it before. He looked at me like I was out of my mind. I just raised an eyebrow to tell him to explain this song that I reminded him of.
"Jasey Rae, by All Time Low," he says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. I have never heard the song or anything by All Time Low at that. I'm pretty sure my brother liked them, though. That's the only possible way I would have heard of them, and the name sounds familiar.
"Oh, okay. Never heard it," I said. He gasps, but the forcefulness behind it makes it obvious that he wasn't that offended by my oblivion.
"You're kidding," I just nodded my head to show I wasn't kidding. "Wow. So do you even know who All Time Low is?"
"I think my brother listens to them. That's kind of his thing," I inform him.
"Really? Ask him if he knows it, then look it up, and tell me what you think,"
"What?"
"I just want you to listen to it!"
I wasn't going to argue with some boy I barely knew about if I was going to listen to a song or not, so I just smiled.
"Okay. I will report to you here in exactly 24 hours," I promised him. The second period bell rings before he can say much more. He just says a simple 'okay' and walks away.
-
I entered my front door and was greeted by my mother standing in the kitchen, waiting on me.
"Uh, hi?" I asked hesitantly.
"Can we talk?" she said, almost inaudibly.
For whatever reason, when my mom wants to have heartfelt conversations, I get extremely nervous. My mom isn't scary at all, but it's almost weird now. Ever since Charles, my dad, walked out on us, my mom and I drifted apart. I haven't talked to Charles in four years, since he left. I honestly hated him with everything in me. It takes a real coward to just start a family and pretend like he loves us, then just walk out because he was tired of us. My brother is the only one who still has contact with him. He goes to his house every other weekend, even more often if he gets the chance. I've never even met his new wife or his step son. Jacob always tried to tell me about them, but I finally told him that I didn't want to know. All I knew was that the step son was my age and his name was Michael. I guess Jacob likes him, but if Jacob ever started liking him more than me, I'd probably have to kill Michael in his sleep.
I had already sat down on the barstools so my mom and I could 'talk' like she requested. She just looked in my eyes for what felt like three eternities. Finally she spoke.
"Jacey, are you okay?" she asked. I just cocked my eyebrows. Why wouldn't I be okay? Did something happen to me that I didn't know about?
"Yeah, I mean, I think so,"
"Well you know, you and I never really discussed Ashton, after everything. And I know you're still upset about it," I sighed and sunk back into my chair. Of course I told my mom what happened when I locked myself in my room for two months and hated the world. And I guess it was weird when Ash stopped coming around every day. But mom was right, the only person I really talked to about it was Mindy.
"That's true, but I'm fine. It's been six months, I think I'm getting over it," I smiled.
"I don't know if I believe that, but I hope you are," I was dreading this conversation again. She always related my relationship, or the ending of it, with Ashton, to her and Charles. "I know you loved him, but he wasn't worth all the pain you felt over him. And even if he did come apologize to you, you know better than-"
"I know, mom. I know," it wasn't until I felt a drop of salt water hit my collarbone that I realized I was crying. I actually haven't cried over Ashton in a good three weeks.
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," my mom frowned at me and hugged me. I just forced a smile and nodded at her, to signify that I was okay and I was going to my room.
I sat on my bed and wiped my face, staring at the wall until thoughts of Ashton left my mind. I could hear Jacob blaring his music through the speakers I bought him last Christmas. It reminded me of the song Luke told me to listen to today. I pulled out my laptop and typed in the title of the song. It was the first thing to come up, and I hit play. I could tell by our conversation today that Luke really liked this band, and by the end of the night, I had memorized the lyrics to almost every song.
(a/n this chapter was short and random and almost irrelevant BUT don't forget some of the things mentioned in this chapter. Also don't take this ashton thing lightly I will explain their past in a later chapter but just please have faith in me I swear I'm going somewhere with this thank u for actually reading these if you have been!
ps everything in italics at the beginning of luke's povs are v v v v important and like everything else u don't understand (unless its like a vocab word) (I'm using parentheses in parentheses lol sorry) will make sense soon just hang on n be confused)