24. Kiara
**3rd person POV**
Read this while listening to 18 by one direction and tell me how much u cried -
Maureen was too afraid to face Luke this morning, so she stayed in her room until she heard the front door slam. They always slam the front door when they leave to the studio, so she figured the coast was clear.
And it was. Mo went back into her room and slipped on some shoes, grabbing her phone and some of the money she still had from the twin stylists. She reminded myself to finally cash those eight hundred she'd got from working at Chik-Fil-A. Yeah, Mo got paid eight hundred a week and no, she still didn't have a credit card. Mary-Alice always bugged her about that.
She walked down the stupid streets of New York and tried to remember where the coffee shop was. Then she realized, she hadn't seen Zach in such a long time and she could use a little talk.
Maureen didn't bother putting on a sweater, since she knew she would be inside the shop for longer than she would be outside, so she wrapped her arms around herself and walked into the best smelling coffee shop in the world. Honestly, they all smell like coffee, but for some reason, this one smelled way more than that. Like heaven.
"Pretty lady!" Zach gasped, throwing a towel over his shoulder and walking over to Maureen, holding a pot of black coffee. "Where have you been?" He asked, opening one arm for her to walk into. Maureen smiled, and wrapped her arms around his torso. This guy was real comforting.
"I've been busy." She mumbled, pulling away. "Just full of drama and shit."
Zach nodded. "Go, take a seat and i'll bring you a cup of hot chocolate and we'll talk it out." He lightly shoved her to the same place she always sat at and she nodded, sighing and sliding into the booth at the back of the shop.
That was when Maureen finally got to the thinking. She wondered if Luke even read her letter.
Maybe he opened the box and read the first sentence and threw it away. Maybe he knew the shoes were from her and he put them under his bed or threw them out the window.
Or maybe he read it, and was just too afraid to face her like she was afraid to face him.
"Here ya go, Mo." Zach came back, setting a black mug on the table and taking a seat across from her. "What's the drama lil mama?" He asked, making Maureen laugh in an unattractive way.
"What?" She chuckled, covering her mouth.
"Okay that was weird, even i don't know what i said." Zach chuckled, putting his hands on top of the table. "But what's got you so worked up?"
Maureen finally took a sip from her hot chocolate and sighed. "I mean, you remember that guy i was with the other day?"
Zach hummed, nodding his head after a short three seconds. "Yeah, the famous blond one with the very long legs. Let me tell you, he's leg goals."
Maureen nodded her head quickly. "I know! Have you seen his thighs?!"
"Yeah! Have you seen how high he can kick?! I saw him at a show a couple of weeks ago. Woo, that guy does his daily stretches." Zach agreed.
Maureen couldn't stop herself from laughing, but she knew that if she wanted to feel a little better, she would have to get a few things off her chest. She sighed, in a content way, then continued with her ranting. "Anyway, he's mad at me because he thinks i have much more of an attraction to his bandmate. His bandmate treats me like a sister, so i feel a little more comfortable around him. And Luke and I had just started being a thing, we skipped through the whole getting to know each other as friends thing. It gets a little awkward sometimes." Maureen shrugged, picking up her mug again and taking another sip.
Zach nodded his head and clasped his hands together. "Yeah, i think you should definitely reassure him about your feelings. And then maybe go on an actual date."
Mauren shook her head. She realized this non-cliche stuff wasn't going to work. Their not-date was alright, but all they did was watch movies and makeout. They needed to know each other more, go out for a walk and dinner, hold hands, ask questions about each other, get comfortable with one anothers silent presence.
"I've tried. He's just a sensitive dude. And i don't want to be that bitch that drops him because he feels more than the average guy, that shouldn't be much of a problem. I mean, im more heartless than the average girl and he's already tried to cope with that. But he's more of a person who thinks if they cant do something right the first time, then they never will, so that's why he's still mad at poor heartless ol' me."
"I've known guys like that. They grew up being soft and cried over a lot of girls. And it's not a bad thing at all, but those guys need a little more affection than you think. If the roles were switched, you would want that too, wouldn't you?" Zach asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
Maureen nodded her head. "Of course i would. Which is why im trying to make things right. I mean i think it's ridiculous that i assured him many times in the past that i really like him, but i really wanna try and get through to him. Im positive he's a nice guy but he's really naive." She sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I just really, really, do like him and i don't want to just give up on him. That's why i allowed him to be mad for some time because i knew space was needed."
"It sounds like he's giving up on you." Zach said sadly, placing his hand over the top of Maureen's. She frowned and looked down at it. "Hopefully not after what i did." She mumbled, slumping her shoulders and biting her lip.
-
After leaving the coffee shop two hours later, Zach instructed Maureen to relax and maybe take a nap. She tried to dream of a better place to be, maybe like dreaming about home or Luke not being mad at her. But it was the total opposite.
She dreamt she was spying on Luke. He was reading her letter, and before he could throw it away, she shouted, "I take it back, i love you with all my heart!"
Sadly, Luke turned into a goat and started tying her shoes. Although he was a cute emo looking goat, it was a fucking goat and not Luke.
She woke up annoyed, confused and sad. Dream Maureen just said she was in love with Luke, but was real Maureen in love with him? She shook her head, stepping into the kitchen and quickly scanning the whole fridge, grabbing something to eat. She took out the tray of leftovers from last night and sighed.
"What is this?" Mo mumbled, opening it up. "Not mine." She huffed, closing the lid and putting it back in the fridge. She sighed and decided to go get some pizza.
She left the kitchen, but before she could get any further, Calum stepped out of his room. She furrowed her eyebrows. "I thought you guys were still at the studio?" She whispered.
Calum shook his head. "Ash and Michael stayed behind, Luke and I were super tired so they let us come back and rest." He shrugged, adjusting the snapback on his head. "We're leaving again late-"
Maureen gasped. "Luke's here?!" She almost shouted. She was listening to every word Calum was saying, but once it registered in her mind that Luke was here along with Calum, she started to have a mental freakout.
She started to run to her room but Calum grabbed her shoulders. "Woah, what? Is that a bad thing?" He questioned. Maureen ignored him and went inside her room. She tried to close the door but Calum put his foot in between it. "Maureen are you having another panic attack?!" He questioned, shoving the door open and falling on top of her.
Both of them groaned loudly. "Jesus Christ get off of me Cal-"
"Holy shit." Calum whispered, holding himself up with his hands on each side of Maureen's head. He was staring at her, his eyes wide. "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. No." He shook his head, climbing off of her.
Right as he climbed off, Luke walked into the room. "Is everything okay? I heard you were having a panic attack." Luke asked, frowning down at Maureen.
"It's you!" Calum shouted, stumbling back.
"What?!" Maureen yelled, standing up again.
"You little-"
"Luke can you give us a moment?!" Maureen cut Calum off. She knew something was about to go down, and with Luke still being pissed at her, he probably would've just watched for his own entertainment. Luke nodded his head. "I read the letter, by the way." He mumbled, shutting the door for them and walking away.
Maureen whined, thinking about how he read it but now she had problems with Calum. She didn't even know what Calum was on about.
"Kiara. You." Calum angrily pointed a finger at Maureen. "You're fucking Kiara! We had sex!" He whisper shouted, taking the snapback off his head and covering his face with it.
Maureen's eyes widened. Now he remembered who she was and this could ruin everything. "How would you know?!" She whispered.
"I remember it now! I remember that position! I was on top and you had your leg- and you were groaning just like you did a few seconds ago-"
"Oh- just- stop it!" Maureen whined, slapping Calum's arm. "Don't tell anybody." She whispered.
"Why not?! You wouldn't want Luke to think you're a slut, dont you?!" Calum asked, crossing his arms.
"Me being a slut isn't any of your business. It's sad that you guys think being one is a bad thing but that's my personal business and not anyone else's. If i want to be a slut, i can be a slut and it shouldn't affect you. Either way, you were only the third person in my life i've ever had sex with, so don't think you can ruin my whole life by telling someone." Maureen stated, clearly expressing her hate over the fact that Calum made being a slut sound like a bad thing.
"But i can. I always knew there was something about you. And now i know. You slept with me and im not hiding that from Luke. He's my best friend." Calum said sternly, placing his hat back on his head.
"Okay, maybe Luke deserves to know, but can we not tell him today?" She pleaded.
"I didn't expect you to be a groupie." Calum mumbled.
"You were the only stranger I've ever had sex with. And I was forced to have fun by Mary-Alice, I didn't want to have sex with you in the first place." Maureen rolled her eyes.
Calum gasped. "Was Mary-Alice actually Missy?" He asked. Maureen nodded her head. "Oh wow, you both are dirty."
"Um," Maureen furrowed her eyebrows. "She's dirtier than me."
Calum scoffed.
"And by the way, you need to slow down. I wasn't into all the dominant kinky stuff." Maureen said.
"Really? Most girls are really into it." Calum shrugged.
"Yeah I know. It's a little weird but not all girls are the same so,"
"Yeah, that's true." Calum agreed. "Wait, fuck." Calum groaned. "Let's not get off the topic!"
Maureen sighed. "Okay. Just please, please don't tell Luke today."
Calum sighed and bowed his head, giving in. "Fine." He huffed.
"And when we do tell him, can we both do it at the same time? Don't make this a bigger deal than it needs to be. It's not like im in love with you when i should be in love with Luke." Maureen rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
Calum thought about it for a moment. He thought about being a fucking asshole and telling Luke behind her back, but then he realized that Luke really does like Maureen and all of his relationships have been flops so he should just let his poor friend have this one. "Only because you're probably the only good relationship he'll ever have. But we're telling him soon. Im not going to announce it a year later or after you guys break up." He assured.
Maureen nodded her head. "Deal. And please, at least try to act like everything in between us is okay. Suspicion isn't needed and you really do hurt my feelings sometimes." Maureen frowned.
"Whatever. And im sorry for that, Kiara." Calum smirked, and left her room. He stumbled across Luke in the hallway, who had a sandwich in his hand. "Are you messing around with her too?" Luke asked, clearly still salty.
Calum rolled his eyes. "Stop thinking everyone is messing around with her." He bit his tongue, because he actually slept with her (even though it was before the Laureen ship existed). "Sure she's hot but she's yours. Shut up." He grumbled, walking away from him and locking himself in his room.
Luke walked into his room as well, and Maureen had to suck it up and follow him in there. Luckily, he didn't lock his door, so she just walked in carefully. Luke's eyes traveled from the flat screen tv on his wall to Maureen's small frame enter the room. She closed the door and gave him a shy smile. "Hi." She mumbled, waving at him.
Luke shrugged, shoving the rest of his sandwich inside his mouth. "Hey." He replied, his eyes going back to the tv.
"You read i- the letter, you know?" Maureen stuttered, her cheeks starting to turn pink. She stood in one spot and one spot only and refused to walk further.
Luke nodded his head. "Yeah." He wanted to smile so badly, but he was still a little salty. He thought something sketchy went on with Calum in her room, but he thought about the letter and shook it off. He needed to stop being so insecure. Everyone made it known that she was his. "I liked the shoes too."
Maureen nodded her head. "I thought you would." She smiled.
Luke took his gaze off the tv and stared at her. She looked back at him. She was wearing her glasses more often, and he thought she looked so adorable. He just wanted to hug her and kiss her and cuddle her. "Do you think penguins have feelings?" He randomly asked.
Maureen looked up at his tv, seeing a penguin documentary on the screen. They were waddling around, pecking at random things and eating fish. Mo shrugged. "Probably." She answered.
Luke nodded. "Right." He sighed, running a hand over his hair. "So do you wanna come kiss me now, or?" He smiled, watching Maureen's eyes light up.
"You fuckass." She muttered, jumping on his bed and hugging his torso, one leg on each side of his body. "Don't be mad at me." She pleaded, kissing his chest softly. Luke ran a hand over her hair and kissed her forehead.
"If you kiss me i might be happier." Luke shrugged, poking her stomach.
Maureen rolled her eyes, but nevertheless, picked up her head and kissed Luke right on the lips. Luke couldn't help but giggle and he had to pull away. "See, there's a lot different about us." Luke held her face in his hands, running his thumbs over her cheekbones. Maureen closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "Like you're heartless and im not." He started, making Mo grow a little smile. "But another difference, is," He paused, leaning in and leaving a small kiss on Maureen's lips. "I know when im falling for someone, and you don't."
Maureen sighed, opening her eyes.
"And im falling." Luke whispered, leaving a kiss on her forehead and hugging her close to him.
-
I think it's a thing where every author hates their own writing
I hate this chapter and I'm becoming a stripper this book is over bye
SPEAKING OF STRIPPERS - CALUM IS 19 IN LIKE 3 DAYS I THINK...DO U THINK HE'LL GET ANOTHER STRIPPER LIKE LAST YEAR I DO MAYBE A HOOKER OR A GROUPIE INSTEAD THOUGH THAT GUY IS 100% PURE SAVAGERY - in real life and this book but he's more reckless in this book lol
ok well apologies for late update as always I was just in need of a nap and a shower so lol
- fuckass xo