thin white lines | l. hemmings

06

"Okay, Luke. I'm pretty sure she's out," Michael told Luke, who still hovered over Delaney's limp body, his hand still holding a chloroform rag to her nose. He nodded and slowly retracted himself.

The room was silent now as Luke disposed of the rag, and Ashton was the first to step forwards and grab her from off her bed, Calum helped to hoist her onto his shoulder.

"I'm getting the car," Michael announced before jogging up the stairs and doing as he said.

"Shouldn't we take some things?" Ashton hesitating following Michael.

"Can't hurt," Calum shrugged, taking over snooping through the jewellery dish which he knew must be worth at least a grand on its own.

"No, not stealing things," Ashton rolled his eyes, turning to Luke as Calum set the ring back in the dish. "Didn't they tell you to get stuff for her?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess," he remembered the instruction and sighed.

"We kinda have to go soon. She'll be fine," Calum rolled his eyes at the idea.

"People will see her, she can't be wearing sweatpants and tank top every time that happens," Luke shot back, clearly annoyed by the interference. "Just throw a bunch of shit from her closet into a bag."

He looked around for a closet and Ashton pointed out what first looked like a full-length mirror, but was also a sliding door to her closet. Calum did as he was told and grabbed a bag that hung on the wall and threw a bunch of shit in.

Ashton started up the stairs with Luke close behind, but Luke paused in the closet's doorway where Calum zipped up the now full bag. He scoffed at the rows of jackets and shirts and jeans and anything else she could want.

"You alright, man?" Calum asked after noticing the way he stared at the assortment of clothes and shoes and other accessories.

"Yeah, just annoying how she grew up with so much that she did nothing to deserve," Luke sighed with a shake of his head. Calum nodded and slung an arm around Luke's shoulder and took them both up the stairs to follow the other two.

It was a slight challenge to find their way back out of the house, even though they just went out the front now that they were leaving rather than sneaking in. Delaney's head laid relaxed against Ashton.

They got back into the same seats they had been in before, with Ashton and Calum in the back, now with Delaney in between them. Michael drove with Luke in the passenger seat beside him.

"Straight to the hotel then?" Michael asked the rest, even though he already knew that was the only place to go.

"Yeah, mate. Cal, pretend to sleep so it looks more normal," Ashton instructed, realizing it might look a little suspicious to anyone passing by. Calum did no complaining, and let his head droop with a small smile on his face, content with the easy task. "When are the buses leaving from there?"

"Six-thirty, and I think we'll get there at around six," Michael answered more than Ashton had asked.

Their drive to the hotel seemed longer than it was after the late-night they had, and Calum ended up really falling asleep. As well as Ashton not long after. And after a while, Michael started to yawn and it didn't take long for Luke to notice. "Do you want me to take over?"

"No," he said while covering a yawn with the back of his hand.

"Come on, just pull over."

Michael looked to Luke and recognized the sincerity in his face, and so he pulled over without another word from either of them. Luke took over driving to let Michael sleep, which he did within minutes of sitting in the passenger seat.