The Year Luke Hemmings Came to Stay

Chapter 10

After leaving Joe's, we take time to just walk around the city, which can never fail. There were so many people, so many vendors and salesmen. We see a flower salesman and we go over to him. I buy two dozen sunflowers. I section them off between me, Ryan, and Luke.
"I'm confused. What are these for?"
"It's fine, Luke, we do this all the time. We have eight flowers each. We are gonna find eight strangers to give them to. Each with a compliment. Then we come back and tell each other what they say in return."
Luke nods slowly. "I still don't see the point."
Ryan rolls her eyes. "There doesn't have to be a point. It's just something we do. I'll go first."
Ryan starts out to what looks like a family, a mom and three children. Two of the children look like their enjoying the sunny day, the youngest looking down at her feet, holding her mothers hand. I can tell she's shy. Knowing my best friend, she walks up to her. She talks to the mom first, probably to let her know she's not a pedophile, then crouches down to get eye level with the girl. After talking a little bit Ry hands her the flower. The girl smiled and threw her arms around Ryan, laughing and hugging her back. When Ryan comes back she looks at us. "So she's six, very shy and teased a lot. She thanked me for being her best friend. Sorry, Andy."
"Wow, I lost you to a first grader."
"I'm not gonna lie, that was pretty adorable." Luke said.
"I try. Okay, Andy. Your turn."
I take a moment to find the perfect person. I see a man in a suit, about fifty, resembles Dennis Quaid. I walk over to him. "Excuse me, sir. I just hope you're having an amazing day. If not, remember there's still good left in the world." I hand him the flower. He looks at me before replying, "I thought the flower children died out in the seventies. Right on." He smiled and walked off. I walked back to Ry and Luke." He called me a flower child."
"He isn't wrong." Ryan said. "Alright, Luke. Your turn."
He looked skeptical. "Fine, but I'm doing this for you guys." He looked for a while and started walking to a really attractive girl looking in a shop window. I sigh."Of course he'd go over-"
But before I can finish Luke turns to an old woman walking by. He says something to her that I can't make out. She woman takes a step back, I have no clue what's happening. When I look back at her, we see tears in her eyes. She grabs Luke and hugs him, and he just smiles and let's her. Me and Ryan are highly confused. When Luke comes back, Ry asked first. "Luke what did you say to her?"
He shrugged. "I told her she had the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen. I wasn't lying, they were beautiful."
"But why was she crying?"
"She told me no one has complimented her since she was young. So I told her I'm glad I did then, and then she hugged me."
I smiled. "It makes you feel good, doesn't it?"
He nodded. "Yeah, it does. I'm so happy I told her that."
After all our flowers were gone, we were thinking of more places to go. I thought and came up with a perfect place. "How about the art museum?"
Ryan laughed."I was waiting for you to suggest that, Andy."
We walk to the museum and buy our tickets. I realize I'm walking a little ahead of Ryan and Luke so I wait for them to catch up.
"This is incredible." Luke exhaled. "Yeah, I know."
Ryan and Luke took their time looking at sculptures and talking to people, but there was one thing I came here for. The one piece of art I always come here to see.
~
Luke's POV:
"Where's Drew?"
I realize me and Ryan have been walking around for about half an hour without her.
Ryan looked up. "Who?"
"I meant Andy."
"She's fine."
I shook my head. "No, what if she's lost? Or looking for us?"
"Luke, trust me. I know exactly were Andy is. In fact, it's a perfect picture moment."
We walk through the gallery until we get to a specific one down the hall. Inside, huge paintings line the walls, a huge mural took up the ceiling. About five people were in this gallery, including Drew, sitting on a bench directly in front of a huge painting. She is sitting completely still, her head slightly tilted to the right. She just sat there, trying to decode this work of art. She's the most passionate person I've ever met. She's so oblivious to everything around her, like it's just her and that painting. Looking at Ryan, she snaps a picture with the Polaroid. It slides out the bottom, and I can tell it will be beautiful."Take another." I tell her. She nods, snapping another. I look down at the picture coming into view, Drew's head is still tilted, so oblivious to the flashes happening behind her. I'm so happy she let me call her that. After all, the name means wise, and she's so smart. It's refreshing, knowing someone who enjoys to learn, but on their own terms. I walk up and take a seat next to her on the bench, she doesn't even acknowledge me, but it's okay, I really enjoy watching her. I look at the painting that is taking up all of her time. It looks like a blackish dot in the middle, with silver, gold groups of rings going around it, like swirling creamer in black coffee. "What is this called?"
"The Unknown." She answered, not taking her eyes off the painting.
"What exactly is it?"
"I'm not quite sure. I believe it represents the Theory of Everything."
"What's that?"
"The Theory of Everything is a hypothetical theory of physics. It links General Relativity and Quantum Field Theory."
Who the hell knows that? This girl actually takes the time to understand a scientific theory and puts it into art. I've never met anyone like her before. My mates back home weren't exactly, "school lovers." I look at the painting again.
"So basically, this theory combines everything ever created?"
She nods her head slowly. "Basically."
"Drew, what did you get in physics last year?"
She looks at me for the first time since I sat down. "A D+. Why?"
I finally understand her. She can't be forced to find things interesting, or even pretend they matter. It's all up to her. She'll hold on to what means so much to her. She makes everything make sense. I like being with her. I'm not saying I like her. I mean, I don't think I do. She's just... familiar.
"No reason. Just wondering."
Ryan walked up to us quickly. "So, a tour guide might have rudely told me no photography. To which I might have told him to suck a fuck. And he might be calling security now. In other words, time to go."
That snapped Drew right out of her trance, and we got up and literally ran out of the museum.
~
Andy's POV:
After the museum we all agree we were hungry and head to Eddy's diner.
"Ah, memories!" Ryan said spinning around. When we get inside, Eddy is in the kitchen, flipping pancakes."Ryan! Andy! It's been a while! Take a seat. Be right with you." We go to our favorite booth, luckily it's open. I go to sit by Ry but she kicks her feet up in the booth, before gesturing to Luke. "Oops, oh darn. Guess you gotta sit by him, Andy." She smirked as I flipped her off, sliding in next to Luke. "So, Luke, you ready for some shitty American food?"
"Shut up Ry, Eddy's food is the best and you know it."
"Yeah yeah. I know."
Eddy comes from behind the counter to greet us. "How's school?"
"Bollocks."
"You'll get through it. And who's this?"
"This is Luke. He's staying with us for the year."
"Wow. Your parents have gotten way less strict."
After we order, the food comes fast, as usual. No one was really talking since it was so good. "Shame of you Ryan for calling this food 'shit'."
"Oh yeah, Luke doesn't have diner food in Aussieland." Ryan laughs."Poor kid."
I feel my phone ringing, so I slide out of the booth and see it's my mom calling. "Hey mom."
"Hey sweetie. Having fun?"
"Honestly, a lot."
"Good! Well, me and your father are still taking care of business, so we should be home by nine. Make sure Ryan stays with you."
"She's spending the night mom." I roll my eyes. Even though my parents are semi laid back, they're still very protective.
"Okay, good. Well have a good time. See you when we get home."
"Okay bye."
I hang up and walk back into the diner. Ryan and Luke are talking about movies with the best endings.
"This is the end. Hands down." Ryan said.
"No way, it has to be a Marvel movie." Luke argued.
"Don't tell me you're a superhero nerd, too? Andy, I found you a new buddy."
"Superhero movies always have the best endings!"
"No! Cause they never really end!"
"You idiots are both wrong."
Luke and Ry turn to me. "What do you mean?"
"The best ending to any movie will forever and always be an eighties movie."
"Um, newsflash, Marty Mcfly. This is the twenty first century. Chill on eighties movies."
"Ryan you watched eighties movies with me all the time, you know how good they are."
"Okay, they're amazing. But, which one has the best ending?"
"It doesn't matter. They're all good."
"No way! You can't just say 'They're all good!'" Luke mimicked in a horrible American accent. I laughed and stood up.
"Well, I guess we have to test this theory out then."
I walk up to Eddy to pay our bill, but he shakes his head. "For my two favorite girls." He smiles. We thank him and I check the time.
"Do you guys ever pay for anything?" Luke asked.
"Of course. We just have a lot of good friends." Ryan said.
"Okay, so it a quarter after four. If we head home now we can get back in time for the theory."
Luke looked puzzled. "What theory?"
"We are gonna watch my favorite eighties movies and find out which one has the best ending."
"We have to buy snacks too." Ryan mentioned.
We start walking but Luke stops us.
"But, how do we know the best ending of any movie will be in an eighties movie?"
I smiled at him.
"We just know, Hemmings."