Pictures of You [Completed]

Twenty-two. Would I be the Bad Guy Here?

Luke sat in the direct wave of the thrum of music. He didn't even especially mind. It was nice to tune out to. Ambient but with a jarring drum that sort of shocked him into waking up anytime he'd feel the slightest bit dissociated.

After several minutes of praying his mental state would just hang on, Luke found himself standing up when the lights changed from that deep melancholic purple to a bright red and gold combo that lit a fire in him again.

The color of the dance floor seemed to change every song—seemingly to match the mood. And this Dubai hotel bar was swanky enough to afford the technology and the right DJ for that. Luke turned to face the crowd around him. People danced on one another. All were people he recognized now, but not enough to walk up to. Or remember their names.

That blonde girl was the model everyone had told Luke Ashton had dated. He still hadn't had that confirmed though. There was that boy that he'd heard someone saying Ashton fucked. Luke just wondered why everyone was in Ashton's business.

He also wondered why the fuck everyone passed each other around. He got that people were likely to hook up within their circle of friends, but to some degree it just seemed...well weird.

Wasn't Cam jealous of Luke right when they met because Ashton hadn't paid her any attention? That wasn't Lukes issue, though. She could be hurt all she wanted. Luke was sure someone in this circle of friends would approach her by the end of the trip. If she would stop hanging out with the old bat and the engaged girl.

Never mind. It wasn't Luke's problem. He had to keep reminding himself of that. It was just really funny how everyone judged him for being an outsider, when really Luke and Michael were the more normal ones here.

But then again, Michael had drank the kool-aid.

And except for the fact that Luke now knew that Ashton was explicitly into blondes. It was a fact that he'd been aware of before, but seeing all these people he supposedly dated and fucked really got underneath Luke's skin.

He wondered if he looked as pretty as that girl, or as small as that boy. He wondered if Ashton had ever thought about getting back with them now that he could see the direct comparison between them and Luke. And Luke knew if Ashton wanted something, he was gonna get it.

Luke had no real reason to doubt Ashton. He's never said anything to make him doubt himself, but Luke was paranoid now. He fumbled with the flask. Why wasn't the coke working?

He could still feel himself having some sort of attack he didn't want to have here. He snorted up some more, willing the powder to work in his system.

"Cmon..." Luke whispered to himself. "Feel better."

Luke shoved the flask back in his little bag and sniffed up any extra powder that didn't come up the first time in his nose.

"Work!" He huffed.

More of those erratic drums, and then music geared up. Luke sighed, relieved at feeling his high kick in with the gearing up of the song.

He skipped more towards the center of the dance floor and found a random—near complete stranger to dance with. She was pretty and had natural hair and a long gold and green dancing dress.

"Can I dance with you? My friends are mean to me," he gushed and she invited him in happily.

Luke grinned and the two took turns dancing on each other to the song. They cheered each other on too. She seemed to be a good multitasker as well, since she had a drink in her hand the whole time and absolutely no liquid spilled out.

And she also kept Luke's mind off of his present surroundings for a little bit, which was really the companionship he wanted at the moment.

Neither of them asked each other their name, just made playful conversation.