Insomniacs (#1)

11. succumbing

Luca drunk a lot, I noticed.

He had a flask which I have no idea where it popped out from and was sipping it constantly. He'd smoked twice on the drive to Wendy's and although I'd seen him smoke before, something seemed off. Different.

I think you can tell whether one drinks for recreational purposes. For the kick or the contentment but when Luca kept drinking, I knew. Maybe it's because I've known Everest for so long and he downs alcohol like it's water. The alcohol wasn't what he wanted so that he could feel good, per say.

He was quieter, simply watching rain snake its way down the windows and when we were getting out of the car, he could barely see where he was walking.

Everest was as chatty as always, getting an intricately detailed order as always. I just ordered a milkshake and Luca ordered nothing.

Luca was zoned out and tired looking when his eyes weren't on me. His eyes were on me a lot. I ignored it but it made my stomach swirl with nerves and when I'd look his way, there was something about it.

He looked at me as if it wasn't such a big deal to be staring at me. Like I was familiar and he could see me through the intoxication.

Once we got our food, we made our way back to the car and sat ourselves on the hood, in the empty parking lot. Me and Everest sat cross-legged in front of me as he lay out his burger and fries. I sipped at my milkshake and leant back against the windshield.

Luca was besides me, quiet as he lay back on the windshield too, his arms covering his eyes and face.

I turned to look at him for a moment, saw the relaxed and even rising of his chest before turning back to look at the stars.

"Have you ever talked to the stars?" I asked, the slurping of my milkshake echoing in the air. He was silent and for a moment, I wondered if he had actually fallen asleep on the top of my mum's car.

He removed his arms from his face languidly, turning his head to face me and I turned my head to face him. I swallowed at how unknowingly close we were.

His eyes held no emotion, flicking over my face and to the straw my lips were wrapped around. He took his time looking at me, like he simply could if he wanted to. And I let him.

"I'd prefer the moon." He mumbled, his voice hoarse and tired.

I looked to the sky.

"Just one thing, like one person to talk to. Stars seem too vast." He said quietly and I blinked back.

I'm not sure what I'd expected him to say but it wasn't that.

I think it was that moment, I thought properly for the first time, Luca Hernandez has a whole world up there in his head. A complex one probably but one nobody sees. I had an inkling when he talked about the Amalfi Coast as he did that day but his talk about the moon, that settled it for me.

He probably was a douchebag as everyone says, prickish sounding sometimes but he has a complicated mind, not a bland one. And I've always been one to be fascinated with complicated.

He turned to look at me again. His eyes flicked down to my lips and the corner of his own lips pulled upwards, the laziest most tired smile with the reddest eyes I'd ever seen. I'm not sure why he was smiling but I liked that he was. Dimples, am I right?