Oblivious Hearts (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 4

        I was up the stairs in a matter of seconds and I stopped in front of the bathroom door that was closed. I realized I didn't have an explanation even if I burst in. I certainly didn't want to lie to him again. Somehow I feel like that would just hurt him even if he didn't know the truth.

        I ran to my father's bedroom and hid behind the door. I waited until I heard the bathroom door open and some water running. I heard the familiar footsteps descending down the stairs and I peeked out of the door. No one in sight.

        I quietly stepped out and looked inside the bathroom. I know for a fact that Gracie would have put the sweater on the rack next to the sink, where we normally keep our dirty clothes. But Luke's sweater was on another rack, next to the towels. He had seen it.

        I took a step towards the sweater and ran my hand over the blood, leaving some on my hand as I did so. The blood was on the right side of the sweater, and a big hole in the middle of the blood.

        My hands started to shake and I pulled them away and towards the sink. I washed the blood of my hands and I wiped them on my pants. What was I going to do? Luke had seen the sweater and my cheek, for that matter. He knew something was up but I didn't feel like telling him anything.

        That's exactly what I was going to do. Not tell him anything. If he asked, I would just avoid the subject. It's not like I was lying to him. I know I will find my way.

        I went back to my room and grabbed a few blankets to seem like I came up here for something. I walked down the stairs and I see Luke sitting with Ashton by his side, Gracie still staring at him with awe.

        I passed the blankets to them and said, "In case any of you are cold."

        I sat down next to Gracie and eyed Luke from the corner of my eye but he didn't glance at me even once. I tried to act like everything was normal but my heart was racing.

        Everyone was talking and laughing. All of us were getting along. Gracie and I talked to the boys like they were our friends and not celebrities. It felt nice to talk to someone other than Gracie or my mom.

        As I chatted with them, Luke had avoided talking to me at all costs. He still smiled and chatted with the others but not me. When the sun was about to go down, I stood up from the couch.

        "I'm going for a walk." I said as I put on my shoes.

        "Do you want us to come with you?" Ashton asked, starting to get up.

        "No it's fine. I'll be back soon." I said and I walked out the door. Maybe fresh air will help clear my head. Maybe I was over thinking-

        "Hi." Luke said from beside me.

        His voice startled me that I nearly tripped. He caught me before I fell and looked at me. Oh how I loved the way he looked at me. It was something in his eyes that just spoke to me.

        I steadied myself and we continued to walk. For a while, we both didn't say anything. I passed some bushes with beautiful bright purple flowers. I touched them with my fingers and I saw Luke smiling. I plucked one out of the bush and kept walking.

        I didn't say anything mainly because I didn't know what there was to say. So instead I smelled the flower and played with its petals. It gave me pleasure.

        "What happened to my sweater?" Luke asked, reaching the subject fast.

        He startled me again. I guess he was going to be startling me for a while. I struggled to find an answer.

        "I tried to make sense of it but nothing came to mind. There is one thing that is nagging at me." He said and I stayed silent. "That you got hurt after I dropped you off."

        I touched the cut on my cheek. "When I fell down, I had landed my right waist on the cup. So yeah I have a cut there too." I stared at the flower, letting the purple slide into blurriness.

        "That cup must have broken into a million pieces then." Luke said, kicking a rock out of his way.

        I nodded. I still let the silence fall between us. What exactly did you say to your celebrity crush who was taking a casual stroll with you? So many things came into my mind, how much I loved him and how I've always loved their music. All the things I wanted to say to him when I thought there wasn't a glimmer of hope of me meeting him. However nothing left my lips.

        "So are you okay now?" He asked.

        "I am thanks." I twirled the flower in my hand.

        In some point of our walk, we turned back to the direction of my house. I started to realize that this might be the last few moments I spend with Luke, maybe forever. So I might as well make use of it.  

        "What's your favorite tour memory?" I asked, trying to keep conversation flowing.

        "Sorry?" He seemed startled by the question.

        "You heard me." I said and for the first time on this walk, I smiled. My heart pounded when he smiled back.

        "There's too many to choose from." He says, laughing to himself. "We've created so many memories to remember. I can't thank these guys enough."

        I smiled at how happy he was. That's all I wanted before I met him, him to be happy. Now it was clear that he was.

        We were a few feet away from my house when we noticed a man standing in front of the door with Calum. Calum was nodding as the man talked. Luke touched me on the arm and ran towards them, leaving me behind.

        I walked slowly, sensing this was private. As I approached them, the man nodded toward me. "Let me know and I'll make the calls." He said and he walks towards the broken down tour bus at the end of the street.

        Calum and Luke looked at each other. Calum gave a look to Luke and Luke sighed. He rubbed his forehead.

        "Cali, that was our tour manager, Joseph. He just told us that some part of the engine was cut out and it's going to take days to get a new one." Luke heaves a sigh.

        "Don't you guys have connections to get you to the place you need to go? Like a limo or a cab?" I asked, rubbing my hand on my sweater.

        They laughed. "We are famous but we can't get what we want when we want it. The roads to here are packed with cars and either way, our next gig isn't until a week from now. We aren't in a rush." Calum stated.

        I didn't really understand what they were trying to tell me and it must have shown on my face.

        "We just wanted to know if it was cool to stay with you for a few days, until our tour bus is fixed up. . If it's okay with your parents and all." Luke asked and glances at Calum.

        "What about your tour managers and driver?" I asked, looking at the tour bus.

        "Joseph's uncle lives around this area as well, so they are walking to his house but he doesn't have enough space for all of us." Calum said, shrugging.

        "Alright, you can stay."