Playing With Fire. {Luke Hemmings}

Chapter 3 - Anyone But Me!

Luke's P.O.V

Payton looks like the place where dreams come to rot and die. I've literally only been driving on one of Payton's roads and I already want to kill myself. Looks like this place needs me. And I mean really needs me. The rain crashes down onto my car like rocks and begins to scare me with the possibility that if it hits the glass hard enough, it's definitely going to break. Turbulence is also a surprise on the glorious roads of this shitty little town. After I pass a small gathering of houses, I begin to drive into the middle of nowhere. All I can see for at least four miles is the flat road I'm on. I'm almost one hundred percent sure that there's an axe murderer lurking around here. It's five o'clock, but because it's winter here, it's dark. I mean, of course it is. Just my luck. It's different to Australia. My best friend and new roommate Ashton moved here a month before me, but conveniently forgot to mention that this is literally the fucking gateway to hell. I pull over for a moment to call Ashton, just to check that I'm in an actual town and not a set for a horror movie.

"Bro, are you even in town yet?" Ashton says as soon as he picks up.

"Ashton, when you asked me to move away from my family to a nice little town in England with you, I thought it'd be good. But now I'm here, I can see that it's a fucking hell hole! Where is everything? I drove past a bunch of houses like, what? Half an hour ago? Now all I can see is road and creepy ass trees." I rant.

"Oh, so you are. Listen, have you come to any turnings yet?" He asks.

"No. Not yet." I sigh.

"Good. There's turn at the next right. It should only take you an hour to get her after that." Ash directs me.

"Wait, how do you even know where I am?" I ask.

"Because there's only one way in and out of Payton and that's it."

"Alright. I'll see you soon, man." I say and hang up

-

Go right, he said. It should only take you an hour, he said. Move to England with me, it'll be fun, he said. Bullshit. I've been driving for another hour and I still haven't seen one goddamn turning! I don't think my car can take much more of this. I pull over and rest my head against the steering wheel.

"Why did you say yes to this, Luke?" I ask myself in a sigh. I cast my mind back to when I told my parents about moving in with Ashton to England.

"England!? Luke, that's the other side of the world!" Mum shrieks.

"I know, but I'll be with Ashton, so I'll be alright! Look, I can fly here for the holidays and stuff. I'm going anyway, so there's no point in trying to stop me, Mum." I sigh.

"Luke, can I talk to your mother for a minute?" Dad asks. I throw my hands up and walk out of the room. I listen in, curious about what they have to say.

"Liz, why are you putting up a fight!?" Dad shouts in a whisper.

"Andrew, that's our youngest son! Are you seriously fine with letting him move that far away?" Mum asks.

"Look, maybe it would be good for him. Get him out of trouble. And if he comes back, he'll be less of a burden." Dad explains.
Burden?

Dad was right. I've been a burden ever since I was fourteen and I started drinking and generally rebelling against anything anyone told me to do. I'm exactly the same now. I've kind of dragged Ashton down with me. We both spent a night in jail three months ago and got a D.U.I after drag racing through the streets of Sydney. Safe to say our parents went ape-shit.

"Just keep driving. It'll get better." I promise myself and try to be optimistic. I turn the key in the exhaust, but nothing happens.

"No. No, no, no." I mutter repeatedly.

I try again, but no luck.

"Son of a bitch! No!" I scream and slam my hands down on the steering wheel. "Fuck me..."
I stressfully run a hand through my hair, desperately trying to think of what to do.
Ashton.
I take out my phone and find Ashton's number as quick as I can.

"What now?" Ashton groans.

"Bro, my car's broken down in the middle of nowhere." I panic.

"What? I told you to turn right!" Ash exclaims.

"There was no right!" I yell.

"Jesus Christ, Luke. Look, I'll call the local garage and get them to pick you and your car up." Ash sighs.

"Alright. Can you tell them to be quick? This place is creeping me out." I shudder.

"Yes, your highness, I'll do whatever it takes. I'll call you back."

-

I hang up on Ashton when he says they're on their way and half an hour later, a tow truck appears, so I get out of the car.

"You Luke?" A guy jumps out of the truck.

"Yeah. How fucked would you say my car is?" I ask.

"I don't know until I get it back to the garage. Wait... Is that a Ford Mustang Boss 351?" He looks at my car in total awe.

"Yeah, beautiful, isn't it?" I smile cockily.

"You have good taste. Look, I'm going to take care of this the best I can. Car like this belongs on the road, not in a junk yard." The guy says and I only just notice his Australian accent

"Alright, thanks." I smile.

"Okay, I'm going to get this hooked up, so if you want to get in the front seat of the truck." He instructs me and I follow.

When he finally gets the car hooked up, we head down to the garage.

"Bad storm tonight." I note.

"Trust me, this is nothing. It's usually worse once we get deeper into winter. So, what part of Australia did you come from?" He asks.

"West Sydney. You?" I reply.

"Same. I moved here when I was six. Name's Calum, by the way." Calum tells me.

"Nice to meet you Calum. What made you leave?"

"Dad got a new job. You?"

"Me and my friend Ashton are moving in together. Plus, I was a huge burden on my family." I sigh, reliving the memory.

"Don't mean to sound nosey, but what did you do that made you want to move here?" Calum laughs.

It's fine, don't worry about it. I was a problem child. Still am, really. I got a D.U.I for drunk drag racing, arrested, in trouble with drugs, nearly ran the cat over and a bunch of other shit that I'd rather leave out." I explain.

"Fair enough." Calum nods.
Moments later, we drive into a garage that reads :
HARRISON'S MOTORS.
We park up and get out of the tow truck. A tall man, who doesn't quite meet my 6ft 4 height, walks up to me with a grin.

"You must be Luke. I'm Will Harrison. We got a call about your car breaking down from your friend Ashton, but don't worry, we'll have it fixed in no time."
"Thanks, I just moved here. So I have no idea what I'm doing." I laugh.

"Don't worry, there's just some paperwork for you to fill out. Riley should sort all that stuff out for you." Will smiles and gestures to the back office. I politely nod and walk into the office to talk to this dude Riley.