let me go || l.h.

e l e v e n

we stayed like that, our eyes locked, for a few more minutes. after a while, luke turned me around so that i was sitting between his legs and my head was resting on his chest. again, i could hear the steady hum of his heartbeat. we sat there, entwined, talking until we were interrupted by michael's voice.

"oi love birds! come over here!" i laughed at the name michael gave us, and we followed him, hand in hand.

when we reached the others, i saw both katrina and elena raise their eyebrows at me questioningly. i nodded in reply, and they both smiled widely. as luke and i sat down, me resting in between his legs again, i saw michael holding a guitar. katrina was sitting next to him with her head on his shoulder, and elena and calum's hands were entwined. cute!

michael tuned the guitar and had begun playing a few soft cords. then he began to sing- his voice raspy but soothing at the same time. i recognised the song from their covers, and i could tell katrina could as well. it was jasey rae, by all time low.

"lights out, i still hear the rain. these images that fill my head, now keep my fingers from making mistakes. tell my voice what it takes, to speak up, speak up, and keep my conscience clean when i wake."

by the chorus, michael's voice was joined by calum's. their voices together, michael's husky and calum's orotund, were hauntingly good. michael wasn't focused on the guitar he was playing- his eyes were on katrina's. calum, although he wasn't looking at elena, had her hand in a firm grasp.

i could feel luke's chest rumbling beneath me, like he was about to speak. i turned to face him, and saw his mouth open-

and then he began to sing. that deep, comforting voice consumed me- wrapping me up in its intoxicating aura.

"now there's an aching in my back; a stabbing pain that says i lack, the common sense and confidence, to bring an end to promises that i make in times of desperate conversation. hoping my night could be better than theirs in the end. just say when."

luke's voice sent chills down my spine. i let it envelop me and transport me to another world. it was beautiful. he was beautiful. i loved him.

oca.c@