3 am (l.h.)

1.6

Luke

I stand in front of the mirror, spending way to much time doing my hair perfectly. I know I don't need to worry about my appearance around Audrey - she's already seen me at my absolute worst - but this feels special, like I should look nice.

Michael bangs on the door. "Hurry up, Luke, my god!"

"Just wait a minute," I call.

He opens the door and walks in, ignoring our "stay away if the door is closed" rule. "What're you even doing in here?"

"I don't know," I mutter. "Just trying to not look like shit."

"Ooooooh," he coos. "You getting ready for a date with Audrey?"

I scoff. "No. It's not a date. Plus, aren't you in love with her?"

"It totally is a date, and I had a crush on her for like two seconds before I saw you guys together and realized you two are destined to get married and have beautiful children."

I blush and look down, not replying.

"So you agree!" Michael exclaims. "You can see that happening?" Before I have the chance to answer, he walks into the hall of the apartment and calls out, "Attention everyone! Luke is getting married!"

"No I'm not!" I shout out the door. "We're just friends, Mikey, really."

"So the hickey that she left on your neck at the hospital, the one we all agreed to ignore, that was just as friends?"

"Shit," I mutter.

"Hey!" Ash exclaims, coming over to the bathroom. "I thought we were gonna let him tell us about him and Audrey at his own pace."

Calum enters too. "C'mon, Mikey, show some respect," he tuts.

"Great!" I say, throwing my hands in the air. "Let's all gather in the bathroom and discuss hickeys while I should really be leaving in," I glance at my phone for the time, "7 minutes!"

"I just don't know why you wouldn't tell us, Lukey," Mike says, feigning disappointment.

"Guys, look, it was one spur of the moment kiss, and it hasn't happened again."

"It hasn't?" Cal questions. "Not once?"

"Well..." I trail off, and the guys shout at me till I blurt out, "It only almost happened one other time a couple nights ago, okay?"

"What do you mean almost?" Ash asks.

I shrug. "She was drunk and tried to kiss me, but I brought her to bed and-"

"Ohhhhhh!" the guys shout.

"No! I brought her to her bed and waited till she was asleep and I made her a hangover kit. I slept on the couch and literally nothing happened, I swear."

"But something's gonna happen tonight, isn't it?" Mikey asks.

"I don't think so, Mike. She just got out of the hospital, and she's kind of a mess. I'm not gonna force her into dating me if she doesn't want to."

"But what if she does want to?" Cal smirks.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

With that, I shove my way out of the bathroom, grab my coat, and walk out of the apartment.

********

"So we meet again, Brooks," I say, a sloppy grin spread on my face.

"So we do," she says, hugging me.