Before It's Over

1.2

Luke didn't participate in the rest of the band's conversation that afternoon at the studio. The guys joked around and celebrated the start of a new chapter for their band. Instead competition overwhelmed Luke's mind and he thought of where the perfect place to find a date for the Dogfight. Everyone else had an advantage over Luke, they found their 'perfect' date days before Luke even knew what a Dogfight was. He knew finding the perfect, easy and ugly date would be hard at one in the afternoon but he was up for the challenge. He remained silent until the perfect idea hit him.

"Hey guys, I'm heading out," Luke said as he zipped up his black sweatshirt.

"Where are you going?" Michael, Calum and Ashton said almost simultaneously.

"I have to have a date in order to beat you guys tonight right?" Luke smiled as he put on his sunglasses. "I'll see you at the party."

Luke left the studio and sat in the big lobby of the building. He pulled out his phone and quickly requested an Uber driver. He looked through the window of the Lobby and he saw about 30 girls patiently waiting for the boys to come out. He sighed, knowing that walking through the crowd would not be easy, but it had to be done. Within minutes the small silver car was out front waiting for him. Luke walked out of the studio waving to fans who were waiting outside and walked straight to the car without stopping. Luke climbed in the back of the car giving the fans one final wave.

"Where you go?" the driver asked in a thick foreign accent Luke couldn't make out.

"Can you take me to the dirtiest bar in town?" Luke quickly asked.

"Excuse me?" The driver asked as he gave Luke a puzzling look in the rearview mirror.

"I need a dirty bar, the kind strange shady people hang out in," Luke smiled, trying to make his request seem normal.

"Alright. Downtown LA it is," the driver said as he started up the car and turned up the radio. Familiar chords of a song filled the car and Luke let out a small laugh. "What's so funny?" the driver asked.

"No, it's just. This is my song," Luke smiled as Good Girls blared from the car's stereo.

"This is my song too," the driver agreed. "It comes on all the time. I always sing it."

"Yeah," Luke sighed not in the mood to explain who he was, "I sing it all the time too."

Luke was excited to go back on tour. Visit all the places he's never been before and meet his fans from different parts of the world. However, a small part of him was bored of that scene. He was homesick. It has been months since the boys have slept in their own beds and Luke missed his mum's cooking. While in the spotlight, Luke felt like he was part of a huge charade he couldn't get out of. Having to play the role of the 'bad boy' all the time, he felt he was beginning to forget who he really was.

"We are here," the driver said pulling Luke out of his daydream.

"What is this place?" Luke said looking from the window. The tall dirty building stood as the canvas for graffiti of the neighborhood gangs. "Is this place safe?"

"It's called the Wreck Room. You said dirty and shady, and this is exactly that," the driver announced, proud of his bar knowledge.

"Will you wait out here for me? I'll only be a few minutes, this won't take long."

"No sir, I have to go pick up child from school. Sorry."

"Alright, I guess I'll just have to request another driver then. Thank you," Luke smiled handing the man a generous tip and stepping out of the car.

Luke took a deep breath before walking into the dark dive bar. He pulled his sweater over his hands before he twisted the door knob open. Luke coughed as a cloud of cigarette smoke emerged from behind the door. He walked slowly through the room and everyone glared at Luke, knowing he wasn't a usual at the bar. Luke looked around the room for a girl he could talk to and get everything over with but all the women in the bar were accompanied by big men, and Luke knew they could hurt him with a single finger. Luke walked straight to the bar, knowing if he was going to survive this bar, he needed a shot.