Sit Still, Look Pretty · Julie And The Phantoms ·

Bad Dreams All Around

Luke ducked just as Alba threw what was in her hand. It skited by his head and hit the wall behind him, the wall opposite her door. He tried to stop her, hands up and shaking, trying to present himself as a non-threat. But he must have surprised her quite a bit, because she was already reaching for something else.

He could hear her panicked breathing. Was she scared of him?

"Wait, stop, don't throw─" Luke's face throbbed the moment the object hit him. He sidestepped around the door frame, hiding in the hallway, holding his face as he glanced over at the things that she'd thrown at him.

Laying in two pieces was a game console controller and a little further up on the floor, the thing that hit him in the face; a small but durable plant pit. She'd launched a plant at his face and connected!

"I didn't mean to scare you," he called into the room, groaning as he rubbed his cheek. Twice in one night, this girl had inflicted pain upon him. "That freakin' hurt."

"Why did you push the door open?" her trembling voice came out of the room, causing Luke to wince. She sounded like she was standing right beside him. He didn't want to get hit by anything else, so he covered his head with his arms. "What are you doing?" she asked and he jumped, his arms flying up to protect himself from more flying controllers or plants.

She had sounded like she was right beside him because she'd approached the doorway and was peering around at him, crouched on the floor. He gingerly glanced through his arms, her hands seemingly empty. He began to lower his arms but the action made her take a step back.

"Are you done throwing things?" he asked, lowering his arms slower until they were by his sides. She slowly nodded her head, but Luke could see she was waiting for the chance to get in the room and slam the door shut. She was so jittery, he could have swore that she was a squirrel at the park, watching the big dog that had been let off its leash. "I heard you singing," he answered her first question, placing his hand on the wall to get himself to his feet. That panicked her again and she ducked back into the room, the door closing shut on Luke's face. He pulled his hand back just in time. If he hadn't, his fingers would have been jammed between the doorframe and the door itself.

"Go away!" she called out from the other side of the door. Someone popped their head out of a room, glaring at Luke when they saw him. It was the showgirl who'd tried to dance with him earlier. He waved gingerly at her and she scoffed.

"You've got a better chance at sleeping with Ellis than that one," said the showgirl, rolling her eyes before she disappeared into the room again.

Did she think he was trying to score with this girl?

Luke stayed put. He was torn between knocking on Alba's door to ask her to sing again and just retreating. He could sleep here. He hadn't slept in twenty five years! His body was dog tired and knowing that he could actually rest made it worse.

However, if he'd wanted to act of his own accord, he wouldn't get the chance.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" growled Ellis, appearing out of nowhere but charging straight for Luke. He didn't even have a chance to answer before the guy grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away from Alba's door. "You don't go near her."

"What? I was just listening─" Luke tried to defend himself, although he didn't know what he had done that he needed to defend himself for.

"You're not allowed on this floor," stated Ellis, not caring that Luke was speaking to him. He was mumbling to himself, angry about the fact that he'd had to get out of bed for this. No one had told him that certain floors were off limits. Was this floor for the women and the floor they were on for the guys? Why hadn't Ellis explained that earlier? He could have spared them both a lot of stress.