"Stuck In The Friend-Zone Again and Again"

"Swore I'll Never Fight"

Can we talk about how Brian Logan Dales from The Summer Set was hanging out with Michael at The Nice Boy in West Hollywood?

3rd Person

Luke froze for an instant, unable to move or even think.
Until he locked eyes with Paris.
Seeing the absolute and utter terror in her eyes was enough to set Luke into overdrive.
He sprinted through the crowd, shoving alcohol ridden bodies out of his path to Paris.
"Luke!" She called, digging her heels into the ground.
"I'm coming!" He shouted over the combined voices of the crowd around him.
When he finally broke through the barrier of people between them, he saw in full view the image of a slightly haggard and furious looking Shane trying to pull a terrified Paris from the scene.
He ran forward and shoved Shane off of Paris, pulling her into his familiar and comforting embrace.
"Are you okay?" He asked hurriedly, looking down at her pale face.
She nodded, and Luke looked up.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" Luke asked angrily.
"She wanted to leave with me," Shane said easily.
"Bullshit," Paris and Luke said at the same time, but the difference was that Paris sounded timid and Luke sounded enraged.
Shane narrowed his eyes.
"You know that she's a minor right? She's 16," Luke said. "If I wouldn't have stopped you, it wouldn't have just been rape, it would have been statutory rape, as with a minor."
"She wanted to," Shane repeated.
"If she did she wouldn't have been screaming and trying to get away from you," Luke pointed out.
Shane narrowed his eyes even more, so much so that it looked like he hadn't seen the sun in years. "You wanna go, punk?"
Luke rolled his eyes. "Who says punk?"
"Do you wanna fight? Huh?" Shane asked cockily, hitting his own chest.
"No thanks," Luke said simply.
"You scared?"
Luke rolled his eyes. "Please," he scoffed. "I just don't want to embarrass you."
Shane huffed, but seeing as Luke was almost a head taller than him and two years older, he backed down.
"Get a life," Shane muttered, stalking away and out of the backyard through the gate.
"Jackass," Luke mumbled back.

When he was gone, Luke looked back down at Paris, who was biting her lip in effort not to start crying again.
Luke's heart ached seeing her so scared and upset, and he sighed, taking Paris's hand and leading her inside and into Michael's room.

The moment the door was shut Paris burst into tears, and Luke pulled Paris into his arms again.
Luke looked down at Paris's face, and saw that it was smeared with her makeup, but not as much as he would have assumed.
"I thought he liked me," Paris said softly after a few minutes, her tears finally slowing down.
"I know you did," Luke said soothingly, rubbing her back.
"Would he have... you know?" She asked nervously.
Luke nodded sombrely. "I remembered the rumours after I saw you trying to get away."
"What we're the rumours?" Paris asked timidly.
"I don't think you want to know."
"You're right, I don't," Paris.

After a moment's pause, Paris said. "Would you have actually fought him?"
"Are you kidding?" Luke said. "No way!"
Paris laughed, a few stray tears that were stuck in her tear ducts leaking out.
"I just wanted him to leave."
"What if he didn't?"
"Then I'd get Ashton or Michael," Luke said. "They're more up to fighting, especially when they're drunk."
Paris laughed again.
"Well thanks anyway," Paris said seriously. "For, you know, keeping me from getting raped."
"Of course," Luke said. "I'd never let anyone hurt you."
Paris smiled but started crying just the slightest bit again.
"I know you wouldn't," Paris smiled through her tears.

She wiped her face. "How's my makeup?" She asked.
"Surprisingly not wrecked," he chuckled.
"Waterproof," she said.
Luke nodded, and reached out and wiped away the smudged bits.
"Thanks," Paris said with a small smile.
She took a deep breath and folded, unfolded, then re-folded her hands.
"Alright," she said. "Let's do this."
"You're going back out there?" Luke asked, sounding slightly shocked.
"If you think I'm gonna let some dochey perv spoil my whole night, you're wrong," Paris said, somewhat more shakily than she had intended.
Luke smiled. "You always were brave."
"I'm not brave," Paris said wistfully, "not really. I'm just strong, and determined."
"Still," Luke said, taking her hand. "Let's go show everyone how badass you are."

A/N: still dying bc Fly Away.