Live, Laugh, Luke

Chapter 22

Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature.

-Freya Stark

Freya's POV

It's a lot easier to judge the people based on their technical skill instead of trying to judge voices, which made today go a lot quicker. If someone wasn't good enough, we were able to skip the rest of their video and we ended up getting through all the drummers and bassists in one day. I'm practically whistling as I leave the building. My manager had come through and I had a set of keys in my hand. There's nothing like knowing you could just pack up and leave to let you feel free. I decide to forego the photoshoot and head directly home. I had still yet to unpack and now I needed to so I could pack for the weekend. The drive home takes longer than it probably should have. After having spent the last 3 years abroad, a fair amount of the time on the opposite side of the road, driving was a strange experience. Once home, packing is fairly quick. I throw the majority of the clothes from my suitcase into the laundry bin to be washed once I get back, while one set of clothes goes into a small bag for sunday. I'm on my way to the kitchen to make dinner when I find myself slowing down in front of the studio. It was silly, I knew that deep down, yet it felt like I wasn't supposed to be in here. I keep moving toward the kitchen and make myself a list-approved dinner. As I'm eating, I find myself thinking about Luke's comment on the Fourth of July and soon I find myself eating while baking up a batch of sugar cookies. I'd thought about doing red white and blue cupcakes but realized I couldn't since I didn't have red and blue food coloring. When the cookies are out of the oven and have cooled, I decorate them with strawberries, bananas and blueberries to give them the Fourth of July theme and stick them in the fridge. After, I end up drifting back towards the studio. I glance around, checking to make sure the boys aren't home yet before letting myself in. I kept having to remind myself that it was my home also and I could come in here if I wanted. There's a Mac open, yet off sitting up on the control panel. I tap on the keys, surprised when it lights up. Not off, I realize, just sleeping. It wasn't snooping, I tell myself as I move the mouse over the play button in the editing program. I was just curious. I hit play, jumping as the sound goes through the wall speakers instead of the computer's speakers.

Counting down these seconds

Jumping off these fences

Find another place to start again

The cracks in the sidewalk

I'm over all the small talk

Taking off like fire in the wind

I start smiling as I listen to the words. These were my kind of lyrics.

My smile starts to fade a bit. This wasn't just similar to my life, this was dead on. It was almost as if it had been written about me... He wouldn't have... would he? I shut it off halfway through, my mind whirling. It had been what, 2 weeks since London? He could've written a song in that time... We'd had a rough draft of a song in one afternoon. But why? What does that mean? He was the one that had basically insisted nothing would ever happen emotionally between the two of us, but this was a clear violation of rule 1, don't draw attention to it. Writing a song about someone counted as a sweet gesture, didn't it? So why would he fuck with me like this? I was suddenly apprehensive of seeing him when he got home. I couldn't face him. I wouldn't. I head back to my room and grab my bag, deciding I'd get a jump start. Sure I'd get there late, but I knew I'd always have a place on Liz's couch and she wouldn't care what time I showed up. I jot down a quick note, leaving it on the kitchen counter so they knew I'd left before heading out to my car and throwing my bag in the passenger seat. With one last glance at the house, I start the 6 hour drive.

Luke's POV

"Hey Freya, we brought home dinner," I shout as we walk into the house, take-away bags of Indian food in hand. "Freya?" I call again when there's no answer. I set the bags down on the dining room table.