Bruises (Luke Hemmings fanfic)

Sorry

Weeks slowly pass by, each day the boys getting closer and closer with me. Luke became my best friend, Calum being a flirt all the time but never trying anything. Michael is a close friend, and Ashton like a brother. They make sure I'm happy and comfortable, never pushing me to do anything I don't want to, never trying to bed me. They just love me, accept me, help me.

We tease Lucas over a crush he's had for a while, though he gives no name. Ashton urges him to give her a call, but he just tells him to shut up. I laugh and help Michael tease him about being too scared to talk to a girl. It doesn't seem to bother him, he just gives a shy smile and shrugs it off, always giving some half-caring remark about the other boys being single. The other boys laugh it off, saying they're happy being single, but none of them really continue after saying "whatever". Life with the boys isn't so bad. I really am beginning to love it here with them.  

"Luke? Ash!" I shout, trying to get the oven to stop smoking. "Who was cooking dinner?!"

"Cal!"

"It wasn't me!"

"I didn't do it!"

"Can you fix it?" Luke asks, leaning against the wall. "Or is it takeout again?"

"Who was cooking, Luke?" I ask, tossing the charred log of something in the trash. "It's completely ruined and I don't even know what it is!"

"I was. But I fell asleep," he says. "I'm sorry. Want me to order in?"

"Yeah... I guess." I sigh and clean up. "What was it?"

"Meatloaf... kinda." He smiles a little. "I was trying something new..."

"Well.... I'm sure it woulda been good...?" I scrub.

He takes the wire brush from me, then the pan. "Order pizza, cutie. I'll clean it up. It's my disaster." He smiles a little bit. "Just order lots and lots of pizza. And have them bring a big bottle of soda. Wallet's in my back pocket. Grab it, would ya? It's on me this time."

I smile and slip my hand in his back pocket, fishing out his wallet and grabbing the money before slipping it back in. "Alrighty then. Thanks." I hug his waist then grab the phone and call in pizza. Luke scrubs the pan that he seems to have ruined.

"Michael!" Luke shouts while I wait. "Go pick up the pizza!"

I order all the boy's favorites, and mine, then make sure that they have three bottles of randomized soda waiting for us there as well. Luke smiles at me while I talk, then when I hang up he splashes me.

"Lucas!" I shout, dropping the phone and trying to dab myself with the hand-towel. "You are such a child!"

He laughs loudly. "That was perfect! You're so slow!"

I grab the hand-towel and soak it, smacking him with it so it makes a loud whipping sound. "Jerk!"

He yelps and splashes me again, soaking my tee-shirt through. "PAINFUL!" He yells, but still he's smiling.  "Mean shorty!"

"I'm short but I'm not afraid to talk to a girl!"

He grins and takes a towel, smacking my shoulder with it. "Mean!"

"Stop calling me mean! You're mean!"

He laughs and grabs my wrist, pulling me over. I smack my thigh against the cracked oven door and let out a pained shout, blood seeping through my jeans. Luke freezes, letting go of my wrist. "I'm so sorry!" his eyes meet mine. "When did you....?"

I back up.

"You.... you were getting better... you were..." he whispers brokenly. "You said...."

Tears fill my eyes, and I can't help it. "I'm so sorry..."

"Where did you get it?" He chokes.

I pull the little blade from my wallet and set it on the counter. 

"Why? When?" 

"Your last concert... I... some of the fans.... I couldn't..."

He pulls me into a hug, wrapping his arms around my waist and pinning my arms to his chest gently. "Ignore them. Please.... not all of them are nice..."

"But they're honest..."

"No. Not all of them. Please."

"I'm so sorry...."