drive ♢ muke ✔️

iv

i lie down on my bed, staring at the ceiling sadly. my shoulder blades are beginning to ache after lying in the same position for such a long time.

calum suspended me from the car. he refused to let me drive until next week, he was furious to hear that i've received three tickets in one afternoon. that's a personal high score.

i finally get up and try to leave the moping behind. i ruffle my recently dyed hair as i lazily tread downstairs. it's almost silent, calum went out with a few of his friends. i feel lonely, a heavy feeling of dread is nestled in the pit of my stomach.

nothing a little ice cream can't fix.

i hum a little tune under my breath, it's a jingle i heard playing on a cereal commercial. the tone is offbeat and flat, i don't like my voice, it sounds stupid: not deep or manly.

i make sure there's some change in my pocket before i head out. i glare at the empty driveway and continue walking briskly down the sidewalk. i don't like how the sun is frowning down on me or how the neighbours are gaping at me with surprise; i've never willingly taken a walk before. my thighs burn, i feel a cramping in my stomach.

i'm going to die today.

i see the striped roof of the ice cream parlour and i break into a run, trying to get as far as possible before dropping to my knees and passing out. i'm somewhat successful, a blast of cool air rewards me as i enter the ice cream store.

"michael clifford in the house!" i exclaim loudly, gaining the attention of the customers.

it's only a pregnant woman and the store owner here anyways.

"so that means luke hemmings is out," a blonde boy mutters under his breath, stepping out from the corner of the store. i didn't even notice him.

i don't recognize him for a moment; i thought he was simply a teenage boy looking for some ice cream to eat on a hot day. it was when he looks up and watches me wearily with his piercing blue eyes and deep scowl i realize it's the asshole cop that replaced officer robinson.

"hey you're the crap head who gave me thirty thousand tickets yesterday," i state plainly.

"i prefer to go by the term luke but it's officer hemmings to you," the blond boy grunts.

"how about officer pickle? i think i like that." i smirk.

"name calling an officer is disrespectful and will lead to consequences," luke warns, raising his dirty blonde eyebrows to intimidate me.

"too bad you're not on duty, right now you're just a regular boy and i could call you whatever the hell i want to." i snicker, turning my head and walking over to the counter and leaving him behind.

"people like you really test my limits," luke scoffs annoyedly.

"and people like you test mine." i reply absentmindedly, all my attention is focused on the ice cream flavours.

"what have i ever done to annoy you?" luke asks. i can hear his steady footsteps follow me the counter.

"nothing much, you just wasted a shit load of my money." i say flatly.

"it was necessary, it's my job to do so." luke defends himself. "and it wasn't even that much money."

"well clearly it was a lot of money since i can't even afford to buy a small chocolate cone," i frown, staring at the price.

it costs two dollars and forty five cents for the smallest size the store offers and i'm only carrying a dollar and three cents.

silence follows my statement, the taller boy doesn't speak. i look up at him and he's wearing a look of pity. he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a five dollar bill and forces it in my hand.

"why-"

"don't question me, i'm going to leave before i realize what i just did and regret it." the blue eyed boy states quietly before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking out the store.

i shrug to myself, who's going to pass up free
money? i call over the worker and order my ice cream. as i wait for the man to prepare my ice cream i look out the window to look for luke.

he's nowhere to be seen.

-

update because valentine's day
love you all loads.

thanks for all the votes and comments and reads, you're all so supportive! 125 reads already!