detraction (l.h.)

two

Driving up to the mysterious parking lot, which was also some ways from his home, had thrown the paparazzi off a little. He had almost no one obviously following him there as far as he could tell. It all came as a relief obviously, but in the back of his head he felt almost disappointed too. There was something about the secrecy in Calum's words that leaked danger. Not any physical danger or something drastic; it was more of a danger to his reputation. He's down for that at this point.

Upon entering the shabby lot, he instantly spots Calum's very humble Mercedes Benz. The vehicle is honestly a sight to take in considering every other car (or motorcycle) is quite inexpensive looking. Luke parks his car right near Cal's and exits to join his friend, "Hey, where exactly are we going?"

"Don't worry about it. You'll see in like five minutes."

Luke glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. With slight hesitation, he nods and begins walking alongside Calum, who had began walking a few seconds beforehand.

At first, he had begun thinking this was some sort of trick Calum was playing on him but as his drive continued on, a feeling in the pit of his stomach grew assuring him that this was nothing even close to a joke. This could actually be his first taste of the reality of being an average college party kid.

Vibrations began to run through both their feet when they began to near the elevator. A slight scent of tobacco fills his lungs, and it was absolutely exhilarating to him. Even if it did make him cough a little. Calum's voice interrupted his internal excitement, "This will be quite the place for you, mate. Especially after you've been cooped up for so long."

"It smells like...drugs," Luke suggested in dismay, although his mind found the idea appealing. "Where did you learn about a place like this? It's sort of unlike you...Well, the people you hang out with."

"Just through the grapevine."

The short reply annoyed Luke, and he mocked Cal to himself. Through the grapevine.

Metallic doors open for them, disclosing the tobacco smell to them in a much stronger approach. Calum's fingers grazed the short list of buttons on the wall and eventually pushed the B button. B for basement, he supposes. Not long after, the door begins to close but not before footsteps and a voice come echoing through the outside, "Hey, wait up for me! Hold up. Hold up. Hold up..."

Poorly-manicured hands slide between the two closing doors, and a man around their age pops in, "Oh fuck, man! Sorry for making you guys wait up for me. My friend's been rushing me to get here for awhile. Had to finish up my hair though, see?"

They both awkwardly eyeball him and nod, all while he's showing off his newly green hair. There's dye staining his hairline and ears. Luke's lips purse from embarrassment and he look down at his shoes. Suddenly, the guy speaks up after a rather obnoxious throat-clearing, "Um. My name's Michael, by the way. I haven't seen you guys around, and I am pretty regular 'round these parts."

"I'm Calum, and that's Luke...He's sort of the prime minister's son, mate. I don't know how you could miss him!"

"Calum!"

"Oh shit!", Michael's eyes widen, and then he giggles and continues, "I knew you looked a little out of place. But I didn't think you were anyone like that. Well, hey...Your majesty?"

Luke rolls his eyes at the 'your majesty' remark but goes on, "Yeah. Let's try to keep it quiet. I seriously don't need anything getting out about me."

"Of course. So, I don't need to be like ridiculously formal with you or anything?"

"No. I actually fucking hate that. Please just try and treat me like I'm a normal dude. Because that's what I am,"

Calum scoffs at the remark, "No, not really."

Michael chuckles nervously. Luke side-eyes them both, "I'm trying to be tonight, at the very least."

The trip down to the party of some sort seems to drag on forever before they arrive. But when they do it all feels like a rush. Not just the party itself but even before he walks past the doors, his heart is racing. His mind is speeding up. Who knew an atmosphere could change the way a person think this much?

"Since you guys are new, how would you like me to take you under my wing and show you the place?", Michael buts in. Calum instantly nods and gestures for Luke to go along, "Great, First, let's get past the smoking room. It's fucking horrible the first few times you're here but once you start coming more, you grow to love it."

He was right. Different scents of smoke fills their lungs and it made him cough. After a few fits of it though, Luke is already beginning to crave it. Something about this sickness he developed had made him want to go further. His face showed otherwise apparently, because Calum laughs in his face, "You look so sick."

"Yeah, I know. Fuck off," Luke laughs it off.

Pink lights in a dark room brighten the room up a bit. They also brighten up the people surrounding them. Their eyes hooded and their lips twisted into twisted smiles. It seems like everyone looked exactly the same. The girls had choppy bangs and neat bobs. The guys had rail thin frames and tattoos covering them from head-to-toe. These were the type of people Luke would see in the music videos he liked and admired dearly. In his dreams, this is how he looked. But with a lip ring.

His eyes soon darted towards the door, or lack thereof, coming towards them. There were beads adorning string drapes that covered the exit and above read the words 'Have a Nice Trip'.

(A/N: dude this is sort of dry but i promise it'll get better. next chapter u meet his  cool kid love interest and luke girls will cry a lil. jk lmao shes average. but anyways thank u a lot for reading be sure to leave some nice comments and votes!!! love yall!)