ketura - ch

chapter seven

I woke up the next day out of pure adrenaline and excitement. We were playing our show tonight and I don't think I would ever feel ready. I got up quickly so I would have time to
run. I went down to the gym to find Calum and Ashton already there. I hoped the wouldn't notice me as I went on the treadmill to run.

I put headphones in and listened to the best pump up music I could find. I needed to get rid of the knots forming in my stomach. As I ran, I slowly cleared my head of things about the show. Instead I thought of my sister. I missed her so much it hurt, but it was hard to talk to her when she was so busy with softball. Not to mention the fact that I was on a completely different time table than her.

I missed my parents as well. I missed them far too often, no matter how angry I was at my mother. I wonder what my dad thought when he came home that night to find that my mother had kicked me out. The thought just made my heart hurt.

"Keturah," I heard Ashton say. He stepped on to the treadmill next to me and smiled.

"Hey," I smiled. It was weird because I always knew of Ashton Irwin. He was best friends with Calum and his other friends, but I had never met him until now considering he had gone to a different high school. It was strange to see him actually be a person in front of me as apposed to being he mentioned in Calum's stories.

"Are you excited?" He asked.

"Definitely," I assured him. I didn't have the energy to explain to him how terrified I was of performing tonight. Before I could say anything else, Luke's laugh filled the room. I looked as Mason and Luke walked in. I wasn't surprised that Mason had him laughing. He always had such funny remarks.

"Anyways, is Luke short for anything?" Mason asked.

"Yeah," Calum said now as he walked towards them. "Lucifer."

FLASHBACK

I sat at my desk, trying to focus on my paper, but the loud voices in the classroom prevented any further productivity.

"Can I ask you a girl question?" Calum asked me. I looked over at him, confused that he still tried talking to me. Many times before I had tried to show the least interest possible in him.

"I guess," I sighed.

"Alright, my best friend Luke, you might know him. Luke Hemmings? Anyways, he wants to make a good impression on this girl. But she doesn't know exactly what she likes," he explained.

"You can never go wrong with flowers? Or small acts of kindness?" I shrugged.

"Great, thanks," he smiled and looked down at his phone for the millionth time.

I had completely given up on trying to finish my English paper in class and only tapped my pencil on the desk. I actually wanted to ask Calum a question, but I felt weird engaging in social encounters with Calum Hood, captain of soccer, high school star and jock. I tried to fight my own instincts that told me to turn to him, but curiosity got the best of me.

"Is Luke short for anything," I asked him.

He looked up at his phone with a friendly look on his face and said, "No, not that I know of."

I thought for a second and smiled. "He told you not to tell anyone what it is. He's embarrassed, huh? Don't worry, I get it."

"What? No-"

"Tell Lucifer that I won't tell anyone his secret," I giggled.

"Oh," Calum laughed. "That's funny! I'm going to remember that!"

I chuckled at his reaction and went back to tapping my pencil.

"Is your name short for anything?" He asked.

"No," I lied. "No it's not."