Permanent Vacation // 5SOS

08. Cody

"Tess?!" I need to get to her, but Luke won't let me go. Michael and Ashton are trying to handle my unconscious sister while Luke's keeping me in the bunk area and Calum is nowhere to be seen. "Luke, let me go!"

"Please stop yelling." He sounds so calm and I just wanna rip his arms off but I can't because he needs to be able to play guitar for their fans at their next show which is only thirteen hours away. Yes, it's the middle of the night.

"I need to get to her! She's my sister!! Together forever, Tess! Together forever!" I shout at the top of my lungs. Ashton's on the phone to someone, and he seems like he's following instructions from whoever's on the other line. If anyone's going to resuscitate my sister it should be me.

"Dakota, yelling isn't helping. Calm down. The only way this ends well is if we're all calm." Luke tries to persuade me but seriously? He's so unconvincing. Although... I take a few exaggeratedly deep breaths.

"Okay, you're right. I'll-- I need to be calm." I try to keep my voice level, but I guess the shake in it ends up helping my performance. Luke gives me a sad smile as if to say "see? It wasn't that hard."

"Let's go sit down." He steps around me and heads for the tiny dining table and I pretend I'm going to follow... But then I take off running in the opposite direction.

"Tess!!" I scream at the top of my lungs, arms outstretched to reach for her. I'm almost into the back room when two strong arms wrap around my waist and lift me off my feet. "No Luke, put me down!" I squirm, kicking and throwing my limbs in every possible direction, trying to grab onto door frames but I only succeed in making Luke chuckle slightly.

He carries me back towards the dining area and puts me down on a seat before plonking down next to me to block my only way out. The bus stops and Earl tries to give me a reassuring look but my attention is on the blonde beside me. I poke my tongue out at Luke.

"Here I was thinking you were the nice, mature one, but then BAM; you throw a hissy-fit and nearly claw my arms off." He says with a cheeky grin. I just roll my eyes, but then I notice that he's got scratch marks all up his arms that weren't there a few seconds ago.

"Luke, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear." I gasp, pulling the closest arm towards me to get a better look at the marks I left.

"It's okay." He's not looking at me when he speaks, and he tries to subtly put his arms under the table. His smile's long gone. Oh no. Please don't tell me I've ruined the insane friendship I just started with my idol. Poop.

"Luke, I--" I can't even finish my sentence before tears start welling up and rolling down my cheeks. At that moment, Calum arrives from who knows where and normally I would smile and at least pretend to be okay, but this time I can't; I hurt one of my idols because I was being selfish. Luke was only trying to help me.

"Woah, Luke what the fuck? Why's she crying?" Calum's words make Luke look up at me quickly, and he reaches out to touch me but I squirm away, not wanting to hurt him again. I'm such a bad person.

Luke doesn't move for a few seconds, his hand just hanging in the space between us as if he can't decided whether to take it back or keep trying to reach me. Eventually he just gets up and walks away, sliding into his bunk and closing the curtains without a word.

I'm sure I look super perplexed right now, but a sad smile takes over as Calum takes Luke's spot. Without a word, the gorgeous Asian opens his arms and pulls me in for a life-changing hug.

I'll have this kind of hug from him any day; it's so warm and comforting, but at the same time it's firm and a little rigid. A strange combination but he pulls it off well.