Neophobia || Luke Hemmings

4

I touched my tender bruises, somehow hoping they would have started to fade, even though I knew they wouldn't. I winced at the pain, and pulled the sleeve of my sweater down.

I felt my heart pounding, and all I could think of was Calum. I tried focusing on the TV in front of me, but I couldn't stop the whirlwind of thoughts that were occurring in my brain.

"Kate!", my Mom yelled from the kitchen.

I mentally groaned. "What?".

I waited a few seconds for a response, but she didn't give me one. Damn. I hate it when  parents do that.

"Kate!", my Mom yelled yet again.

A sigh escaped my mouth and I slowly got up and walked to the kitchen.

"Mrs Hemmings forgot her phone on the counter. Would you quickly pop next door and give it back to her sweetie?".

"Mom! Seriously? My favourite programmes on!", I lied.

"Well, pause it. That's why we bought Sky, right?", my Mom sassed back.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my new neighbour's phone. I skipped my old white converse on and walked through the front door.

Brown leaves crunched beneath my feet as I walked out of my drive and into Luke's. Their front door was open and the moving van was still there, regardless, I still knocked on the open door just to show some manners.

"Mrs Hemmings?", I called.

The smell of warm cookies entered my nose as I leaned into the doorway.

A few moments later Luke's Mom appeared at the door.

"Oh, do come in, Kate, is it? And call me Liz", she smiled warmly at me. Before I could respond, she said "I've just been baking a batch of cookies for Luke. They're his favourite you see", she chuckled lovingly about her son.

"Don't you need to be unpacking things instead of baking cookies?", I responded, a small smile creeping up on my face.

"Oh, well I was", she said, looking at unopened boxes scattered around the kitchen, "but Luke said he'd unpack everything else, so I decided to bake him some cookies to say thank you. My Luke's such a little angel, you know, when he was younger, he-".

Before she could continue, Luke quickly walked in, "I heard my name and came to stop you before you said anything that would ruin my social life within the first day I moved here", Luke glared jokingly.

"I was just telling Kate over here how much of a sweetheart you are", Liz grinned.

As soon as my name was mentioned, I made eye contact with Luke that lasted a few seconds before I quickly looked down.

After a short, but awkward, silence, I remembered what I came here for.

"Here's your phone by the way, Mrs H-"

"Oh, do call me Liz", she interrupted, laughing.

"Sorry, Liz", I smiled while handing her the phone she left at my house, "you left this on the kitchen counter."

"Thank you so much sweetie", Liz said. "Here, I was just about to give Luke some of those cookies, you ought to have some too", she said, pointing at the fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies to the side of me.

"Oh, my Mom's expecting me home soon, I think I better go", I stuttered.

"Oh nonsense! Here, I'll text your Mom! I insist you stay for some, you and Luke can hang out for a bit".

She already brought out two plates and started placing cookies and cream on both. I didn't want to give a bad impression of myself so I decided I had to stay, even if it were for a couple of minutes. Just to be polite, you know.

A/n: long time no update!! I'm really enjoying writing this though so here ya go!!

Don't forget to vote, comment, and add to your reading lists and libraries!

Love you all,

Jess xx