The Floaters [cake au] ✔

⌛ ➃ : image damage ⌛

Chapter 4: image damage.

I hadn't meant to fall asleep there, with Luke's legs loosely wrapped around mine, but I had and by morning it was too late to change anything. My eyes flickered in the morning sun and I forced them open, stifling a yawn and gently lifting Luke's lanky limbs off my body.

The clock on the wall said it was eleven am. I'd meant to meet the others to go fishing an hour ago, but laying here in bed just made me even more unwillingly to leave. The mattresses at Jenna's place were worn out and used by everyone, unlike Luke's which was comfy and soft.

"CalPal? Are you awake?"

My eyes found Luke's and I smiled. "Yep."

"Do you want some breakfast?"

"Nah, I'm okay. It's almost midday anyway."

He looked at my arms and noticed the tattoos I'd gotten. "I like these," he said, using a single finger to trace the outline of the bird on my left forearm. "Is this her name? Mali Koa?"

"Mali Koa is my older sister. It was my second tattoo," I explained, as his finger travelled sideways to my horseshoe, watching him the whole time whilst he explored each and every one.

When he was done, he smiled and nuzzled into my chest, sending this warm feeling through my body. "Are you leaving soon?"

"Maybe. I think I might stay here though."

"No, you should go. It's boring here."

I frowned, thinking back to yesterday. "It's not boring here, you have all those games downstairs!"

"I mean you'd have more fun with the others."

"Why do you think that?" He shrugged, not replying. I sighed and ruffled his blonde locks, eventually swinging my heavy legs over the side of the bed and getting out. "Well, I'll be off then." I immediately regretted saying that as I knew I had no idea when I'd get to see him again, but my ego got the better of me and I walked out, heading to the bathroom downstairs to relieve myself and wash my face.

~

"Where were you last night?"

Four pairs of disapproving eyes glared at me in a circle, all of them holding fishing rods in their hands. "I, erm... got lost last night. I slept outside on this bench."

Jenna raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. "You expect us to believe that?"

"Uh, yeah?"

Michael sighed and turned away, walking back to his little seat. "Whatever," he yelled, throwing out his line. "You missed out. We played this game called 'I went to the market' and it was the most fun I'd ever had," he retorted as if to make me jealous. I wanted to say 'well I fell asleep with a really cute guy' but knew it wasn't the place.

I crouched down next to him with hopeful eyes. "Forgive me?"

His face broke into a smile and he nodded. He handed me an unused rod and got a seat out for me.

When I was sure Jenna, Jack and Ashton were out of hearing range, I asked, "Say, why do those guys hate Luke so much?"

He shrugged and squinted at the water, watching the ripples from movement below scintillate across the water. "Jenna just says he's a weird kid. Did some weird shit when he was a kid, came here and has stayed ever since."

"No details, or anything?"

"Ask her yourself, if you're that interested!" he said somewhat angrily. I just didn't understand why they bullied him. Was it really because he still had the mind of a kid, or was he actually weird? "Why are you asking about him anyway?"