white blank page // luke hemmings

01.

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isobel's pov

To say I was nervous as I sat on the bus - for what felt like an eternity - would be an understatement. I pick at the hem of my dress, chewing on my bottom lip as my knees bounce nervously. Everyone who gets on the bus walks right pass me, not even wanting to be near my kind of crazy.

and i am crazy, that's for sure.

I don't know how the hell Luke managed to talk me into meeting him in person. This is exactly how girls end up chopped up, and have their remains found in the trunk of some abandoned car. 

But everytime my mind starts to wander through pessimistic avenues, I remind myself that Luke isn't some guy I met online. I've been writing him since the seventh grade. That's about five years now that we've been talking. 

I let out an audible groan, earning a look full of concern and distaste from the others on the bus. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to sit here without going completely insane. 

I try my hardest to distract myself with the passing scenery out my window, but fail miserably. My mind twirls with my racing thoughts. I wonder what Luke will look like. I wonder what his voice will sound like. I wonder if it'll sound at all like the voice I hear in my head while reading his letters. 

I wonder if he'll like me. I wonder if he'll think I'm pretty. I wonder if he'll keep writing to me, even after we meet. 

"Excuse me, Miss?" I feel a tap on my shoulder, causing me to jump in my seat suddenly, being pulled from my worrisome thoughts abruptly. 

I turn around to see an elderly woman seated behind me, wearing a concerned expression upon her wrinkly, wise-looking face. She watches me carefully as I tuck my light brown hair behind my ears. 

"I'm sorry, but you just sounded like you were rather distressed," She says softly, that elderly charm showing as it often does with people over the age of 60, "Is everything alright?" 

I just stare back at the old woman, my lips parted ever-so-slightly. Do I tell the woman that I'm taking an hour bus ride to meet a boy that I've never actually seen in person, though I've known for five years? Or is that just all too ridiculous for anyone else to know? 

I didn't even tell my own parents. The only people who know where I'm going right now are Franky, Lauren and Bree. Even they thought I was a little on the insane side, but knew there was nothing they could say that would stop me. 

I promised Luke I would show up, and I can't just run away from that; not from him. 

"I... Er..." I stutter over my own words, my brain working in slow motion.

"Is it a boy?" She asks, sharing with me a knowing smile, causing my eyes to widen inside my head, "It always is," She chuckles, shaking her head with amusement.

"I'm really scared," I say quietly, knowing very well that this woman holds much more experience in the love department than I do. Everyone does, really, seeing as how I've never even been close to falling in love. (That is if you don't count Ryan in the seventh grade...)

The woman reaches out to give me a gentle and comforting pat on my head, wearing a smile full of assurance, calming me down for the first time since I stepped on this bus. 

"You're a beautiful young woman with a beautiful heart, everything will work out in the end," She promises me, causing a smile to turn the corners of my lips up at the end. 

I flash her an eternally grateful smile, wanting nothing more than to reach over and hug the old woman. She reminds me quite a bit of my own Gran. 

As I turn back around in my seat, my eyes wander out the window. The moment my eyes focus on the name of the bus stop, I jump out of my seat. I wave my hands frantically as the bus driver begins to drive away.

"Wait!" I cry, grabbing my purse and nearly stumbling over my own two feet as I race through the aisle of the bus.

The driver grumbles beneath his breath as he opens the door for me, not returning my bright smile even in the slightest. The moment my black ballet flats hit the pavement beneath me, the bus speeds off, causing my hair and dress to fly up in every direction. 

But that's the least of my worries. I stare with wide, terrified eyes as I look upon the coffee shop located directly in front of me. 

can i actually do this?

I grip my black purse tight to my chest as the citizens of Sydney brush past me on this busy Sunday afternoon. I'm stuck staring at the coffee shop as if it were the most terrifying monster in the world. My brain splits in half; part of it telling me that it's not too late to hop on a bus back home, and the other part telling me it's about time I meet one of my best friends. 

I would trust Luke with my life. The fact that I'm so afraid to meet him in person is absolutely ridiculous. 

So, taking a deep breath, I hold my head up high and take small, careful steps to the entrance of the coffee shop. 

The moment I enter through the door, I'm engulfed in a variety of sweet and warm smells. The entire shop smells how a hug feels. Instantly I'm washed over with comfort, causing my pounding heart to lull down to a soft patter in my chest. 

Tucking my hair behind my ear - a nervous habit I have - I step deeper within the confines of the coffee shop, my eyes tearing through the people surrounding me. 

My eyes glance upon a dark skinned man chatting away on his cellphone, then move on to a serious-faced man waiting impatiently for his order, then on to a young man whispering kisses into his girlfriend's ear. 

I stand there awkwardly, chewing on my bottom lip as I wait for someone to jump out to me. The coffee shop customers glance in my direction as I stand frozen near the exit, ready to make an escape if I have to wait here any longer. 

Here I was determined to show up for Luke's sake, I hadn't even considered the possibility of him not showing up. 

oh god.

Just as I'm about to flee from the coffee shop, a soft and gentle hand reaches out to touch my shoulder. My heart stops pounding inside my chest as a small gasp leaves my lips. It takes all the courage inside me to turn my body around. 

"Isobel? Please be Isobel otherwise this is really embarrassing, and I'll just crawl in a hole and stay there forever," A tall, lanky blonde haired boy starts to ramble the moment my eyes land on him.

I can't get any words out of my mouth, for I'm stuck staring at how incredibly beautiful he is. There are so many things to look at; his messy blonde hair, his soft skin, his blue eyes, his pink lips, his rebellious lip ring.

"Luke!" I gasp, unable to help myself.

I jump up and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into an incredibly tight, bone-crushing hug. I can feel the surprise and tension in his body language, but he quickly recovers and wraps his arms around my waist, hugging me back. 

I can't stop laughing as we hold on to each other tightly, both stuck in a state of disbelief. Here I was trying to imagine how he's looked all these years, and here he is. There's no doubt about it; it's Luke.

He pulls away from me, our arms returning to our side as we both break into bashful blushes, nervous laughter filling the space between us.

"Wow," We both echo at the same time.