Trust

Part 4

You and Luke are silent for the twenty minutes you’re in the car together. You don’t feel awkward though. It’s just that neither of you really have anything to say.

Ok, that’s a lie. You have a lot to say, you just have no idea how to say it.

When you arrive at band practice, you are a little surprised. You were expecting to be taken to someone’s garage. Instead, you’re outside of a recording studio. You begin to reevaluate how big Luke’s band actually is.

“Luke?” you ask tentatively. “Are we in the right place?”

He holds out his hand to help you out of the car. You take it, still confused.

“Maybe I should have explained a little bit more,” he grins embarrassedly. “We aren’t exactly a small garage band.”

Considering where you guys are, you had come to that conclusion yourself. Still, you wait for him to finish.

“We actually are signed to a record label, and are starting our own. You probably didn’t notice, but I was gone for most of last year.” You were still new last year, but you remember seeing him for a month or so, before he stopped coming to school. That was when all of the rumors started, and you decided he was definitely someone to stay away from.

You nod, encouraging him to keep talking.

“Well, we were on tour. We opened up for One Direction, and did a few shows of our own. We are planning our first headline tour at the moment, and recording our album. That’s why I brought you here,” he points behind him toward the recording studio. “Today we are just doing some vocals. I’ll be getting out early, but I thought you might want to meet the guys.”

You stare at him a little blankly. “Why?”

He blushes. Your jaw probably hits the ground. Luke Hemmings does not blush. He can make a girl blush without saying a single word to her, but he does not ever blush.

He plays with his lip ring, like he did the other day in math. You realize he is actually nervous about this, nervous about introducing you to his friends, and about what you will think of his band.

Why does he care?

“I want us to be friends,” it sounds like there is something he isn’t saying. “And I’m usually with my band, my friends. I guess I figured it would make sense if you guys met, so that we could all hang out together.”

It makes perfect sense, but you are still dreading meeting these people. What if they don’t approve of you? Just because Luke likes you—for now anyway—doesn’t mean his friends will. Or what if they think you aren’t good enough to hang around with him? Or what if Luke told them about what you do? Or did, technically, since he still has your blades somewhere, and for some reason you haven’t tried to get more. But still that isn’t what’s bothering you.

What if they hate you because of it?

Worse, what if they made Luke see how horrible you really are?

So many questions you are terrified to get the answer to.

“You’re doing it again.” Luke tells you.

“What am I doing?” you whisper, not looking at him.

He isn’t having any of that. He puts two fingers under your chin, tilting your face up to look you in the eyes. “You’re nervous, I can tell. You always bite your lip when you’re nervous.”

Your jaw probably hits the ground again. How does he know that? He’s only been shadowing you for a couple of days. That’s not enough time to pick up on your little ticks. You’re usually the one watching, not the one being watched.

He smiles, and you frown, causing him to chuckle. “Just because you never saw me watching before doesn’t mean I wasn’t. You aren’t the only one who knows how to observe babe.”

It’s your turn to blush when he accidentally lets the pet name slip out. Don’t read too much into it Audrey, he probably calls all girls that.

“It’ll be fine, okay? You’ll be fine. They’ll love you, because they’ll see how wonderful you are.”

You really wish he would stop reading your mind. He really must have been watching you. He really did see you.

But he needs to stop saying nice things, because soon you’ll start to believe them. If that happens you’re royally screwed, because you can’t afford to like Luke.

Friends is one thing, and you aren’t even sure you can handle that yet. Liking him, that way, is something else entirely, something you need to stay away from.

Luke misinterprets your silence. “You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to. I can drive you home, really.”

You shake your head, and look in his clear blue eyes. You said you would try to trust him, and you will. You just have to make sure you stay guarded around him.

“I’m ready,” you whisper to him.

He laughs, taking your hand and pulling you behind him. “Good. Oh but one thing I should warn you about is the whispering. It won’t fly with the boys. They’re loud, energetic, and insane.”

You start to slow down, a little bit apprehensive again.

“Don’t worry,” Luke turns around, and flashes his dimpled grin at you. “You’ll be great Audrey.”