Beside You || Luke Hemmings

Chapter 4

[ S T E V I E ]

First period dragged on for what seemed like hours, but was only 45 minutes. Once the bell rang, I scrambled out of my seat with my bag and I ran towards the door.

"Stevie. Please stay after, I need to talk to you." Mrs. Pucitola commanded. Shoot, so close to escaping. I turned on my heel and walked towards her desk. "Stevie, I am sorry to say this, but you're failing my class." she said with worry clouding over her eyes. I was failing math? Jesus, Anna is going to kill me!

I shrugged anyway and rolled my eyes. "You may not find this serious, but I do. That's why I'm hiring a tutor for you."

"What?!" I exclaimed. She jumped slightly at my sudden reaction, but remained calm. "I don't want you to fail. I will assign your tutor by the end of this week." she said and waved me away, dismissing me.

A tutor? I don't need no stinkin' tutor!

I stomped to my locker where I met Christie. "What's with the grumpy face?" he asked. I shook my head and he shrugged. "OMG, did you see the new guys! They're fucking hot!" he squealed. "Oh, I already met one of them." I scoffed. "You lucky duck. Which one? The Asian one, the colorful one, or the blonde one?" he asked.

"The blonde one. We ran into each other and fell." I mumbled. "Oh gosh, that's where it all starts!" he said. "Where it starts? What do you mean?" I questioned. "It's always like that in the movies. Take the movie Another Cinderella Story for example. Mary runs into Joey in the hallway and then they fall in love. Soon that hot blonde will be at your apartment picking shrimp out of your hair!" Christie explained. "I don't believe in those kind of relationships. They're so cliché." I muttered.

"Just wait, Stevie. You'll see. The new guy may even be a celebrity for all we know. He would bring you up on stage and sing a song that you guys wrote together! Ooh, I can't wait for that day!"

I rolled my eyes and shut my locker.

"Trust me, Christie. That blonde isn't a celebrity."

[ L U K E ]

I found Calum after the second bell rang. I dragged him to the guy's bathroom and made sure nobody was watching. "Dude, what the hell happened? And why do you have lipstick all over your face? Oh, wait. Luke, its only your first day man. Don't get laid so quickly." Calum laughed. I punched him in the shoulder.

"I didn't get laid. Well, kind of. But not all the way because I stopped it." I explained, wiping the smeared makeup thanks to Amanda. "Idiot." Calum mumbled, slapping my head. "No, let me explain. She forced me to do it. But I left her half naked in the closet and ran." I said, scratching my head.

"She? Her? WHO?" Calum asked, grabbing me by my shoulders. "A-"

"LUKE HEMMINGWAY! Where are you?!" a snappy, obnoxious voice shreiked. Only one person thought that 'Hemmingway' was my real name.

Yay, Amanda found me.

I gestured to the location of Amanda's voice to Calum. He mouthed her name with a questioning look and I nodded.

"Run." he whispered. I ducked into the biggest stall and quietly locked the door. I crouched on the toilet and listened. I heard Amanda's stilettos click against the tiled floor of the boys' bathroom. "You're not supposed to be in here!" Calum exclaimed. "Shut up. I'm looking for Luke, he and I have to talk." she snapped. Then there was silence and I had no idea what was going on. I used the video camera on my phone and help it out under the stall door. Then Amanda's heels clicked again and no more sound was made. I watched the video and couldn't believe my eyes.

Calum had his hands on her shoulders as he was pulling her in for a kiss. What's worse is that she wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she pulled away with wide eyes and walked out without another word.

I kicked the door open and stared at Calum. "What the fuck was that? We are supposed to stop Amanda from cheating, not let her cheat on Ashton with us!" I yelled. "I didn't know how else to stop her from looking for you! I deserve a thank you." he huffed. I rolled my eyes and jogged outside the bathroom, looking back to see if Calum walked out, too.

Then I bumped into somebody and fell to the floor. That person fell to the floor and books scattered everywhere. I scrambled to pick them up and I looked up at the person for the first time.

"You've gotta be kidding me. Not again!"