cigarettes & coffee / l.h.

two

- luke -

I pressed my body against the cool brick of the wall and sighed. I thought moving so far away from home would make me feel better, but even after a year, nothing had changed. I still missed Charli more than anything. I was still struggling to hold on, to endure this life that brought me no happiness whatsoever.

Coming outside at midnight to smoke was the best part of my day, every single day. I had to wait until my parents were asleep or go for a walk so I could have a smoke. My uncle smoked and died of lung cancer last year, therefore leaving my parents being absolutely and utterly against smoking.

Light footsteps on the concrete startled me, and I turned to face the source of the noise. My eyes widened when I realized who it was. She caught my eye and stopped in her tracks. She was wearing an oversized Mayday Parade tour shirt and plaid pajama shorts. In her small hand was a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

"Luke Hemmings..?" She spoke quietly. Her voice sounded different than it did in class. It was softer, more cautious.

I cleared my throat. "Violet Walker."

I watched Violet's face twist in confusion and I had to force myself not to smile. It was kind of adorable.

"How do you know my name?" She asked. She had decided to inch closer to me along the wall.

"I could ask you the same thing." I smirked. I had simply overheard multiple people acknowledging her with that name that day, so I thought it was pretty obvious what her name was. It suited her. It was pretty.

Violet only laughed and rested her back on the wall next to me, pulling a cigarette out of the pack. She placed it in between her lips and brought her "I Love Asia" lighter to the end. She noticed me staring at her and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Smoking kills, you know." I stated, watching the grey smoke tumble from her lips as she began to laugh. She shook her head and mumbled for me to shut up.

I finally remembered the reason I came out here and pulled my own pack of cigarettes and lighter from the pocket in my black hoodie.

Violet noticed me lighting one and shot me a look, taking her cigarette between her long fingers to talk.

"Smoking kills, you know," I saw a smirk form on her face as I shrugged.

"Isn't that the point?"

-

I walked into school with the same motto I had lived by for the past year. Avoid all eye contact. I didn't really mind having no friends, it was kind of what I wanted. After everything that happened with Charli, getting close to other people was the last thing I needed. I knew that everybody thought I was the weirdest guy in New York, but it didn't bother me.

However, last night, something changed. I had no idea what it was, all I knew was that it had something to do with the girl with brown hair and black nails. Violet. We had begun talking when the sky was black and littered with stars until the sun came up. She was so different to Charli. It was refreshing.

I had biology first. Violet was in that class, and I forced myself not to get excited about it. She was in that class with two of her friends, we probably wouldn't even acknowledge each other.

Once I had taken my biology textbook from my locker, I made my way into the classroom. Violet was seated next to her friends as I had assumed she would be.

My stomach twisted for no apparent reason and I breathed deeply before walking past. Violet's eyes were on me.

"Hi, Luke." She spoke softly. Her friends looked up and both narrowed their eyes.