vanilla // lrh

nine

I knew Mia's 'suprise' would entail a boy of some sort, she probably was setting me up for a double date.

I was the first one to arrive, sitting at the end of a leather booth alone, tapping my fingernails on the table.

I hated that she never told me what was going on, I never knew what I was getting into.

My eyes jolted to the door, where I heard familiar giggling.

Michael, leather jacket and all, entered followed by a blushing Mia, Calum, and Sawyer.

I took a deep breath, confused as to if I was relieved or disappointed that Luke wasn't with them. Then again, Mia didn't know anything about Luke and I's interactions, she wouldn't have known to invite him in the first place.

"You clean up nice, El," Sawyer smiled, snuggling into the seat next to me, as Michael, Calum, and Mia all sat across from us.

"Thanks," I smiled softly, taking a sip of my drink, and trying to be as polite as possible.

"El came to my gym today!" Sawyer grinned.

"Gym? Huh?' Michael laughed, followed by another giggle from Mia, who was enjoying having two cute boys on each side of her.

"She knocked the shit out of the bag! Just needed a little push." He finished, nudging me as he said 'push'. Lame.

"Where's Ashton?" I asked, thinking the three of the boys were together earlier today, and desperately wanting to change the subject.

Calum and Michael shrugged at each other.

"I think he went to Jimmy Donovan's," Calum said, knocking his knuckles against the wood of the table. "If there's a party, count him there."

"Is he going to flunk out? Does he care?"

"His dad is like the president or something," Michael answered. "He doesn't think he really needs to try,"

"I'm starving!" Mia shouted, changing the topic, as it was off of her for far too long.

Almost as if it was instinctual, a tall red headed girl with an apron approached our table, asking around for drinks.

"I can order for you? If you'd like," Sawyer whispered for me, and even though he was only being a gentleman it did not flatter me in the slightest.

"I'm capable," I muttered.

"So, Eloise, how is working at the diner?" Calum asked, polite and calm as always.

"It's a job," I laughed. "No job is exactly fun, but it pays the bills I guess. My coworkers are usually pretty nice and gossipy, it keeps it interesting."

"That short brunette with the hips, what's her name?" Michael asked, and I knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Megan," I told him, remembering how he would stare at her hips as she'd walk, he claimed her hips could definitely lie.

"Megan! Yes! Hey, do you think you could introduce me sometime I mean,-"

Michael's words seemed to become mute in my head, as I heard the bell of the door open, Luke's large frame dressed in a black button up, jeans and shoes to match.

He was with a girl that had a figure of a model.

They walked past us, and to a table, as I watched them sit opposite each other, him grabbing her hand and smiling.

"Ells?"

"Sorry," I scoffed, my blood beginning to boil. Who was this girl? I thought he wasn't interested in girls? Why wasn't he interested in me?

"What were you saying?" I asked, trying to direct my brain away from wishing I was the girl Luke was with.

"Sawyer was just saying how he knows Megan, maybe we could all go out sometime?" Michael refreshed me.

Why was everyone acting like Sawyer was my boyfriend?

"You guys do make quite a cute couple!" Mia exclaimed, causing a slight blush from Sawyer, as he rested his hand on my thigh.

I glanced over toward Luke and the girl, she was laughing at something he had said, and I imagined what he could be saying to her.

"I need to go to the bathroom," I said, through my teeth, slightly nudging Sawyer so that he would let me out of the booth.

I slid my dress back in place, and rushed off to the ladies room.

I wanted to slap myself for feeling the way I did, so stressed out over a boy I didn't even know.

I wanted to know him and it was driving me to insanity. I wanted Sawyer to disappear, I wanted Mia to have her lips glued shut, for the itch I had ever since I met Luke to go away.

I stared at myself in the mirror, comparing myself to the girl that Luke was with.

I thought back to when I was half naked in front of him, and how he barely seemed to notice. I mean, why would he when he has a girl like that?

A group of girls walked in the bathroom, forcing me to swallow my pride and walk out.

I took a deep breath, and began back to the table, until a strong hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back against the wall.

Luke stood over me, looking down at me, with the bottom corner of his lip in his mouth.

I looked at him entirely, how tightly the button down hugged around his body, the jeans almost as tight as if it were the skin on his body, his black dress shoes big enough to be clown shoes.

"Always seem to run into me, don't you?" He whispered, making my heart run marathons inside my chest.

"Didn't follow you this time, promise."

He smiled, but the grin was more venomous than friendly.

"You just can't stay away," he taunted, grabbing my face with the palm of his hand, tracing his thumb along my cheek.

"I-"

But just then, he crashed his lips into mine, and my body felt as if if were on fire.

The flame was short lived, as he instantly pulled away, letting go of my face, and pulling away from me, turning to go back to the model.

"I'll be seeing you."