A/N Thank you for all the support! The votes, comments and reads mean loads. Someone even sent me their own cover for this! It means a lot <3
This chapter's a bit short, but I hope you enjoy it!
loooove! xx H
• CHAPTER SEVEN •
"You're late," Maddie said as I ran up the mall stairs to her.
"Yeah... sorry," I panted. "Got... a... phone... call."
Man, I was really out of shape.
Maddie's vaguely annoyed expression vanished. "Luke?" she asked, suddenly curious.
I nodded. "And Ashton."
"I forgive you," she said with a dazzling smile, which was quickly replaced with concern. "How're you holding up?"
I wrinkled my nose. "Eh," I muttered, looking down.
"What does that mean?" Maddie insisted.
"That I'm Canadian?" I joked with a weak smile.
Maddie frowned at me, unamused by my attempt to distract her. "Seriously. They left yesterday. It's been less than 24 hours. How're you going to survive at least a couple of months without them?" she asked.
I flinched at the thought of not being able to see Luke for a few months. "I don't know," I whispered.
She wrapped her arms around me, and I hugged her back. "I'm really sorry," she said. "But don't worry. They're living the dream! They'll be back before you know it," Maddie promised. She released me and studied my outfit, eyes narrowed, lips pursed. "In the meantime, we better find you some cute clothes to add to your closet. I pray to God that these are the most hideous clothes you own," she said, pinching the grey fabric of my t-shirt.
I rolled my eyes. "Maddie, you know my closet better than I do."
"With all of its deficiencies," she agreed with a sigh. "We'd better get to shopping."
As we dropped in and out of shops and wove through clothes racks, Maddie asked me casual questions about Luke.
"How's he liking America?"
"Do you know exactly how long he'll be gone?"
"Do any of their shows get onto the Internet?"
"You must be so proud of him. You pretty much discovered him."
The shopping trip, which was really Maddie picking out "adorable outfits" for me to try on, was quickly turning into an interrogation session. "That top is adorable. The blue is pretty close to Luke's eyes. They're blue, right?" she asked when I modeled a flowing, light blue blouse for her.
"Are you training to be a police officer?" I muttered, going back into the changing room to put my grey shirt back on.
"Admit it. You haven't even paid attention to any of the clothes I've picked out you so far," she replied from her place on a bench outside.
I sighed, putting the blouse back on the hanger and walking out. "Yeah, but guess what I keep paying attention to? Luke, and how he's not here," I said, my voice sour.
"Do you really want to be distracted?" Maddie asked.
"Yes, please," I said.
I could not have imagined what she was about to tell me.
"I set up a double date for the two of us with Shane Richards and Terrance Rogers," she said.
My mouth dropped open, and I almost dropped the cute blouse that matched Luke's eyes. "What the hell?"
