classic ☾l.h

chapter nine | luke

chapter nine.

Luke woke up with a smile on his face and realized that he had gone to bed just the same. He knew that Charlotte would eventually warm up to him. Sure, he still had some work to do, but he was getting there.

Until he saw the time.

Luke quickly jumped off the bed and hurried towards his closet, cursing at his alarm clock for failing to awake him with his "date" with Lottie. He only had thirty minutes and he immediately knew that he would be wearing a beanie.

After throwing on a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a black muscle tank, Luke ran towards the bathroom and groaned at his hair. Styling it as decent as he could in ten minutes, he yanked his black beanie from a drawer and threw it onto his head.

With one last look and a quick slip-on of his shoes, Luke was out the door and running down his driveway to his car, sighing of relief once he was headed towards The Center.

**

Once he arrived, Luke fixed his beanie in the review mirror then climbed out of the car, jogging towards the entrance. When he entered, he saw the familiar girl with pink pastel hair and smiled. He watched as she twirled the straw around in her orange juice with a bored expression on her face. Her phone lit up next to her and she sighed, picking it up. Luke walked over.

"Hey." He smiled. She jumped a little then looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"Nice of you to finally join me." He chuckled, playing it off and sliding into the booth across from her.

"Sorry, I woke up late."

"Sure that it wasn't the fact that you couldn't figure out which pair of tighty-whiteys to wear?" She said in a baby voice, pouting her lips. He just rolled his eyes.

"Okay, yeah, sure Lottie." She groaned.

"It's Charlotte!" She shrieked. Luke laughed.

"Not in my book."

"You have a book?"

"Oh yes," he laughed. "Very large one."

"Of all the girls' names you fucked so you wouldn't have to have that awkward one-on-one meeting with them, not even knowing their name. Ooh, I bet it has pictures too!"

Luke glared at her.

"I'm only seventeen, Lottie." She nearly choked on her drink.

"You're seventeen? God, I thought you were at least nineteen!"

"Nope," he laughed.

She nodded. "Okay then." She slowly smiled.

She looked nice today, with her hair in a messy side braid and a loose grey v-neck that tucked into a pair of high waisted shorts with the bottoms folded and a pair of white converse and bracelets on her wrist. Her make-up was light. Only foundation and mascara that made her carmel colored eyes pop. Her nose ring popped as well, it wasn't sliver or nude. It was black. Luke admired her. She was absolutely stunning.

Stop, he told himself. You don't want her like that.

Instead, he just smiled and said "you look nice." She smiled back.

"Thanks, Hemmo." He laughed.

*

"I told you that you didn't have to pay." Lottie glared at Luke and he shook his head. "And I told you that I would. Too bad, so sad. Charlotte Caverly looses." She rolled her eyes.

"Thank you." She mumbled and adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "Nice seeing you today." Luke cocked an eyebrow then laughed at her.

"Oh Charlotte," he snickered. "You think this day is over-with? Follow me."

"But my car -"

"It'll be safe here. And honestly, who would want that?" Luke spoke in a disgusted tone, motioning towards the beat up car in a parking spot with cars parked away from it. Even cars didn't want to be near it. It was a Chrysler Minivan 1984. Personally, Lottie loved it.

She gasped. "Do not say that about my baby. We have been through everything together!" Luke narrowed his eyes at the over dramatic girl then rolled his eyes, motioning to his car. "C'mon." Hesitantly, she trailed behind him, her feet dragging against the parking lot.

"You know what's weird," Lottie said to him once they were in the car with the radio turned down low. He started the car with a "hm?"

"I just now realized that you're Australian." Luke laughed.

"You're late."

"No, I just wasn't paying attention."

"Sureeeeee." Luke sang the winked at Lottie, she blushed.

"And you're American."

"Oh My God," Lotte gasped sarcastically. "How the fuck did you find out?" She shrieked and hit his chest. He shook his head and smiled.

"Smart-ass." She winked at him.

"Music?" He asked, holding up a AUX cord and his iPhone. She shrugged. "Of course."

He plugged his phone into the the cord and switched the stations over and picked a song on his phone with his long fingers. After a while of scrolling, he picked the song Black Cat by Mayday Parade. Lottie immediately sang along and tapped her fingers against her thigh to the beat.

"You like Mayday?" Lottie made a "pshh" sound.

"How could I not?" Luke smiled.

"What other bands do you like?"

Lottie paused then spoke again.

"Sleeping With Sirens, Marianas Trench, The Script, The Fray, Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, We The Kings, A Day To Remember, Simple Plan. Those kind of bands."

Luke slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

"Yes!" He shouted. "I love those bands!" Lottie just laughed and shook her head, pulling out her phone and tapping away on it. She then rested it on her thigh and turned towards Luke.

"So, where we goin'?"

"Well," Luke sang, "I sorta maybe, kinda have a band." Lottie smiled impressively and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"And exactly what about this band?"

"I want you to hear us," he smiled. "Give out some honest feedback."

"Is that why I'm here?" Luke shook his head.

"Don't worry, hon. I have tons more planned."