In Too Deep//l.h

Three

"This one? Or this?" My best friend Lauren said to me as she switched between fabrics, holding each item against her petite body. We were in town, shopping for an outfit she could wear for some party she was attending tonight.

"Anna! Helloooo?" She stretched out her "o" on the end of hello, waving her arms in front of my face frantically, attempting to get my attention.

"Oh yeah sorry, um... this?" I pointed to one of the dresses at random. If I was honest, I didn't care too much what she wore. I wasn't even going to the party.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the party? You're acting a bit off.."

"Sorry I'm a bit distracted that's all, and no, I have way to much work to do"

"Boo- you whore!" Lauren put on an over dramatic Regina George voice when she said this, mean girls was one of our favourite films, and we could quote it word for word.

"Anyway, seeing as you won't come out with me tonight, let me pay for this and then we'll take a trip to hmv to liven your dull hard-working life shall we?" I slapped her jokingly on the shoulder as she prodded my nose playfully.

   We were wandering through hmv, weighed down with bags, in the alternative section as always when I saw him. I froze. My body felt dead, my hands were numb and all of the blood was rushing to my head. Lauren had spied him as well, however she was remaining slightly more positive about the whole situation. She didn't know who he was, of course. She only saw him as a cute, attractive, age appropriate and hopefully single boy holding a cd by one of her favourite bands. I knew different.

I felt his eyes bore into me as I flicked through a bunch of old vinyls, chattering away and pretending not to notice him standing there. As if it was that easy.

"Anna?" His voice came out slightly cracked, as if he was as nervous as I was. Impossible.

"Oh, uh, hi Luke" I paused slightly before I said his name, unsure whether I should or not.

I glanced over at Lauren, her eyes widening. She held her hands up in defeat and wandered off, searching for the sale section.

"You, you didn't call me"

He was dressed in all black again; black skinny jeans, black battered boots and an oversized black sweater that just covered his hands. He looked great, I couldn't deny it. But there was something in his eyes, it looked like hurt, possibly, or just general anxiety, or... regret.

I took a deep breath, I needed to say it, I might not ever see him again, I might as well be honest.

"I guess I didn't think you wanted me to..." I trailed off, his eyes working their way up my face and into mine.

"I did, I mean, of course I did, god dammit Anna, I really did" He grinned at me as he said this, the smile lifted a weight off my shoulders. He wasn't angry, he wasn't upset, but he actually did want to speak to me. Luke, the boy with the endless, skinny legs, the boy with the lip piercing, the boy dressed all in black, the boy who I couldn't stop thinking about for weeks after we met, wanted to speak to me.

"I've fucked it all up now haven't I?" I said, we laughed as I said it, but I knew it was true.

"Not at all, in fact, I was just about to ask you if you wanted to see each other soon, and maybe if you had any plans- tonight?"

"Mr Hemmings, what makes you think that after meeting you once, over 5 months ago I might add, I would want to go out with you tonight?"

"Well, you didn't say no," He raised his eyebrows at me, and that cheeky look in his eyes reappeared.