vanilla // lrh

twenty five

"Holy hell, what the fuck happened to you?"

Michael choked on the beer in his hand, raising his eyebrows at Luke, who had just walked into Michael's apartment.

Luke made his way over to the bar seat next to me, as I watched his expressionless face.

"I'm sure Ellie told you all about it," He said without emotion. "Hand me a beer."

Of course I didn't tell Michael all about it, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it.

"She hasn't spoke a word," Michael sassed, resting his hand on his hip and turning to face me. "Some bff you are."

I smiled at Michael's goofiness, as he slid Luke a bright blue can.

Luke quickly flicked the top, raising the can up to his lips.

His face looked better than when I had last seen him, but only because the blood was no longer there.

His bottom lip was swollen, a few cuts and bruises scattered across his cheeks, and the underneath of his left eye was colored a deep purple.

Luke's arm fell to the countertop as he dropped the now empty beer.

"Some douche grabbed her ass while we were walking the other day," Luke lied, but with sheer confidence.

"And you tried to fight him?" Michael laughed. "You're a dumb ass."

Little did Michael know.

"Hey, sexual harassment is no joke." Luke said, sticking to his story.

Michael raised his arms in defense, chuckling.

"You're right bro, kinda crazy of you to pick a fight though. Unless you two are-" Michael raised his eyebrows, but before he could finish Luke cut him off.

"Friends." Luke interrupted.

Friends? I suppose we were just friends.

The feeling that I felt towards Luke, the admiration and tension, maybe it was just one sided.

But why me? Why would he choose me to meet his mother? Or call me baby, and sweetie?

"Alright, whatever you say. Aye, El, your boy Sawyer is coming over tonight."

"Not my boy," I groaned, remembering the last time I saw him, and kissed him.

"Pretty sure I saw you licking the inside of his mouth-"

"Stop!" I laughed, reaching over to hit Michael across the chest. "You're disgusting."

"Hey, you're the one who did it." Michael laughed, sliding Luke another beer.

"I have to work," I told him. "I won't be here anyway."

"You won't be at the diner any later than midnight, c'mon," Michael encouraged.

Michael's apartment was becoming the new spot for parties, probably in coincidence with his growing friendship with Ashton.

After Luke saved Ashton from getting beat up, Ashton agreed to stop throwing parties as often, and in doing so Michael began to have them instead.

"Even Luke is coming!" Michael persuaded, as I looked to Luke.

He smiled smugly, hiding the cut on his bottom lip.

"I promised Ashton," Luke said.

"Plus I've got to show all the hotties my bruises from defending a woman."