Too Late? (5SOS)

Chapter 31

*Tiana's POV*

@Luke5SOS: ah fuck stuck in traffic ! :(

@tianaxknowles: red for the cancer, red for the wealthy, red for the drink that's mixed with suicide 🎶

Okay, the good news is Luke got the two of us VIP tickets to a Pierce the Veil concert. The bad news: he didn't tell me that the show's in Adelaide, and we've been stuck in traffic because of the stupid rain for the past three hours. The worst news: We're only three blocks away from the venue! *cue Luke singing "so close but so far away (can you hear me?)"*

And of course, since the concert starts at four and we only have thirty minutes to claim our seats in the front row, I obviously feel nervous. My mind isn't helping as well, since it's been thinking of nothing but more and more worst-case scenarios ever since we got stuck. Luke, who had actually learned to drive already, has his hands on the wheel and a blank expression on his face. Probably more apprehensive than I am, since he surely wouldn't want his hard-earned money to go to waste by missing the concert.

Three hours and thirteen minutes into the dillemma, Luke finally decided to break the eerie silence. "Hey." he tells me, his hand rubbing circles on mine. "I'm sorry this is turning out really shitty. I honestly didn't think it would rain!"

"Neither did I." I replied, less emotional than I should have. "But, look, it's okay! I don't want to think that we won't make it, right?"

"Right." he replies with a smile on his face. That's the only time I realize that my words do have a double meaning. Great! "But, hey, I have the stupidest idea that I really want to try."

"Hemmings, if you're going to crack a joke with a really bad pun, save it!" I warn him.

"No, no!" he replies, waving away the thought. "It's just... You promise to go along with whatever I'm going to do? I promise it'll get us to the concert faster."

I swallow involuntarily, my mind racing with guesses of what he plans to do. "Uhm, sure?"

"Okay." In one swift movement, he pulls on the hood of his jacket, switches off the engine and bolts out of the door, careful not to bump the car that's just a ruler's length away from us. The rain is pouring down so hard, and the sounds of impatient drivers honking their horns are preventing me from thinking straight.

Luke opens the door, trying to keep his eyes from closing, and before I could put my feet on the ground, he sweeps me up into his arms and starts running down the slippery sidewalk. "What the fuck are you doing?" I ask uncomfortably. I guess I won't feel so great when I'm bouncing up and down in my ex-best friend's arms, now will I?

"I'm getting us to the concert!" he replies, still managing to smile. So many things could go wrong with his plan: first, I'm not as light as a feather, and he could wear out instantly. Second, he left his car in the middle of the street! Liz would kill him if someone did so much as leave a scratch on it. And lastly, we were still about two blocks away and even if the stars and moon collided, we wouldn't make it in time.

After a few more minutes, Luke had gathered enough of his breath to be able to form some words. "What are you thinking about?"

"How you don't have to do this for me!" I shout, hoping he can hear my voice through the rain. "What are you thinking about?"

"How much I sacrifice just for you. I mean, I could wake up with a sore body and I may never find my car ever again, but I don't know why but I just don't care, just as long as I bring you to the concert and I show you a good time!" he replies, taking breaths in between strings of words. I could feel the pace of my heart going faster, even if I wasn't the one running under the rain on a slippery sidewalk.