Want You Back

11.

"Hello, Luke."

"Jasmine, thank god." He sounded relieved - it felt honest. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care?" I asked, genuinely curious.

I could hear his sigh through the speaker. "Because I remember how bad they used to get. You could never calm down until I sang to you."

It felt like there was a vice around my heart. "Oh," I murmured, voice tight.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Fine, I suppose." The lie tasted bitter on my tongue; Luke read between the lines just as easily. "Jazz, I know we're not on the best terms right now, but c'mon. Don't lie to me."

I laughed weakly; he knew me too well. "I feel like shit," I confessed.

"I can imagine. Did you have your pills with you?" He asked, his voice making my heart flutter and ache at the same time.

"Yeah... unfortunately they didn't get a chance to work. I passed out before they even got the mask on me."

"Shit," he swore. "That bad, huh?"

I nodded and then remembered he couldn't seen me. "I-I don't know what happened."

Luke actually chuckled at that. "You had a panic attack, Jazz. It was a stressful day; I didn't do anything to help, and you snapped. But you're okay, everything's okay."

I hated how much I melted at his words; how so much tension in my body just drained at away as if he'd compelled it to.

Audrey was watching me intently, trying to read me. I gave her a nod, telling her that I was okay, and she smiled. Rising to her feet, Audrey left the room, giving me some privacy as I spoke to me ex-boyfriend.

"Listen, Jazz, I know we didn't end our last meeting on a great note, but I'd really love to see you again before you head back to LA."

"Luke..." I trailed off, thinking. "I don't know if I can do this with you. Hell, I don't even know if I still love you."

"I'm not asking or expecting you to love me again. I was an asshole to you - but give me a chance to at least redeem myself. Let me prove to you that I can be a friend to you." He begged, his voice sounding desperate.

I knew what I wanted - I wanted to bury myself in his arms and never see the light of day again. But just because I wanted that, didn't mean I was going to do that.

Luke tried again. "Text me where you're staying, and I'll come over. We can watch movies and catch up on Netflix series like old times. I can bring the guys if you'd like, I know you've missed them."

"I don't know, Luke."

"I'm begging you, Jasmine. Give me this chance. If after today, you never want to see me again, I swear on my career, you'll never hear from me again."

I swallowed, and sniffed. "Audrey will send you the details."

I ended the call without a goodbye, and tossed the phone onto the mattress beside me just as Audrey returned, carrying two coffees.

"How'd it go?" She asked, handing me a cup.

I accepted it gratefully and breathed in the intoxicating aroma, inhaling deeply. "I invited him over. Send him the hotel address and my room number."

"You what?" She exclaimed.

I shrugged and took a sip of my steaming coffee. "He's coming over."

"Why. Why would you do that?" Audrey wailed, standing up and pacing in front of me.

I considered her question for a moment, my hands wrapped around the warm mug. "Because I still love him," I whispered to myself, realization settling in.

"Audrey whirled around, eyes wide as she gaped at me. "What was that you said? Did you just say what I think you said?"

"Maybe?"

"Jasmine," Audrey sat down next to me. "Do you still love Luke Hemmings?"

I hiccupped. "Maybe."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"We dated for three years - those feelings don't just go away." I explained.

Audrey groaned. "And you were broken up for three!"

I crossed my arms over my chest, placing my coffee cup on the table beside the bed. "You can't help who you love."

Audrey continued to groan dramatically. "I'll send him the address, but girl, you better know what you're doing."

I smiled "Don't worry Aud, I don't."

"Is it weird?"

"Is what weird?"

"Seeing yourself in movies?" Luke tossed a piece of popcorn in the air and caught it in his mouth, smiling triumphantly.

I shrugged, "not really."

"C'mon, Jazz. That," he gestured to the movie that was playing - Suicide Squad - "looks insane."

I glanced at the scene he was referring to. It was early on in the movie, when Harley is dancing in the Joker's nightclub. I shrugged and stole a handful of popcorn, "it's just a character."

"Yeah, but isn't it, y'know, weird, seeing yourself on the big screen?" He asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "And isn't it weird to see fanfictions about yourself all over the internet?"

He chuckled, "touche."

I tuned in to the movie again, mouthing along with the lines.

Luke chuckled again, making me turn to look at him. "What?" I smiled.

"Not gonna lie, when I saw this scene, I couldn't believe it was you."

"Why?" I asked, bewildered.

Luke continued to chuckle. "Like, I heard about you getting the part, and I watched the trailer and shit. But seeing you in the movie, it was like damn. You've never done a part like this before," he explained. "It was shocking."

I began to pick at the skin around my nails. "And you and the guys changed your music style - big whoop, we both grew up."

"Changing our sound is different this." He said, "you as Harley Quinn... it's unbelievably sexy how confident you've become."

I laughed despite myself and threw some popcorn at him. "It's just a character, Luke. It's not a big deal."

Luke batted away the kernels with ease. "It is though. You've come a long way as an actress. And don't even get me started on your campaign as a model."

"This is nice," I smiled. "Just talking. Like nothing's changed."

Luke grinned, "I know how you feel."

We watched the remainder of the movie in silence, although I couldn't help but notice that Luke was barely watching. No, he wasn't watching the screen, he was watching me.