"Nice socks." One of my classmates commented as she walked by my desk in our early mathematics class.
I looked under the desk at my feet and saw that one sock was the standard white that went with my uniform while the other was decorated with light yellow polka dots.
I cursed under my breath and pulled my clunky black shoes off then slipped the mismatched socks off and prayed that my teacher wouldn't be in a picky mood this morning.
"Good morning, students." Our professor greeted us in a somewhat cheerful manner, as I tucked my feet under my chair.
I felt someone tap my shoulder lightly and turned around to see a blonde boy handing me a pair of white socks.
"Here." He whispered. "I had an extra pair in my bag and I noticed you probably need them more than I do." He motioned to my sockless ankles.
"Thank you." I took the socks and gave a grateful smile then leaned over to put them on.
"Sorry if they're a little big." He apologized noticing that they sagged slightly on my feet.
"It's okay, at least I won't get in trou-"
"Ms.Williams and Mr.Hemmings, do you two have something to share with the rest of the class?"
"No, sir." We said simultaneously. The teacher looked down at my legs with both socks piling around my ankles, but said nothing of it and continued teaching. I breathed a sigh of relief and gave the boy a look of silent gratitude at which he responded with a smile.
• • •
I spent the next year of my life completely infatuated with Luke Hemmings. After the sock incident, we gradually became friends and it only got better when our mothers joined a book club together and we found ourselves seeing more and more of each other.
We were as close as brother and sister, but of course that's not the way I saw him, we would play Fifa together, he would help me with my math homework, we would play football matches which would soon turn into wrestling matches, or we could spend hours just talking.
Luke, who had seemed to always be extremely talented, started a band with a few of his friends which I supported with every ounce of my body.
Everything he did, I supported him in and everything I did, he supported me in.
We were two peas in a pod. That was, of course, until he got a girlfriend.
The pain one experiences while watching their best friend, whom they had grown to love, date another person and slowly leave them behind is almost unbearable.
Luke and I spent less and less time together and pretty soon he was too busy to even talk to me anymore. I started to eat my school lunch at a table with people I barely knew, I isolated myself more, and most of all I hated Luke Hemmings.
The next year he was given the opportunity to tour the country with his band which soon resulted in the breakup of him and his girlfriend. Luke still didn't talk to me anymore, and after everything I still supported him and his music even though hearing his name gave me so much pain. Through the next few years, I watched from the sidelines as 5 Seconds of Summer grew to fame.
• • •
As much as I hate him, I can't help but love him.
