Runaway. || Luke Hemmings

Chapter 17

"Hey," I said softly, shrugging Luke awake. As we sat looking out over the fields, listening to the cool, soft breeze washing around us, Luke had fallen asleep. He was cute when he slept. He was striking. Every physical feature he owned felt like it was stabbing into me, catching my attention.

He groaned, frowning in his sleep. "Bella." he trailed off, his voice soft and breezy. My heart leapt. Did he really just say my name?

I swallowed hard, ignoring it and shook him lightly again. "Luke. Wake up, its getting dark."

His eyes pulled open as he inhaled deeply, stretching out his arms and yawned. "Hm. Morning, Bella."

I grinned. "Actually, no. It's evening. Look, its almost dark." I gestured to the open space around us and he looked over it with sleepy eyes, sitting up.

"Shit. We better keep moving." He got up and pulled his black shirt over his head, lifting his jacket and pulling it over my shoulders, helping me to my feet. He placed a hand on my back, urging me to walk forward. "Come on. We have to find some kind of shelter before it gets dark."

Slowly but surely, since my awkward steps still sent throbbing pain through my limbs, we moved forward through the lengthy grass, wispy and dead from the heating sun. I panted. "Luke." I whispered, too out of breath to even speak. "Can we stop. For a minute." I pointed at my mouth. "Breath."

He frowned at first, but finally caught on. "Oh yeah. Sorry. Sorry." He gently lowered me down, keeping his hand around me as he knelt beside me, waiting for me as I attempted to breathe steadily.

"Everything alright?' He said. He was panting too, but not as much as I was.

"I'm okay. We can go now, if you want." I said, still a little breathless but capable of walking again.

He pulled me to my feet and we began walking again, until we reached a bunch of trees. Luke let go of me and went first to inspect them, reaching up and picking off a leaf.

"Beach trees." He said, turning toward me. "I'm guessing there's water nearby."

I grinned. Part of me thought he was putting on this, being all smart and stuff. I'm almost sure that wasn't a beach tree. He probably just presumed it because he heard lapping water in the distance.

"Can't we just sleep here for the night?'

"Oh yeah, course. But-" he pointed to all the open space around us, twisting in a full circle- "There could be anything out here. I think we need to go up there." He pointed upwards.

I shook my head and laughed. "How the hell am I supposed to get up there?"

"Simple." he shrugged. "Climb. I'll help you."

I rolled my eyes, but dragged myself over towards him. I stood in front of the tree, feeling Luke place his strong hands on my waist. I looked down quickly, almost swatting his hands off but quickly scolded myself not to, and that he was only trying to help me. I let him lift me up as I grabbed the first thick branch, and did my best to lift myself onto it, pulling my legs over the edge. "I'm up."

"Okay." he breathed, then hauled himself up, only placing his foot on the corner of the branch where I sat. "I can't stay here. It'll break."

I realised that I'd have to sleep on my own, with no Luke to keep me warm, to shield me from the badness that possibly surrounded us. My heart sank, but I nodded and said, "That's okay. Don't go too far, though." I grinned.

He laughed and lightly touched my arm, suddenly sending butterflies around my stomach, fireworks launching themselves in the space between us. "Goodnight. I-"