Only You || Luke Hemmings

3. Danielle

I wake up early on Wednesday morning, ready for another day of fun- hint the sarcasm. Being in year 12 now, everything is starting to get a lot more serious in school and my brain literally feels like it's about to explode some days, today being one of them days. I have a maths mock exam this morning, which I haven't done anywhere near enough revision for, and then I have work tonight. So, it's fair to say, I don't think I could be feeling much worse right now,

But wait, I'm wrong. As I'm throwing on my hoodie to go down stairs for breakfast, I hear a noise from the lounge, a noise I'm all too familiar with thanks to living with my drunken mum my whole life. I creep further down the old wooden stairs and peer over the railings, and my eyes are greeted with possibly one of the most unpleasant sights you could see at 7am; my mum, straddling some unknown guy, making out in the very spot I usually sit in to watch TV. Fucking gross.

"Mum," I shriek, trying to get her attention. "Mum," I shout again, louder this time. She turns her head around sharply and her beady, dirty green eyes meet mine.

"And what the fuck do you want?" She replies harshly.

"I don't want anything; I'd just rather you not be making out with some random jerk while I'm trying to make breakfast."

"Who are you calling jerk?" The man speaks up, instantly intimidating me. He's a big guy, bald and covered in tattoos; the typical rough guy stereotype.

"Yeah, watch your fucking mouth," mum shouts back at me.

"Oh yeah, because you can talk," I shrug, walking into the kitchen and pouring myself a bowl of cheerios.

"Just get to school will you. Get out of my house. Can't you see I'm busy here?" She yells again unnecessarily loud, slightly slurring her words. You would think I'd find it hard to believe that she's been drinking this early in the morning, but I'm not. Anything is possible with her.

"Your house?" I say sarcastically, raising my eyebrows. "You're never even here, mum!"

"Because I have better things to fucking do, alright?" She shouts, now off the sofa and standing in front of my face threateningly.

"Where do you even go?" I reply.

"Why is that any of your business!" She yells even louder this time, banging her fists on the counter separating us.

"Because you're my mum! Do you even know what that means?" I scream back, slamming my fists also. I notice the creepy guy from the sofa sloping out of the front door as we argue.

"I can have a life too, you know!"

"Wow, you actually think I have a life? No, mum. Thanks to you, my life is a fucking mess!"

"I don't give two shits, Danielle!" She screams at the top of her voice, suddenly turning her head as she hears the front door slam shut.

"Chris, wait," she shrieks after the man who now has a name. "Now look what you've done!" And with that, thankfully she runs out the door to follow him.

I feel a tear start to trickle down my cheek, but wipe it away immediately and attempt to pull myself together. I hate crying. Crying is for the weak, and I'm not weak; just utterly pissed off. This is not the way I planned my morning going.

~

After the battle of explaining to the twins as briefly as possible what the shouting was about and getting them to school, I finally arrive at mine, much to my annoyance. I contemplated bunking off today, as I haven't felt quite this low in a long time, but what is it really going to solve? This mock exam is important and on a less serious note, I have to give Luke his jacket back.

The walk home from school last night was nice; awkward, but nice nonetheless. It was good of him to apologize about his friends being idiots and lending me his jacket was so sweet. I know I don't exactly make the effort to talk to people, but it's really only because of a lack of confidence on my behalf. I secretly like it when people try and talk to me, so just the simple fact that he made the effort to have an actual conversation with me was refreshing; it's more than anyone else does.  But I'm scared. I'm scared that I might be warming up to him and I'm scared that I might actually like being in his company. Me spending any time at all with someone of his popularity is only going to end in tears, and them tears will inevitably be mine.

~

It's fair to say, the exam went horrendously. I'm only confident on a few of my answers and I missed out the whole back page, along with plenty of other questions along the way. But oh well; it's just another problem to add to my already awful day.

But as I'm walking outside to break, I notice Luke sat down with his mates at a bench in the school yard. I don't want to go over there, as I admittedly feel unbelievably intimidated by them all. Why wouldn't I? They're the four most popular guys in the school and I'm pretty much the least. But I have to give Luke his jacket back, and I have to at least try to get over this confidence issue. So I begin walking over, slowly yet calmly, and tap him lightly on the shoulder. He whips his head around, looking startled when he sees me.

"Oh, Dani, Danielle, er-erm hey," he mumbles, scrambling up from his seat so his tall body is now towering over me. Calum, Ashton and Michael all laugh at his awkwardness, then continue with their usual routine of talking and laughing about me behind my back.

"Hi, I've got your jumper," I say simply, handing it straight to him.

"Oh, yeah, thanks," he mutters, taking it from me and smiling slightly.

"Oooohhhh," his mates all chorus from behind him, consequently making my face blush an embarrassing shade of pink.

"Sharing clothes, are we?" Ashton says patronisingly.

"Awh, how sweet." Calum joins in with his pestering.

"Guys, knock it off," Luke yells sharply, causing them to laugh even more.

"Erm, okay, I'm just going to go then," I mutter, gesturing towards the doors of the canteen.

"Wait, er, can I talk to you for one second?" He says, taking me by surprise. I just nod nervously in response.

What could he possibly want to say to me? A million different options race through my mind as he guides me over to a quite area of the yard and takes a step towards me, instantly worrying me even further.

"So, basically, erm, well I heard a lot of shouting this morning and I just wanted to make sur-" As soon as the words begin to tumble out of his mouth, every anxious emotion within me changes to annoyance. I cut him off sharply, much to his surprise.

"Luke, I'm fine. Don't make a fuss," I reply simply.

"But, I just wanted to-" I cut him off for the second time.

"No, Luke. Just don't." I spit out, turning fast on my heels and walking off out of his eye sight.

My stomach is in knots as walk, my head a confusion of emotions ranging from anger, to worry, to sadness. Why does he have to know? I don't need him feeling sorry for me. I don't need him checking up on me to make sure I'm okay. I don't need someone to talk to about my problems. I'm fine by myself. I don't need anyone.

I don't need Luke.

-----

A/N

okay so she's basically like awh I think I might actually like Luke but then he starts trying to interfere with her life so she gets scared and runs off bc she's all "I don't need anyones help" blah blah blah

gif on the side is of Nina Dobrev bc I kind of imagine Dani as her looks wise and she's my ultimate woman crush omg literally if you don't watch the vampire diaries what are you doing with your life

please make sure to vote and comment if you are enjoying this fanfic so far :-)

ooh and hmu on twitter, I'm @stylxsirwin_

-lizzy x