enemies (with benefits) » l.r.h || completed

nine

Brian

I stuck a cigarette between my lips as I saw Luke approaching the building. The closer he got, the worse he looked. "Damn." was all I said when I looked him up and down. He was wearing regular jeans. Boot cut, not skinny. He was wearing quite possibly the baggiest t-shirt he owns that looked like it hasn't seen an iron in its entire life. His hair was matted down and frizzy from just towel drying his hair, and he had the darkest circles under his eyes. "You look like complete shit."

"I haven't slept in a week," his voice was cracky and quiet, continuously rubbing his eye until it was almost bright red and squinting.

"What happened?" I offered him a cigarette, but he just shook his head, looking down at the ground as he toyed with a rock. "C'mon, you can tell me."

"Vanessa," was all he could whisper before quickly running the back of his hand on his cheek. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck and putting my cigarette away.

"What happened with Vanessa?" I leaned against the wall, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"I almost had her back, but it was like she just did it so I would give in to letting her have the tickets easier," I watched his shoulders raise then fall slightly, still playing with the rock.

"Luke, I don't know very much about Vanessa, except that she has a very unhealthy obsession with Calum Hood and puppies, but she seemed to do you some good. And, if she means so much to you, why aren't you trying harder to get her back?" He repeated his previous shoulder action as he looked at me finally, his normal bright blue eyes completely dull and glassy.

"I want her back," he choked, sniffing a little before looking back down at the ground. My heart was seriously breaking at this Luke before me. This wasn't even the Luke I became friends with. This is the Luke that no one knows exists because it's hidden by this fake bad boy façade and sleeping with all the girls and drinking all the alcohol and smoking all the weed.

The Luke I'm talking to is the real Luke. The lost little boy that is afraid of being alone and hurting the only person he ever could truly care for.

"Help," he squeaked, looking back at me again. His face grew paler and his eyes grew redder and his cheeks got wetter and I was running a blank.

"Luke," I started, keeping my voice as soft as I could. "she's with someone."

"But, Brian, she was mine first," Luke couldn't even speak above a hushed whisper. The way he sounded was so innocent I had to hold in a small laugh. This is so different than Luke "New Girl Every Night" Hemmings, that slept with one girl then threw her out like a peel the next day for a brand new banana. (Bad fruit analogy but that's all I've got.)

"Luke, why didn't you ask her out like a normal human being?" Before Luke opened his mouth to speak, there was a flash of a hand and a loud smack as Luke's face whipped to the right.

"How fucking dare you!" Vanessa screeched. Luke kept his face hidden from me to his right side, but I could hear him sniffling quietly and saw his entire body trembled. "How dare you take me to that stupid place when Ashton works there!" My eyebrows shot up. What was worse, Luke going to Shorty's? Or her boyfriend working there?

"I didn't know," Luke attempted, delicately placing his hand on his red and semi-swollen cheek.

"Bullshit!" She yelled, slapping his face again. His eyes were squeezed shut and his knuckles were white from keeping his fists at his sides.

I stood in front of Luke, grabbing her wrists. "Quit fucking hitting him!"

"He ruined my relationship!" She jerked away from me. "Just like he wanted!"