String of Fate

Chapter Sixty Eight

My mother called me downstairs because the news show was interviewing Luke at this moment – while he was meant to be in LA. It was because he was in his first ever 'big' acting role. He was actually a model but had appeared in a few minor TV roles after being scouted. Now, he was a new character in a big fantasy movie in a franchise that I was a big fan of. He was busy abroad doing all the promotion for the movie. It just sucked that I had to get up for a six o'clock in the morning show my time. It was airing at ten o'clock the in the evening in LA.

"I can't believe you woke up early just to watch Luke's interview." My mum said as the pre-recorded interview finished. He was now flying home because he had a photoshoot over the weekend in a local studio before flying to France for the French premiere of his movie in Paris. He was really busy with all the movie stuff.

"Well, I haven't been able to speak to him much since he became famous, so, this is really the only chance I get to see him." I explained, finishing my toast that I had been eating whilst watching the TV. I stood up and headed up to get dressed for school, putting my bowl in the sink in the kitchen on the way. My mum would head out for work, so, I'd be home alone getting ready.

"Jane!" Luke's voice called from the hallway as I was tying my tie for school. How was it possible that he was here when he should be on a plane? I heard him bound up the stairs as I pulled my jumper on. Of course he would be too impatient to wait for me to get downstairs. My door burst open and Luke wrapped his arms around me before I even had a chance to head over to the door. "Jane! I'm back for the weekend! Have you missed me?"

"Of course, I have." I laughed, hugging him back for a moment. Then, my phone alarm went off to let me know that I had to go to school otherwise I would be late. My teachers did not like late students. "Luke, I have to go. I'm going to be late. Since you're here early, you and I have to go and have a catch-up somewhere after school, promise me. Wait, what about that photoshoot?"

"That's tomorrow. We'll have this evening to catch up, although, you could always ditch school today. It's just one Friday." Luke complained as I stepped away from him and shut off my alarm, grabbing my backpack. Luke followed me as I headed out the front door of the house locking it behind me. "Come on, J, I haven't seen you in a month and now I only get a couple of days before I have to be off again. I've missed my best friend for all this time."

"I can't miss a day this close to the exams. They're next month after all." I told him as we headed to my school. His pace matched mine as we walked even though he was a lot taller than me. It seemed like he had managed to maintain that habit even though we hadn't seen each other properly for about six months. I noticed that he was getting a few looks off some of the people as we were walking down the street. "We can hang out after my lessons. It's only a few hours."

"A few hours is too long when we haven't had a proper catch up in nearly six months." He complained. I turned onto the street that the school was on. Luke seemed to be upset about the fact that we couldn't spend the day together although I didn't really know why. "We could have plenty of time to catch up if you don't go to school. Tomorrow, we're both busy, so, we will only have tonight."

"I'll be finishing school soon, so, you won't need to worry about when you try to organise our catch-ups." I replied. Then, I thought about what he had said, stopping to look at me. "Wait, how am I busy tomorrow? I know it's my birthday but I left it free, so, we could hang out as soon as you were done with your photo shoot."

"I've been meaning to tell you about that. The female model cancelled yesterday so I signed you up for it so we could spend some time together. It was either that or cancel the shoot and my manager would have killed me, and so would the magazine that we were doing the shoot for." Luke explained. I stopped to stare at him again. I was not model material. I had never had any experience with modelling before. I could tell that he was trying to blackmail me into doing it by guilt tripping me. "You'll be fine. The subject is 'fun', so, you just need to relax and have fun. Plus, I'll be with you throughout the whole thing. I have faith that you'll do great so you don't have to worry. I've also been meaning to ask you if you'd take a few days off school next week to come to the French premiere with me. It would be a great opportunity for you to practice your French, too."

I thought for a moment about how to answer. I needed to study for my exams but it would be an amazing opportunity to practice my French, which is a language I've always wanted to perfect. Also, it would be amazing to go to a movie premiere. I couldn't fail my GCSE's, so, I could take things with me to study while I wasn't actually at the premiere. I could possibly do both. I had to get my mother's permission too, but she'd probably agree since Luke always has bodyguards. Plus, I had no idea what I could wear to the premiere.

Then, I remembered that he was trying to get me to do a magazine photoshoot with him when I had no intention of ever doing so. The fact that he had also signed me up without even asking me was stupid, too. I didn't know how he could ever think that that was a good idea. It made me think that he didn't actually know me, and we had been best friends for nearly sixteen years.

I was about to answer when I heard a girl's voice. "Oh my god! It's Luke Danvers!"

"I got to go. I'll meet you at your place after school." Luke spoke quickly, heading back the way we had come before he could attract too much of a crowd. A part of me hated the fact that I was now best friends with a celebrity. He was always going to be in the spotlight now. Especially here in his hometown. It was sad to see him go but now he was getting to be too popular.

I turned and headed into the school, a bit upset that I hadn't been able to talk properly to Luke since he had needed to go. I headed into the main building, running into Petunia. She saw my face and immediately started to try to make me feel better. Petunia did a good job, too.

Luke was indeed in my house when I got home, however, my parents were not home yet. I sometimes thought that Luke shouldn't have a key to my place but I didn't really mind. I had sat down in one of the chairs because Luke was sitting on the settee while watching the TV. I had thought over what Luke had told me this morning and I had made my decision.

Luke jumped for joy when I told him that I'd be a model and go to the premiere with him. I'd laughed just because of the happy look on his face. He'd told me that I wouldn't regret agreeing to the photoshoot and my mother would totally agree to the Paris premiere of the movie, however, I didn't think that she would be agreeing to it straight away.

Then he'd started talking about buying me a dress for the premiere and I thought that it was not a good idea. Thankfully, he switched the subject when I'd complained, asking me a bunch of questions about school instead. Even though I said that I didn't want to speak about the dress, I couldn't help but think about what the dress I would wear to the premiere would look like. I mean, it was the girly thing to do.

About an hour or so after I had gotten home from school, I got a text off my dad, saying that he and my mother were going to meet some friends so we could catch up properly – and Luke and I were going to be alone until they got home. I hoped that they wouldn't be too late because Luke and I had to talk to them about Paris. I did text him back to tell him that Luke and I needed to talk to them about something.

It wasn't that late when my parents got home, just after nine o'clock in the evening. Luke and I were sitting on the settee watching a movie when they came in. They both sat down and the four of us talked over the movie premiere in Paris.

Both of them had thought that it would be a bad idea at first, but I don't know how Luke managed to convince them. Within an hour, they thought it was the best idea ever and my mother was insisting that we go shopping to try and find a suitable dress to wear to Paris, however, Luke stated that he would get it covered at the photo shoot tomorrow. Somehow, my parents had been fine with that, too.

Then, the two of them went to bed and left Luke and I talking on the settee. Surprisingly, it didn't take us too long to fall asleep on the settee.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my mother bustling about in the kitchen as quietly as she could and to the smell of cooking. Luke was awake and looking at me. It reminded me of the sleepovers we'd used to have when we were kids. I smiled as I remembered them. "Good morning, Luke."

"Morning, Jane. Happy birthday." He replied, smiling back. He slipped off the chair towards me, and I caught sight of the red string connecting us. I almost laughed because it seemed so obvious now that it had happened. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I answered.