Between You & Me || Luke & Jai Brooks

Chapter XXII - A Tiny Surprise

It's Saturday afternoon and Luke and I are just hanging out in his house, being lazy. Having him back here, in Melbourne, with me, is absolutely amazing. We've already watched a movie, made pizza and cupcakes, had a food fight, cleaned, and gone for a swim. Now Luke is lying out on my lap on his phone while I play with his damp curls. Suddenly he sits up, knocking my hands off him. "Daniel's having a party, babe!" he says excitedly. "We've gotta go! Skip throws the best parties, and I'm so in the mood!"

My yawn emphasises my next statement. "I'm not."

He sighs. "Come on! It'll be awesome. Ali will be there! Let's go get dressed up and ready, and you'll be in the mood by then. Go shower to get rid of the chlorine, and you'll wake up more too!"

I can't help but laugh at how excited he is."Jeez, calm down! I'll go, but on one condition: you don't get drunk as fuck."

His face breaks into a smile. "Of course, babe. I actually don't really get super drunk anymore, since... I broke up with you." His smile is sheepish and I lean over to press my lips to his.

"Well, for the record, I'm glad we made up."

****

He's right, after a hot shower I feel much more in the mood for a party. I spend a bit longer than usual fixing up my makeup, lining my eyes neatly with black and silver and even putting on some thick false lashes. After coating my lips in red, my face looks a lot more presentable than before, and when I've brushed my hair into its natural curls, I feel ready to get up and dance on tables. As it's one of Skip's parties, I may well be. Ali's already texted me; she'll be there. She's been helping Daniel set up, so I know it'll look pretty special.

"Lukeyyy!" I call through the gap in the bathroom door. He never shuts the door fully. I know he wants me to one day hop in with him, but it's not likely.

"Yes, baby?" He replies, his voice echoing.

"Are you almost done?"

"I'm standing in the fucking shower, what do you think?!"

I roll my eyes at his sass. "Whatever. Hurry up."

"I'm in the shower! You know, the place where I make all my life decisions?"

"Yeah, well hurry up those life decisions!"

"You can't rush genius! What if I were to decide, because I was under pressure, that we should drop everything and move to China?"

I scoff. "Under pressure my arse! But I would help pack, then find us somewhere to live, obviously."

All I hear is the shower running, and I smile to myself. He's the biggest idiot I know. But that's why I love him.

****

Luke's hands tap on the steering wheel as he drives down to Skip's. His house is just a few blocks away, but I'm not planning on drinking too much and I honestly would rather not drink at all than have to walk around the neighbourhood past midnight. "Nutmeg?" I make a face at his nickname but answer anyway.

"Yeah Pukey?"

"I was thinking-"

"Oohh, that's dangerous!"

"Shut the fuck up. I was thinking about what you said earlier. When I said about moving to China- "

"Luke, please don't say we're moving to China! I just got settled living a few blocks away from my mum and you want us to move countries?!"

"No! No, no, no! Maybe you should try this 'thinking' shit once in a while too!" he teases. "I just wanted to ask, did you mean it when you said you'd come with me? You would put up with all my crap and move to fucking China with me?"

I blush and move my hand away from his groping fingers. "Of course I meant it. Although I'd much rather you just gave up the crap because I honestly would prefer not to have to deal with it."

He just grins and grabs my hand.

*****

"Luke! Have you seen Ali?" The bass is beating a rhythm in my head and the floor is literally shaking under my feet. It's after midnight and the party is in full swing, half the people drunk and the other half getting there. Daniel's on the dining room table and Luke looks like he's about to join him. Mel's gone home though and I haven't seen Ali for a while. She was drunk enough then to make me worry now.

Luke shrugs. "I saw her going up the hall to the bedrooms about half an hour ago. I assumed she was gonna get with Skip, but he's here so maybe she's gone to sleep!" He clambers up onto the table now with Skip and they begin to rock backwards and forwards in time to the music. Shaking my head with a smile, I head in the direction of the bedrooms.

The first room I check, the spare room, has not one couple but two in it, one on the floor and one on the bed. It's sickening to watch so I just check that none of the people are Alicia and then I leave. The next room up, Skip and Ali's, also has a couple in it. But one is Jai. I hold back my unreasonable anger and possessiveness and walk backwards out of the room, but before I can get out the girl sits up and I almost drop to the ground. It's Ali. Ali is fucking Jai. Holy shit. Why is she- I have to do something. Bottles of beer litter the floor and an empty bottle of vodka is on top of the bedside cabinet. They have to be drunk. Jai always gets drunk at parties, and generally ends up with some girl or another. Or at least used to, before he met Mel. Alicia rarely drinks at parties because she has to drive but when she does she usually gets smashed, and seeing as she'll just be sleeping here...

"Alicia! Come on! We're going home!" I gently tug on her shoulder, trying my hardest not to see anything I don't really want to. I have to force myself to stay gentle with her because Jai is under her, fucking in- No holy shit I can't stay here I can't do it.

I turn for the door and yell desperately over my shoulder, "Come on, you guys, you can't be doing this!" but they ignore me. I just keep running, down the hall and out the door, past Luke who's now on the table and out the front door. I sit on the cold front step, the wind freezing yet somehow refreshing on my face. I'm overheated and in shock at the moment, but the fury is starting to rise. I can't believe either of them. Two of my best friends.

I drop my head into my hands. I can't go back in there, I can't do that. Luke is drunk, Skip is drunk, and- Oh crap. Skip. And Ali! Skip is going to flip out. She cheated on him. With Jai! My baby Jai.

Holy fuck.

* * * *

A few weeks after the party I've all but forgotten the night's disastrous events. Jai was so pissed he doesn't even remember what happened and neither Ali nor me want to tell anyone. It might come out someday, but- My phone buzzes in my pocket and I fumble to pull it out without elbowing anyone sitting next to me. The train's always crowded on the weekend, especially on the way back from the city. The call is from Alicia; I slide the little phone icon to the right and hold my phone to my ear, awkwardly leaning against a man in a suit.

"Hey chick!" I greet her. "What's up?"

"Hey. Where are you? We really need to talk." her voice is taut and sounds like she's been crying. Instantly I'm in worried best friend mode. No matter who she's been fucking, she's my best friend and she'll always come first. Unless, maybe, she got with Luke.

"Are you alright?! Can you tell me over the phone? I'm in the train and I'm still just out of the city."

She's quiet for a moment. Then she says with a sob, "I'm pregnant, Meghan!"