Grey Area (B&W Sequel) ➳ hemmings a.u.

chapter thirteen

"I don't know if I should be happy for you that Luke was responsible or disappointed that you didn't get some ass, Elouise." Jane said, after waking Elouise by ripping of the blanket over her and shaking her. Elouise groaned at the pounding headache coming on.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Elouise snapped. This is why she didn't drink. Now she'd look like a harlot stumbling out of a building wearing sunglasses and having the appearance of death.

"Jesus, you were drunk. Do you remember anything?"

"Yes. I remember vague details. Like propositioning Luke of all people at the bar. I'm practically gagging. After that, it's kind of a blur." she said, rubbing her face. If she was being honest with herself, she would be embarrassed about it all, but she was too hungover to actually care. "Also, why are you here? Why am I here?"

"Well, Ashton and I decided to crash here because our place is fourty five minutes from the bar and it's practically criminal to be in a taxi that long when you're drunk. You're here, presumably because Luke was an idiot" Elouise snorted at that "and probably forgot your address or something so he couldn't send you home. He was kind of sweet this morning. Ashton wanted to wake you up with pouring water on your head, something about a drinking virgin christening, and Luke made sure he didn't. But anyways, want some food? I've got pancakes on the stove. It's always helped me when I have a hangover."

"Why are you being nice?" El asked her, scanning her suspiciously.

"I'm letting bygones be bygones and excusing what you said on that Taco Night. Shit happens, I guess." Jane shrugged. Elouise really didn't trust her word on this. She'd been surrounded by politics and petty rivalries her whole life. Everyone always had an ulterior motive, good or bad.

"Okay, but why?"

"Is it not enough to say I went to church, met Jesus, and learned the power of forgiveness?" Jane joked, cracking a smile.

"It would be. But then you'd be commiting a sin by lying. But I suppose you don't actually want to tell me. What were you saying about those pancakes again?" Elouise responded groggily, dragging herself out of bed and towards the door, Jane following close behind her.  Some things were better off not known.

*

When Elouise walked in the room, Luke randomly stood. He couldn't help it, he just sort of did it. What the fuck was wrong with him? This isn't 1813, you don't just randomly stand when a girl walks in the room anymore. At least Ashton found it hysterical. He an Jane just kind of looked at each other after Luke did that and burst into laughter.

Elouise shoot a death glare at Ashton for his overly loud laughter.

"Luke, you're standing. You should go get me asprin. There's only so many loud noise I can take without wanting to vomit." Elouise said waving at him to go. Luke stayed glued to his spot and motion towards her hair. She scrunched up her nose and frantically tried to make it look presentable with her fingers as a brush. Obviously she was going to look unkempt but did he really have to point it out?

"No. No. I- I didn't mean it like that. It's just, nice, I guess. You always look so put together, I kind of like your hair down. And not brushed. Shit, I didn't mean it like that. You know what, I'm going to go get your asprin. Want anything else? I can go to the store if you want. Nevermind that was a stupid question." He rambled before awkwardly power walking out the room like one of those grandmas who exercises in the mall. Elouise watched him leave with a puzzled look on her face.

"Ashton, I don't know what you've said to him this morning, but don't say it again. His behavior has regressed terribly. He's acting like a primary school boy with a crush on his teacher. It's not becoming." she said lifting her nose to him slightly. He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe you should ask yourself what you said to him. Because he was acting weird when I woke up this morning. He was cleaning. At 7 am. Which is odd because he doesn't even pick his towels off the floor after a shower." Ashton smirked, spinning around in the rolling chair he was sitting in.

"I didn't say anything to him. Well nothing he hasn't heard before. I pretty sure twelve year old girls have propsitioned him because of that silly band of yours, he shouldn't care if it comes from a drunk girl in her twenties. Emphasis on drunk, Ashton. Nobody can take someone seriously like that." Elouise said, sitting down on the couch where Jane handed her pancakes slathered in syrup. Where was Luke with the asprin? It was getting awkward in the living room, and fast. Elouise just sat up straight, and worked on her pancakes, avoiding the amused looks of Ashton and Jane. 

*

Elouise was finished with her pancakes by time Luke got back with the medicine. She rolled her eyes as he took even longer, pouring out coffee into a mug for her and putting the asprin on a plate beside it. Elouise popped the pills and took a sip of the coffee, nodding at the taste. She could say a lot of mean things about Luke, but his ability to make good coffee wasn't something she could insult.

She got up, looking down at her (technically it was his) outfit, and sighed.

"I've got to go to another rally soon. I need to be there, so I'll call my car. Hopefully they'll have some outfits there for me. And a hair and makeup stylist. I'm not looking very pretty right now." She appraised herself. She didn't have a bad self esteem or anything, she was just realistic with how she appeared to others.

"You always look pretty." Luke said, looking her in the eye. Luke was trying to come across as earnest but the more he heard himself speak, the more he felt like he sounded like a creepy neckbeard dude. Even so, Elouise's cheeks colored, and she held eye contact, smiling slightly.

The words he said hung in the air like smoke. Ashton and Jane looked at each other, feeling awkward. Like they were interrupting a private moment.

"Well now that we have enough sexual tension in here, I think Ashton and I are going to make our leave. Later." Jane, said, getting up and grabbing Ashton's hand dragging him with her.

"So, you, uh- really think that Lucas."

"It's Luke. I've told you that 500 times. But yeah, I guess I do. You should probably go. You don't want to be late for the thing." He said, clearing his throat. Elouise nodded, and walked out the door, without a word.

If he wasn't mistaken, he could see a faint smile on her lips.