redamancy // l.h au

thirteen

Luke and I rode the cab in silence. He'd given me a sweet smile when I had greeted him at the front door of the apartment building, but he said little to nothing else afterwards.

I waited for him to hail a cab; to ask him what this sudden rendezvous was all about.  When the taxi pulled up onto the curb, he told the driver our location, which he made sure I wouldn't be able to hear.

"You're always in your own world," Luke finally says as I watch the city buildings pass by in a beautiful neutral-colored blur outside the car window. I didn't turn to look at the boy, but I knew his gaze was following mine.

"What's so bad about that?" I feel his body scoot closer to mine. His warmth and closeness sends shivers up my spine. I wanted to move away, but that would cause me to fall out of the taxi and  onto the pavement.

I turned to see his beautiful dimpled smile.

Maybe I'd better take my chances on the pavement.

"Nothing," He murmurs. We're only a few breaths apart and I panic. My heart pounds in my chest; the blood rushes to my cheeks.

"Um, so. Lindy—" I stammer, attempting to gather my jumbled thoughts. At this point, I couldn't even tell my left from my right. The rest of the world blurred away and what was left was only Luke.

"Hm?" His gaze slowly followed the hollows of my cheeks and the line of my jaw. It was then that it hit me. My stomach dropped.

"I'm not a distraction, Luke." I say, roughly. I cross my arms over my chest and turn my body to face the window again. From the corner of my eye, I could see his eyes widen and his mouth part in surprise.

"Rhea—I—I'm sorry," He fumbles with his words, running his slender fingers through his hair.

"It's okay."

"Shut up, no it isn't." Luke says, "You're not my distraction— from Lindy, I mean. God, I'm such an idiot."

I turn to him in a half-smile and nod, "You are,"

"How can you smile at me when I'm being such a dipstick?"

"Um, dipstick? Translation, please?" I ask, leaning back. From the corner of my eye, I see the cabbie give us a strangle look from the rear view mirror.

"Aussie slang, Means fool. Idiot." Luke bites his lip, laughing nervously.

"Wow, accurate. Mind if I steal?" I say and he shake his head so I smile, "Brilliant,"

We burst out in laughter, though we don't exactly know what for. The cabbie lets out an annoyed sigh, "Have long have 'ya been together?"

"We're just friends," We both blurt simultaneously.

Ugh, what rom-com am I in?

__________________________

Luke wouldn't tell me where he was taking me, no matter how many times I've begged and pleaded.

He didn't talk about Lindy, either.

The cabbie dropped us off at a curb I didn't recognize. The street was filled with people and the thrift shops that lined the walkways were bright with color and music. Luke held onto my hand as he maneuvered us through the crowded strip, holding excruciatingly tight so I wouldn't run away from him this time.

"Luke!" I yelled out after minutes and minutes of walking.

He turned around swiftly, his eyes filled with worry, "Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?"