Why Won't You Love Me | 5SOS | Luke Hemmings

Eight

Finding other places to start again. The cracks in the sidewalk. I'm over of the small talk.

---

There was so much to see in Australia. I knew next to nothing about it. We lived so far from the city. It was great for privacy, which I knew Luke wanted. But I wanted to see my new home.

Luke didn't have a farm or barn to show that there ever was one on the property. But it would have been the perfect farm. I loved how open it was. Animals really would have made it so much nicer.

He was busy with work which meant I had the day to myself. I could explore the property on my own. I liked being on my own.

I spent my first day there walking around and looking at all the rooms in the house. It was huge and had enough space that my room was on its own side of the house. I didn't have to worry about Luke bugging me or hearing me talk to myself, which I did a lot. I never did like that about Sandra.

Luke had a chef all to himself. When he wasn't cooking, he was organizing the kitchen and tending to the plants that sat above the island in the middle of the room. I'd never known someone with a personal chef. I always thought it was something only people in movies had.

He was tall with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He had a nose piercing and wore a black apron that covered his chest down to his knees. He wasn't wearing any other jewelry. He looked to be Luke's age or older.

"Do you need something, girl?" He asked with an accent.

I swallowed and stuck my hands in my back pockets. "I'm just trying to get a feel of the house. I didn't mean to bother you-"

"What's your name?" He pulled a strand off one of the plants and set it on a cutting board.

"Madeline."

He nodded once. "Did Luke give you that name?"

"I-I don't know."

"It's nice."

"Thanks."

He set two more strands of the plant down before he grabbed a large cutting knife and started cutting the green plant into small pieces.

"What are you cutting up?"

"Basil. I don't buy any spices in jars."

"Isn't it hard to use them then?"

He smiled. "It's actually easier when cooking. I don't use spices in the containers unless I'm working on a recipe. Never to serve."

"How long have you been working here?"

He put the slices up spices in a glass jar. "Since the band stopped touring and took a break. Luke wanted to settle down."

"So that's why he got me." I sat down in a dining chair sitting against the wall. I should have known Luke had other reasons for finding me. People didn't just do things out of the kindness of their hearts.

"That was seven years ago. He's been looking forward to you being here for a while." I found that hard to believe. Who would want a broken, hopeless child they had already given up once? Why would he want to put himself through that when he didn't have to?

"How long has my room been set up?"

"Since he found out he could get you back. He's very grateful to have you in his life."

I sighed and got to my feet. His story was very convincing but I didn't want to believe everything I heard. I'd spent years in foster homes, wondering who my family was. If Luke really wanted me, he would have looked for me sooner.

---

"Getting settled in okay?"

I looked up from my book to see Luke standing in the doorway. He was wearing sweatpants and a dark t-shirt. It was so out of character for him.

I nodded. I'd unpacked my suitcase and stuffed things into the dresser but I hadn't done much else. I didn't have belongings or anything special. As a foster kid, you had to be ready for anything. I'd learned over the years not to grow attached to things or people.

"Do you need anything? I wasn't sure what you liked or I would have got it ahead of time."

I shrugged. "This is fine."

"I want you to feel at home here."

"I'm not used to that. Everything's always been temporary."

He glanced at the suitcase poking out from under the bed. "Did you get unpacked?"

I nodded.

He shifted his weight and leaned against the doorframe. "Is that hard for you in the homes you grew up in?"

"I've been told I'm problematic so I don't plan for long stays."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

I closed my book and set it aside. "I spent my whole life going through it. It's nothing new."

"I want things to be better for you, Maddie."

"Me too."