Imagination || L.H.

Chapter 24

We all do our best to keep Luke happy and entertained while he heals. Calum turns on a soccer game and they watch the match with great interest, commentating on the plays. Ashton brings in Luke's guitar and gently strums the strings to a familiar tune while Luke softly sings the lyrics. Michael sneaks his PS4 past the nurses and sets it up in the room and they go through all the games he brought. Mali-Koa even attempts to help by tuning the TV to a dumb reality show and making snooty comments in a valley girl accent. Joy hovers in the doorway, quietly making phone calls, desperately trying to reach Luke's family and explain what happened, to convince them to come see their son, their brother.

I sit by his side on the bed, talking about anything and everything, my arms loosely wrapped around him. Ashton, Calum and Michael left a while ago to go get lunch from the cafeteria and the room was unusually quiet. Mali's working a shift at her temporary job at Hot Topic, but promised that she would be back around three. Luke's fast asleep, his head gently resting on my lap.

Smiling softly down at the sleeping boy, I absentmindedly run my fingers through his hair, my eyes tracing over all his face.

I glance up as Joy Hood strides back into the room, the strangest expression on her face. She collapses in one of the chairs, locking eyes with me. "Ben's still in the UK, so he won't be coming. Andrew might be coming, and I doubt Liz will. Jack should be on his way with his fiancee, though, so that's something!"

Dread bubbles up inside of me. I can't tell Joy about why I don't think that that's such a good idea, because it's not my secret to tell. I shift slightly on the bed, unsure of what to do. Should I call Jack and tell him not to come? Should I-

A hand gently closes over mine. I look down to discover Luke staring up at me. "What's wrong?" he murmurs, bringing my hand to his lips.

I shudder at the touch but force myself to focus. "Luke, there's something you should know-"

Calum's mom interrupts me, launching into her supposed "good" news with a huge smile. "Jack and his fiancee are coming to see you! They should be here in a few minutes."

Luke blanches, all of the blood draining from his face. Heartache shines in his ocean blue eyes. He tightens his grip on my hand, moving even closer to me, as if my presence will make it all go away. It breaks my heart.

"If you don't want them here, tell me what I can do to help you," I murmur, leaning down to disguise the words from Joy.

He shakes his head slowly. "They're going to be married in a few days; what does it matter now? Jack won her over a long time ago and I'm going to have to get used to her being around, whether I like it or not. Might as well start now."

I cup his cheek with my hand and he leans into the touch as I gently run my thumb back and forth over the top of his cheekbone. "If she can't see how amazing you are, she's not worth it."

Luke softly smiles up at me, letting his exhausted eyes close. "I love you," he whispers.

Leaning down to plant a kiss on his forehead, I mumble against his skin, "I love you too."

Within seconds, he's asleep, evenly breathing. Joy switches the soccer game on the TV to the news, content to sit and watch in peace. I rest my head back against the millions of pillows stacked on Luke's hospital bed. This is what I feel like I've been missing my entire life. When I'm with Luke, everything's easy. Everything feels like it has a purpose. The emptiness I hadn't realized stuck with me so much disappears.

A soft knock on the doorway startles me from my thoughts. Luke's eyes slowly open, but he makes no move to sit up. Jack Hemmings hesitantly smiles as he steps into the room, Celeste trailing in his wake. Luke's blue eyes convey a sense of pain as he spots his brother holding hands with his ex-girlfriend, but he covers it up remarkably well, struggling into more of an upright position. He leans heavily against me, whether for physical or emotional support, I don't know. I feel him take a shaky breath as he locks eyes with his older brother.