Photos [Luke Hemmings]

Chapter 5 - Dinner with the Devil

Chapter 5 – Dinner with the Devil

{a u t u m n }

          “Seriously, Mum?” I groaned, staring at the piece of clothing she was holding up. “Do I have to wear that?”

          “Yes,” she said, shooting me a look as she held it out to me. “It’ll look so pretty on you, Autumn! You have the perfect figure for it. Might as well show it off, don’t you think?”

          “No,” I grumbled, begrudgingly taking it from her. “Why can’t I just wear my jeans and a blouse?”

          Mum rolled her eyes, walking over to where my closet was. “Because the Hemmings’ have a son your age—plus I love it when you wear dresses. And I’m not talking about those slutty party dresses.”

          I furrowed my eyebrows as Mum said the name Hemmings. It sounded strikingly familiar, yet I couldn’t lay a finger on whose name it was. I think I heard Erica say it once, but I can’t remember when. “I don’t care if they have a son, Mum,” I said, getting back to mother’s words.

          “Too bad,” she called back as she shuffled through the shoes in my closet, before pulling out a pair of bronze gladiator sandals. “Here, wear these with the dress. Now get ready, okay? They’ll be here soon.”

          Mum left the room as soon as she said that, shutting the door behind her. I let out a groan, laying the dress down on the bed, knowing that I’ll have to wear it now. Since I had already taken a shower and blow dried my hair, I quickly picked up my phone and sent a text to Erica asking about the name Hemmings since it sounded so familiar and was now nagging me.

          Once I had finished doing my makeup—which consisted of foundation, eyeliner, and some nude lipstick—my phone buzzed with a text from Erica.

From: Erica

You’re shitting me, right? Hemmings is Luke’s last name.

From: Erica

Speaking of which… he texted me earlier asking your last name as well. What the hell is going on dude?

          My eyes widened as I looked as I read both of Erica’s texts before a groan escaped me. Shit—it was Luke’s—of all people’s—family that was coming over to dinner tonight. Huffing, I dropped my phone on my bed, not bothering to reply to Erica, as I stripped out of my sweats and pulled on the dress Mum was making me wear.

          It was a casual red dress with quarter sleeves and a neckline that exposed my neck and collarbones graciously. It hugged my figure nicely—as Mum would say—and was a tiny bit flared in the mid thigh area where it ended. It was a pretty dress, but it wasn’t something I would normally wear. The only dresses I wore were party dresses.

          As I put on my shoes, I heard the doorbell ring and let out a sigh, knowing exactly who it was. Standing up from where I sat on the bed, I grabbed my phone and walked over to my mirror, making sure I looked presentable, just as I heard my mother’s voice.

          “Autumn! Come down here!”

          Tucking a strand of my brown hair behind my ear, I turned and exited my room before making my way down stairs. The voices of my parents and some unknown ones drifted to my ears as I descended the stairs and made my way towards the living room. Entering it, my eyes landed on a couple sitting on the two-seater couch; a woman with curly blonde hair and a man with graying blonde hair—a cute couple, I’d say.