85 Vauxhall Cross » Clifford a.u

Chapter 28

My hangover once again reminded me that I should not drink heavy amounts. Trudging around school fashioning the biggest hoddie and darkest pair of sunglasses I looked like the living dead. Why did schools feel the need to have lights that were as bright as the sun?

The noise of the bustling halls thumped through my brain as I made my way out of English class. The morning had gone agonisingly slow - literally. My body ached with every movement. Not to mention Michael hadn't left my side.

I clutched Luke's leather jacket in my arms, as Michael popped up beside's me. "I need to give this to Luke," I said with a grumble. My voice was husky and partly gone.

"Okay, I need to talk to him anyway," Michael said. There wasn't a hint of anger or hatred in his voice. What had I missed last night? When did they become friends? When did Michael even want to talk to him?

I responded with a silent confused nod before walking out into the parking lot; through the gangs of teenagers discussing the events of yesterday. I knew exactly where Luke would be. He'd be in the far right corner of the parking lot, leaning up against his bike, smoking cigarette.

Sure enough I could see his blonde hair stand out against the black of his outfit as soon as I stepped into the parking lot. One legged was resting on his bike, an arm folded across his chest. Rolling the cigarette around in his fingers he blew out a puff of smoke. "He does know he looks like a tit right," Michel commented besides me.

Ignoring his comment I made my way across the car park to where Luke stood. Honestly, he looked hot, like nothing bothered him; he didn't have a care in the world. The carelessness he flaunted in his attitude called to me.

"Stormson, nice to see you. And Michael," He said stamping a boot down on to the used cigarette he'd let drop. "What brings you to here, bar the company of myself. I know it’s hard to pull away once you've had a taste."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the muscles in Michael's jaw tense up.

"I just wanted to give you your jacket," I said with a smile that hurt my head. With an outstretched hand I gave his jacket back. The smell of which had become so familiar to me I could identify it instantly.

"Took you long enough," he winked.

"Um Luke can I talk to you please," Michael said in an awkward tone.

"That's my queue to leave."

I walked alone across the car park leaving the two boys to talk alone. It felt weird having those two speak without me being there. All I could hope is that it wouldn't end in a fight.

"There she is our little party girl," carter said patting the space next to him. "We can all see that hangover from a mile away," he said with an arm slung around my shoulders."I expect you're coming to the Halloween party next weekend?"

"What party?" I asked. Looking around the whole of the gang was there bar Lydia. Probably because Ashton was sat down opposite me.

"Trust Mike not to tell you. Every year there is this big party on the school's fields. The teachers pretend not to know about it but they do. It’s the biggest event of the year. You have no come. Its fancy dress by the way," he winked.

"Carter watch out you'll have Hemmings after you," Ashton chuckled.

"If you need any costume ideas, I'm full of them,"

"I'll keep that in mind carter."

After another fifteen minute conversation about Halloween costumes with the boys the conversation finally moved onto Ashton and Lydia.

"I don't know man. It really seems like she doesn't want to speak to me," Ash said running his hands through his curly hair. He didn't know where he stood with Lydia and it was driving him insane.

"You didn't sleep with anyone else though did you?" Cal questioned. His response was a whack over the head from Josh. "Just checking."

"You know sometimes I really do wish you could chose who you fall for. She's a pain in the ass sometimes by she's my pain in the ass and I wouldn't change it for the world. Hey, Lea. You're a girl."

"Good observation," I said witty.

"What do I do?" Ashton said pleadingly. His brown eyes made my heart melt for him.

"You've got to show her how much you mean to her. Have you never watched a ROM com?" I laughed "I should probably go and find her," I said waving by to the boys. If Ash was like this I couldn’t imagine what Lydia was like.

 Sure enough it was worse. Worse than I even expected. I found her sitting alone on the floor of the girls toilets looking like she was having a metal breakdown.

"Are you okay?" I asked bending to sit down next to her.

"No I'm not. Do you know the teenage years are meant to be the best of our lives? How is that true? Adults get a secure job, house and a family? What do teenagers get? We are constantly told that something ever week is going to change the outcome of our futures? We can’t even find a loyal boyfriend,” She babbled before bursting out into tears.

My hand rubbed circles on her back as she balled her eyes out onto my shoulder. The river of tears seemed never ending while she continued to mutter things about Aston.

“Look Lydia you don’t know any of this is true. Come on Ashton loves you, why would he cheat on you. What would he possibly get out of it? I don’t know why you don’t believe him. Hailey’s ‘proof’ wasn’t exactly proof.”

“It just doesn’t add up. Something’s wrong. I’m getting bad vibes. I mean with all of his sneaking round with Carter and all,” She said wiping her black smuggled eye makeup across her face.

“Sneaking around?” I questioned.

“Yeah, for a couple of days now,”

“If you’ll excuse me I have to go and speak to Michael,” I said running out of the bathroom.  

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