LUKE’S POV
“It’s alright mate,” I said for the tenth time, hugging Christian while he cried. He was taking it the hardest out of all of us.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” he choked out, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. “I just thought we’d get further than this.”
“We all did,” Brock said gravely, putting on a brave face for the rest of us. “But don’t worry, this isn’t going to stop us, is it?”
“Of course not,” I agreed. “Let’s make a pact right here that we’re going to keep trying, and do everything to do this, alright?” The others all nodded. Christian just sniffled a little. Poor guy.
We all looked up at the sound of loud footsteps. The next second Taylah was throwing herself at Brock to hug him. She pulled back to stand next to Georgia and they both had tears in their eyes. Nobody said anything, we all kind of just stood there.
“Come on,” Tyrone sighed. “We’re allowed to go now. We’ve spoken to everyone we needed to speak to.”
Mitchel took over in comforting Christian, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and leading him out. Georgia and Taylah followed and the rest of us left behind them. A few people spoke to us on the way out or just patted us on the shoulder. Taylah turned back as we were at the door out.
“This is rigged and you’ll all be hearing from my attorney!”
“Taylah,” Georgia hissed, holding back laughter as she pushed her outside.
Brock jumped into the front seat and Tyrone sat beside him. Christian and Mitchel were in the very back and Taylah, Georgia and I were in the middle. Christian was slumped in his seat with his head against the window and his hair covering his face. He didn’t even bother to flick it out of the way.
We pulled out of our park silently, nobody wanted to be the first one to speak. We got caught up at the crossing like always, and I saw the same girl walking across like she did every week, the one that Georgia and Taylah were friendly with.
But tonight she didn’t cross to a car with a couple of the other stagehands. She walked right out of the carpark and along the footpath, wrapping her arms around herself against the chill.
“Pull over Brock,” Tay demanded. Obviously I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Brock did as she said and Taylah rolled down her window. “Where the hell are you going?” The girl looked up, startled.
“Um, home?” she said, more like a question. “My lift couldn’t take me home, so I’m walking.”
“Bullshit,” Georgia rolled her eyes. “Get in loser.”
“No, it’s fine, really-”
“Just do it,” Taylah said in the tone that nobody ever dared to disobey. The girl nodded and walked around to Georgia’s side while she jumped over into the back seat with the boys. I slid open the door for her and she slid in so she was sitting next to me. She put her hands down to buckle up her seatbelt.
“Your hands are freezing,” I said without thinking and she bit back a smile.
“I’m really sorry you guys got out, by the way,” she said timidly once we were driving again. “I thought you guys were good enough to win – just a left here.”
We drove on for a while, taking a turn here and there. We pulled into the driveway of a smallish brick house with a white courier’s van out the front. Maeve gathered her stuff and slid open the door.
“Thanks for the lift,” she said over her shoulder as she slipped out.
“Hey Maeve,” Tay called and she paused, turning around. “We’re going out for lunch tomorrow. You should come.”
“Um, yeah okay,” she nodded, smiling shyly. “So do I give you my number or?”
“Here, I’ll give you mine,” I said immediately and I heard Mitchel stifle a laugh behind me. She handed me her phone and I typed in my number, ending my name with a smiley face and handing it back. She gave us a small grin and hurried up the driveway and inside.
“Here, I’ll give you mine,” Tyrone mimicked as we pulled back onto the road. I felt myself blushing.
“Please, take it! I’m begging you,” Mitchel joined in and Christian gave a small laugh. “Cute Luke, way cute.”
“I was closest,” I grumbled back, glaring at the back of Tyrone’s seat. “It made sense.”
“Guys leave him alone,” Brock said finally after they’d all contributed to teasing me the entire way back to the house. I jumped out of the car to let the others out and followed them up the driveway.
“Alright guys, beddy-bye-time,” Georgia clapped her hands and pointed off down the hallway.
“Can I get a drink first your majesty?” I asked, sugar sweet. She shrugged and skipped off down the hall to Taylah’s room. Actually, let’s be honest, it was basically Taylah and Georgia’s room. I mean, she had her own toothbrush in the ensuite and everything.
I pulled open the fridge and got out some cold water. I poured it into a glass and leant against the bench, enjoying the quiet that rarely gripped this house. Mitchel came back out from seeing Christian off to bed and leant against the wall across from me. He crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side a little, looking at me as if he was trying to figure me out.
“All that stuff you said to Christian,” he said slowly, carefully, “about not giving up and all that. Were you just trying to cheer him up, or did you actually mean it?”
“Of course I meant it, mate,” I said, slightly surprised.
“Good,” he nodded, smiled and turned back into the hallway. “Night.”
“Yeah, night.”
