in the crowd • luke hemmings

10. music to drive to

luke had tried on every combination of every piece of clothing he owned and nothing looked good enough.

he couldn't wear his band t shirts and ripped jeans to a ballet showcase.

he couldn't turn up to a beautiful venue, with a beautiful stage, to see a beautiful dance danced by a beautiful ballerina wearing the same clothes he wore to every day.

he'd look dirty and out of place, and if she noticed him in the crowd it would be for all the wrong reasons, and that was the last thing luke wanted.

now he'd fully realised the extent of his feelings for lola - feelings that extended beyond wanting to spend the night or two with her. feelings that involved wanting to be back at her house, watching films with her again.

feelings that he couldn't stop fucking thinking about.

***

luke sat on his bed, looking down at the white shirt in his hands.

he'd found it at the back of his drawers, creased to the point of looking like discarded tissue paper rather than an actual shirt.

so he put it in the wash, and hung it out on one of the few hangers he owned to make sure it would dry without creases. two hours later; it had finally dried, and he had come full circle.

the shirt looked a little small. he was truthfully terrified of it not fitting, because he didn't have the money to buy another. rent had virtually wiped him out - he needed to win another fight within the next few days or he wouldn't be able to get himself any food.

luke realised his mind was wandering, and shook his head, tugging off his green day t shirt and pulling the white button up over his shoulders.

he breathed a sigh of relief when all the buttons did up easily, standing up to view himself in the mirror. it was tighter than it should've been around his shoulders and arms, but as he surveyed himself in the mirror he realised that probably made it look better if anything. if he was going to wear a white shirt, at least he'd look good in it.

and lola would see.

***

"our seats are just along here." ashton studied his ticket closely, and led the group through to the middle of the row, all of them shuffling awkwardly until they reached their seats - which were right in the middle of the theatre.

"we always sit here." calum said to like as they sat down. "it's got the best view."

luke just nodded, a dry feeling starting to take over his throat when he checked the time and saw it was almost six and the showcase would be starting soon.

the stage was framed by heavy, red velvet curtains, and a water-coloured forest backdrop set whatever scene they were going for. luke had never been to any sort of dance showcase before, but this looked pretty high budget to him.

the soft lights around the theatre started to dim, and luke inadvertently sat up a little straighter, biting his lower lip slightly and wondering why the fuck he suddenly felt so nervous - he wasn't even the one dancing.

orchestral music started playing from somewhere - luke wasn't quite sure where - and the lights shone slightly brighter as four dancers made their way onstage.

he could see her immediately.

she was the second in line - he knew that because she had the darkest hair out of all of them.

she moved across the stage, in perfect unison with the other three dancers, but to luke she was somehow infinitely more graceful.

his eyes stayed fixated on her as she danced, watching the white tulle sway around her thighs and how intricate every movement was.