Faded // Luke Hemmings

chapter 2

Tatum’s POV

                Two weeks in LA and I’m already settled into my routine. Classes at the local community college on Mondays and Tuesdays, work at Jackpot Records on Wednesdays and Thursdays, grocery shopping on Fridays, and the weekend to myself with a quick little drop off from Michael, who I still can’t seem to call anything but Danny Phantom.

                The little grocery store, Hank’s Thirftway, below my apartment building has almost nothing but shitty canned foods and pasta, but until I buy a car, it’s all I’ve got. I guess the little store isn’t so bad, and last time I was in the owner, Hank of course, gave me enough coupons to last me a year when he saw how little I was buying. I guess people around here aren’t as stuck up as in my hometown of Buffalo, New York. My fire engine red hair and piercings don’t seem to bother anyone here. It’s a nice change of scenery.

                I’m sorting through the shitty produce when someone bumps into my cart, literally jamming the corner into my rib cage, exactly where I broke them in middle school. “Jesus fuck!” I yell, turning to meet a certain blonde haired boy that’s all too familiar. His blue eyes are wide, either terrified to see me or terrified that he’s probably just bruised the fuck out of my rip cage. “Christ, Luke. Why?!”

                “It was an accident!” He raises his hands in the air, trying to appear innocent while his eyes travel up and down my body. Of course I would choose to wear a crop top and tight jeans. Because it’s kind of cute the way he’s fawning over me, I don’t say anything while he stares. After a few seconds, he snaps out of it and meets my eyes. I can’t decide if he looks anxious or sad when he opens his mouth.  “So, you and Michael then?”

                His statement is so ridiculous, I literally snort. “One, I think you’re forgetting that Michael has that little girlfriend he’s obsessed with.”

                Luke chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck the way he did the first time we met.  “Oh yeah… I kinda forgot about Quinn for a sec.” With his head still bowed, he flicks his eyes toward me and grins sheepishly. If the boy wasn’t I fucking skyscraper I’d be tempted to reach down and ruffle his hair like I would a little kids. “Sorry… What was your second point?”

                It takes me a moment to remember that I had two points when I started talking to him. “My second point, was that Danny and I aren’t really even friends.” The urge to giggle at the confusion in his eyes when I say Danny instead of Michael is difficult to contain. “We see each other strictly on a supply and demand basis.”

                “Wait.” Any happiness in Luke’s face completely drains away and for a second I feel guilty. “You – you buy from him?” His voice is shaking, like his whole world is crashing down around him at the thought of me doing drugs. Somehow, I don’t like the idea of him being disappointed in me, but I’d never let that show. “You look like your 16!”

                “I’m 19!” I snap, hating the way he’s treating me like some sort of child; treating me like my dad would. “And it’s not like I’m fucking snorting cocaine, okay? I smoke weed, it’s not that fucking bad.” I don’t tell him why I started smoking. I don’t need to defend myself to some asshole who doesn’t even know me.

                He looks shocked at my sudden surge of anger. I’m ditching my cart and heading home before he can see the tears burning in my eyes. There is nothing I hate more in the world than crying, but what he said has hit a nerve. Yet, I can’t be mad at him for it. It’s not like he could know that I started smoking because I needed it, and kept it up because it worked and maybe I enjoyed it a bit.