Close As Strangers

0.2

~You feel a little bit further away
And I don't know what to say,
Are we wasting time?~

-

The whole school day passed by so slowly. Luke texted me four or five times, making girls scream in a jealous rage. I got bullied at school, from boys, it was because I was dating a wanna be punk rock, skinny legged dude. From girls, it was because, I was dating somebody famous, and every girl wanted to be with Luke now. Honestly from him being 14 to now being 18, somewhere along the line, puberty hit him like a truck. I'm a year younger than Luke, but I managed to skip a grade ahead, and even though I hated it at first, I'm so glad I did, or I would've never met him. All of the girls pretty much hated me. I was Luke's first ever girlfriend, and he was my first boyfriend, girls would shout at me, calling me a slut because I never "shared" Luke. But if you're in a serious relationship, what the hell is sharing? I couldn't wait to get out of this school. Only 7 more months until I graduate, and turn 18. Unfortunately, Luke wouldn't be here with me to celebrate my birthday, or come to my graduation, and he apologized for that in advance.

I drove myself home, and went straight into my room without saying hi to my mom. My phone instantly began to vibrate. There was an incoming call from Calum.

"Hey Cal." I said quietly. "What's up?"

"Is everything okay with you and Luke?" He asked.

"Yeah... why wouldn't it be?" I asked suspisously.

"He's been crying ever since last night, he doesn't want to record, or even go outside. He's hugging his penguin, and just sitting under his blankets, everytime we look at his phone, his lock screen of you and him pop up."

Hearing these words warmed my heart. Luke was so cute. He had the image of a punk rock boy, but in reality, he's just an 18 year old, who actually waited until three months ago to have sex for his first time because he promised me he'd wait until I was ready, who barely got his license, who is obsessed with penguins, and lets his mom boss him around.

I laughed. "Not funny." Calum said more seriously. "Can you talk to him? Ask him what's wrong. We need him in like two hours."

"Fine, put him on the phone."

"Luke!" I heard Calum shout. "Here! Catch!" There was a hard thump and an ow before the voices came clear again.

"Hello?" I heard a sad Luke ask.

"Hi baby, are you alright?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm just homesick, and girlfriend sick. I feel horrible."

"Why?" I asked, geniunenly confused.

"I feel bad because I can't come celebrate your birthday with you, or come to your graduation.

"Babe it's fine." I said for the millionth time. "Don't worry about it."

This didn't seem like the Luke I knew. The Luke I know and love would have told me a billion ways he would try to come. The Luke I know doesn't give up easily, but the Luke I was talking to was.

"I'm sorry I'm a disapointment." He said softly.

"You are not." I said with sympathy. "You are amazing, I mean look at you. You're my rock star, my hero."

"Are you doing those little circles you trace with your fingers?" He asked, I could hear a smile on his face.

"How'd you know?" I asked, with a laugh. He was right, whenever I was nervous, I would trace little circles on the back of my hand. More recently, I began to do it on Luke's, but now in his absence, it was back to mine.

"You do it when you get really serious." He laughed.

"Stop it!" I jokingly played back.

"Don't worry, it's adorable."

Just by Luke saying the little things like this made me have butterflies all over again.

"Babe?" Luke asked.

"Yeah?"

"Management wants us to be 100% focused on our music for the next few months." He paused, he was choking to get the next words out. "They're taking our phones, and-"

"They can't do that." I interupted, feeling tears come to my eyes.

"Unfortunetly, they can. I am so sorry, I won't be able to talk to you for a couple of months, but we will make it through okay? Because that's what we promised. I'll see you soon so don't worry."

"See me soon? As in 8 months soon." I said back annoyed, I was crying, hot tears streaming down my face.

"I only have a couple of minutes left to talk, babe I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I get it." I lied.

"Are we wasting time?" I asked. "I mean, am I wasting your time?"

"No." He said back softly. "You'll never be a waste of my time."

"Mr.Hemmings, your phone sir." I heard an unfamiliar voice demand.

"Babe, I'm so, so sorry. I love you, I'll try to talk to you whenever I ca-"

His phone got hung up. I threw myself to the floor, rolling up into a ball, just wanting to cry my eyes out like a seven year old. I tried to conceal my pain with music, but that made me think of Luke. I looked at all of my stuffed animals, which didn't make it any better. Most of them were penguins, most of them were from Luke. I went to my closet and pulled out his red and black checkered flannel. I pushed it to my face, inhailing his scent. I cried my eyes out. I lied down in my bed, putting on music as I slowly drifted off.

-