Second Chance || Luke Hemmings

|| 27 ||

"Nononononono," I frantically yell as I fumbled with the buttons on the controller.

"Fuck yeah!" Michael stood up, cheering.

I slumped down in my seat, not believing he really beat me.

"I believe someone owes me $10," he smirks  over at me, hand open, waiting for the bill to be placed on his palm.

I pulled out the ten dollar bill I had in my back pocket and hesitantly (and very sadly) gave it to him.

"Can't believe you actually beat me in Mario kart," I pout. I've been the champ at Mario kart for as long as I could remember, but that's only because I suck at every other game I try to play with Michael.

"I can't believe I actually won," he says, a huge smile on his face.

"That's it. I'm ruined. I'm gone. I can't ever show my face in public again," I over dramatize, making Michael laugh.

"It's okay, maybe you'll have a closer race next time," he pats the top of my head before he makes his way the kitchen.

I shut off the game and put it away, although I'm sure we'll have a rematch later.

"Hey Al, wanna go get food?" I hear Michael call from the kitchen.

"Only if you're buying! I mean, you are filthy rich now," I sarcastically say as I walk into the kitchen. Michael is opening and closing every cabinet in my kitchen, not quite satisfied with the food I had in there.

"Since you lost I say you buy. But don't worry, I'll lend you some money," he walks past me laughing as he heads back to the living room.

I just roll my eyes, "Gee, you're so generous."

"Should we invite the boys?" Michael asks as he starts throwing on some shoes. Surprisingly, we haven't really talked to Calum and Luke in a week. I texted Calum to make sure he was ok, but I keep trying to write to Luke and quickly deleting it before I could hit send the send button.

"What if we brought it to their place?" I suggest to Michael. He looks up and me and shrugs, agreeing to go along with it.

We stop by Wing Stop to pick up some appetizer foods for all of us to share.

"I'm nervous," I say to Michael. We turn the corner onto the street of their house.

"About what?" He asks, not taking his eyes off the road. We pull onto the curb outside of their house, but neither of us move to exit the car.

I finally turn to Michael, "I don't know what's going on with Luke."

"Well, maybe you should try asking him that." Michael tries to suggest to me as gently as possible. I know he's right. It's not fair that I keep bouncing all this back and forth on Michael.

"I know." I sigh. We unbuckle our seat belts and finally leave the car. As we walk up the driveway, I see a familiar brown headed boy peak his head through the window. He opens the door before we could even knock.

"It's about time you guys came over," Calum lightheartedly says. We walk in to see an empty living room.

"Luke's in the backyard," Calum looks to me, motioning with his head towards it.

"I'll be right back," I hand over the food to Calum and immediately make my way to him.

It was a beautiful, sunny day here in Los Angeles. Not a single cloud in the sky and a gentle breeze constantly flowing through.

"Hey, Luke" I give him a small smile as I approach. He's sitting in the lounge chairs by the pool with his guitar.

I don't even know if he wants to see me right now.