girls like you // luke hemmings

02

Luke's P.O.V

"Dude," Michael utters to Grace.

"What?" She turns to him as she tosses one of the fries they're sharing into her mouth.

"Dip your french fry into our milk shake." He orders.

"Gross, are you kidding me?" She laughs as I stare at her, not noticing me. It's been exactly two weeks since I've met her, and I already know she's hard to read. She only lets people know what she wants them to know.

"C'mon, please?" He begs.

"No, Michael!" Her laugh echoes throughout the empty diner. The only other people here besides the workers are a couple of business men on the other side of the room and an elderly couple at the bar. Michael suddenly grabs a fry, dips it in their shake, and throws it into her mouth while she's laughing. "Michael!"

"Sh," he puts his finger over her lips, "just chew."

"How is it?" Ashton asks after she swallows.

"I hate to admit it," she trails off for a moment, "but it's not bad."

"Told you!" Michael yells before yelping as she punches his shoulder.

Grace's P.O.V

"I didn't even hit you that hard, don't be a baby." I joke, sticking my tongue out.

"Kidding," he leans in to kiss my cheek. My phone ringing interrupts everyone.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Grace," my baby sister cries over the phone, quietly.

"Lacey, what's wrong?" I start to panic.

"Can you come get me?" She whimpers.

"Lace, what happened?"

"Mom's gone crazy again, and I'm scared."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." I promise before hanging up.

"Michael, we have to go pick up Lacey."

"Say no more," we get up in a hurry.

"Wait, are you okay? Who's Lacey?" Luke asks.

"Luke, I really have to go."

"But-"

"Luke, I said I have to go, okay?" I run to my car along with Michael.

+++

"Lacey, open the door," I shout. I can already hear mom's yelling and her breaking things through the door. The door swings open to reveal my fourteen year old sister. "Where is she?"

"The kitchen," she answers. I storm in there to find her finishing off a bottle of wine, then throwing it to the cold, tile floor.

"Mom," my stern voice burn my throat.

"Oh, look who it is, Miss 'I go to college'." She slurs.

"Mom, what are you doing? This needs to stop. When's the last time you took your medication?"

"Screw you," she opens another bottle.

"Stop," I cry as I take the bottle from her hand.

"You need to get your life together. Lacey's coming with me until then." I storm into Lacey's room, and start to pack as much as I can into her suitcase.

"You're not taking my daughter!"

"You're insane! It's not safe for her here!" I scream, yanking the suitcase from her small bed, going to grab her hand. "Let's go, you're not staying here."

"Get back here, that's my baby! Grace, you can't take her away from me!"

"Look at yourself! You're lucky I don't call the cops." I hand Michael the luggage to let him put in the trunk before we all get into my car, leaving my mom screaming as we drive away.

"Where am I going to live?" She asks.

"With me," I turn around and smile at her, and see her face light up.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Never been more sure of anything," I look at the clock to see it's midnight. "We'll be at the apartment soon. Why don't you get some sleep?" I tap her knee and give her a small smile.

"Thank you for being here, Grace. You're the only one."