Red Roses [Luke Hemmings]

Three

Luke wore what he thought was his best clothes and Indie helped with his tie before he went to go pick Rebecca up. He drove to the large apartment building and hesitated before punching in her number into his phone and holding it up to his head, resting his elbow on the car door.

"Hello?" Rebecca answered so quickly that it took Luke a few seconds to process a hello.
"Oh Luke. Hey, I'll be right down."

She hung up. Luke tapped his foot on the floor of his car impatiently and nervously. Why did he say yes? It was going to be the most awkwardest thing in his life.

Soon, Rebecca walked into his car and took a seat. She smiled at him while she strapped on her seatbelt. "Hey," she said.
"Hey, how are you?" Luke asked, as he let the engine roar to life before leaving the kerb of the apartment.
"Honestly? Tired. All this wedding planning is making me sick and tired of my own fiancée and family," Rebecca chuckled. She looked over at Luke and Luke felt her look at him. He glanced over at her and smiled. She was still so beautiful with the obvious dark circles desperately concealed with makeup.
"That doesn't sound too exciting. But you know, it'll be worth it in the end," Luke said. It pained him, his own words but he wanted Rebecca to feel content. That was his intention and it always had been.
"I hope so. Everyone was pestering me to date him and now we're gett- you don't care do you?"

Luke bit his lip. "Not really, but it's nice to hear your voice again." Rebecca let out a needy laugh. It was like she hadn't let one out in awhile nor smile with real happiness and Luke felt tremendous that she finally had, with him.
"You haven't changed," Rebecca told him.
"Nope. Well I mean besides the whole band thing, I haven't."
"That's good. But lay off the charms, I'm a happily engaged woman."
"Doesn't sound like it."

Luke gripped the steering wheel just a little tighter as they were reaching her parents' which was a half an hour drive from Rebecca's apartment building. There was an uncomfortable silence and Luke pressed the different radio channels not finding anything exciting and then clicked the CD button. It was one of his old Good Charlotte CD's.
"Same old Luke," Rebecca laughed. Luke just smiled as his old favourite song played through the speakers of his car.

Formal parties were usually a no-no for Luke. He wasn't good at being formal because his hands would always sweat and he didn't enjoy smalltalk but in his defence, who did? Most people asked him about his band and congratulated him on the ARIA nominations. The award show was happening in two weeks and Luke was furious that Indiana had chosen that week to visit her family in Denmark. Some other people asked how he knew Rebecca and just said they met through mutual friends; that wasn't a lie.

At the age of fifteen, Luke met Rebecca at a chemist. He was with Ben, his older brother and the two boys were confused by all the lady products. Ben's girlfriend Mary had her 'time-of-month' and Ben was out with Luke when she rang to ask to fetch her some things. Embarrassed, Luke turned around to get away from the multiple packages but then saw birth control items. Just my luck, he thought. Then, a girl walked through the aisle and was surprised to see two guys contemplating on what brand to buy. Luke remembered everything about her at that time. Her hair was falling out of her ponytail, her feet clad in bright yellow thongs and she wore bright orange running shorts and a Justin Bieber shirt that had it's sleeves cut. Even wearing the most trashiest clothes, Luke thought she was beautiful.

"I could help you..." Rebecca said with a smile. She was looking at Luke more than Ben.
"Really? Awesome. My girl's got it bad, it usually lasts a week. I don't know what to get," Ben said. Rebecca smiled and pulled out a purple package and handed it to Ben.
"You should buy her some ice cream or something," she said. She glanced over at Luke who was trying to discreetly fix his hair. He smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah. Thanks," Ben said.