play the game | l.h [on hold]

18. start with the basics

START WITH THE BASICS

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"Wait," Calum started, pure confusion etched on his tanned features. "Sawyer is Blake — the Blake? Girlfriend Blake?"

"Not my girlfriend, but yes," Luke replied with a nod.

After having yet another conversation with Ashton, Luke concluded that he should inform Calum and Michael of the Sawyer-Blake situation. It wasn't something that he wanted to do, as he knew their reactions would be unnecessarily dramatic, but it would make it easier for him in the long run.

Plus, Ashton already knew, and it was only a matter of time before the information was ultimately disclosed.

The dark haired boy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, okay. You've had—" he cut himself off, leaning forward to get closer. "You've had sex with her," he whispered, as if he were embarrassed to be discussing something of such a scandalous nature.

Luke groaned due to Calum's childish antics. "Yes, I'm well aware."

"You have a crush on Blake, and you have a crush on Sawyer. It works out perfectly that they happen to be the same person," Michael added with a wry smirk.

Despite his apparent annoyance, Luke contemplated Michael's statement. Truthfully, he wasn't sure what exactly he felt for Blake. He knew that he liked her, but the parameters of those feelings were hazy, leaving him both confused and uncertain.

Before their recent revelation, Luke did (in Michael's words) have a crush on Sawyer. He thought that she was utterly captivating, but now he knew that Sawyer was Blake all along, and it was all too intimidating for him.

"Whatever," he murmured, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Are you gonna do anything about it?" Calum inquired.

Luke cocked his head, his eyebrows pulling together. "About what?"

"Your crush," he said. The blond gave him a halfhearted shrug, as he wasn't sure of an answer. There was at least some chemistry between the two — they wouldn't have slept together if there wasn't — but Luke didn't know where to take that. He was unsure if Blake even remotely felt the same way. He didn't want to force them to be something they weren't; to make something more out of their friendship if there wasn't anywhere for it to go. "Seriously, Luke? You're gonna give up now?"

"No one said anything about giving up," Luke sighed out in irritation. "I just — I don't know what to do."

Michael raised an eyebrow. "But, you're gonna do something, right?"

Once again, Luke shrugged in response, and his friends took this as an indicator to leave it alone for the time being. The topic of conversation shifted to everyone's plans for their two day break in Belfast, which was just several days away. As of now, Luke was planning on staying in and resting, laying low until the night of the show. The idea of asking Blake to hang out briefly had crossed his mind, but was immediately scrapped as that thought was entirely too daunting.

So, he figured that he'd stick to their side stage run-ins and video game excursions — at least for the next several days while he was slowly mustering up the courage to ask her otherwise.

•

"Wait," Natalia spoke, her voice displaying confusion and shock. "You're saying Luke — 5 Seconds of Summer rockstar, is Luke — penguin boy ninety six?"

Upon arriving at the venue in Birmingham, Blake quickly and urgently found a quiet place to Skype Natalia in order to update her on the most recent Luke news, because a lot had happened that she'd yet to share. The space she found seemed to be a small dressing room, which was lined with garment racks, but no one was occupying the area so she figured that it was fine for a fifteen minute video call.