Best Years - L.R.H

12.

Luke's girlfriend invited me to go outside with them. Thank God there were other people hanging around because I wouldn't have been able to handle it if it just was the 3 of us. We all stood in the ally way next to the club, some people were smoking stuff that I didn't recognize.

I was pleasantly surprised when Michael joined us later that night. He came out with a clowd of smoke trailing behind him. I was stood next to him while avoiding eye contact with luke. I can't believe he didn't tell me he had a girlfriend. It feels like something you should definitely mention. I was clearly flirting with him. He should've said something sooner. Telling me about her after everything we did made me feel like the other girl. In any case it didn't seem like he was planning on telling her anything.

I stole a few quick glances every now and then at luke. He was acting really strange but it didn't seem like it had anything to do with our kiss from earlier. He wasn't smiling or laughing the way he usually does. He was just leaning against the wall, blank expression finishing up his second cigarette.

His girlfriend was really chatty though, smiling and making conversation with all the guys. Michael even made a few comments but not Luke. He just stood quietly while his girlfriend held the conversation.

"Seems like you had a busy night." I placed my focus on Arzaylea after her sudden question.

Everyone was suddenly staring at me. She was gesturing to the many hand prints all over my arms and chest. I looked down and noticed how obvious they were.

There was no way of hiding the paint on my body but Luke had paint on his hands. I tried nonchalantly looking over at him, it would be very suspicious if they saw I had prints all over my body and lukes hand were stained with paint.

His hands were thankfully shoved into his jacket. He thought ahead. He looked at me with his head angled down almost as if to assure me he was hiding the evidence.

"Ahhh yeah, well guys always get so handsy." I nervously said trying to steer the conversation into a different direction. I felt like maybe I should leave out the part where her boyfriend did this. I should definitely leave out the part where he did it while grinding on me.

I know a fake smile when I see one and that's what she was giving me."So are you here with anyone or did you come alone?" She asked with the same amount of fakness in her voice as she had on her face.

"I'm just here with my friend Cas. " I rubbed my arms, picking at the dried paint.

Arzaylea nodded along feigning interest.

"How did you guys meet?" Michael asked.

Michael had matured over the years. He still had the same sense of humor but he seemed more grown up. His hair was dyed blonde but the sides were brown. I recall a time where I promised him we would dye our hair together one day. I hope that day still comes.

"Well that's a fun story." I laughed recalling the memory. As I spoke a guy offered me a joint and I gladly took it to calm my nerves. "She was an exotic dancer at the club I was at one night. Some of my guy friends paid her to give me a lap dance," Michael didn't give much of a reaction to what I had done but I noticed Luke's intense stare when I sucked on the joint while the guy held it between his fingers

"I was so uncomfortable and Cas could definitely tell." Once Michael had taken a hit he gave it to Luke. He shook his head so Michael passed it onto Arzaylea who didn't miss the opportunity to take the rest for herself. "She stopped and we ended up talking instead."

"That's r-e-a-l-l-y interesting." Arzaylea interrupted, holding it in front Luke, after a few minutes of contemplating he gave in and wrapped his lips around the joint and sucked lightly on it. I couldn't take my eyes off him, not that long ago his lips were against mine.