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Happy Diwali! 

@akiimarvelous made these really fun character posters which you can check out on my Instagram @NatalieInACorner! Love the Dubai edition :) 

Chapter 55: My helicopter license 

Oh, the headache.

The regret.

The desire to forget.

I rolled over to my side and reached out for my phone with eyes closed. Momentarily blinded by the screen light, I typed to Jake my new song lyrics: Oh the headache, the regret, the desire to forget.

I then lay on my back and groaned. I regret so much about last night. I've made a complete fool of myself and I don't even remember what happened after Luke and I left the club. He didn't look happy.

Heartbreak through expectations. That's probably another song line.

The regret took a darker turn when I thought about my mother. Did I turn to drinking yesterday to forget? Isn't that what she does? I spend so much of my life disappointed in her and now I was on track to follow....

Ow, my head.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from Jake: Rough night?

How does he know? The guitar playing psychic... But then I remembered I had just texted him.

I replied: The roughest

I added the pumpkin emoji for extra effect.

After a minute, Jake replied: Lyrics aren't bad btw

That's the closest to endorsement I've ever gotten from him. Maybe he'll give me credit as co-songwriter. Between my lyrics on bananas, berries and hangovers, I think we've got a hit.

I heard sounds downstairs. The house must be awake by now, but how could I face them?

I checked my phone again in case I missed any messages from Luke. Zero.

**

~Downstairs~

The distorted sounds I heard upstairs rearranged into coherent words as I neared the living room. Chad was watching an action movie and his surround sound system amplified the effects. I saw his brown hair over the top of the couch, as he lay across it, watching the screen.

Oma was at an oval glass table, eating a chive and mushroom omelet. She was in a blue kaftan with bracelets on her wrist. I looked around to see if anyone else was nearby and spotted Bianca sunbathing in the pool area outside.

"Do you want painkillers?" Oma asked me.

"I'm ok, thanks. Food might be a good start," I said, though I wasn't convinced of it myself.

My stomach was still moving like jiggling jello.

But for the sake of having something to do, I walked to the kitchen. I used both hands to open the giant fridge and was blinded by the light inside. This hangover isn't going easy on me.

I pulled out my sunglasses and put them on. Then I braved the fridge once more and stared at the overwhelming amount of fresh produce. They were all chopped, washed or diced neatly into clear containers in the fridge.

I can't believe I thought Luke's fridge was fully stocked. Luke's fridge was to Chad's fridge what my fridge was to Luke's....

Ow, my head again.

"Good afternoon," a stately voice greeted me from behind.

I turned around and found myself staring at Mr Roland Chadwick the II himself. The myth himself. He's been an illusive and dignified figure so far. Now he was here: tall, in a suit and his moustache was perfectly coiffed. He wore a tie that matched the pocket square in his jacket lapel.

And there I was, in my fluffy PJs with hair that bore strong resemblance to a bird's nest. Not to mention that I was wearing sunglasses to stare into the fridge.

"We haven't properly met yet," Mr Roland Chadwick the II said, "I'm Roland Chadwick."

He left the roman numeral out of his name. Maybe he's being humble?

He added, "And you are?"

"Hi," I squeaked, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Millie Ripley. Thank you for having us all stay at your house. It's a beautiful place."

Chad's father nodded and then pointed to the fridge. I stepped out of the way as he opened it and pulled out a green bottle of sparkling water. In the silence that followed, I awkwardly stood there while he cracked the bottle open and the fizz escaped with a hissing sound.

I couldn't tell what was shinier. His watch or his shoes?

The front door swung open and Luke and Austin walked in. They were in work-out clothes; Luke wore a gray t-shirt and Austin a black gym vest. Their muscles gleamed with a layer of sweat.

"You've been at the gym, boys?" Chad Senior asked with approval.

"Chad gave us his pass," Luke replied, looking hot and tired. He pressed his hand against the cape of his neck and it only drew attention to his biceps.

His blue eyes landed on me and I noticed his eyebrow raise ever so slightly.

I realized I was still wearing sunglasses and hastily took them off. Why is it so hard to read Luke's emotion? Sometimes it pours out of him and other times, I feel iced out.

I've always admired how Luke looks like a statue of a Greek god, but now he is a statue. Emotionally unavailable. I guess, lesson to me is be careful what you wish for.

Luke projects an image of perfection and I don't live like that. I make mistakes and he hides his. I shun the spotlight and he grew up with it.

Austin came over, patting me on the shoulder. "How you feeling, champ?"

"Not great," I muttered truthfully.

He opened the fridge to grab Greek yogurt, "The best way to avoid a hangover is to get drunk."

I wanted to hug Austin. He was the one person here making me feel comfortable. I looked over at Luke who was still talking to Chad Senior.

Chad's dad wanted to know all about Luke's player status and recruiting schedule for basketball. I hear 'player' and think of something completely different...

Luke glanced at me a couple times while he was talking. Was he annoyed with me?

Oma grabbed my attention. She dropped aspirin into a glass of water and placed it on the island in front of me.

I guess I needed it after all. I thanked her and as I drank the salty water, I saw Cearra enter the room with a blue box in her hand.

"Mr Chadwick Sir," she said, offering him the box, "My mom wanted me to give you this as a thank you for letting me stay in your home."

"That's very kind," he said, accepting the box. He placed it on the counter and opened it.

We all peered out of curiosity. Chad came over from his favorite position on the couch. The present turned out to be a blue wooden horse with red, yellow and white designs on it.

"Is it a decorative horse?" Chad junior asked and dug his hand into the box. He pulled out a card that Cearra's mom had written to his dad.

Though no one asked him to, Chad read it out loud, "Hope this serves as a little reminder of home. Why is there a Swedish flag?"

Austin grabbed his yogurt and made a quick exit.

**

As everyone spread out of the kitchen like pollen, I walked down the hallway and up to my room. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see Luke. No one else seemed to be around.

"What happened last night?" he called out to me.

It felt reassuring to hear his voice. Confident, cool and a bit irritated – like he used to be when we first met. But I was not ready for this.

"How should I know? I'm the hungover one," I answered, using my mistake as a scapegoat.

I didn't want to relive the summer camp days of our arguing. He had disrespected me a few times back then and it's only after he stopped that we started to date.

I'm sure Luke's memory vividly relived every torturous minute of last night. I seem to remember sitting in the middle of a club's dance floor eating a burger.

This was not the right time for our conversation. My head was not functioning properly and there was no way I could keep up a rational conversation with him. 

"Don't run away from me, Minnie," he picked up his pace as I started to run up the stairs. 

I should really know by now that I don't have a single chance at outrunning Luke. -0.0000001% chance to be precise. 

And that's not even precise.

"You're the one running!" I called out, swinging the wrong way down the hallway.

Damn Chad and his massive house. The end of the hallway had a giant crystal encrusted mirror - and represented a dead end.

"Let's talk," Luke said, standing at the entryway and effectively blocking off my exit, "It's obvious we need to."

I know we need to, but I need to wait for the aspirin to kick in and to find the right words to express how I'm feeling. I really didn't want to get into a fight.

"We're fighting a lot," I said, giving it a go. 

There we go. That's my attempt.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

I stood there in silence because I don't know how to explain what I mean. I'm not prepared for this conversation.

"It feels like we're operating on different levels right now.  And there's not much forgiveness.  Why are you judging me for throwing up?  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I puked on you but I didn't do it on purpose." 

"What should I do?" he asked, trying to figure out how he could make this better, "We're on vacation and now I have to babysit you so you don't totally lose it? What's gotten into you?"

I just told you.

Luke said, "I left you for twenty minutes and when I came back you were wasted."

"I'm feeling left out, Luke.  I know you're here with your friends and you want to be with them but I..." I struggled to finish the sentence so I tried again, "You left me alone for most of the night actually and I... I just felt left out."

Cearra came running down the hallway with a towel over her shoulder, "Beach! Get into your swimsuits, the cars are leaving in ten minutes!"

I looked up at Luke and I felt his piercing blue eyes on me. I knew he could see the distress in my face. 

Bianca opened the glassed door from the outside where she had been tanning and walked up the stairs in her white bikini and matching wrap. "You two may want to change unless you like skinny dipping."

"Not now Bianca," Luke snapped, "Stay the f*ck out of this."

He was angry. No doubt about it.

**

Everyone was going to the beach and I wanted to tap out of that activity. I really didn't have the mental capacity for it, but Cearra convinced me to go. So, I wore my swimsuit under a pair of shorts and halter top.

When I padded to the front door in my flip flops, I found Chad there in flippers.

"I NEED BIGGER FINS!" he yelled out, raising his knees and testing his waddle.

A maid came running from another room with a few more pairs of flippers.

"What's going on?" I asked him, staring at all the flying flippers.

"You don't have a scuba diving license, do you?" he asked me, trying on the next pair of flippers.

"No, it was either the scuba license or my helicopter license, so..." I started to joke, but realized he wasn't joking.

"OK, then you'll be in the snorkeling crew," he answered, grabbing his other diving equipment, "With Cearra, Oma and Austin."

I took a minute to process the names he mentioned. "So that means you, Luke and Bianca will be...?"

"Scuba diving," he filled in, like it was the most obvious thing.

I faked a smile. "Perfect."

A/N: Preview of my new story is out!!!

Herp, I'm struck with the writing bug! You'll see updates on my other stories today too!  His Curse & Don't Give Up on Me 

See ya on Tuesday! Hope you're ready for Luke vs Millie's showdown

P.S. Did you vote?  No?  Please vote!  Thanks!

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