grinned at the screen, her cheeks tinging pink.

“Someone’s got a crush!” a voice caught her off guard and she yelped jumping back.

“! Geez! Don’t do that!”

let out a cackle and she hit him forcefully.

“Owww!”

She gave him a shove, “I hate you.”

He scrunched his nose, sticking out his arms as a counter balance as he tried to keep himself upright. He lunged towards her, throwing his arms around her and squeezing her tightly, “Love you too.”

She tried to swat him off but relented and hugged him back, “You’re a dork.”

“But you love me so it’s all good.”

“Maybe,” she smirked.

He leaned back on the counter, “Who’s texting you anyway?”

She shrugged, “Just Luke. I’m gonna go get changed for bed. I’m shattered.”

He nodded and then hugged her again before making his own way back to the living room, no doubt to resume his video game with .

was greeted at the foot of the stairs by who was on his way upstairs. They exchanged a smile and as she bent down to pick up her case, he put out his had to stop her;

“I’ll take that,” he reached across her and picked it up, making light work of it.

“Oh, cheers, . You’re such a gentleman.”

He grinned at her, “No problem.” He led her up the stairs, stopping just short of the first set of doors either side of them.

“Where do you want it?”

“Just here’s fine,” she pointed to the floor next to her. He nodded and dropped it at her feet before turning to go to his own room.

“Goodnight.”

“Night,” she called after him as he disappeared behind his door.

pulled her case after her, locking the bathroom door behind her. Placing her hands on the sink and leaning over it she realised how sweaty her palms had become. She looked into the mirror, staring straight ahead. She suddenly became aware that she would be spending some time with him – alone. There’s no need to be nervous; it’s just Luke. She groaned when it hit her that she didn’t like him just as a friend anymore and it made her feel extremely anxious. She sighed. This couldn’t be happening. He was her friend. A very attractive friend who just happens to make your heart race she thought. She turned on the cold tap, put the stopper in the drain and filled up the sink. She ducked her head, splashing herself with the cool water and then looking back up into the mirror.

Calm down, she willed herself, Get changed, brush your teeth and just go wait for him. She straightened herself out and flipped open her case. She quickly got changed, replacing the clothes she had been wearing with the top and pyjama shorts she had brought with her and folding her discarded clothing, placing it where her pyjamas had been moments earlier.

She was in the middle of brushing her teeth when there was a light knock at the door.

“?” it was Luke.

She unlocked the door to greet him, toothbrush still in her mouth, “Hi.”

He smiled sweetly at her, “Hey. I was just wondering where you were. said you’d gone up to get changed and when I didn’t see you in my room I figured you’d be in here.”

She gestured towards her toothbrush, “I’ll be out in a bit; just brushing my teeth.”

“OK” he turned to walk away and she closed the door back over.

hurried to brush her teeth so that she could spend as much time with Luke as possible. Making sure her face was clear of toothpaste she placed her toothbrush in the mug on top of the window sill, letting it mingle with the lads’ own brushes. She zipped her case back up and carried it across the hall to Luke’s room.

She knocked on the door, “Luke?”

The door opened within seconds as if he was eagerly awaiting her presence. He was wearing just his boxers and the band tee she had seen him wearing earlier. He stepped aside to let her in closing the door behind her.

She winked at him as she walked past him, “Looking good, Hemmings.”

He laughed and rolled his eyes at her, “Fuck off.”

She returned the laugh as she placed her case in a corner of his room and then made her way over to his bed. She sat down on top of his navy coloured duvet.

“I hear nearly knocked you out earlier,” there was a hint of a laugh in his voice.

“Yep; nearly shoved me off the couch, almost took out my eye with his elbow and tried to main me with a cushion,” she could laugh about it now that she was out of harm’s way, “He’s a teddy bear but he is deadly with an X Box controller!”

The corners of Luke’s mouth turned upwards as he sat down beside her. He pointed across to his bedside table where a couple of fast food bags stood;

“I go us some burgers.”

She could’ve hugged him, “I knew you were my favourite for a reason!”

“And here was me thinking it was from my good looks and guitar skills.”

She shrugged, tossing him a bag, “That too.”

He shook his head, a wide grin on his face.

Her face lit up when she saw the packaging, “? Luke you know me too well!”

They slipped into an easy conversation as they bit into their burgers. caught Luke staring at her. She suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. An uncomfortable feeling cast over her and she felt the need to hide her face when she was eating.

Luke gave her a look and moved her hands down, “What’s wrong?”

She looked down, “Honestly? I feel a bit… exposed eating in front of you.”

Confusion fell across his perfect features, “Why?”

“Because you keep looking at me like I have something on my face. I don’t, do I?” she used the underside of her thumb to wipe away at the crumbs she could just feel were on her.

He shook his head, “Not at all. You look fine.”

“So why do you keep looking at me weird, then?”

He fell silent and shrugged.

She tried to prod at him with her foot but he caught it and she pulled it back before she lost her balance. The words on her soles looked oddly.

“What do your socks say?” he tried to grab at her feet, yanking them towards him but she pulled them back, laughing.

She stuck her right foot right in his face and he backed away;

“This one says “kiss me” and…” she put it down, “so does the other one. I think.” She picked up her left foot to confirm it. She nodded when she saw it did indeed say “kiss me.”

His face contorted into a smirk, “Like our song?”

“I hadn’t even noticed…”

“You seriously didn’t realise?” he joked.

She shrugged, “Maybe I did… and maybe I didn’t but now that you’ve pointed it out; think of it as a sign of me supporting your band.”

“As if owning all our merch and turning up at all our gigs just isn’t enough.”

“Hey! I can’t help it if the company who makes your t-shirts makes the most comfortable clothing.”

“And what’s your excuse for having about five keyrings and numerous bracelets.”

“Your fans gave me most of the bracelets. The keyrings… well… I dunno. I just like them. Sue me.”

“I just might,” he laughed.

“Based on what? Being enthusiastic about my friend’s career? State your case.”

“Nope,” he smirked, “based on having a shrine to us in the form of all the merch and stalking based on the candid shots you have of us; not to mention my clothes keep going missing…”

She nudged him with her foot again, “Hey! It’s not my fault you leave your stuff at mine!”

“You could return them…”

“You could pick them up…”

“But then I’d never have a case against you.”

“And you’d have to admit that you don’t want them back because they look better on me.”

He held his hands up in surrender, “I can’t lie; I completely agree.”

She made a kissy face at him and went back to munching on her burger. She noticed that he intentionally stared at her just to creep her out.”

“Lucas” she struck him again with her foot, “Don’t!”

He tipped his head back as he chuckled but clutched where she had hit him, “Now who’s getting vicious?”

She snorted, “That’s nothing. Continue making fun and I’ll set on you.”

“Ooooh I’m so afraid!”

She muttered, putting her rubbish on the side, “You will be. He likes me more so he’ll do what I say.”

He feigned shock, “You can’t tear apart ”

“What about ?”

“That’s debatable right now.”

She pretended to gasp and launched herself at him, tackling him backwards on the bed. Luke grabbed her as he fell. They landed with an “oomph” filtered in amongst a fit of giggles. realised fairly quickly that she had ended up on top of him in a rather suggestive way in his attempt to take her down as well and rolled off of him. The giggles subsided and she let out a happy sigh;

“I do love you Hemmo.”

“I love you too,” his hand searched for hers on the bed. Finding it, he took her hand in his squeezing it ever so gently. They simultaneously turned to face each other, grinning when their eyes met.

“You’re really pretty,” he stated innocently like a five year old would when expressing he liked a girl – minus the hair pulling.

A blush fell across her freckled cheeks, “You’re rather handsome yourself.”

They stared at each other for a few seconds unwilling to look away.

“Remind me what your socks say?”

“Kiss me,” she barely realised the words she had spoken when he leaned across and kissed her softly.

“What was that for?”

He pushed a strand of her hair from her face, “I told you; I love you.”

“I love you too.”