thinking 'bout you lots lately

Odette took Elliott's hand as she listened to a conversation Elliott and Chase were having amongst themselves. Looking to Alyx with boredom, Odette pulled away from Elliott, despite the gesture being reluctant - the party was busy, and loud, but anywhere would be better than listening to their significant others talk about stocks. "C'mon," she murmured to Alyx. "I need fresh air." And she did, crowds were sometimes overwhelming and the heat was enough to make anyone feel queasy. Leading her best friend out to the back yard, Odette sat on the bench swing. "Oh my god, they're so boring." She complained.

Luke Hemmings shrugged his leather jacket off at the front door, his eyes scanning through the crowd, hoping to see a familiar face. It was the birthday of a friend, someone that he and the others were good friends with in school, but all Luke could think of was if there was a chance, big or small, that Alyx would be in attendance. Feeling his heart sink in his chest at the disappointment he felt, Luke went to grab a drink, unable to articulate into words just how much he didn't want to be there.

Alyx offered a weak smile to Chase before she followed Odette outside, honestly wanting to get away from the noise and heat as much as Odette did, but also wanting to get away from Chase. After the excitement that had come with dating Luke, she'd wanted to try to be in a more normal relationship, a calmer one without all the attention, but Chase was just completely dull, both in personality and in life. “Tell me about it,” she said with a sigh as she sat down by her friend, “It's ridiculous.”

Michael had arrived at the house not too long after Luke, having not really wanted to attend in the first place. As much as he knew he should, because it was a birthday party for a high school friend that they'd all been close to in the past, he wanted to avoid running the risk of seeing Odette. But, Odette was also the biggest reason he came - because, as much as he knew it would hurt to see her, he wanted to see her again. Wandering further into the house, he spotted Luke. “Hey,” he greeted.

Odette pushed her hair from her face, feeling better when she was away from Elliott. It made no sense to her, she and Elliott had been going steady for a while, and after the whirlwind that was dating Michael Clifford - from one good time to another, the boredom that Elliott provided was something Odette was beginning to grow tired of. "It's stupid, all they ever do is talk about work." She sighed, looking to Alyx. "I'm beginning to wonder if it's even worth being here. Elliott's probably wanna go home home early."

Luke heard Michael's voice, nodding in greeting as he held a drink in his hand, already feeling so out of place. "Hey." He replied back easily, his eyes still scanning the room, as if Alyx would magically appear into his line of sight suddenly. Feeling the familiar disappointment, Luke looked to his friend, nodding in direction to Elliott and Chase. "Who are they? I saw them and I don't recognise them." He told his friend, sipping his drink. He wasn't sure if it was the touring lifestyle that gave Luke high expectations at parties, but he was sure that life hadn't been this boring before.

Alyx sighed quietly and nodded her agreement. “And their conversations about work aren’t even interesting,” she admitted as she made a slight face. “I mean, who wants to hear about stocks all day? Especially when it’s so hard to understand.” She’d been an art major in school; she knew absolutely nothing about how the stock market worked; she was good with history and technique, not numbers. “I’m pretty sure Chase will want to leave early, too, honestly.”

Michael leaned against a wall as he grabbed a drink, taking in his surroundings, his eyes always scanning for Odette. Each time he couldn’t spot her, the disappointment increased and he wondered if maybe that was why he wasn’t all that interested in this party. Seeing Luke motioning to a pair, he shook his head. “No clue,” he told his friend, “I’ve never seen them before.” He arched a brow, looking to Luke. “Doesn’t look like anybody’s interested in talking to them, either. We could always ask around?”

Odette pulled a face with the mention of stocks. "I wouldn't care if it was easy to understand." She admitted, having studied to be a teacher. "I'd rather put super glue in my ears than listen to that again." She admited, scrubbing a hand across her face. "God, Alyx, I'm beginning to think I'm better off single." She half-joked, shaking her head at the thought.

Luke nodded with Michael's words. "They look a little..." He thought for a moment, not wanting to be rude. "Out of place." He decided upon the politest term he could think of, handing Michael his own drink. "Hold this, I'm gonna ask Zack." He murmured to Michael, his curiosity getting the better of him. Still, finding the boy, Luke tapped his shoulder. "Zack, hey, happy birthday... who are those two stiffs?" He asked, not even bothering to be subtle.

Zack looked in the direction in which Luke nodded towards and grinned slightly. "Oh, they're Odette and Alyx's boyfriends." He shrugged. "They're around here somewhere, too." He smirked.

Alyx made a face with the mention of it. “That’s true,” she admitted quietly, though she sighed and shifted to lean against her friend with a small pout. “Is it bad that, with how boring Chase is, it makes me miss Luke more than usual?” She kept her voice quiet, not wanting to risk Chase coming out and hearing her, but she couldn’t help it.

Michael had followed after Luke, prepared to wish Zack a happy birthday, but he paused when he heard his words, his heart sinking in his chest. “Wait, Odette’s dating again?” he asked with surprise, trying to hide the pain in his voice, though he chewed on his lip, peering at the two strangers, and he shook his head. “Neither of them seem like her type.” His brows furrowed as he looked around, searching for Odette. “Are you sure she’s here? Absolutely sure?”

Odette smiled sympathetically with Alyx’s words, completely understanding her turmoil. “I get it.” She nodded. “Elliott makes me miss the rush I had with Michael, it sucks.” She ducked her head slightly with the thought. Life with Elliott seemed so slow paced compared to how every day with Michael was. Feeling her heart ache with the thought, Odette ducked her head.

Luke pauses when he heard Alyx’s name, frowning. “One of those idiots is dating Alyx?” He blinked, turning to look at the men once more, the thought that one of them got to kiss Alyx goodnight leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. “Have you seen Alyx tonight?” He asked Zack, aware he should be focused on Zack’s birthday, but knowing that Alyx was here somewhere, he just couldn’t.

Zack smirked. “Last I saw of the girls, they were heading outside.” He shrugged.

Alyx nodded slightly with the mention of it and sighed quietly. She knew it wasn’t just the thrill that she missed with Luke, though. It was Luke. But, things had gotten so stressful with them barely seeing each other and rarely getting to talk that it just hadn’t felt like they were a couple anymore - and, eventually, they weren’t. “I know what you mean,” she murmured quietly, “I hate it.”

Michael watched the men they were talking about for a long moment, frowning deeply, his heart aching with the thought that one of them got to hold Odette - his Odette - through the night, one of them got to kiss her and run their fingers through her hair and memorize her scent and her voice; one of them got to replace him and he hated it. The moment he heard Zack say the girls had gone outside, he nodded. “Thanks, man,” he said before he quickly headed out to look for Odette.

Odette made the swing rock gently as she pushed her feet off the ground, sighing. "I hate it too." She admitted. She and Michael were once a couple that were so madly in love, and she was disappointed in herself for letting it fizzle out as quick as it did, without much attempt to revive the spark that they had between them. "But that's life." She frowned with the thought.

"Oi, wait for me!" Luke called to Michael, following him quickly, his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of seeing Alyx again. As he stepped out in the still air of the evening, Luke realised just how much he missed being home. His eyes scanning the garden, he saw two figures sat on the bench swing, and he nudged Michael, hinting to the object, wondering what the best way to approach this situation was, his stomach still twisting with anger that one of those assholes got to hold Alyx, and he didn't, the jealousy coursing through him.

Alyx offered a weak, sympathetic smile to her friend, but she nodded slightly in agreement. “I suppose it is,” she murmured quietly, leaning back into the swing, though her smile fell as her thoughts drifted back to Luke, as they usually did. No matter how hard she fought, she just couldn’t keep him out of her mind - or her heart - and it hurt.

Michael shook his head slightly, his gaze going around the yard until Luke motioned to the bench swing, and his heart paused when he saw Odette. Before he could stop himself, he made his way over, desperate to see her, to talk to her, because she’d always been the most important person in his life, and he hated seeing her with somebody else. “Odette,” he said after a moment, staring at her, in awe, speechless, and uncertain of what to say.

Luke followed Michael quickly, although as Alyx became clearer into his vision, Luke tried to make himself seem relaxed, as though he was only coming over to say hi - the truth of the situation was, Luke missed Alyx more than he could ever express, and the fact that she was here told Luke that he needed to make her his once more, he needed Alyx back in his life. "Alyx." Luke breathed as he saw her, still as beautiful as ever, an ethereal vision as she sat on the swing, the sight of her causing Luke's heart to quicken within his chest, and God, how did it only just hit him that he missed her more than anything else? "Alyx, it's so fucking good to see you." He smiled weakly, opening his arms for a hug, hopeful she wouldn't reject him, knowing it would only destroy him if she did. This was his Alyx.

Odette listened contently to Alyx, offering a weak smile in return, although her heart and mind were occupied with thoughts of Michael, and just how amazing life was when he was by her side, the love the two shared being on a level no one else could ever reach. Gently resting her feet on solid ground once more, Odette paused when she heard her name, and lifting her head, she paused when she saw Michael. "Michael," Odette whispered, almost in disbelief that the only man she ever loved was stood right in front of her. "What are you doing here?" Standing, Odette took a step towards him.

Alyx paused when she heard Luke’s voice, her attention going to him, and she could feel her heart aching. All she wanted was to go to him, to return to what they had been, but she knew that wasn’t possible. Things were done between them; they’d both moved on. “Yeah, um… It’s nice to see you, too, Luke,” she murmured as she watched him, though she shifted when he opened his arms out, worried, because she didn’t want to risk her boyfriend seeing.

Michael blinked, surprised with Odette’s question, and he watched her for a few long moments, unsure of what she was expecting him to say. “It’s… One of our friend’s birthdays,” he reminded, his brows furrowed, “Why would I not be here?” But, still, when he noticed she’d taken a step towards him, he couldn’t help but step towards her, too, watching her, taking her in, his heart swelling, because she was just as beautiful as ever. “I’ve missed you so much, I almost can’t believe you’re here right now.”