It took Luke and I a good fifteen minutes to actually sit up and figure out what the fuck was going on. When we were sitting next to each other on the edge of the bed, Jess kindly gave us a couple of glasses of water which Luke took with a polite, 'thanks' while I just grabbed it and gulped it down.

"So," Jess started, sitting on her bed opposite us. "When... I mean, I was drunk last night, but I could've sworn Luke did not come back with us when we left."

"He didn't," I muttered. "I'm still trying to piece together last night, to be honest. Give me a sec."

"I came here last night drunk off my face," Luke told them, rubbing his face. "Guess I stayed here. Sorry, by the way."

George just waved his hand in dismissal. He didn't seem too star-struck, which was a good thing. Maybe after all those celebrities last night, just seeing Luke was a little underwhelming. "You're welcome in our dorm any time."

"George," I said, letting out a small laugh, "This isn't your dorm."

"Oh. Right."

"So..." Jess looked between Luke and I. "What's the current situation here?"

"Jess, I won the bet, stop trying to get your ten dollars back," George said indignantly.

I could feel Luke looking at me, but I honestly didn't know what to say. I didn't know what the situation was, and I wasn't sure if I was in the right state of mind to talk about it. But I knew I needed to. "I think... we should go get a coffee or something." I said this to Luke and turned to him, interlacing my fingers with his. Luke nodded.

I made Luke and George go and stand out in the hall while I got dressed, and I knew for a fact that George would be giving Luke the, 'don't hurt Noelle or else' talk. I smiled slightly at the thought. It wasn't like George was scary and could kick Luke's ass or anything, but I still kind of appreciated it.

I pulled on some loose fitting jeans and a plain white cropped t-shirt, putting a pair of sunglasses on my head. I applied the smallest amount of makeup because I looked exhausted and I couldn't go out in public like that.

When I was ready, I waved goodbye to Jess and stepped outside, where Luke and George were laughing together. George gave a nod to Luke and went back inside. I just stood there for a moment, watching Luke, and then suddenly I was in his arms. I pressed my face into his shoulder, inhaling deeply. There were people milling about the corridor, and they were staring, but I honestly didn't care. Luke pulled back slightly but kept his arms tightly around my waist, saying quietly, "It would probably be a bad idea to kiss you right now, right?"

"Mm," I mumbled, wanting to kiss him desperately but knowing we shouldn't. "Right."

He chuckled softly and pulled away completely, and I grumbled a complaint, immediately missing his warmth. "Come on, let's go."

Stares followed us as we walked through the campus, but for once, even though I was a bit uncomfortable, I just didn't really care that much. Maybe I was too tired and hung-over to think about that. I barely even noticed when people started getting their phones out and taking pictures of us. Luke took my hand, probably thinking I would be self-conscious with all this attention, but I just smiled up at him. As we walked, he leaned down and said in my ear, "You look pretty today."

I gave him a look. "You're kidding, right?"

Luke raised an eyebrow at me. "I'm not."

I just laughed. "I look like death. Probably because I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Oh, and why's that?" he said innocently.

"Ugh, because this annoying guy showed up at my dorm at, like, four in the morning and made me share my bed with him, which, by the way, is a single and not made for two people," I said pointedly, but I was grinning.

"Come on, snowflake," he murmured as we stopped outside a Starbucks. "I know that you enjoyed it, really." His lips were temptingly close to mine, and my heartbeat accelerated.

"You've got to stop doing that," I said faintly.

"Doing what?" There was a smirk on Luke's face. He knew exactly what he was doing, but two could play at that game. So I went on tiptoes and put my mouth right next to his ear.

"You know, Luke Hemmings, you're not the only one who can seduce people," I breathed, my lips skimming his jaw.

When I drew back, Luke's gaze was fixed on me, his eyes stormy. "Jesus Christ, Noelle." He forced himself to look away with a groan. "That was unfair."

I merely smiled slyly at him, took his hand and led him inside.

As soon as we entered, people started to stare but thankfully, no one came up to us. I made sure not to make eye contact with anyone as Luke and I went to the counter and ordered a couple of coffees. Luke insisted on paying, saying, "I literally slept in your dorm last night. I think I owe you a coffee."

I sighed in exasperation but agreed. Not that I was complaining about him being there last night.

Our coffees appeared and we went to sit at a table by the window, facing each other. Luke hadn't really seemed to take his eyes off me, and I squirmed under his gaze.

"Why are you staring at me?" I asked when we were sat down. "Usually it's the other way round, right?"

Luke grinned. "Usually, yeah. But, uh..." He looked away for a second, seeming to collect himself before looking back at me. "I don't know, I'm a little nervous."

"You what?" I said in surprise. "Luke, I'm supposed to be the awkward one in this relationship. I need you to, like, not be nervous. That's my job."

"Yeah, but you're not..." He cleared his throat and absent-mindedly took my hand across the table, tracing circles on the back of it with his thumb. "How much do you remember from last night?"

I bit my lip. "Most of it, I think."

"You know what I remember? You telling me I didn't know what I was saying, because I was drunk," Luke said blatantly. "You were wrong. I knew exactly what I was saying, and I meant every word, you know that, right?"

"Uh..." I trailed off awkwardly. This was more like it – Luke being completely brazen and me stumbling over my words. "Which, like, part?"

Luke squeezed my hand, a knowing smile on his face. "You want me to just ask you again, snowflake?"

"No. Yeah. I mean..." Luke was smirking at me. "Oh, fuck off, Luke, just ask me again."

"So demanding. But listen... you were right. We weren't together, when all that Norman shit was happening–"

"Luke, I was being irrational," I interrupted. "And I never meant to say all that, it just sort of... came out."

"You were right about the Michael thing, too," he said, ignoring my comment and looking down at our joined hands, his teeth tugging on his lip ring. "I'm still mad at him, but, like, can I blame him? I mean, you're you." He glanced up at me at this, his blue eyes piercing through me.

"Uh-huh," I said intelligently. "I'm... me."

Luke shook his head at me. "Like I said, I'm still pissed, and it'll take me some time to... come round, and be, you know, okay with Michael again."

I rolled my eyes. "Luke­–"

"I'm trying, Noelle, I am, but I'm a jealous person. I want you to myself," he said simply. "Which is why I, like, need you to be my girlfriend."

I tried to ignore the way my heart skipped when he said that. "Oh, you need me to be your girlfriend. That wasn't even a question. Try again."

A half smile came onto Luke's face. "Noelle, you are my best friend, my favorite person in the world, and..." The smile faded, a more serious expression taking its place. "You're everything to me, snowflake. And I want the world to know that."

Wow. "Um, yeah, that was a little better."

"Be my girlfriend, Noelle," he said, almost urgently. "And stop pretending to be all disinterested. I can feel your heartbeat."

I suddenly realized that he could, in fact, feel my heartbeat since his thumb was resting on the inside of my wrist. He could feel how affected I was by his words, his touch, just him in general, so what was the point in pretending? "Well, actually, you know you're supposed to feel a heartbeat with your fingers, not your thumb, because your thumb has its own heartbeat so really that's your own pulse you're probably feeling–"

Luke cut me off by leaning across the table slightly and pressing his lips against mine. "Shut up, Noelle."

I grinned sheepishly. "I talk too much, right?"

"You do," he agreed. "Is that a yes?"

"Yeah," I breathed, knowing there was no point in feigning indifference anymore. "You think I want anyone else?"

"Fucking hope not," Luke said, a slight smile on his face. "Otherwise this would be really awkward."

I started laughing. "Yeah, it would. But I don't." I poked his nose. "You're mine now."

"Always have been, Noelle," he said in a low voice. "But don't poke my nose."

I grinned. "Can't help myself, it's too cute." But then I raised an eyebrow when I realized what he said. "Always have been?"

Luke just nodded. "You fucked with my head, snowflake. I just can't seem to shake you, can I?"

"And you never will be able to." I looked down at our hands, my finger running lightly over the inside of Luke's wrist. "You know, there are so many things I wouldn't have done if it hadn't been for you, including getting a tattoo, and you know what? I think it's your turn."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "My turn."

"Mm-hm." I gave him a mischievous look. "For a tattoo. Maybe you should get a kangaroo, or something. Because you're, you know, Australian. Or maybe a picture of vegemite. That's Australian, right?"

"Vegemite," Luke said flatly. "It's a wonder you actually chose a nice tattoo with these ideas. Maybe you should have gotten an eagle or something since you're so patriotic."

I merely smiled, my hand moving absent-mindedly up towards Luke's face where I gently brushed a finger over his lip ring.

"Noelle." His voice was suddenly slightly husky. "If you keep touching me like that, we are really going to have to get out of here."

"Are we?" I said innocently, now dragging the finger lightly across his bottom lip. Luke caught my wrist, his eyes seeming to darken.

"You're the worst. Let's go."

I smirked to myself and willingly went with Luke as he led me out of the building, our hands still joined. Stares and frantic whispers followed us out, but they didn't prepare me for the crowd of paparazzi outside. Bright flashes suddenly shrouded my vision as Luke and I stepped outside, picture after picture being taken of us. I gripped Luke's hand tighter, and he squeezed it back, guiding me through the horde of people who were shouting questions not stop. I tried to block them out, but the incessant noise was shrill and was making my head pound.

"Where are we going?" I muttered to Luke, looking down at my feet.

Luke didn't reply but continued to lead me and we finally reached a parked black car. Suddenly a man all in black appeared, shielding us from the paparazzi as we got into the car. I could only assume he was a bodyguard for the band and couldn't be more thankful that he was here.

I only realized as we pulled away that I was shaking. It wasn't from... fear, exactly, it was more from the anxiety of all those people surrounding us. My mouth was dry and my throat felt like it was closed up. My heart was racing, way too fast, and it took me a while to realize Luke was saying my name.

"Noelle. Look at me." I did, but Luke looked a little blurry. One of his hands touched the side of my face. "Breathe with me, snowflake. In, out."

I inhaled and exhaled, slowly, and his face came back into focus. My heart rate gradually slowed, and I swallowed, my throat no longer feeling closed up. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Luke's expression was still worried, and he pushed my hair back from my face. He looked away, out the window, and I could see his hand curled up into a fist so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Then he turned back to me. "If I apologize, are you going to get mad at me?"

I smiled weakly. "Probably."

He sighed. "Can I do it anyway?"

"No," I said quickly. "Because it's not your fault. If it's not your fault, you don't need to apologize. You couldn't have known they would all be there."

"I should have known," Luke muttered. "They turn up wherever I go. Someone in that coffee shop was bound to have fucking tweeted a picture or something."

"But Luke, who cares?" I said, taking his hand and tracing patterns on the inside of his wrist to try and distract him.

"I care if it threatens your safety, Noelle," he said tiredly.

"But I'm okay. See?" I pressed his fingers to my wrist to feel my heartbeat. "I'm okay now."

"Are you?" Luke asked, his blue gaze now directed at me. I just nodded, looking right back at him. "I just... I worry about you, snowflake. You know how important you are to me, and if anything–"

I shut him up by leaning over and kissing him, trying to use his own tactics against him. I could tell he knew exactly what I was doing, and he was just humoring me by not pulling away. His hands went to the sides of my face, holding me close to him, his lip ring cool against my lips. When we separated, I gave him a grin. "You know, maybe you're onto something with that whole 'kissing solves problems' thing."

"That's unfair," he mumbled. "You're mean."

"And you're amazing. Really," I reassured him, knowing he was just going to roll his eyes at that. "I love that you worry, I do, but that was... a one-off. I was just taken by surprise. But if you're with me, I'm okay, I promise."

Luke watched me for a while, but then nodded, his thumb brushing over my cheek. "I'll be with you. Always."