Disclaimer: You heard it here folks, I own nothing!

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Seduction of Summer

Chapter Nine: And it all falls down

"It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss"

-The Killers, Mr. Brightside.

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I woke up during what I presumed to be early morning, with a splitting headache and puffy eyes. I was curled into a ball still, but was no longer in the middle of the bed, but pushed to the right side, or my side, as I loved to call it.

Used to call it would be more appropriate now.

I assumed I had rolled there out of habit, with the hopes that, if Luke came in later in the morning he would've crawled into bed beside me. This thought however, helped me to remember the horrific events of the night before, and those memories, combined with a weak stomach had me running into the bathroom throwing the contents of my stomach up with minimal effort.

Note to self, never drink half a bottle of straight Vodka again.

After the throwing up ceased, I stopped holding on to the toilet bowl, and sat down next to it. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes once again, as I saw brief flashes of the events from the night before flash infront of my eyes, as if it were all happening once more.

Luke was checking me out in my outfit, then the two of us splashing in the water together.

Ric all alone, then he and I with the Vodka, watching Hilary and Henry shamelessly flirt to their hearts content.

Then my stupid, stupid game.

The argument between Hilary and I, which led to Cassie and Luke walking out of my life.

And finally crying myself to sleep.

Maybe another bottle of Vodka wouldn't be such a bad idea. I thought, after reliving these memories in painfully slow motion. However my stomach disagreed as I felt another surge of sickness overtaking me, my head was once again in the toilet.

Never again, was my final thought.

Some time later, I was able to smell the distinct aroma of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen, and was persuaded by my growling stomach to follow the smell. Stumbling up from my sitting position, I ambled into the kitchen where a very happy Henry infront of the stove greeted me. He smiled at me, before gesturing for me to take a seat at the table, an offer that I gladly took him up on. Sitting down carefully, I proceeded to place my head on the table, and groaned in pain.

Laughing, Henry commented to me, "Rough night, or even rougher morning?"

"Don't start,' I began slowly 'this is all your goddamn fault. Just because your making a lovely breakfast doesn't mean I'm speaking to you."

Flipping the bacon over, and stirring the scrambled eggs, he sighed. "So things didn't turn out exactly how you had in mind. Your life wasn't exactly boring last night was it? And that's what I thought you wanted Maddikins, amusement galore?"

"Not if the price is losing my best friend and boyfriend" I grumbled back.

Placing some eggs and bacon bits infront of me, Henry sat down and handed me some panadol, "For the headache", he said.

Chewing in silence for several minutes gave me some time to cool down, before I asked Henry calmly, "What happened with Cassie last night after she walked out on us?"

He swallowed his mouthful, before looking at me. "She picked the lock into your room, and passed out on the bed. " He replied, looking rather annoyed at this fact, which made me laugh.

After the laughter subsided, and I was able to look Henry in the face once more, I asked if he knew whether Cassie or Ric had left yet.

He looked sour at the mention of Ric, before telling me, "Cassie went home earlier this morning, but I don't know anything about Ric. Besides, shouldn't you be worried about your boyfriend instead of your boy friend?" Henry said, emphasising the difference between the two.

Grimacing while I looked down at my plate, I wondered to myself why it had taken Henry so long to bring it up.

Maybe deep down he actually did care about me.

"Luke was with Hilary most of last night. I think he came in after you did. I don't know whether she was still with him or not though. You should probably find out." He finished saying, with not a hint of remorse in his voice, as he took my plate away from me and went over to the kitchen sink

Maybe not.

At the mention of the wench's name again I felt the contents of my stomach surge forward. Ugh, I didn't need this right now.

"I'm going to have a long, hot bubble bath', I announced to Henry, 'then I'm going to sort this mess out. Even if it means ratting you out to Cassie, and groveling to Luke. You'd better hope the damage done is able to be mended, because if not, your life won't be worth living any more." I said strongly, before leaving the room.

Walking into the bathroom, I began running the water, feeling it under my fingertips until the temperature was warm enough, before putting in the plug and adding a generous amount of bubble bath to the water.

Shedding my underwear, I slowly dipped myself into the warm water, letting the heat sooth my sore stomach and acing body. Closing my eyes, my breaths became deeper and deeper as the running water soothed me off into a light doze.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, followed by an ever louder slam, and I realised that I was no longer the only person in the bathroom.

There, with his oh so perfect back to me, was Luke.

Luke was in the bathroom. With me. While I was naked in a bubble bath.

Holy fuck!

Willing myself to remain silent so this situation could be a little less embarrassing than it already was, I kept my mouth shut as Luke kept his head towards the door. I could hear him muttering incoherently, as he placed his forehead against the door, as if trying to calm himself.

Sinking lower into the bath, I tired to make out what he was saying, but it was no use, as his mumbling became ever shorter and softer until I could only hear his deep breaths.

Now I could only hope that he wouldn't turn around and find me there, because then I wouldn't have to face him just yet. I needed time to prepare an apology, to know what I needed to say to make things better.

Apparently, the world hated me right about now.

Luke turned around, his eyes met mine, and all I could do was give him a small smile and a weak "Hi".

This definitely was a new low, even for me.

Luke flew back against the door and shut his eyes, counting to five out loud before opening them again.

Great, now he hopes that he's imagining me.

"Nope, still here" I said sarcastically, wishing that he'd never come through the door.

"Maddie, hey… sorry…. I didn't know, well, I didn't…" Luke stuttered his words, as he tried to get closer to the door even though he was already backed against it, probably wishing it would engulf him whole.

Now I feel like a leper, real smooth Luke, real smooth.

"You weren't to know. Plus, I should've locked the door. I guess I just lost my mind a bit after…"I trailed off, not wanting to dredge up the memories of last night before I was ready to handle the situation better.

After this thought, I became acutely aware of the overwhelmingly awkward silence that seemed to swallow up Luke and myself. While I left my eyes on his face, his eyes seemed to dart everywhere, not wanting to make a connection with my own. Finally, they settled on a rather nice tile on the ceiling, as if her were studying the pattern for art class.

Luke didn't even take art.

I sighed, thinking about everything that had led us to this point, where Luke felt awkward being alone with me in a bathroom while I was in the bath.

Then it came to me, as if an actual bolt of lightning had hit me.

Luke didn't want to look at me because I was naked. In a bath.

An idea that, despite everything, was tempting him.

If anything was going to be right between Luke and I, I needed a moment that would put everything into perspective.

And this, this was a damn good moment.

Moving to the edge of the bathtub, I pulled my arms out of the water, and sat my chin on my hands. I looked towards Luke, who was still staring at the ceiling tile as if it were the Mona Lisa.

Step one: get Luke closer.

"Luke, we need to talk" I began, shifting myself so the water splashed against the edge a bit.

"Uh huh Maddie," Luke began uncomfortably, before I cut him off.

"Why don't you come and sit down Luke? It would help me to get things out, if I knew you were really listening instead of staring off into space."

Looking around once again, I could see Luke's eyes tracing the line of my body under the bubbles, before the finally settled on mine. He let out a sigh, before walking slowly over and sitting on top of the toilet.

Step one was complete. The next step was going to be a lot harder.

Taking a deep breath, I knew this apology had to be my biggest masterpiece. Having known that, I also knew I couldn't bullshit Luke like I would anyone else. This had to be real. Otherwise, I could lose Luke forever. Sorry seemed like a good place to start.

"I'm sorry, for, well, just about everything.' I began hesitantly, but no interruption came from Luke, so I took this as a good sign. Well, as good as can be considering I kissed his best friend last night.

'Nothing ever seems to go right for me. And when there looks to be a positive in something, I always manage to stuff things up. And all that stuff that… Hilary… said about Ric and me wanting him, its not true Luke, I swear. Before you came it might've been true, but as soon as we met, I knew you were the one for me.

And last night, I just, was overcome by jealously. Hilary was there, and I was kind of drunk, and I was watching Cassie and Henry together with Ric and, I know it's not an excuse for what happened but something pushed me over the edge. Our night together had been ruined, because of my big stupid mouth, which had also ruined the night of one of my best friends, and I needed to try and fix everything. Instead I made it worse." I finished, slumping back into the bathtub, letting the warm water take me away.

Luke sat watching me for a while, and then turned his attention to the ceiling once more. I knew better than to speak though. His mind was contemplating everything I had just said. How he responded to my impassioned speech would set the tune for our relationship for the rest of summer. Or the rest of the school year.

Everything was riding on his response.

Finally, he stood up from the toilet, and, to my surprise, shed his shirt and jeans from himself, leaving him standing there in only his boxers. Slowly and carefully, he lowered himself into the opposite end of the bathtub, so when he was fully in, he was facing me.

Thank god I was covered in bubbles.

We sat like this for an excruciating five minutes.

Five minutes where all I wanted to do was remove those boxers from Luke and have my way with him, knowing that any pain I had caused him would vanish.

Five minutes for him to stare at another ceiling tile looking at its artistic structure.

Five minutes in which I realised what Luke was really doing to me.

Rolling over in my bed, my head began pounding away. Groaning, I tried to get up but was overtaken by dizziness, forcing me to lie back down.

I'm never touching alcohol again As I rolled over once more, I was reminded of why I had drunk so much last night. The problems between Ric and myself had reached an all time high, and Maddie had suggested I flirt with someone. When Henry paid me some compliments, I didn't dare knock a gift house in the mouth, although Henry had turned out to be more useful than I once thought.

Seeing Ric by himself, I had almost felt sorry for him. I hadn't wanted him to be alone, I just wanted to make him see that there was more to us than sex and attraction. I needed him to be able to talk about Flynn once more. But maybe I had been asking too much.

After Maddie had left to keep him company, I had felt better. Knowing that she was looking after him made me feel a bit better, as I knew she was one other person who understood Ric and how he felt.

But then, their stupid game of Truth or Dare happened.

And everything had gone wrong after that.

At first I thought the idea had been inspired. I knew we'd all been drinking so the game would be extremely truthful, but at the time that's just what I thought Ric and I needed, a little truth on matters of the heart.

Apparently a little too much of the truth is an extremely bad thing.

Grimacing as I thought about Maddie leaning in to kiss Ric, my stomach heaved a little.

Then there was Hilary's drunken revelation about Maddie going after Ric, and her being in love with him. After hearing this, my mind had flashed back to Ric and Maddie sitting close earlier that night, whispering to one another, sharing a bottle of Vodka, and suddenly everything had seemed a little to close for comfort.

Deep down, I knew Ric and Maddie, and whatever had happened before I came to the Bay was well over and done with, but, with the look they shared, and after that kiss, something snapped.

Right now, lying in pain in bed, I couldn't help but wonder if it was the fragile bonds of friendship that had finally snapped.

Groaning again, this time I felt the entire contents of my stomach move, so, ignoring the pounding in my head, I ran to the toilet, reaching it just in time.

Later, having washed my mouth out multiple times to be rid of the horrid after-taste vomiting gives, I put my hair into a messy bun and pulled my knees close to my chest, huddling like that for some time.

Thinking about various events from the night before, and even previous to that, my mind kept coming back to one single moment.

Their kiss.

It had all seemed so real. As if they were feeling things in it that they shouldn't have been. Their eyes had closed, their mouths opened. They had given in to something last night.

What if it wasn't the first time that it had happened?

Or the last time it would happen?

The image had sketched itself into my mind, permanently there for me to remember.

Now and forever.

Suddenly, I felt as if my stomach was removing itself from me once again, as I dived for the toilet, throwing up once more.

But this time it was different.

There was a pair of hands on my back. One holding up my hair from my face, the other rubbing my back slowly and someone was gently whispering calming words in my ear.

It was like I was a child once again. Mum would pat my back when I had trouble sleeping, or rub my belly when I felt too full because she'd let me have two serves of desert. Or when I was sick, how she held my hair out of my face, and gave me damp cloths to put on my forehead, while she murmured soft, tender words into my ear until I drifted off into a sweet slumber.

All these memories came flooding back at once, and before I knew what was happening, I was crying. Not just tears rolling down my cheeks, but body shaking sobs.

Everything had just, turned out wrong in my life. Last night proved that. If my best friend can kiss my boyfriend, then nothing would ever go right again.

While I cried and cried, I felt hands rubbing my back, slowly and softly, waiting for everything to subside. I don't know how long I was there for. Time was becoming harder and harder to track these days, when sometimes it managed to stand still, while sometimes there wasn't enough time to hold on to. Like with Flynn.

Everything seemed to come back to Flynn.

Everything seemed to have started with Flynn too.

I felt my sobs come once more, however the hands continued to rub my back. In the back of my mind, I wanted to believe that he had come back to me. But I wouldn't open my heart wholly up to that possibility; I had just been hurt way too much.

Finally, I felt the arms that had been rubbing my back lift me up and pull me towards their chest. I didn't dare open my eyes, for fear I would find out it wasn't him.

Or worse, that it was.

Gently, I felt myself being laid down on my bed, my clothing removed and my covers brought up around me. Even though I was well awake while doing this, my assumed my quiet nature had meant they thought I was asleep. Despite this, they continued to rub my back, which soon I induced sleep onto me.

My final thoughts were prayers, to someone, prayers that he had been the one.

All along, he was always the one.

Staring out across the ocean, I wondered why on earth I had stayed in this hellhole so long? No one had wanted me here to begin with. Dragged out of my other life and shoved into the small town of Summer Bay hadn't done wonders for my popularity either.

Getting out of this town was a lifesaver. And I've been getting better and better ever since. But I couldn't stay away after Mum's accident. So once again, I was forced back into this hellhole. I wasn't the only bored one it seemed. Maddikins needed some amusement, and I gave it to her.

Too bad she wasn't grateful.

After the party last night, I have an actual reason to be here now. My own source of amusement in the form of two couple, four friends, who had a seemingly perfect life.

The cracks are beginning to show though.

And I was just warming up.

They won't know what him them when I'm done.

And their perfect lives will be shattered forever. Even if it means taking my own twin sister down with them.

It's a price I'm willing to pay.

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AN: Like it or hate it? I've been stuck in a rut so I'm going back to writing from different perspectives, including Henry's who, I've decided, is going to be kinda evil… what can I say, I love Henry, and I'm a sucker for a bad boy, so I'm adding the two together.