Book Never Been Kissed 2 | Luke Hemmings *Chapter 16 posted 8/25/26* (2 Viewers)

[ChiaraStar169]

@Snailmin @Darkened_Aura_13 @TrinityJade @AgustHyune @Wandersoul

The next three months were spent getting everything sorted for when Taylor and Luke would finally move to Torrance. This included a pediatrician for the twins, a vet for Lucky, and other things. They also made sure Lucky and the twins were up-to-date on their shots and vaccines so they’d be ready to travel.

Taylor woke up the morning of the flight to soft kisses on the neck from Luke. They were in the bedroom of their rental house, lying next to each other in bed. Lucia and Daphne were next to it, on Taylor’s side, sleeping like rocks in their bassinets.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Luke whispered in Taylor’s ear. “You’d better get up; our flight leaves at eleven.”

“Mmph…” Taylor mumbled. Her hazel eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the room. It was less than an hour after the sun had begun its ascent, and its rays were seeping through the slats in the window blinds. She looked at her watch, and it was a fancy gold watch that Luke had given her as a push present, to see that it was 6:22 in the morning. “G’morning.”

Taylor threw the covers back and got out of bed. She quickly put on the first outfit she grabbed, which was the 5 Seconds of Summer shirt that she got at the concert last summer and a pair of blue jean shorts. After she did everything else to get ready, she looked in the mirror.

Taylor’s belly was still pretty big, and she noticed stretch marks in that area. Her hair was still a mess despite having brushed it and put it into a bun.

“Luke, do I look okay?” she asked. “I don’t think I like this postpartum look.”

Luke, who had just gotten himself ready as well, wrapped his arms around Taylor’s shoulders in a tight embrace. “Baby, you would look good in a paper bag,” he said, kissing her head. “Are you ready?”

“I am. I’m just worried what people will think of a teen mom with twins. They haven’t really been in public outside of the hospital.”

“Rubbish! You only got the kindest of comments when I moved you here.”

“This is Minesota, though. What if I don’t get treated the same way in California?”

“What if, nothing! You’re proving to be an awesome mummy already. You’ve got this! Now, I’ll grab the bags, you grab the girls, and let’s head to the airport.”


“American Airlines Flight 1107 with nonstop service to Los Angeles will start boarding in just a few moments,” Taylor heard a nasal Minnesota accent say at the airport gate. The voice made Taylor giggle because it reminded her of Martha.

Taylor then had a flashback to the airport in Atlanta, where she was flying home with Martha for the first time. She remembered how scared and nervous she was about her then-brand new family. Martha had come off as cringy at first because of that accent, her wide grin when she saw her, and her heavy handshake. But now, after almost a year of being with the Richardses, Taylor had really warmed up to her and the rest of the family.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Luke teased as he held his hand out for Taylor to grab. “And they just called our section.”

“Oh, just thinking about how far I’ve come since last summer,” Taylor said.

Luke nodded in agreement. “You really have. I remember you telling me on our first date that you hadn’t warmed up to your new family yet and look at you now – you love them as if they were your birth parents!”

Taylor sighed. “Yeah, well, I still miss my real dad. He wasn’t always an alcoholic, you see.”

“Really?” Luke asked with a frown. “There was a time when he treated you well?”

“Yeah, up until we were three, he treated me and Ella like princesses, but then…” Taylor left the rest to Luke’s imagination. But she didn’t need to explain further anyway, because Luke indicated his understanding with a nod.

“I get you.”

“Thank you. I just wish he didn’t have to give us up when he went to rehab.”

“Then, you probably would never have met me,” Luke reminded her. He paused the conversation when they reached the ticket checker.

“You’re good to go, sir,” the employee said. “Have a nice flight!”

“That’s not entirely true,” Taylor said to Luke’s comment as the boarded the plane. “You had a stop in Atlanta last summer, didn’t you? So, I would’ve met you there instead.”

“You wouldn’t have found your sister.”

“I would still have her in my life.”

“But Madi never would’ve met Michael, and then they wouldn’t have become official.” Luke winked. “What do you say to that?”

Taylor giggled. “Okay, that part is true. But I still probably would’ve met you in Atlanta.”

Luke playfully punched Taylor’s arm. “You’re so silly.”


Seven hours later, they landed in Los Angeles. The local time was 4 pm Pacific, and it was about 80 degrees and sunny outside. After Luke led Taylor into the terminal and when they had reached baggage claim, Luke told Taylor to wait while he retrieved their bags.

“Okay, we’re officially in LA!” Taylor announced into the video camera. “It was a pretty uneventful flight. The girls did better than we expected. They were actually very content for the whole flight… weren’t you, cutie pies?”

Lucia looked up at her mother and smiled. It wasn’t one of her gassy smiles, though; it was completely genuine. Taylor gasped in delight at this.

“Oh, my goodness, Lulu! Was that a smile?!”

Lucia smiled again just in time for Taylor to focus the camera on her.

“Guys, look – she has Luke’s smile! I’ll insert a baby picture of him so y’all can see for yourselves. It’s no wonder she’s more of a Daddy’s girl!”

Taylor turned the camera around again so that she was back in the frame. “So, like I was saying, there were absolutely no tears.”

Luke snuck into view and said, “That’s right, you guys! They were as happy as clams.”

Taylor laughed at this behavior. “Luke!” she playfully scolded him. “So, Lucia just smiled for the first time!”

Luke put on a winsome smile of his own. “Lucia Grace Hemmings! Is this true? Did you smile without Daddy being here?”

But when Luke picked her up, Lucia was instantly distracted by the shiny thing in the corner of his mouth.

“Ooh…” she vocalized, trying to reach for the shiny thing.

“No, no,” Luke said, kissing her fingers. “That’s Daddy’s. You can have your own when you’re a bit older.”

“Did you get all our bags?” Taylor asked Luke.

“I did, and I also called the lads. They can’t wait to see you and the babies!”

“Great! Let’s go!”

 

[ChiaraStar169]

oops, forgot to label it - that was chapter 5 lol

 

[Snailmin]

It’s great!

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 6

Taylor and Luke didn’t have to wait long for an Uber to pick them up. It was an older man driving a Chevy Trailblazer, and he recognized them right away. “Oh, Luke Hemmings!” he acknowledged Luke. “My daughter is a big fan of yours.”

“Glad to hear,” Luke said, shaking the man’s hand.

“Yeah, and you’re her favorite member.”

“What about the fact that he’s dating me?” Taylor wanted to know.

They piled into the car before the man responded. “Actually… she hates you together.”

Taylor clutched her heart, and a chill ran up her spine. It had only been a matter of months since she and Luke launched the YouTube channel, and she already has haters?!

“What?!” she shrieked. “Why?”

“She thinks Luke is too old for you and that you’re too young for Luke. She’s actually called you a slut to me before.”

“A slut?!” Luke and Taylor said this almost in unison.

“Yeah…” The man let out a rueful sigh. “I’ve read the comments on your birth vlog, and most of them are negative. They’re calling you an airheaded, lesbian slut.”

This made Luke’s blood boil. He wasn’t having any of this smack-talking towards Taylor. Sure, he’d had to endure the same types of comments about his ex, Arzaylea Rodriguez, but those would turn out to be justified. She really was a wench. But Taylor is the best partner he’s ever had, and he felt confident that they’d make it all the way to marriage, even if she was four years his junior.

“Well, tell your daughter that Taylor makes me happy and there’s nothing she can do about us breaking up!” Luke defended Taylor. “Taylor is the best thing that’s ever happened to me!”

“And that’s what I keep trying to tell my daughter, but she won’t listen. Where shall I take you all?”

“2409 Palm Street in Torrance.”

While there was a lull in the conversation, Taylor looked on her phone to see those YouTube comments. She knew good and well that she couldn’t take harsh criticism, but she just had to see if the driver’s claim was true.

There were some nice, congratulatory comments under the birth vlog, but the man had been right. As she scrolled through, she realized the rest were either “You should’ve kept your legs shut”, “You’re too young to be having twins, let alone babies”, and there was even one that said, “I hope they get cancer and die.”

The last one was what did Taylor in. She burst into tears and fell into Luke’s arms for comfort.

“Baby, why did you do that to yourself?” he asked, holding her in a tight embrace. “We both know you don’t take criticism well.”

“I-I don’t k-know… I was j-j-just curious!” Taylor blubbered.

Luke’s chest expanded and contracted as he let out a deep sigh. “Well, next time, let me handle the comments, alright? I’ve been in the industry for much longer than you have.”

“That’s true.”

“Do you want me to show you the song I’ve been writing? It’s a song about us.”

Taylor nodded, and Luke pulled up the Google document containing the song lyrics. Then, he handed it to her. He watched Taylor’s face brighten as she perused the lyrics.

“Aw, baby, this is so sweet!” she gushed. “Are you going to show the guys so y’all can record it?”

“That’s the plan! We’ll probably even put it on our next album. We already kind of have a lead single, but I imagine we can get the label to let us use this instead.”

Taylor gave Luke a hopeful look. “Oh, would you? That would make my fangirl dreams come true!”

“Of course!”


They got to the house on Palm Street about half an hour later, at 4:45. To Taylor’s pleasant surprise, it was much bigger than their crampy rental back in Hastings. The house Luke had rented was only big enough for the four of them. This house was a swanky mansion with white siding and dark gray trim. There was a massive six-car garage to the right of the oaken front door, which had some steps and a large porch leading up to it.

“Oh, this is beautiful!” Taylor marveled. “Does it have a pool?”

Luke laughed. “Why did I already know that would be your first question?” he teased her. “No, in all seriousness, I do have a pool, and we can go swimming tonight, if you want.” Luke finished with a wink.

“What about the babies? I’m curious to know if they’ll be water lovers like their mommy is.”

“Nah, their immune systems and such are still developing. But I also have a chlorine-free baby pool that I use with my wee cousin Zoe. It’s basically just hose water, so it should be fine. Let’s go in; it’s hotter than hell out here!”

Taylor laughed. “Yeah, it is.”

Before they had a chance to reach the doorstep, Michael Clifford, the band’s guitarist, came out to see them.

“Oi, Mikey!” Luke called out with a wave. “You remember my girlfriend Taylor, right?”

“Vividly,” Michael said, remembering the moment Taylor had fainted in front of the band and the entire throng of fans waiting to meet them. Taylor had been so star-struck that her body gave out from the nerves and she fainted right then and there. “It’s good to see you again, love.”

“You, too,” Taylor said. “Did you watch our birth vlog?”

“I did, and I also shared it with Ash and Cal. Oh, is that them in the carriage?”

“Yes, Lucia is the blonde and Daphne is the brunette,” Luke said. “Where are Ash and Cal, anyway?”

“They left for Chubby’s a few minutes ago.”

Chubby’s is a restaurant and cocktail bar down in Los Angeles. It’s where the band members go to discuss things like album details and opening acts for their tours, but sometimes, they just go there to hit on cute girls. Well, except Luke now that he had somebody.

“What’s that, a restaurant?” Taylor asked. “Can we go there sometime, Luke?”

“Of course! Would you like to go tonight after we swim?”

“Well, I don’t know… I’m not sure about leaving the babies behind.”

Luke placed a passionate kiss on Taylor’s lips. “They’ll be fine,” he whispered. “Michael is excellent with kids, especially babies.”

“They will be in good hands,” Michael chimed in. “You two, go enjoy yourselves. You deserve a break from parenting, anyway.”

 

[dark_tranquility]

Deserving of a break from parenting
That's a good idea

Fangirling dreams come true noice

 

[ChiaraStar169]

I've decided to add a new relationship arc, and possibly a third, if that won't make it too confusing.

Chapter 7

Alicia Merritt sat all alone on a barstool at Chubby’s. It was her 21st birthday, and she had been looking forward to this for years, taking her first sip of liquor. She had originally been driven here by her boyfriend, Brandon Atwood, and almost an hour ago, he’d said he would be “right back with a present”.

Yeah, right! Alicia could only assume that he was cheating on her… on her birthday, for Christ’s sake!

Alicia looked at her watch for the umpteenth time. Yep, it was going on one hour since he left. Letting out a sigh of frustration, she tapped on his contact on her phone to call him.

“Oh! Alicia!” was his greeting. It was almost like he really was cheating on her, because she could hear a faint, “Come back to bed, baby,” said in a seductive manner. “I’m ovulating!”

“Hello, Brandon,” Alicia growled. “This is your girlfriend… or, more accurately, your ex-girlfriend. You’re cheating, aren’t you?!”

“That’s the TV, babe! I’m watching a romance movie with a sex scene.”

Alicia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, I think you’ve forgotten that it’s my BIRTHDAY!”

“No, I didn’t! See, I had to go to the store and get it, but I’m wrapping it right now.”

This made smoke come out of Alicia’s ears as she grew more and more furious with every word spoken.

“Nope! That’s just an excuse so you could cheat on me!”

“What?! Why on Earth would I cheat on you on your birthday?!”

But Alicia had already had enough. Never mind the lies he was telling. Just the fact that he was with another girl was enough proof that she should dump him. Instead of arguing further, Alicia abruptly ended the call and blocked Brandon’s number. Then, she hid her face in her arms as she cried her eyes out.


When Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin, who respectively play bass and drums for 5 Seconds of Summer, walked into Chubby’s, the hostess recognized them right away. This was surprising to them, because the band has been labeled “the biggest band nobody’s ever heard of”. They come across fans everywhere, but not that often.

“Oh, hey!” she greeted them. “You play bass and drums for 5SOS! My sister is in love with you guys. Table for two?”

“Nah, we’ll sit at the bar,” Ashton told her. “But yeah, I’m Ashton and that’s Calum.”

“Oh, that’s right! I generally can never remember names. You can sit anywhere you’d like, and your server will be with you shortly.”

As soon as they sat down, Ashton spotted a young woman sitting all by herself, just staring off into space. Ashton hated to see girls cry, especially girls as pretty as she was. Actually, she was more than pretty… gorgeous was a more accurate description. She had long, wavy , light brown hair, and slender hands sat underneath her rounded chin as she seemed to be contemplating something. Was she thinking of leaving? Or was it something else? Ashton couldn’t tell, but it broke his heart to see a girl so lonely. Ashton was about to make a move when another guy sat beside her.

“You may still have a chance,” Calum said to Ashton’s disappointed face. “I think he’s drunk – he’s slurring his words. And he’s giving her one of the cheesiest pickup lines in existence.”

“If I could rearrange the alphabet, baby,” he slurred to the girl, “I’d put U and I together.”

To Ashton’s relief, the girl wasn’t having it. Well, what guy in his right mind even picks a girl up like that, anyway?

“Look at a fucking keyboard, jackass; they’re already together!” she spat, slapping him with her purse and jumping down from her seat to leave.

“That’s perfect, then, baby – we CAN be together! Come back here!”

“You distract him while I go chase the girl,” Ashton whispered to Calum.

“Gotcha!” Calum whispered back.

Alicia was almost out the door when she realized she was being chased. She hoped to God it wasn’t the drunk guy who’d just hit on her and ran like the dickens through the parking lot and towards the road. But just when she reached the exit, her chaser caught up to her.

“Go home, you’re drunk!” Alicia yelled as she tried to trip him.

But it didn’t work for Ashton; he ended up catching himself mid-fall. He was determined to convince her that he wasn’t like the other guy.

“I come in peace,” he said, trying to catch his breath. This caught the girl’s attention, as she turned to face him.

Even though it was red and puffy from crying and yelling, her face was beautiful. Small hazel eyes stared back at him, although coldly, and there was a tattoo on her right shoulder of a peach cut in half with the state of Georgia as the background. Just below it on her bicep was another tattoo: a cluster of purple flowers surrounded by a wreath of green leaves.

“Nice tats, by the way,” Ashton continued. “I’m Ashton, Ashton Irwin. Nice to meet you!”

The girl’s icy expression thawed out when he spoke his name. The name of the guy who’d hit on her earlier was Emmett, not Ashton.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologized calmly. “I thought you were my pursuer. My name’s Alicia Merritt.”

Ashton shook his head. “Nope, never would I ever try and hit on you, not with that idiot pickup line. Do you want me to buy you a drink?”

Alicia shrugged. “Well, I am a little thirsty, and today is my 21st birthday.”

“Oh, happy birthday!”

“Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome! What’s your fancy?”

“My sister always gets a strawberry daiquiri whenever she can, and I’ve always wanted to try one.”

“Ah, excellent choice! That’s what I’ll get you, then.”

Before he could lead her inside, Ashton heard an ambulance siren. Just as the ambulance parked right in front of the building, he saw an injured Calum being wheeled out by an older woman. He was holding an icepack over his left eye, and his right ankle looked pretty out of shape.

 

[dark_tranquility]

never heard of them
I did not know of them until years later

and the cheating on alicia well that sucks
I feel bad for her

 

[ChiaraStar169]

never heard of them
I did not know of them until years later

and the cheating on alicia well that sucks
I feel bad for her

 

[dark_tranquility]

Yes I didn't even know they were Aussie back then lmao

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Yes I didn't even know they were Aussie back then lmao

ohhhhhhhhhh right right and then I came here and introduced you!

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 8

“Calum?!” Ashton exclaimed.

“That bloke we saw did it!” Calum growled. “You know, the one I was supposed to distract? He threw me across the bar, and now I think I’ve broken my knee!”

“He also has swelling on his forehead, hence the icepack,” the woman added.

“Oh, wow!” Ashton commented. “Do you want me to accompany you in the ambulance?”

Two EMTs, one older man and one younger woman, came out just as Calum opened his mouth. Then, his angry face turned into a flirty smile.

“Nah, I think I’ll be just fine,” he said dreamily.

The woman EMT giggled as the older man examined Calum’s ankle. “Sorry, I’m married,” she said. “But you are going to be in good hands.”

“Can you move your knee for me, sir?” he requested of Calum.

Calum tried to move his knee, but it only sent a sharp pang up and down his right leg. “Gah! It hurts!”

“Then it’s probably broken. You definitely need to come with us, sir.”

Calum reluctantly okayed this and promised Ashton that he’d post in the band’s group chat with an update.

“Do you still want to drink here or go somewhere else?” Ashton asked Felicia as the ambulance drove away.

“Yeah, sure!”


“How does that taste?” Ashton asked as Felicia sipped on her daiquiri.

“It’s great!” Felicia commented. “It makes me want to chug it down and ask for another.”

Ashton chuckled in spite of himself. “No, it doesn’t work like that. You want to sip it little by little or you’ll get drunk on the first one.”

Before Felicia could protest, Ashton saw Luke and Taylor following the hostess to the bar.

“Ooh, who’s the chick?” Luke teased Ashton as they sat down.

Taylor looked around and realized Calum was nowhere to be seen. “And… where’s Calum?” she asked suspiciously.

Ashton gave a rueful sigh. “He’s in the hospital… it’s a long story, but he had a bad fall on his knee and possibly broke it.”

Taylor gasped. “Oh, no! Is he okay?”

“I’m sure he will be, my love,” Luke reassured her. “It’s not like he was shot.”

“I’m confident,” Ashton agreed. “Tay, we have the best hospital in Southern California that will fix Calum right up! But in the meantime, this is Felicia. Felicia, this is Luke and his girlfriend Taylor.”

Felicia lit up at this introduction. “Oh! You’re Laylor Vlogs – I watch y’all all the time!”

“Well, first and foremost, I’m the lead singer of 5 Seconds of Summer,” Luke said. “It’s mostly Taylor’s channel.”

Taylor winced at the fact that they had just encountered one of their viewers. “Uh… you’re not one of the haters, are you?” she asked tentatively.

Felicia laughed. “Oh, no… I’m an ally. I had my girls when I was eighteen, so I can relate to what you’re going through.”

“Oh, thank you,” Taylor said, blushing.

“What’s been your favorite video so far?” Luke asked Felicia.

“Definitely the one where Taylor sat down and told us about her pregnancy story. It just sounded so similar to mine.”

“Really?” Taylor asked, placing her elbow on the table and her hand underneath her chin.

Felicia went on to talk about having sex on the first date with a broken condom and no birth control pills. She and her partner had almost split up when they found out it was twins. She also touched on the fact that they came here to California to raise the girls. By the end, Taylor was shocked at how alike their stories sounded.

“We also almost called it quits,” Luke told Felicia. “But it wasn’t because of the twins – she’d had sex with another bloke while my band was on tour.”

Felicia raised an eyebrow. “Tour?” she repeated. “Ashton, are you in Luke’s band? Sorry, I already forgot the name of it.”

“5 Seconds of Summer, yes!” Ashton affirmed. “Luke sings lead, I’m the drummer, Calum plays bass, and our guitarist, Michael, is at home taking care of the kids.”

“Oh, cool!”

Ashton changed the subject. “So, Felicia, tell me about yourself. From your shoulder tattoo, I’m guessing you’re from Georgia?”

“Yep, born and raised!” Felicia confirmed. “I’m from Leesburg, near Albany.”

“No way!” Taylor exclaimed. “I lived in Leesburg for a while! Don’t tell me you’re an adoptee!”

“Well, no. But my dad is a pilot, so he’s moved us all over the world.”

Ashton was also eager to hear more. “Around the world? So, do you know any foreign languages?”

“Mainly European, yeah. I could never grasp the concept of any of the Asian ones. Asia is the continent we lived in the least, though. I can speak French, Italian, Spanish, German, and some others. Oh, and Romanian.”

Ashton then had an idea. “Alright… I challenge you to translate that Romanian meme song for us.”

Felicia let out a belly laugh. “I didn’t say I could SING in Romanian, silly!”

Just then, Luke’s and Ashton’s phones pinged with a text notification. Remembering Calum’s promise earlier, Ashton picked his phone up first to read the message. Then, the following conversation ensued.

Calum: So, the doctor told me I have a kneecap fracture and need to sit out of the band for a bit.

Ashton: What?!

Michael: Surgery?! Just how bad is it?

Ashton: Pretty bad, actually. I saw him as he was being wheeled out to the ambulance.

Calum: It’s a closed fracture, which is a good thing… but the x-ray showed that the bone had snapped in three.

Ashton: Yikes.

Calum: Yeah, he said it will take like three months or so to heal up. Then, I’ll need physical therapy. Oh, a surgeon just arrived – gotta go!

Michael: Good luck!

Ashton: See you later, dude.

 

[dark_tranquility]

bone trapped into three ouch
wheeled out into an ambulance damn

 

[ChiaraStar169]

bone trapped into three ouch
wheeled out into an ambulance damn

I meant to say snapped, not trapped lol and he was wheeled out TO the ambulance. It's getting pretty late here, so I might've made some typos.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

why do I always get the most motivation at night...?

Chapter 9

Calum greeted the surgeon immediately after he closed out of the group chat.

“Good evening,” the surgeon greeted him back. “I’m Dr. Mason, one of the orthopedic surgeons here. I just wanted to discuss with you how your surgery will work.”

“Alright. Just to confirm, I’ll be out for the count for three months?”

“Yes, that’s how long it takes for the fracture to heal… but it’ll take another six to nine months to become fully mobile again. And that does mean limited activity with your band. When are you going on tour again?”

“In March, eight months from now.”

“Well, you might have fully recovered by then. Only time will tell. So, it’s going to be a two-hour surgery. We’re going to put the broken pieces back together…”

Calum spaced out at “broken pieces” because it reminded him of the song of the same name. Well, that and Dr. Mason was quite fluent in medicalese. It seemed like every other word he spoke was a long medical term he couldn’t understand.

“Got it?” he asked when he was finished.

“Uh… what’s a patella again?”

“That’s just your kneecap. Are you okay with rods and bolts being placed in your leg?”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, I don’t care what you do as long as this pain goes away.”


An hour later, Taylor and Luke decided they had their fill of food and drink and went home. Just as they were getting onto the highway, though, Taylor’s phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, but she answered it anyway out of curiosity.

“Hey, Taylor?”

It was her old case worker, Bobbie Landry.

“Yeah, this is she,” Taylor affirmed. “What’s up?”

“I have very good news: your father wants to get in contact with you!”

Taylor almost choked on her soda. “W-what?! When did he get out of prison and rehab?”

“Oh, three years ago; he’s stone-cold sober now. I don’t suppose you’re willing to meet him.”

Taylor’s jaw dropped. “Wait, really?! And he’d been looking for us ever since?”

“Yes, he has! He wants to meet you at the airport tomorrow morning. Are you up for that?”

Taylor’s heart did a somersault in her chest. “Oh, am I! Oh, my gosh, this is amazing!” Then, a sudden wave of nerves came over her. Did he know yet that she wasn’t in Minnesota anymore? Taylor expressed her concern to Bobbie.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I talked to your adoptive parents first to get their permission for this to happen, and that’s what she told me.”

“Oh, good! I was worried there for a minute. When should I meet him?”

“He’s flying in from Atlanta and will be there no later than noon Pacific.”

“Great! I can’t wait to meet him!”

Luke cleared his throat to get his girlfriend’s attention. Taylor ended the call before she turned to face him.

“Him?” he asked suspiciously. “As in… another dude? You know I can just stop this car right here and kick you out, right?”

“Oh, no… I’m meeting my dad tomorrow morning.” Taylor scrunched her nose in confusion. “What the hell made you think this was another guy?”

“But you told me your dad didn’t want anything to do with you. It’s another bloke, isn’t it?!”

“Luke, you need to calm down! People are allowed to change… and I guess my dad is one of them.”

Taylor explained the part of the call he didn’t hear, and Luke’s expression softened with every word. He gave a relaxed sigh at the end of her explanation.

“Yeah, sorry… I just didn’t want last October to repeat itself. Remember when you and I almost split up because of a misunderstanding?”

Taylor did remember. During the time Luke left her to go on tour with the band, she had hooked up with another guy. Boy, was Luke furious when he found out upon his return! It took him as far as getting ready to board the plane back to Los Angeles to realize what he’d done.

“Please don’t remind me,” Taylor groaned. “I had just found out I was pregnant, my hormones were at an alkl-time high… the only good thing to come out of that time was you asking me to be your girlfriend.”

Luke patted Taylor’s thigh. “But then we let bygones be bygones, didn’t we? We’ve now been officially together for ten months.” Luke pulled into the driveway and parked before he continued. “Oh, speaking of which, how do you feel about marriage?”

Taylor froze as she remembered just how long it had really been. “Wow… has it really been almost a year?”

“Yeah! Pretty good for your first time dating, huh? And with a celebrity, to boot!”

“Oh, yeah?” Taylor had no idea about celebrity marriages and relationships, so how would she know how long they lasted?

“Uh-huh! They say those never last, but the way I see it, I think this is one for the record books, especially considering our age gap and your teen motherhood. So, what do you say about us getting married?”

“Well, I don’t know if our fans would like it. And wouldn’t you be too busy with the band to bring home the bacon?”

“Oh, those haters? They’re not real fans. But the 5SOS fandom is really rooting for us.”

Taylor lit up with delight. “Seriously?”

“Yeah! Of course, I think I need to get your dad’s blessing – well, both of them now that I know your real dad is alive and well – but I say it’s definitely something to think about.”

“Yeah, I still think it’d be risky, since I’m only seventeen. I mean, I’m sure you could ask me and wait until my birthday to start planning the wedding—”

Luke cut her off with a kiss on the lips. “Let’s talk about it more during our pillow talk tonight. I’m getting a bit horny right now.”

Taylor just sat there in silence until she realized that she was thinking the same thing. Her nipples were getting very hard just from looking at him, a sure symptom of horniness. “You know what? So am I! Just use a condom this time.”

“I’ll put it on before we even start,” Luke promised.

 

[dark_tranquility]

I meant to say snapped, not trapped lol and he was wheeled out TO the ambulance. It's getting pretty late here, so I might've made some typos.

Ah true I would be the same honestly
great story nonetheless

 

[ChiaraStar169]

This chapter ends kinda awkward, but hey, double digit chapters!

Chapter 10

Ashton and Felicia finished up at Chubby’s at 9:30, and Ashton offered to take her home.

“You know, I enjoyed my time with you tonight,” Felicia confessed as they walked through the parking lot. “I’m actually disappointed that this is over.”

Ashton was pleased to hear this. It wasn’t like he wasn’t confident that he’d be able to impress the girl. No, Ashton was quite a charmer and a gentleman. It was no wonder that a lot of their fans gravitated towards him.

“So am I, actually. You’re a great girl, and I’d love to get to know you better. But the night is still young; it doesn’t have to be over just yet.” He then spotted his car and added, “Ah, here we go!”

After he unlocked the car, Ashton took her around to the passenger’s side and opened the door for Felicia.

“Oh, thank you,” Felicia said as she climbed in and buckled up.

Ashton shut the door and climbed into the driver’s side. “Your place or mine?” he asked.

“My place. I want to say goodnight to my daughters before we do anything else.”

“That’s fine. What are their names?”

“Jovie and Alaia. I got Jovie’s name from the movie ‘Elf’, and then the meaning inspired Alaia’s name.”

Ashton lit up. “Oh, I love that movie! My favorite part is when Buddy comes back from his date and interrupts his dad’s work meeting with, ‘I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows!’”

Felicia chuckled at the memory of the scene in the conference room. “My favorite line is ‘Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?’”

“Yeah… hey, we should watch it together at Christmastime. Well, if we make it far enough, that is.”

“I agree!”


When they got to Felicia’s house, her best friend, Isabel Erickson, was fast asleep on the living room couch. She had been assigned to babysit, and from the looks of it, the twins, who are in the midst of their terrible twos, had worn her out.

Felicia tapped Isabel on the shoulder, and Isabel sat up on the couch and rubbed her eyes.

“Did they wear you out?” Felicia asked her friend in a stage whisper.

“Oh!” Isabel exclaimed when she saw the guy who clearly wasn’t Brandon. “You’re not Brandon!”

Felicia nodded. “Brandon was cheating on me, so I dumped him.”

“Oh, wow! And you moved on that fast?”

“Yeah, well…” Felicia chuckled. “This guy charmed me into dating him. But anyway, this is Ashton Irwin, my new date. Ashton, Isabel Erickson.”

“Nice to meet you!” Isabel said to Ashton, shaking his hand. “Are you just dropping her off, or…?”

“Actually, no,” Felicia said. “We’re going to have a little… dessert… if you know what I mean.”

Isabel nodded sleepily. “I get you. Are you doing it here or at Ashton’s?”

“We’re doing it here. You can go home now.”

Isabel yawned. “Alright. Have a good night, and happy birthday!”

“Thank you.”


Ashton woke up at eight in the morning when he got a text notification from Calum. He was awake and couldn’t wait to see everybody.

Felicia and Ashton had had the time of their lives during sex and managed to keep it going until well past midnight. The pillow talk conversation was very brief, as both of them were so tired that they could barely keep their eyes open. But did Felicia or Ashton mind? Heck no! They were just happy they lasted so long.

Ashton rubbed Felicia’s shoulder to wake her up, and she made an adorable, high-pitched sound as a reaction as she rolled over.

“Ashton?” she slurred. “You’re still here?”

“Yeah… you fell asleep in my arms, and I didn’t want to let go,” he confessed. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m going home now. It’s probably time to get the girls out of bed, anyway.”

Felicia looked at her watch. “Oh, yeah… well, they already sleep in big girl beds, so they’re probably playing in their room.”

“That makes sense.” Ashton scratched the back of his head as he tried to remember Felicia giving him her number. “Did we ever exchange numbers?”

“No, I don’t believe so. Let’s do it right now.”

After Felicia dictated her contact info to Ashton, he said he’d call her later to set up a second date.

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” Felicia said with a smile.



Calum was eating breakfast in bed when there was a knock at the door. Then, he saw Ashton walking in with a Cheshire-cat grin on his face.

“Uh-oh,” Calum teased him. “Is this about that chick we saw last night?”

“Well, that, too,” Ashton said with a chuckle. “I just wanted to come and check up on you. How are you feeling, mate? Is the doctor letting you go yet?”

“Yeah, they’ve got me on IV painkillers. But no, I haven’t spoken with him yet. Now, back to that grin on your face… were you sleeping with her last night? What’s her name?”

“Her name is Felicia… and yes, I was sleeping with her. How did you guess?”

“Well, you’re grinning like a Cheshire cat, and you’re also incredibly chipper for 8:30 in the morning.” Calum put on his own grin. “Was it good?”

“It was amazing! We went until…” Ashton paused to remember the exact time he pulled out, but he could only come up with an estimate. “Well, I pulled out at around 1:30, and then we fell asleep during our pillow talk.”

“Excellent!”

Just then, they were joined by Dr. Mason, who greeted Calum with, “Good morning, Mr. Hood. How’s your breakfast?”

Calum shrugged. “Not bad; I’ve had better, though. Am I being discharged?”

“Yes. Your surgery went as smooth as silk last night; you may see bruises on and around the patella, and your leg will stay in the brace for about six to twelve weeks. You’ll also need crutches to get around.”

Calum groaned with displeasure, and Ashton put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’ll be fine, mate. Tour doesn’t start up again until March.”

“I know it doesn’t sound very pleasing,” Dr. Mason said. “But we just want to make sure you recover fully so you can go on that tour.”

Dr. Mason gave Calum further instructions for working on his mobility and muscle strength. Of course, he was speaking fluent medicalese again, but Ashton was able to translate all of it. After receiving the discharge papers, Ashton took Calum home.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 11

Ned Conway’s flight got into Los Angeles about half an hour early at 11:30. Bobbie went along with him so she could moderate the interaction between father and daughter. She knew for sure he was a much better man than before, but it was just the adoption agency’s policy to be there in case something happens.

Ned also brought along new wife, Anne. She had been curious to know about the twins who had been taken away from him.

As soon as they reached the terminal, Bobbie called Taylor to let her know they were in town.

Taylor was nursing Daphne when the call came through, so Luke answered it for her and put it on speakerphone.

“Hey, this is Bobbie from the adoption agency,” Bobbie said. “Is Taylor there?”

“Yeah, she’s right here. She’s doing something at the moment, but I have you on speakerphone.”

“Hi, Bobbie,” Taylor greeted the woman. “Are you in town yet?”

“Yes, we are,” Bobbie replied. “Your dad wants to meet you somewhere for lunch. He did his research, and he’s looking at a seafood place called The Fishing Hole.”

Luke smiled. The Fishing Hole was his favorite place to get seafood. His mouth watered just thinking about it. “I think that’s an excellent idea! What do you say, Tay? You like seafood, don’t you?”

“I love seafood,” Taylor affirmed. “When does he want us to meet there?”

“He wants to check into a hotel first, but we’ll be there at around noon.”

We?! Well, so much for daddy-daughter bonding.

“What do you mean, we? You AND Daddy?”

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’ll just be there to intervene in case something goes wrong.”

Taylor sighed. “Well, if you insist. But can I bring my boyfriend?”

“Of course! Is your boyfriend the one who answered for you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Luke said. “The name’s Luke.”

“Oh, okay. I can’t wait to see you both at lunch.”

“And I can’t wait to see Daddy,” Taylor said. She and Bobbie said goodbyes, and then Luke ended the call.

“Are you excited?” Luke asked Taylor.

“Yeah,” Taylor said with a sigh. “But I’m also nervous. He doesn’t know he’s a grandpa.”

“He technically is. But remember, you’re not in his custody anymore. He can’t have authority over you, not legally. And even if you still were in his care, I’ll bet you’d be able to prove yourself.”

Taylor gave Luke a half-smile. “Yeah, that’s a good point. But I’m still afraid he’ll make us break up.”

“He cannot legally do that, love! You’re not his anymore – you’re Martha and Clint’s daughter now!”

“Well, what if he—”

Luke cut her off with a kiss. “He. Won’t. Judge. Us,” he said firmly. “Understand?”

Taylor nodded. “I suppose.”


Ella was also in town for the outing, as she and her family happened to be vacationing in Torrance. Like her twin sister, she was also notified that Ned wanted to see her. Perfect timing – the family wasn’t due back in Minneapolis for another week. Of course, she had to bring her boyfriend Nolan along – they were absolutely smitten with each other and couldn’t stand the idea of being over a thousand miles apart, even for a short time.

Arnold and Denise dropped Ella off at The Fishing Hole right around the time Taylor arrived with Luke and the babies. She squealed when she saw her sister, running straight into her arms.

“Oh, my God, what are you doing here?!” Taylor squealed.

“We’re on vacation,” Ella said with a grin. “I should ask the same of you, girlie!” She then saw the two carriers and gasped. “Oh, look how adorable the babies look in their matching outfits and bows! Are they identical?”

“The doctor said they’re fraternal, but I don’t know. Daphne is bigger than Lucia, but otherwise, they look pretty much alike.”

Another vehicle, a minivan, pulled up to the front of the restaurant and parked. Taylor recognized the driver as Bobbie and gave her a hug. Then, a man who looked to be in his late thirties hopped out of the front passenger seat. His dark brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and there was stubble on his chin along with a mustache.

The man then opened the back door, and two seconds later, a tall brunette woman came out from behind the passenger’s side. She was pretty and about the same age as Ned. Her wavy hair cascaded down her neck and past her shoulders, and a row of short bangs covered her forehead.

“Hey, girls!” Ned greeted Taylor and Ella. Both girls ran into Ned’s outstretched arms for a group hug. “How’ve you been? I haven’t seen y’all in years!”

“Well, you sound sober,” Ella remarked. “I guess that rehab did you some good, huh?”

“Yeah, it really did; prison, too. Both of them gave me time to reflect on my past. I’m so sorry I put you girls through all of that. I’ve been sobered for three years now, and I’m also an AA member. Oh, this is Anne, by the way. I met her in the waiting room at my therapist’s office. Anne, these are my biological twin girls, Taylor and Ella.”

“Nice to meet you both,” Anne said, shaking Ella’s and Taylor’s hands. “I hope you don’t mind me coming; I really wanted to meet you, especially after Ned found out where you live now.”

“You, too,” Taylor returned.


After they placed their orders, and there was a brief wait for a table for seven, Ned broke the ice with, “So, you both have boyfriends, huh?”

“Yep!” Ella chirped. “This here is Nolan, and that’s Taylor’s boyfriend, Luke.”

The guys greeted Ned with “Pleasure to meet you” (Luke) and “How’s it going?” (Nolan).

“I’m doing alright. How did y’all meet them?”

Taylor and Ella both told their stories of how they met their boyfriends, and then the conversation shifted.

As Ned’s eyes averted to the twins’ carriage, Taylor held her breath and crossed her fingers that he wouldn’t judge her. He looked back at his would’ve-been daughter, then back to her own daughters, then back to Taylor.

 

[dark_tranquility]

Taylor sighed. “Well, if you insist. But can I bring my boyfriend?”

“Of course! Is your boyfriend the one who answered for you?”

this is great reading

 

[ChiaraStar169]

@Wandersoul (idk why but I keep typing "wanderlust" every time I want to tag you ) @HyuneSuga @Snailmin @TrinityJade

Chapter 12

“Your twins are cute,” Ned commented. “I love their matching outfits.”

“Thank you,” Taylor said. “The one in the yellow is Lucia, and the one wearing pink is Daphne.”

“Ooh, they ARE cute!” Anne fussed. “Ned, I want to make another baby!”

Ella quirked a brow. “Another baby?” she repeated.

“Yeah, we have a one-year-old son at home. I think she’s just got baby fever… but I don’t. Sorry, honey.”

This made Taylor sick to her stomach. If she were still in Ned’s custody, then that would give her a half-brother sixteen years her junior. This was the kind of sibling age gap that was just… what was the word? Unthinkable. She settled on the adjective “unthinkable”.

“Daddy, please tell me he has other siblings,” she said softly.

“He does,” Anne said. “I have three kids myself – twelve, nine, and three.”

Ned moved the spotlight onto Ella and asked how she’s been and if she was happy with her adoptive family.

“I’m good,” Ella said. “I was adopted two years ago by a family who actually lives in the next town over from Taylor’s family.”

“Oh, really? That’s great! So, you’ve been keeping in touch with Taylor, I take it?”

“She won’t stop talking about her to me,” Nolan chimed in. “But I don’t really care about other girls, because Ella is totally the one for me!”

“Oh, really?” Luke asked.

“Yep, we’re even planning to get married after we graduate high school. What about you, bro?”

“Well…” Luke chuckled nervously and wiggled his eyebrows. He didn’t want to flat-out say he was proposing to Taylor soon. Luckily, Nolan took the hint and nodded. “But I hear a lot about Ella from Taylor, too.”

The conversation continued throughout the meal, not stopping until well after Ned paid for everyone.

Just as he and Taylor were walking outside to his car, he heard an all-too-familiar voice calling his name: Arzaylea. Taylor watched in shock as the not-so-lovely Latina stomped over to where they were standing.

“Luke Robert Hemmings!” she sneered in an annoyingly nasal voice. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you, mister!”

“We broke up a year ago, Arzaylea!” Luke growled. “Go away!”

This ticked Taylor off. Was he actually still dating Arzaylea when they met last July? Was she the “other woman”?

“A year ago, Luke?” Taylor asked in an accusatory tone.

Luke patted his girlfriend on the arm. “Fourteen months ago, babe. We broke up in May of last year.”

“I will NOT go away until I take back what’s mine – you!” Arzaylea protested.

Luke narrowed his eyes. “I am NOT your property! Besides, I’m afraid that’s not possible, as I’ve found somebody who can treat me a million times better than you and your sorry ass!”

“Not as sorry as that ginger slut that you’re with now! You should’ve stayed with me if you wanted to downgrade!”

“I most definitely did NOT downgrade with Taylor. She may only be seventeen, but I’m pretty sure I actually upgraded!”

Arzaylea gave Luke an incredulous scowl. “Seventeen?! And you already slept with her?”

“It was an accident!” Taylor defended herself. “We were kissing, and one thing led to—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Luke took her hand and practically dragged her the rest of the way to the car. Taylor climbed in just in time for Arzaylea to shout, “I know where you live!”

If Taylor wasn’t already scared of that woman, she sure as hell would be now. “L-Luke?” she addressed her boyfriend, her voice already shaking. “Didn’t you say I had nothing to worry about? Like, what if she kidnaps the babies or something?”

Luke sighed. “Well, I didn’t know she’d still care about me fourteen months later. But she is NOT going to kidnap the babies! She doesn’t have the balls to go that far!”

“Well, tell me this. Have you ever slept with her because she wanted your babies?”

The tires screeched to a halt as Luke suddenly pulled over to talk Taylor down.

“Taylor, cut it out! The more you think negatively, the more likely something bad is going to happen!” Luke took a few deep, calming breaths and continued. “Trust me, love… I’m a little worried, too. But I suggest you just hold your head up and pretend this whole encounter never happened. Capiche?”

“Capiche.”


Calum was holed up in his room, looking through the “get well soon, Calum” hashtag on Twitter, when he was startled by the phone ringing.

It was his mother, Joy.

“Darling, I heard what happened,” Joy gushed. “I’m so sorry! How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you. What are you doing right now?”

“Oh, just looking through Twitter and reading the well wishes fans are sending me.” Calum chuckled. “They’ve even got a hashtag going for me. It’s still so surreal that our band has fans, Mum! Why, just five and a half years ago, it was merely a garage band project!”

“I’m so proud of you, son. Speaking of your injury, I think it will be best if you stay with me while you recover.”

Calum rolled his eyes. “But Mum, I’ve got everything I need here!”

“Your lady friend from high school is still in town,” Joy coaxed.

Calum groaned. Ever since he broke up with Emily Tidwell for cheating, Joy has been dead set on getting them back together. If this was another one of her millions of attempts, he wasn’t taking it.

“Mum, Emily and I broke up ages ago – plain and simple! In fact, she probably has somebody else now.”

“Oh, no, not Emily Tidwell,” Joy argued. “I’m talking about that gal you had a crush on, Georgia Reeves! She’s still in town and is dying to see you again.”

Calum knew who she was talking about instantly. She was the blonde with the curvy frame and winsome smile. The girl who twirled her long hair every time she was nervous. The girl who sat next to him in math class with the pencil-chewing habit. He would absolutely go home just to see her again.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

just so y'all know, I'm going to make Calum's character minor now that he's going to be all the way in Australia. it's bc I suck with major time zone differences. lol I also want to have a romance between him and that Georgia Reeves character but don't want to complicate the story. Soooooooo I'm going to make a whole different story just for that arc!