Widows, Braces, Frozen Lakes and Milkshakes

Luka Lemmens' love life had never required much effort from him.

He rarely texted first when interested in someone. Since it was often reciprocated, he would simply let them make the first move.

He loved the idea of being in a relationship. Girls in love were just so damn captivating; that spark in their eyes, their excitement, that hunger for the one they had feelings for.

A shame that what started fun would always get boring, all that enthusiasm quickly fading away. At least on his part.

Luka hoped to feel the same way about them but he never did.

He kept trying and failing. Watching their spark of love die and turn into anger and tears once he started behaving like a single guy again before letting them know they were through.

Something weird happened once one of his hook ups yelled at him that he was a jerk for sleeping around. It wasn't the first time he'd been told that but it was the first time he actually listened. Maybe because that girl with light green eyes and a metallic smile wasn't one of his official girlfriends. Luka didn't owe her any explanation and still, there she was, calling him out.

The entire school was talking about her cheating on her boyfriend with him while nothing happened to Luka's reputation for doing the exact same thing to Marie.

Luka remembered how upset Jana had looked that night. She had been arguing with her boyfriend, thought they were over, even. Luka felt like comforting her. He didn't really know what to say, he wasn't good with words. The only way he knew how to make girls feel better was like that. Kissing, sleeping with them. On this particular case, they only shared one quick kiss. Luka had hoped Jana would feel better afterwards. Deep down he knew she wouldn't.

They met at the Freefest kick off. That night Jana had told Luka someone was looking for him. It all turned out to be a misunderstanding but since then their paths never stopped crossing each other's.

Luka Lemmens used to have a type. Blonde, popular, confident. Pretty much everything this girl wasn't. Still, he couldn't help trying to get her attention every time he saw her. Sometimes she would give him the finger, yes. But other times... on those she'd smile at him and they'd exchange an inside joke through looks.

He had thought of asking her out more than once. But what would be the point in that? Either she would say no or they'd date and once it was over in a couple of months Jana would hate him completely.

He didn't want that. Luka knew she kinda hated him already, but not quite. He'd rather keep it that way.

His best friend Senne was going through a similar situation.

Senne wasn't much of a talker when it comes to feelings, but Luka had known him since they were 6 years old, which made it harder for Senne to hide something that big. Luka could read him like a book. Better than one, actually. It was 1) strange and 2) easy to notice that something about his best friend had changed.

He had a crush.

For the first time in forever, Senne De Smet had caught feelings for a girl.

A girl called Zoë.

Funniest part? Those two girls that had been permeating their thoughts were best friends, too.

Luka could never keep his thoughts to himself so he always mentioned Jana. Senne cringed every time Luka decided to post a selfie with an indirect for her as a caption. Acting like that was so unlike Luka. In truth, neither of them had ever had to show much interest for girls to like them. They were used to people that would do anything to hang out with them, to be part of their group or to simply be invited to their parties. If they were honest, these people probably didn't really like them per se—they didn't truly know them, after all—what they liked was their status, their popularity.