The Best Friend Equation

Chapter 5 - Disagreements

I knew we'd be late for lunch if I stopped to bite Luke's head off but I couldn't help myself. I pulled him to an empty classroom next door and rounded to him. "What the heck was that?"

"What?" he asked, looking bored.

"You didn't have to say anything to Mason about me not partying. Now he thinks I'm a prude or something!"

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Who cares what he thinks? And I don't get it. I've been asking you to come to my after-parties for years now and you always didn't want to. Mason asks you one time and you're all hopping with eagerness."

I gritted my teeth. "I wasn't hopping with eagerness," I bit out. "I was looking for reasons to not go." I never wanted to go to Luke's after-parties because I did not want to see him have drunken PDAs with his girlfriend.

"Then why did you agree to go to the game?"

"One, because I had already agreed to go that day at lunch, if you remember," I snapped. "And two, I happen to like football, so I don't really mind attending a game."

"That's not the point," he said, shaking his head. "The point is to not lead him on, that's all."

"Lead him on?" I said, frowning.

"For a smart person, you can be really dense, A," Luke said, running his hand through his dark hair in exasperation. "Of course, he's interested in you."

I blinked. What was he talking about? I thought Mason was just being polite. "What?"

Luke sighed. "So, what excuse are you going to give him for not going to the after-party?"

"Wait, back up. How do you know he's interested in me?"

"I don't know," he said, agitated. "It's just a guy feeling, okay?"

I chewed on a nail, thinking. Maybe Cam was on to something with me letting my hair down for a while instead of just being involved in my studies and art. "Um, I don't think I'm going to give any excuses. I think I'll attend this one."

It was Luke's turn to gape at me. "What?"

I shrugged. "I know I don't usually attend parties but it wouldn't be so bad if I went to one. I mean it would be nice to try something new."

"Try something new," Luke repeated tonelessly.

"Yeah," I said, thoughtfully. "I could go with Cam and since I really need to get back before 11, I'll just take Mason up on his offer to drop me home." I rubbed my chin. "But then poor guy will not be able to drink at all. It would ruin his night. Especially after a game. Or... I could ask Cam to drop me and go back. But we don't know where the party is; it could be a long way from my house. Then it wouldn't make any sense for her to go all the way back. Uber is always an option too..."

"Or you could ask me," Luke said woodenly, interrupting my rambling.

I blinked at him, surprised. "Oh, would you be attending this party?"

"Dude, if you are, then I definitely am."

I crossed my arms. "I don't need a chaperone, Lucas."

"No, I wouldn't be there for you, but for my own peace of mind," Luke said. I shook my head, while he checked his wristwatch. "If you want some lunch, we better go now," he said.

"Fine."

We left the empty class towards the cafeteria. The corridor was devoid of any students.

"So, what, you have a thing for Mason, now?" asked Luke, breaking the silence.