A Frosty Touch

Chapter Twenty Five

I plopped down onto my couch and let out a sigh, letting my body sink into the cushions and relax. The past twenty four hours has been a whirlwind of my emotions and confusion, and I honestly needed a moment to try and gather my thoughts.

I rubbed my face and closed my eyes, trying to think and sleep but just as I had begun to drift off, my phone bussed on the coffee table. I excitedly reached for it, expecting another text from Adrien. Instead, it was a text from Luka... Wonderful...

Luka: "Hey, can we talk? I really need to clear the air about what happened last night."

I stared at the screen, my heart pounding but quickly it began to ache. The memory of our kiss flashed though my mind, mingling with the guilt and anger. Luka was dating Marinette now, and as soon as I decide to move on that's when he decides to suddenly look my way?! I don't want to get in the way of Marinette's happiness, and I thought that she was who he wanted.

I let out an exasperated groan and looked back at my phone. His text suggested that he was as bothered by last night as I was, but I had been trying to avoid him all day, which I thought was obvious. The last thing I wanted was to see him and start second guessing my feelings.

With a deep breath, I typed a response.

Me: "I'm really busy right now, Luka. Can it wait?"

His reply came almost immediately.

Luka: "Please, Y/n. It can't wait. I need to talk to you."

I bit my lip , feeling a pang of guilt. I couldn't keep avoiding this conservation forever.

Me: "Okay, when and where?"

Luka: "Can I come over now?"

I glanced around my apartment, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable. Dad wouldn't be home for a few days but I know that delaying the conversation would only make things worse.

Me: "Yeah, see you soon."

I set my phone down and tried to calm my racing thoughts. It was clear as day that I still had feelings for Luka, but Adrien... Adrien was something special too. The past few days with him had been incredible, and I didn't want to lose out on that with him. I just hoped that he would be patient with me like he said he'd be.

Fifteen minutes later, a knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I got up and opened it to find Luka standing there, his expression a mix of desperation and unease.

"Hey." He said softly, stepping inside as I moved aside to let him in.

"Hey," I replied, closing the door behind him. We stood in awkward silence for a moment before I gestured to the couch. "Do you want to sit?"

Luka nodded and took a seat, and I joined him, sitting at the opposite end of the couch. Even though we were a few feet away from one another, it felt like the room was closing in on us and I began to feel suffocated.

"So," I began, my throat dry and my voice hesitant. "You wanted to talk?"

Luka nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I... I can't stop thinking about what happened between us. That kiss... it meant something to me."

I felt my heart skip a beat, but I tried my best to remain calm. "Luka, you're with Marinette now. I don't want to get in the way of your relationship."

"I know," he said, his voice breaking. "But I can't ignore how I feel, and I don't think you can either. That kiss... it felt right. It cleared all of my doubts about what I was feeling, and the feelings that I misunderstood."

I looked away, my eyes focusing on a spot on the floor. "Luka, it's complicated. I care about you, but I'm trying to move on. You got with my best friend, and Adrien... Adrien and I are trying to see where things go."

Luka's expression tightened, a flash of hurt crossing his eyes. "Adrien, huh? I guess I should have seen that coming."

"It's not like that," I said quickly. "It's just... I don't know what to do. My feelings are all over the place."

Luka reached out and gently took my hand, his hand being unusually cold, sending goosebumps up my arm. "Y/n, I need you to be honest with me. Do you still have feelings for me?"

Hesitantly, I met his gaze, my heart breaking at the desperation and hurt I saw in his eyes. "Yes, I do. But I also have feelings for Adrien. I'm trying to figure things out."

He nodded slowly, his grip on my hand tightening. "I understand. I just needed to hear it from you. I don't want to hurt Marinette, but I can't lie to myself about how I feel."

I squeezed his hand back, a tear slipping down my cheek. "Luka, I don't want to hurt anyone either. But we need to be honest with ourselves."

He leaned in closer, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and desperation. "Y/n, I can't stand the thought of losing you. I've tried to ignore it, to be with Marinette, but it's you I keep thinking about. I don't know how to let go of these feelings. Please, tell me there's a chance for us."

My heart ached at his words, the raw and raspy sound of his voice making it difficult to breathe. "Luka, I care about you so much, but I'm so confused. Adrien... I have feelings for him too. I don't know what to do."

Luka's grip tightened even more, his desperation palpable. "Y/n, please. We can figure this out together. I don't care how complicated it is. I just need to know that there's a chance for us. Tell me you feel it too."

I looked into his eyes, seeing the genuine longing and pain reflected back at me. "I do, Luka. But I need time to sort through everything. Can you give me that?"

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'll give you all the time you need. Just promise me you won't shut me out. I can't lose you, Y/n. I need you in my life."

I lowered my head slightly, trying to hold back the tears. "Just give me time, Luka. That's all I need, okay?"

Luka let out a sigh as a tear fell gently down his face. "Alright."