Thin Ice

𝟕𝟒

LUKAS POV

The people I hangout with has seriously changed drastically since school started.

During the first semester, I used to spend most of my days with Alex and a few of the hockey boys. Who knew that by the end of the year I'd be hanging out with his girlfriend, my girlfriend, and our friend Kiara and her boyfriend.

I would've been disgusted if you told first semester me this news. He would've laughed in your face and called you a liar.

But now, sitting here, surrounded by the people who are closest to me a week before going off to college feels surreal. It feels like just yesterday I was throwing a football around with Alex at the playground or bullying - flirting - with Juliana.

I'm not nervous to go off to college, I'm actually pretty excited. I'm going to have a lot of freedom and it's a plus that my bestfriend and girlfriend are tagging along with me.

If Juliana ended up going to a different college though, I know for a fact that we'd make it work - that's just how we are. We have been through too much together to just throw it all away because of the potential distance issues. We both have our hearts set on what we want to achieve but our hearts are set on each other. I couldn't love someone as much as I love her, it's just not possible.

"Do all of our fall breaks line up?" Faye questions, breaking me out of my trance. For the past thirty minutes, we've all been figuring out whenever the next time we'll be able to all see each other.

I grab my phone out of my pocket and check my schools calendar.

"Mines the third week of September," I state, glancing down at the highlighted week.

"Ugh ours is the second," Kiara groans, gesturing over to Andy.

"So is mine," Faye mutters, dropping her head onto Alex's shoulder. "What about Thanksgiving break?"

"Ours is the week of Thanksgiving," Jules instructs, scrolling through her phone.

"Same!" Kiara states with a smile.

"Mine too!" Faye cheers. We all give each other a look but quickly get rid of the happy expression once we realize how far away that is.

"I can't go four months without seeing you guys!" Alex exclaims, leaning his head onto Fayes. Although he said you guys, what he really means is that he can't go four months without seeing Faye. Ever since the two of them became official, they've been attached at the hip. Nothing can break them apart and I seriously think he's going to put a ring on her finger before we finish college.

"None of our other days line up except weekends but that'll be a hassle for y'all," Kiara explains, sipping on the smoothies we bought earlier.

"We'll make it work. We're strong," Jules reassures to herself more than to them.

A quick silence fills the table before Kiara drops her head into her hands.

"I'm trying to stay strong for you guys because I've already cried enough but this is insane! How dare y'all let me get so attached to you guys," Kiara groans while looking between Faye and Jules specifically.

"I can't help that I'm so great," Jules teases with a toss of her hair. I've missed hearing her snarkiness but it's only fun to listen to when I'm not on the receiving end of it.

"And how dare I bring you out of your shell," Faye continues with a soft laugh.

"Oh shut it," Kiara pauses. "And you-" she starts, pointing a finger at me.

"What did I do?" I quickly question, hoping she's not mad at me since this'll be the last time I see her until November.

"You two had the audacity to make me believe in true love," she begins, looking between Jules and I. "If I never saw the spark between y'all, I would've never talked to Andy."

"Is that really true babe?" he softly questions.

"Yeah, I was closed off to men until you came along. I vowed that I wouldn't give any man the pleasure of my presence yet here we are," she explains to him.

"Well I'm glad I could help?" Jules welcomes, confused. I don't really know how to react to that statement either. It feels like she's thanking me but scolding me all at the same time.

"You guys were chill," Alex comments, sipping out of his smoothie.

"Chill?" Faye mutters with a cocked brow.

"I thought we were going around in a circle saying how we feel about each other?" he drags, clearly not mentally here with us.

"Maybe you should just stay quiet," I mutter with a smirk. He nods and continues back to his daze.

I was doing a pretty decent job at staying invested in this conversation. That was until I felt a hand creep over my thigh and start to edge further up. I quickly look down and recognize it as Jules'.

"Baby," I whisper, not trying to make a scene.

"Hm?" she mumbles, still taking attention to the conversation between Faye and Andy.

"What are you trying to grab?" I question lowly.

"Your hand?" she answers, still looking away. She has completely missed my hand and is trying to grib.. something else right now.

"That's not my hand," I mutter. That finally got her attention and she quickly swipes her hand back to her lap. I can't help but let out a low chuckle.

"It's not funny!" she utters, glaring at me.

"You can have it later since you're so eager," I continue to tease, watching her cheeks flush pink.

"Shut. Up." she speaks through gritted teeth. I let out one last chuckle before taking her hand in mine, I intertwine them and focus back in.

"...and if one of our birthdays pass then I'll save the gift until Christmas or until the next break you guys come down," Kiara finishes explaining. "Everyone on the same page?"

"I'm going to be honest, you lost me after the first sentence," Alex admits with a lopsided grin.

"A quick summary for you, I'm forgetting your birthday on purpose. Now go back to zoning out," she snaps with the same lopsided grin.

"Kiara, you're thinking too much into this. We're not moving out of the country, we're only six hours away," Jules recalls with a reassuring smile.

"I know but I- ugh!" Kiara grunts. "I wish I took up the offer when my mom asked if I wanted to move up a grade!"

"Then you wouldn't have met me," Andy mentions, rubbing her arm.

"I guess you're right," she backs down, leaning into his side.

"I'll call you as much as I can, I promise," Jules reasons, placing her hand on top of Kiaras.

"I promise too, and since I'll only be an hour away, I'll visit you so often that you'll be sick of me," Faye continues with a smile, placing her hand on top of theirs. The three of them share a quick moment before focusing back in on the rest of us.

"It's our last day all together for a while," I start. "What do we want to do?"

"I have a giftcard for this arcade down the street.." Alex trails off, giving me a knowing look. I nod and look around at the others to see if we're all on the same page. The girls all give each other a telepathic look before following in step with each other to the parking lot.

I'm going to miss hanging out with all of them..

Until next time?

~

Sighhh

Last squad hangout ;(

Y'all.. I'm literally putting off writing the next chapter because I don't want this book to end :(