Kindred Spirits

VI

The weekend after Lukas's tense encounter with Liam at the park was anything but restful. Lukas had spent most of it holed up in his room, trying and failing to make sense of the emotions that had been churning inside him since that day. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Liam's face—saw the intensity in his eyes, heard the raw honesty in his voice. And each time, it sent a wave of confusion and fear crashing over him.

Lukas wasn't used to feeling this way. He had always been in control, always managed to keep his emotions in check. But now, with Liam in the picture, everything felt off-balance. It was like he was teetering on the edge of something dangerous, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find solid ground.

When Monday morning rolled around, Lukas was filled with a sense of dread. The thought of facing Liam again, of pretending everything was normal when it was anything but, made his stomach churn. But he knew he couldn't avoid him forever. They shared classes, shared spaces, and their paths were bound to cross whether Lukas wanted them to or not.

As he walked into the school building, the familiar sounds and sights of Rockledge High did little to calm his nerves. Every corner seemed to hold the possibility of running into Liam, and the anticipation of that encounter made Lukas feel like his heart was in a vise.

He made it through the first couple of classes without incident, though his focus was shot. His mind kept wandering back to the park, to the way Liam had looked at him, the way he had admitted that Lukas was different. Lukas didn't know what to do with that information—didn't know how to process the fact that someone like Liam had been thinking about him.

During lunch, Lukas considered retreating to the library, but he knew Liam might be there. Instead, he found a quiet spot in the courtyard, away from the crowded tables and the noise of the cafeteria. He sat down on a bench, his lunch tray forgotten beside him as he stared off into the distance, lost in thought.

"Mind if I join you?"

Lukas nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice. He turned quickly to see Corrin, one of the football players who had been surprisingly friendly to him since he started at Rockledge, standing there with a curious expression.

Corrin had been one of the first people to approach Lukas on his first day. Unlike most of the other students, who either ignored him or looked at him with thinly veiled curiosity, Corrin had simply nodded at him during gym class and struck up a conversation like they had known each other for years. He had an easy-going nature that put Lukas at ease—a surprising contrast to the more intense, competitive aura that seemed to hang around most of the football team.

Despite his rough exterior, Corrin had a laid-back attitude that made him approachable. They had quickly fallen into a comfortable rhythm, with Corrin often dragging Lukas into conversations about the latest games, team drama, or even just the best places to hang out around town. While Lukas hadn't sought out much company since arriving at Rockledge, Corrin's presence had become a reassuring constant—a reminder that not everyone at this school was out to judge him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Corrin said with a small smile as he sat down beside Lukas, uninvited but clearly welcome.

Lukas shook his head, trying to compose himself. "No, it's fine. I was just... lost in thought."

"Yeah, I could tell," Corrin replied, giving him a sideways glance. "You looked like you were a million miles away."

"Maybe I was," Lukas admitted, his voice a little distant.

They sat in silence for a moment, the sounds of the schoolyard filling the space between them. Corrin had a way of making people feel at ease, and for that, Lukas was grateful. It was a welcome break from the constant tension he'd been feeling.

"So," Corrin said after a while, his tone casual but probing, "want to talk about what's been eating at you?"

Lukas hesitated. He didn't know Corrin that well, but there was something about him that made Lukas feel like he could trust him. Maybe it was the fact that Corrin seemed genuinely interested in Lukas as a person, not just as a teammate or another guy at school. Or maybe it was because Lukas was just so tired of keeping everything bottled up.

"I don't even know where to start," Lukas said finally, running a hand through his hair.

"How about with what's been keeping you so distracted?" Corrin suggested, his tone gentle. "You've seemed... off lately."

Lukas sighed, leaning back against the bench. "It's... complicated. There's this guy—Liam Matthews. We keep... I don't know, running into each other. And every time we do, it's like... I can't figure him out. One minute he's distant, and the next... I don't know. It's confusing."

Corrin nodded, listening intently. "Liam Matthews? Yeah, I know him. We're on the team together. He's... well, he's a good player, but he can be kind of hard to read sometimes. Not exactly the most open guy."

"I have no idea why he's paying so much attention to me," Lukas admitted, his frustration evident. "But it's like... he keeps showing up, keeps finding ways to get under my skin. And I don't know how to deal with it."

Corrin looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. "Maybe he sees something in you that he doesn't see in other people. Liam doesn't really let people in easily, you know? But if he's paying attention to you, there's probably a reason."

Lukas shook his head, feeling more confused than ever. "But why me? I'm nobody here. I'm just trying to get through the year and graduate early. I don't need this... distraction."

"Maybe you don't, but it sounds like he's not going to let you ignore him," Corrin pointed out. "Maybe it's time you figure out what it is he wants from you."

Lukas sighed, knowing Corrin was right. But the thought of confronting Liam, of trying to unravel whatever was happening between them, filled him with dread. He didn't want to open that door, didn't want to face the mess of emotions that lay on the other side.

"Yeah, maybe," Lukas said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Corrin didn't press the issue, for which Lukas was grateful. Instead, he shifted the conversation to lighter topics—talking about the next football game, the latest team antics, anything to fill the silence. Lukas was only half-listening, but he appreciated the distraction.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Lukas felt a pang of anxiety. He still had to get through the rest of the day, still had to face the possibility of running into Liam again. But at least now, with Corrin's words in his mind, he felt a little more prepared. Not much, but enough to keep going.

And so, as he headed to his next class, Lukas steeled himself for whatever was to come. He didn't know what was going to happen between him and Liam, didn't know how things would play out. But one thing was certain: the tension between them wasn't going to go away on its own. Sooner or later, something had to give.