The Boy I Thought I Hated

Chapter 4

Caroline didn't sleep that night. How could she? With that kiss she almost shared with Luke... she was determined to make it a real thing. She laid out the snacks from the day before, and her work form their project on a coffee table. Two beanbag chairs from her sister's room, and her phone faced down. She sighed. How was it going to happen?

There was a knock on the door. Then another. And another. Caroline got up, the butterflies in her stomach not ceasing to disappear. But, when Caroline opened the door, she found it was just Sam and Jane.

"Oh, girly! I came here to visit, but Sam here had to tag along," Jane muttered as she pointed to Sam.

"What? No! Guys, this isn't a good time."

Sam scratched the back of her neck. "Uh, why not?"

Before Caroline could respond, a black truck pulled up in the driveway, and the driver who hopped out of it was Luke. The girls turned to see him and Caroline slightly blushed. Luke walked over without looking up. He had his hair gelled perfectly, a black leather jacket, and the usual skinny jeans and boots.

Luke looked up to see the girls, and felt like he was intruding. "Oh, sorry, Caroline. I messed the times up, didn't I?"

Caroline shook her head. "Actually these two were just leaving, weren't you?"

The other two exchanged glances before nodding. "Yes, sorry," Jane said as she pulled Sam to the car. Caroline turned back to Luke and smiled before gesturing for him to come in. Once again, her parents weren't home.

Luke sat down in one of the bean bags, but fell backwards, grabbing Caroline as a reflex, causing her to come down on top of him. Luke laughed before glancing at Caroline's lips. He shook the thought and sat up, helping Caroline up too. Was he regretting not kissing Caroline? No. He couldn't be. She couldn't win that easily. Could she?

He tried to clear his mind, but looking at Caroline only brought him back to what almost happened the day before. He couldn't take these feelings and went to the washroom. He quickly locked the door and leaned against it. "Am I really regretting this?" he said aloud.

Caroline approached the door. She was worried that something was wrong with Luke. It wasn't like him to rush off like that. "Luke? Everything okay in there?"

Luke jumped when he heard Caroline's voice. He was sitting at the bathroom sink, trying to compose himself. "Yeah, I'm just washing my hands," he lied and quickly turned on the tap.

Caroline saw right through it, but decided to let it go. "Okay, but our project is due tomorrow. So, can you please make it quick?"

"No, problem," he answered. "He opened the mirror and saw a photo of him and Caroline. The selfie she took of them working on the project at school. Luke stared at her the whole time. Her eyes, her hair, that smile, that dress. The way she looked at him as he took the selfie. He flipped it over and saw a little note. The man of my dreams. He doesn't notice me, but that'll change one day.

Luke smiled. He did notice. She was falling for him. There was no way he could do this. He would try and go to the same college as her. He'd cancel all his applications and apply to wherever Caroline was. He wasn't gonna lock up his feelings for this girl anymore.

With more confidence, he made his way down the stairs, smiling to himself. He was about to change the course of history. But when he saw Caroline reading a letter, and her smiling brightly, he knew he was too late.

Caroline turned to Luke as she heard him walk in. "I've been accepted! I'm going to college in Ireland!"

"Ireland!?" Luke said, shock clearly evident in his voice.