Witch Clans

Part 26

The sun was peering through the clouds the next day, making the usually grey building of Katie's school look a little less so. But Katie couldn't help dreading her next encounter with Luke. Their last conversation had been painful enough... She steeled herself and walked to her locker. She was fishing for her science book when she accidentally dislodged her heavy history textbook which tumbled onto her foot.

"Ow!" She gasped.

She caught the edge of her locker and grasped her sore foot with her free hand. After a moment, she meant to bend to pick it up when she saw someone reach for it before her. She looked up.

"Here," he said, holding out the book.

Standing before her, as painfully handsome as ever, his eyes scanning her face, was Luke.

"Thanks..." Katie replied, putting it back into her locker.

She meant to walk away, but he moved to stand in front of her.

"Luke, don't..." she began.

"Can't we at least talk about yesterday?" he asked.

Katie crossed her arms.

"Oh, you mean the part where our dads were arguing in the middle of the night about us?"

Luke looked shocked.

"What...?"

"Yes. This is why we can't be together, Luke... Our parents seem to think it best we stay apart. Look, there's enough bad blood between our families... we would only make things worse."

She tried to walk off but he caught her arm.

"Hold on..." he said. "You're really going to just... go with that?"

Katie looked up at him sadly.

"I have to..."

"Says who?"

"Says the fact that we could start a war between our families if we push this!" Katie said. "I'm not doing this by choice, Luke... it's hurting me, too. I..."

She stopped and heaved a sigh.

"My dad might accept it eventually. But I don't want to get you into trouble with your family. Your dad sounded furious on the phone last night."

Luke seemed about to protest but Katie held up a hand.

"I know what you're going to say. But listen to me. I'm not pushing you away because it's my choice. But if we insist on going against our parents... your father could take it out on you, or my father. I'm trying to do the best thing for everyone until we can figure it out... I don't want to hurt anyone, and I know you don't, either."

Luke took a step closer.

"So you're trying to protect me."

"Yes... I mean, I don't believe your father's monstrous enough to really bash you with a hammer or something but..."

"That suggests that I'm right about there being something between us."

Katie realised she'd never actually answered when he'd first commented on that.

"Yes..." she whispered.

They stared at each other a moment. Katie could hardly move as Luke edged his head slightly towards her. Her body responded almost without her realising. They were inches from one another...

Just then, the sharp, shrill sound of the bell snapped her back to reality. Katie realised what she'd been about to and looked up at him.

"I... I have to go... I'm sorry."

She turned and hurried away, her eyes tingling uncomfortably. As she reached the end of the corridor, she looked back. Luke was still there, his pained eyes visible even from where Katie stood. It tore at her heart to just push him away like this, but she couldn't see any other solution. She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and disappeared.

"No way... what did they say?"

Lucy and Katie were sitting at the canteen, where Katie was filling her in on the events of the previous night, using the ambient chatter for cover. Everyone was so engrossed in their own conversations, they weren't paying any attention to them.

"I'm not sure what Luke's father said exactly," Katie answered. "But he didn't sound friendly, if my dad's responses are any indication..."

Lucy raised her eyebrow.

"What, did he think you were luring his son into joining the forces of evil?" she asked.

"If he hates my dad as much as it sounds, I almost wouldn't be surprised," Katie said, rolling her eyes. "What was it my dad told me he'd said...? Oh, yeah. That I was a bad influence."

Lucy almost spat her organic orange juice on the table. She gulped it quickly down.

"So... Luke's a you-know-what, his dad's the head of his clan, and he was at school with your dad and hates him to bits, so he refuses to let you anywhere near his son?"

"Basically... and my dad says it's best I keep my distance for the time being..."

Lucy glanced carefully across the room, where Luke was sitting with a couple of his other classmates. Katie couldn't help peering too; Their eyes met a few seconds, then she looked away. When she peeked again a moment later, he too was looking away, talking to his neighbour.

"Wow... I can't believe he's like you..."

"... Trust me, when I found out, I couldn't either," Katie sighed.

"And your dad can't do anything? He is the clan leader, right?"

"Yes, but so's Luke's father, so they're on the same level. So until Loran accepts to turn the page on the past..."

"Hmm... I guess he's off limits, right?"

Katie nodded heavily.

"But you were always so intent on not getting involved with him, so why...?"

Katie looked up at her, an expression that said something like "do you really need to ask?" on her face. Lucy frowned slightly, then her mouth oed in understanding.

"Ooh... you've already started falling for him, haven't you?"

Katie exhaled unhappily, with a last glance at Luke.

"As much as I tried not to... yes."

Lucy gave a sympathetic sigh.

"Well, love does pride itself in being more than a little stubborn." she commented. "Even when you don't want it, you can't help it."

Katie looked out the window to avoid looking at Luke.

"More seriously, though," Lucy said. "while I believe love is stubborn, I also think it comes for a reason. Even if it's not always clear at first."

Katie let out a small chuckle.

"If you go all Firar Lawrence on me and say we're destined to reunite our clans..." she warned.

Lucy giggled at the Shakespeare reference.

"No, no! Although that could be a reason," she allowed. "I just mean I don't think that you fell for Luke just to suffer because you can't have him."

Katie cupped her chin in her hand.

"I don't know... sometimes, it feels like that's exactly why I fell for him..."