Lonely Hearts Club // Book One

Chapter Sixteen

March 6th, 2014

Avoiding Luke was like jumping over two oceans to get to where you wanted to go- impossible. It wasn't because he wanted to talk to me sometimes, it was because it was so hard for me to not want to talk to him, too. He still hung out with Hunter and her friends at lunchtime, with that crazy smile on his face like suddenly she was the world. Again, I was being selfish. But it felt like I was being replaced.

I hated looking at them; it made me feel nauseous and lightheaded, and like the world was suddenly falling apart around me. Is this what it feels like to see a guy you've liked for so long, kiss another girl? It was a shot to the heart- by a gun, not Cupid.

I got the early fall cold, the one where you feel like it's Winter in the middle of Pennsylvania because you're so sick. Even though that was the case, I still dragged my sorry ass to school. Cal offered me a ride today, which I couldn't really refuse since riding the bus was completely awful. And I knew Luke would be there, but I'd just have to suck it up.

I was more ready for school to be over now, even though I was kind of thrilled for it to start up again. The atmosphere just felt completely different and uncomfortable.

Calum's car was in the driveway, but it was off. I could barely see the two guys in the front, as it looked, they were smiling widely. I was jealous. I wanted to be that happy. "Bye mum!" I called and ran out the front door. My voice was too nasally and raspy for the day. I knew I'd eventually become too weak to function today.

And the weather outside wasn't helping. The only day in Australia where it was in between cold and hot. But I was freezing.

The ride to school was quiet, despite his many tries of talking to me, I just ignored him. Today, Luke looked fresh and excited, which made me feel like a troll. His hair was trimmed nicely, and his eyes (from what I could see) were bright. Finally, I figured out that I was bringing him down. Maybe he was meant to be with Hunter. Maybe everything was happening the way it was supposed to.

And then I remembered the club. The stupid, pointless club. Calum and Luke must've forgotten. I almost did. I didn't want to meet up with them anyway.

"Earth to Paige?" asked Luke. He was at my door, crouched down because of his insane height. As much as I didn't want to, I giggled, ew.

"I'm sorry," I coughed myself back to my true emotion, and Luke noticed that I sounded like death.

"Are you sick?"

Calum wasn't in the car anymore, or around me and Luke. I nodded up at the tall boy in front of me and heard him sigh. That was the first time I truly saw him frown today.

"Sorry," he said. I wasn't able to tell if it was real or not. Luke took my hand and helped me up from the car, then sighed again. "Your hands are really hot." He let go.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," he smiled. "I'm gonna go. Will you be okay?"

I nodded, for the second time. He was going to find Hunter.

-

"Uh uh, Paige, you're being unrealistic. They'll never get back together," remarked Calum. We were sitting at the lunch table, just me and him, since somebody was flirting with another girl.

"I never said that!" I whined. "But they were so cute! And Isaac and her are cute, too!"

"What do you ship!?"

"I don't know!"

"I ship her and Isaac," said Calum while folding his arms over his chest. "But then again, I have to admit, Allison and Scott were cute also."