Simple Manipulation

Chapter 13

"SHE'S BEHIND THAT BUSH! YEAH THAT ONE RIGHT THERE!"

"CONSTANCE!" I yelled back at Marren who had given my position away to Luke who had been scanning the lunch area for me.

"Sorry Pey but I'm doing this for your own good. You really need a guy in your life sweetly." She stated blatantly.

"I already have three at home! What would I do with another one?" I asked still crouching behind my bush.

"Well I would hope that you would spend more time with me than this bush." I turned my head and came face to face than none other than the boy who I wanted to see the least.

"Luke our agreement was after school. Not lunch." I hissed still crouching.

"No the agreement was that you didn't have to hang out with me at my table. Never said that I couldn't be with you at yours." His grin stretched from ear to ear as he pulled me up from my crouching position which attracted plenty of unwanted attention from his people.

"Hey Luke! Why don't you bring Peyton over here?" Derek called over to us.

"Nah it's okay man I'm going to sit with her today." Luke called back quickly grabbing my hand with his as we walked out from behind the bush.

"Is the hand holding necessary?" I whisper shoutout.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because they can still see us." Luke and I threw more fake smiled in their direction as we walked over to Marren and I's usual table.

"Oh my freaking gosh are you two holding hands?" Marren asked gawking as we sat down at the table.

"It's not what you think Marren." I rolled my eyes.

"What does she think again?" Luke asked me scooting uncomfortably close.

"She thinks that we should date. It's stupid if you ask me." I grabbed my apple and began chomping down on it.

"I agree. Why would I want to date anyone as horrible as Peyton. Besides have you seen how she talk to me? She treats me like I'm crap." I would say I couldn't hear any sarcasm, but I actually did.

"Like I would want to date anyone like you." I scoffed. "You think so highly of yourself you would probably forget to ever think of your girlfriend not to mention you aren't the most considerate person." I began chewing my food passive aggressively in his direction raising my eyebrows.

"If you two hate each other so much then why are you still holding hands and practically sitting on top of one another?" I heard Marren interrupt.

My cheeks flushed the deepest red they have ever been and I became part liked in my place. And surprisingly, Luke finally lost his cool for once.

"We uh-we just forgot that's all." He stuttered untangling our fingers and moving away his face almost as red as mine. "I should go. Uh go back over to my table. I have a....project! Yeah a project I need to work on!" Luke stood up quickly and began to walk away.

But even faster he turned around and snatched my apple taking a big bite out of it while walking away for a second time.

"He has no shame." I shook my head in slight disapproval.

"Yeah but you like it." Marren teased.

"I do not!" I countered.

"Fine then you like him." Moshe seemed to settle on the same conclusion that she has always before.

"Marren why do always think that I have to like someone?"

"Because everybody always likes someone. It might not be obvious and you don't see it like that but there is always someone that you are fond of."