Math is a blur. Luckily, Ms. Jennings is pretty easy going and doesn't question my sulky attitude. Plus, she lets is sit wherever we want, so Luke sits next to me.
"Here's the homework," Luke says as he hands me the calculus hand out for this week. I get a whiff of his masculine smell and just want to lean over and take a sniff. But that would be really strange. Luke has been a good sport putting up with my off-putting mood and making sure I get the notes for math even though all I feel like doing is cuddling up with a book.
"Thanks," I offer a toothy smile that is contagious, causing Luke smile back. Deciding to push all thoughts of my horrible ex-boyfriend Carter out of my mind, I shape up and become a little more cheerful.
The ear-piercing bell rings, signaling the end of class and Luke and I walk out of the room. Before we even leave the doorway, Laila is sprinting down the hall towards us, she fiery red braid trailing behind her.
"Oh my gosh!" She yells breathless. "Cam told me all about this morning. I should have been there to give that jerk face Carter a piece of my mind!" She holds her fist up for emphasis.
I give her a sidelong glance, wondering if she will remember why she forgot to pick me up and why she wasn't there for this mornings events.
"Oh my gosh!" She repeats, a newly manicured hand covers her gasping mouth. "I forgot to pick you up this morning!" In shock, she and Luke continue to walk with me to chemistry class.
"It's no problem," I casually respond. "Luke gave me a ride." I know she will just faint at the thought of Luke and I hanging out together. She believes we are perfect for each other. "He gave me French toast."
Luke throws he a flashy smile and I can imagine Laila planning our wedding in her head; maybe she will plan a French toast reception cake.
When we stop by Luke's class, English with Mr. Chen, Cam comes out to make sure I'm doing okay.
"I'm fine," I say with an exasperated sigh, I can take care of myself! Laila walks with me the rest of the way to chemistry, insisting on protecting me from anymore "Carter related encounters" as she puts it, besides her next class, drama, is right next door.
"So," she starts. "You and Luke, huh."
I roll my eyes at her random comment. "Laila, Luke is just a good friend."
"Sure, I see it all over your face. You like Luke Asher!" She accusingly says. How could she make assumptions like that? They could be false, or not.
Before I can respond, the bell rings and we part ways and scurry to our classes. I pour myself into chemistry today, to take my mind off of the reoccurring subject of boys, and do an extra careful job while testing chemicals. I don't think working with chemicals should be allowed on Mondays because my lab partner almost set our desk on fire. Luckily, I saved our almost barbecued lab table before it was too late.
The bell rings and everyone shuffles out of the classroom. I slowly pack up my things, not too eager to go to break. But my grumbling stomach tells me I need to go get a snack.
Before I go to the cafeteria, I stop by my locker and grab an emergency bag of gold fish. When I get to the cafeteria I immediately spot Cameron towering over everyone else. He waves me over to a table all our friends our sitting at. I plop down next to Kris and across from Laila.
"Where's Sam?" I ask Laila, noticing Sam's absence.
"He's sick with the flu," she glumly explains.
"Hope you didn't catch anything with all the kissing you two did," Luke teases. Everyone laughs except Kris who barely even cracks a smile.
"Luke!" She squeals. "We have not done any smooching!" Laila defends herself, and her significant other.
"That's it!" Kris shouts pounding her hands on the table. Suddenly, every pair of eyes at our table is on her.
"Kris, are you okay?" Cameron kindly asks.
"No, I'm not," she sternly says. I have only seen Kris this mad once.
"You," Kris says pointing an accusing finger at Laila. "You know that I have had a huge crush on Sam since we were in 7th grade! And now here you go rubbing in your date right in my face!" Kris has tears streaming down her face.
"I had no idea, I thought you were over him," Laila explained.
"Well maybe you could have asked first!" Kris shrieks and then runs out if the cafeteria.
"Did you have any idea?" Laila asks me. I shake my head.
"Should we go get her?" Luke asks right as the bell rings.
"We'll not right now," Cam says as we head to our next classes. I have English with Kris next, but when I get to class I notice she isn't there. After English I walk to my U.S History class. Finally, I find Kris walking to Ms. Jennings's math class during passing period.
"Kris!" I exclaim. "There you are! How are you doing?"
"Great!" She smiles as if nothing happened this morning. Confused, I sit through history and don't understand a thing my teacher, Mr. Libman, tries to teach us. Finally lunch rolls around and I am so thankful to be heading to the long lunch line to pick up a turkey sandwich. When I get to our table, everyone else is already there, enjoying themselves. Kris is back to normal after her meltdown earlier, except she's not speaking to Laila.
Lunch turns to be hilarious, with Cameron and Luke trading cheesy pickup lines and cracking tons of jokes. I almost had Dr. Pepper coming out of my nose because I was laughing so hard.
"So, Nat," Luke says during a comfortable pause in the conversation. "Do you maybe want to go to the movies Tuesday? There is a new action-adventure you will probably like."
"I'd love to," I say to Luke. And it's true. I, Natalie Rose Sparks, want to go on a date with Luke.
"Oh. My. GOSH!" Laila squeals. "I knew it I knew it! I ship it!" Her enthusiasm makes me smile.
"I don't," a cool voice next to me says. I look over to see Cameron angrily staring at Luke. "How can you just go out with a guy that just ditched you years ago?"
"Cameron! You don't always have to be looking out for me!" I respond. "Come with me." I painfully drag Cam out if the cafeteria, while digging my baby blue painted fingernails into his arm. I glance behind me at Luke and he looks like he wants to floor to swallow Cam.
Outside of the cafeteria, I loose my temper; today has been a horrible today.
"What makes you think you can tell me what to do?" I shout at Cameron.
"Luke stopped being your friend when you were only in second grade! You were all alone until Kris and I came to your rescue," he shouts back. A few freshmen gives us strange looks, but the quickly walk away when I flash them a death stare.
"Cam!" I scream. "How could you be so conceited! Luke did not just 'ditch' me!"
"When I was in second grade, and Luke was third grade," I start to explain. "Luke was in a car accident with one of his close friends. The friend was killed and Luke was in a coma for five months. Luke had broken bones, lots of blood loss, and needed an organ transplant. When he was finally out of the hospital, after ten months, he had to stay home most of the time. I could barely see him. We grew apart, but now that he is here, we are as close as ever. So that, Cameron, is why Luke "ditched" me! I can't believe you are so selfish." I storm off away, muttering some not-so-nice words under my breath. Hot tears stream down my face and I don't dare turn around because I don't want to have to see Cam's stunned face.
It's official; I truly hate Mondays.
•
a/n: so I hope you like this long and intense chapter! I'm breaking it into two parts because there is a lot going on! :)
xox clo
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Love Hurdles
Teen Fiction"He looks so familiar. Luke, I think, the name finally clicks in my brain. My neighbor, but I haven't seen him in years. And that is definitely not the same scrawny Luke I remember from second grade." • Natalie Sparks is your ordinary teenage girl...
