Perfect Harmony

Chapter 4

             It’s raining so badly right now and I can’t contact Isaac. These groceries are so damn heavy. Why didn’t I let Isaac come with me when he insisted? I’m such a jerk. This is terrible. This is the first time, actual first time I can’t call Isaac for rescue. Now, I regret leaving my keys at Kennedy’s and having to walk here from Isaac’s apartment.

            I’m already about to drop my groceries when a familiar voice with a funny cute accent speaks into space.

            “Hey, look who’s here. Holla there, Jessy.”, Luke teased.

            “It’s Jess.”, I corrected. He doesn’t have the right to call me that. Not even Isaac calls me that.

            “Touché, Jess. Chill out.”, he smiled and looked down at my grocery bags. “Need help?”

            “Actually no, I can handle this.”, I bitterly uttered.

            “C’mon, we can be friends. Why do you seem so pissed at me?”, he smirked. His dimples appeared and they look so pretty. I’ve never liked dimples till him—What the hell, Jess.

            “I’m not pissed at you. I just don’t need your help.”

            “Okay, if you insist. I’ll get going. At least let me give you an umbrella.”, he pulled out his umbrella and opened it for me.

            “Are you dumb? How do I manage to bring groceries and hold an umbrella at the same time?”

            He didn’t respond for a few seconds then blurted out a loud, annoying laugh. Then, I realized. I was the dumb one. I was refusing his help and calling him the dumb one. So I just pressed a palm on my face and looked down, embarrassed.

            “Hey, I didn’t mean to laugh.”, he held my chin up and I felt a tingly feeling on my skin, as if it burned a bit. “Just let me help you this one time, I won’t offer any other time. I know you hate me.”, he continued.

            “I don’t hate you.”

            I don’t exactly dislike him. I just don’t like his presence at Kennedy’s. He’s a threat. To our career and to my life. I don’t know why. I just feel like it…

            “Then if that’s the case,”, he picked two of my grocery bags “let’s get going.”, he smiled.

            “You’re eager, Luke. Very eager.”

            “Maybe.”, he winked.

            We walked to his Volvo as I held the umbrella up to keep us from getting wet by the stupid stupid stupid rain. It brought me to this awkward situation.

            He put down the groceries at the back of his car and walked me to the passenger’s seat. He placed a hand on the low of my back and guided me in.  Simple but effective, I thought. He closed the door and proceeded to the driver’s seat and started the engine. Volvos are cool. They sound, smell and look nice. But I didn’t want to tell Luke that. We aren’t friends or something. Or should I be casual with him now because we’re about to spend more time together at work? I let out a big sigh and he noticed that.

            “You really don’t like much, huh.”, he asked.

            “Not really. Just feeling awkward.”, I responded looking out the window to keep myself from acting weird. I’m weird. Loads weird.