Coffee Break || On Hold

Chapter 6: What's it Feel Like to be a Sore Loser?

JULIE

It was finally game day, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't an anxious mess. To make matters worse, Luke was insistent on hiding behind a bush next to Tyler's window and watching our plan in action.

And, since he's Luke, he was going to do that even if he had to drag me thrashing and screaming. So, naturally, I saved us both the trauma of that situation and reluctantly agreed.

"I did not need to see that." I cringed at the sight of Nicole and Tyler making out in his bedroom. Nicole was being a bit too 'rough', but we knew that it's probably because she was restraining herself from clawing his eyes out with her acrylics.

Luke pulled his binoculars — yes, binoculars — away from his eyes and shuddered in disgust. "That's it. I'm cleaning my eyes out with bleach after we're done."

"I feel inappropriate," Anna said, all wide eyes and pink cheeks. "Is this necessary?"

"Of course it's necessary, don't you want to see that asshat's reaction when she leaves him hanging?" Luke said, snickering. "Literally hanging."

Anna's cheeks reddened even further — which I didn't think was possible — and I gave him a good old punch to his arm, smiling anyway.

The anticipation of seeing the look on Tyler's face after he realizes Nicole ditched him was the only thing keeping me here, attempting to stay as calm as possible at the sight of this douchebag's tongue down my best friend's throat.

"I saw that smile, Sanders," Luke half-whispered, giving me a sarcastic smile of his own. "Try as you might to hide it, I know you loooove my jokes."

And he just had to sing the 'love' part. Typical.

I turned slightly to face him, his face only mere inches away from mine, and I couldn't help but stare, my usual retort dying in my throat. Puberty didn't just hit him since second grade, it ran him over with a monster truck several times. In a good way, as much as it pains me to admit. Gone was the brace-faced, scrawny Luke from my childhood, and in his place was a mischievous, green-eyed boy with a sharp tongue and an even sharper jawline.

"Now, I know what you're thinking," he commented, smiling slyly. "Oh, his eyes are so green and he's so charming and I would definitely let him father my children, what a hunk!" He then proceeded to make exaggerated kissy faces.

"Real mature, Hastings." I scoffed, crossing my arms and trying to ignore the heat creeping up my neck. "You wish."

He shook his head as he turned back to his binoculars, the stupid smirk still plastered on his stupid face, and oh, how I wished I could slap it off. So I did.

It just made him smile wider.

"You guys, stop messing around," Anna scolded, fiddling with the black beanie that did a terrible job of covering her mop of blonde hair. She was then interrupted by a call. She huffed and accepted the call, getting up and mouthing 'one sec' to us.

"You know, I'm surprised you're even helping us do this," I said in a matter-of-fact tone when Anna was gone, putting the binoculars back up on my eyes to avoid having to maintain eye contact.

"Huh? Why?"

"You don't really strike me as the most compassionate person."

I lowered the binoculars, noticing how his serious expression was a stark contrast from his playfulness a few minutes ago. "Despite what you think, Sanders, I'm not going to stand by while a girl is being taken advantage of. That's the lowest of all lows."