Were I Her

Chapter 2

Fifteen minutes into class and Luke Hanson Ashford comes rushing to the door, an everlasting smile stamp on his handsome face.

"I'm really sorry I'm late Mrs. Duncan. May I come in?" He says in this husky, morning voice and all eyes are on him. The girls', I can tell, have hearts in them.

"You're fifteen minutes late, Mr. Ashford. What's the excuse?" Mrs. Duncan, one of the few sane people left in the room, questions placidly. Everyone knows she's a tough teacher that none should cross.

"There's a stray dog with a broken leg in my driveway this morning and I had to take him to the animal shelter. I didn't mean to be late." Luke Ashford runs his hand through his dark, shinny, curly hair and says with a shrug.

Like people will buy that nonsense he's selling?

"Of course you didn't. And that's very kind of you too Ashford. Come take a seat" Mrs. Duncan's voice turns mother-like all of a sudden and she too seems to have hearts in her eyes.

Just like that, Luke Ashford strides proudly to his seat right in front of Cindy under the awe of the whole class. If it's not Luke, who on earth can be let go by Mrs. Duncan that easily and pleasantly? I'm telling you this world is crazy.

"That's smooth Ashford" I hear Cindy whisper to Luke when he's done settling in his seat. But I don't turn to look at them.

"Thanks Trudeau" He turns slightly around to face her. The smile on his face is still prominent. Then I see, from my peripheral vision, his eyes widen a little "You have a hair cut?"

"So your eyes are still functioning I see –" Cindy smirks a little "How do you think?"

"Looks great" Luke compliments her with his ever soft voice and a sneaky thumb-up. No one in this world does it better than he does, giving compliments and making people feel good about themselves. It all sounds so kind and so not phony coming out of his mouth it is a gift. Maybe that's why everyone loves him just like how they love Aaron. Beside his pretty face, of course.

"Hi Penny" He turns my direction all of a sudden, stops for a moment and says in an even quieter voice.

I am paralyzed for a fraction of a second before automatically return his greeting with a boring, monotoned "Hi Luke". It's like I just copy his words and don't even bother to come up with my own line. Not that his Hi Penny is any creative, really.

Then everyone turns back to the teacher and refocuses on the subject. Well, everyone but me. I am half with the teacher, half with the back of Luke's head to my right.

Isn't it weird that a simple Hi Penny can occupy my head for so long? But I haven't seen Luke for one or two months now, looking at him again makes it all so strange to me. It feels like a tiny cat keeps scratching inside my chest after his Hi Penny occurs.

You may now wonder who this Luke Ashton maybe to me? Well, it's a long story, he is my close friend since sixth grade but one year into high school and we are not close friends anymore. We are just good friends. He hangs with the guys from the basketball team because he is one of them, and he is with the popular ones because he is just like them, and he keeps it friendly with the rest of the school because he is favored by them. Luke Ashford plays any of his cards well, if you know what I mean.

Meanwhile, I only hang out with a limited number of people, no more than five to be honest. Luke Ashford only used to be one of them. We just drifted apart when his world expanded and mine didn't.

Long story short? I grew some feelings for my best friend of many years at the beginning of tenth grade, confessed and got rejected. I stepped back for the sake of my pride, he didn't stop it. End of story.