Sugar and Spice / l.h ✔️

14

~Maeve's POV~

As I sat in the cafeteria during lunch time, finishing off the last of my food, someone came stalking up behind me. I went to look at them over my shoulder but suddenly they were right there, leaned over me from behind as they placed their hands on the table.

I instinctively froze, thinking that it was Nicolai right up until I smelled leather and vanilla. Luke's scent. My body relaxed until I processed that it was Luke this close to me, and suddenly I was all freaked out for a completely different reason. He was so close to me that I could feel his breath fanning over my neck, as his mouth was right beside my ear. Face filling with warmth, I didn't dare to move, hoping that he didn't notice how much my fingers were trembling. "L-Luke?" I squeaked out, wanting to turn my head to look at him but knowing he was so close our lips would meet if I did that. I could kiss him if I wanted to.

He chuckled softly and I tried to ignore the way that my whole body just about buzzed at the sound, anxiously fiddling with my fingers. "I thought you—-" He suddenly leaned into me more and I audibly gasped, turning my head to look at him without thinking. His head had been moved a little, just enough for me to kiss his cheek instead of his lips. The contact made us both freeze, my eyes wide with embarrassment as I quickly pulled my head back a little. "I-I thought you were going to t-the library to read." I stammered, wiping my palms on my thighs. They weren't sweaty but I was anxious and didn't know what to do with my hands. I couldn't believe that I had just kissed his cheek.

"I was," He affirmed after a second of just looking at me. "But I reminded myself that I need to get your phone number before I forget to ask again." He said, to which I awkwardly nodded my head. "O-Oh, okay." I breathed out, secretly a little glad that he hadn't mentioned the accidental cheek kiss.

However, it seemed that I had thought that a little too early because, as I went to grab my backpack from the seat beside me, he spoke. "So, was that kiss on the cheek an accident or just your way of saying you're glad to see me?" He teased, surprising me. I fumbled, almost dropping my backpack as I looked at him with my lips parted. Beyond embarrassed, I held my backpack to my chest and just opened and closed my mouth like a dying fish. "W-Well, I mean... It was an a-accident...but I am glad to see you!" I rushed out, not possibly wanting to be mean to him by making him think I didn't want to see him.

An amused smile rose on his lips. "I'm just teasing you, blondie." He chuckled, stepping away from me to sit down in the now empty seat beside me.

Still blushing a little, I dug into my backpack as I looked over at him. "Where's your phone?" I asked, pulling mine out of my bag. He reached into his front pocket and pulled it out, typing in his password before he leaned towards me. We exchanged phone numbers and I put his number in under the contact name lengthy Luke.

When he spotted the name I'd put him in as, he blinked and looked at me with surprise. "Lengthy?" He read off, an amused glint in his eyes. I frowned and cocked my head to the side, wondering if he didn't like the name I'd given him. "What?" I pouted, watching as the tiny smile on his lips grew bigger. He was trying not to laugh at me. Confused, I furrowed my brows and gently nudged my knee against his. "Why are you laughing at me?" I complained, not getting what was so funny about it. The grin stayed on his lips. "Nothing, nothing." He assured me, but he still looked amused. "It's great, Mae." He said, trying not to smile by rolling his lips into his mouth.

I huffed and put my phone back into my bag, staring at him. "Fine, then." I grumbled. "What's yours if mine was so funny?" I asked, scooting closer. Our knees brushed a little and then he leaned towards me some more, pressing his knees firmer against mine. "Okay, hm..." He mumbled, peering down at his phone thoughtfully. "Since you put me in your phone with a reference to how tall I am," He began, lips twitching like he was trying not to smile, "then I'll put you as mini Mae." He decided.

A little pout formed on my lips as I peeked over the top of his phone, watching as he put me in his contacts under that name. "Mini Mae?" I whined, glancing up at him.

Luke grinned and met my gaze, his blue eyes glinting playfully. "What? It fits you perfectly." He said, making me huff softly. "I'm not mini!" I protested, giving him a little frown. He just snickered and slipped his phone into his pocket, leaving my contact name as Mini Mae despite the fact that I was protesting against it. "You are mini." He snorted, his forearm resting on the back of the chair he sat in. "Maybe you're just a giant." I grumbled, looping my backpack over the back of my chair since Luke was sat in the seat I'd had my bag in. A laugh left him and he stood up from the chair, making me tilt my head back to peer up at him. "I'm sure I am, in comparison to you." He teased, making my cheeks burn with embarrassment. The height difference between him and I was like night and day.

As he adjusted his backpack on himself, I frowned slightly and cocked my head to the side. "Are you going to the library now?" I asked, knowing that he was getting ready to leave. He nodded his head, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Mhm. Why, you wanna tag along?" He offered, and I paused for a second to consider it. If I went with him to the library then I wouldn't have to deal with Nicolai being around me, but I hadn't yet even finished eating the rest of my lunch yet. I'd barely even began to eat yet, so I forced myself to shake my head as I bit my lip. "I should finish eating." I said, giving him a tiny smile.

His smile faded just a bit before he nodded his head in understanding and bid me goodbye before he stalked off, leaving me to finish eating.