8 love triangle

Chapter Eight

I find myself tucked into bed when my alarm goes off. I look around confused about how I ended up here when I remember last night's events. I lay further into my bed not wanting to get up just yet.

Five minutes pass before I make my way to my bathroom to shower. I flinch as the water runs over my wrist and try to keep it out of direct contact with the stream, but give up as I wash my hair.

Right after I get dressed, me and Alex head towards his car.

"What made you cut?" I didn't even get time to buckle in my seatbelt yet. I flinch at his forwardness.

"Just a girl at school. It's not that bad." I snap in the buckle in and turn to look outside.

"What's her name."

"It really isn't that big of a deal, Alex."

"Emma." He says sternly, I sigh and turn back to him annoyed in his persistence.

"Sophie. I don't know her last name, just know she's in my grade and hates me." He just nods and focuses back on driving.

Once at school I make my way away from Alex. I hope he doesn't take action on his own. I shudder at the thought. Yesterday was fine with no Sophie drama and I'd hate for it to return because my brother just had to confront her.

I stand in front of my locker as I wait for Isabel to show up. I pull out my phone and scroll through Instagram.

"Emma."

I jump back startled almost dropping my phone in the process, not expecting Luke to come up to me.

"You scared me!" I push my hair out of my eyes.

"Sorry didn't mean to." He laughs,

"I just came over to ask if you wanted to study with me after school for the history test that's coming up?" He looks at me hopefully.

"I was unaware we had one, I better get on that." I mentally start to freak over spacing another test this week.

"Emma?" He waves his hand in front of my eyes,

"Is that a yes?"

"Uh, yes! Of course." I chuckle nervously.

"Cool, I'll meet with you here after school." With that, he waves and leaves towards his friends.

I finally spot Isabel and make my way up to her and catch up on yesterday's afternoon events.

→ → →

I sit in my normal spot in the back of biology and I can't help but wonder when Ashton will walk in. I shouldn't even care really, but I can't help it. After last night, I can't help but think of Ashton in a more friendly way.

He finally walks in and makes his way to our spot while Mr. Morgan goes over last week's material again and tells the class to study for the upcoming test at the end of the week. Of course, he decided to give us a test when we also have to finish a giant presentation. Oh, and who could forget? Me but that's beside the point. . We also, well at least me, have a history test! Only high school teachers, honestly. Planning every test ever on the same day because one just isn't enough.

Everyone, once again, gets up to sit by their friends, and the level of talking increases.

I take this time to set a reminder that I have two tests this week to study for when Ashton decides to start up a conversation with me.

"I can't help but notice that you a Luke have a thing going on between the two of you."

"Yea, so what?"

"You like Luke because he's hot but looks can be perceiving. Take me for instance, you took one look at me and assumed I was a bad person. Luke is not as great as you think." Wow, straight to the point much?

"I don't believe you, I know him and he's a great guy." I really hope that my judgment on Luke is right. Hearing Ashton says that gets me uneasy...

"Just don't get mad when I say I told you so." Ashton looks away, not even the smallest glimpse of emotion.

"Trust me, I won't" I cannot believe the way he's acting about it. First Alex now him?

"Why do you care so much?"

"I don't, I just don't you to end up like every other girl he's toyed with"

I look at him skeptically. I haven't heard anything negative about Luke until Ashton so I can't help but be wary. Why does he care so much about what happens to me and Luke anyway? Maybe he actually cares about me? No. Can't be.

I turn back towards the study sheet and check off what I know and what I need to learn by Friday.

By lunch, thoughts of Luke and Ashton circle my mind. Was Ashton right? Luke did seem kind of weird on our 'date'. But other than that, he's been okay. I never see him with other girls besides Sophie, but he swore that meant nothing. What if it was more than he led on?

I shake my head of my obsessive thinking when I see Luke himself making his way to me. In the corner of my eye, I see Ashton look up at him as well. I turn to glare at Ashton to get him off my back. I can make my own choices. If I happen to be wrong, I'll deal with it later.

"How's your morning been?" Luke says sitting down next to me. Sophie gives me a look then shakes her head towards Ashton. I had forgotten that she'd been there. I'm such a great friend. I just shake my head and mouth 'later' to her.

"It's been fine." I reply to Luke.

"Just fine? How about you Isabel?" Isabel looks up from her food, confused for a second.

"Uhm, good, I guess." A faint blush creeps into her cheeks and I can't help but laugh at her awkwardness. My laughter is cut short though when a carrot hits me square in the face.

Just as I was going to defend my honor, Sophie bangs her hands on the table claiming our attention. Could she not handle not making everything a big deal?

"Oh there you are Lukey, I've been looking for you." She then looks at me in disgust and continues,

"Why are you here with the loser squad? Come on, let's go somewhere else." She demands Luke and proceeds to grab him, pulling him away.

"See you after school." He turns back while getting dragged away. I give a light smile but it most certainly wasn't genuine. How could he let her say that about me and Isabel? Maybe he was caught off guard. Yes, that must it. And I could always bring it up later.

"So you're seeing him again after school?" Isabel asks, seemingly not affected by Sophie's words.

"Yes. He wanted to study for our history test, which I totally didn't know we had." I laugh at myself.

"Just be careful with him, okay? I don't like how Sophie and him act like that. I wouldn't want anything bad to go down."

Isabel's worry along with Ashton's dawns on me the rest of the day. Luke really did seem okay to me. Of course I didn't like him and Sophie together, but he assured me nothing was going on there. Maybe I'm being naive, but I just want to trust Luke. He hasn't given me a solid reason not to yet.

I get my things in order at my locker and wait for Luke to show up so we can leave.

I spot him, around the corner, and make my way towards him. I then realize I need to let Alex know where I am or he'll freak out again. I send him a quick text not bothering to wait for his response as I make my way outside behind Luke.

A: is everything okay?

A: Emma? please answer

A: where are you?

A: Emma?

3:22 pm

E: Just letting you know before I forget, I'm going out with Luke rn

E: I'll be fine, promise.

I place my phone in my pocket as Luke opens the passenger door open for me, I thank him as I get in, placing my bag by my feet.

My leg bounces in anticipation of going to Luke's. This will be my first time seeing or being in his house. Will his parents be home?

He slows down in front of a huge house and I wonder how anyone could afford this place. He opens the gate for him to drive through and parks in front of the front door. Inside was just as big as it looked outside. Everywhere was spacious and made me hope to god I do not find myself lost in here.

I couldn't help but find myself comparing Luke's to Ashton's place. I internally scold myself because I have a thing for Luke. Me and Ashton are just partners for a project, nothing more. So why can't I stop thinking of him?

"My room is just this way."

I snap my head towards Luke and follow him upstairs to the second door on my right. He leads me in first to his room and I stand by his bed looking around. It looks like a teenage boys room should look like, a little messy and personalized. He has a guitar in the corner that looks like it's been played a bit and a bunch of various CDs stacked on his dresser, the top being an all time low album.

He invites me to sit on his bed and I comply and we go back and forth quizzing each other on the test material.

Once I'm fairly certain I got most of the stuff permanently into my head, I fall backward into Luke's king sized bed. What one person needs a bed this big anyway? I guess I wouldn't mind it.

Luke follows suit with my actions sighing in content.

"I really like you, Em".

I turn to look at him. Did he mean it like friends or more?

"I like you too." I smile at him. He props himself up on his elbows and looks over at me with a lopsided smile.

"I meant I have feelings for you." I instantly feel my cheeks heat up and look straight ahead in embarrassment. I've never had anyone confess they had feelings for me. How are you supposed to react in these situations?

"Really?" Really? That's what you ask? I mentally slap myself for being so wordless. He laughs lightly at my self humiliation and turns my cheek to look him in the eye.

"Are you going to stop overthinking and answer me?" He says softly still holding my cheek. I look into his striking blue eyes and try to come up with an answer. Did I like him? I think I did. I nod my head waiting for my mouth to comply with supplying an answer.

"I- I like you too, Luke." Almost as instantly as I said it, he bends down to kiss my cheek, causing me to blush even harder. 

We lay there a bit longer and talk about our lives. I learned he has two older brothers, Ben and Jack, who are both in college and only come by for holidays. His parents are often out of town for business and when they are home, they're mostly working on their studies. It's quite sad, but I could relate to not seeing my dad too often. I wish I'd see less of my mom.

He also goes on about how when his brothers were still in high school, they'd throw the best parties when their parents were out, and how he keeps that tradition and won't stop until he's out of school.

"You must get lonely being here alone all the time."

"It's not that bad, I mostly just invite friends over."

We decide that it's time we should get me home, so I get my stuff in order and head out.

The ride home was short and sweet. I turn to Luke before stepping out to thank him but instead am greeted by his soft lips on mine. I pause a second before I finally give in and kiss him back.

My first kiss.