2

AVA

I am about to say something, maybe to stop whatever Luke is about to do or to break the cold tension but it's too late.

“Don't ever mess with my girlfriend,” Luke says his voice tight and sharp, eyes still fixed on Kai.

Kai watches him, completely unbothered. That same amused look still on his face. He lives to stir people up.

“Kai -” Luke starts again.

“Chill,” Kai cuts in. “ No one is messing with your miss perfect.”

Then his eyes flick down to me. “ She's not even my type.”

I swallow hard. Hearing that from him stirs up something inside me, something I didn't even think was there. I don't know if it's my ego or something else. But hearing Kai Cooper, the same Kai who gives attention to every breathing girl on campus say that? It hits somewhere I don't expect. And the way he looked at me when he said it? I hate it. I hate how it made me feel.

I tear my eyes away from him and turn to Luke. “ Let's go.”

Luke takes my wrist and we walk. I don't know what makes me glance back but I do. He's still looking, his eyes are on me like they never left.

I hiss under my breath and look away. A stupid jerk.

“I don't know how you ended up there, standing that close to Kai but I hated it,” Luke comments as we step out of the dressing room. “ You shouldn't be near someone like him. He is a damn mess.”

“ I was looking for you when I walked in on him and that girl,” I pause. “ Why would I ever be with Kai? I haven't even spoken to him in forever even though he lives just a fence away.”

Luke rakes his fingers through his hair. “ I'm just saying… I don't want to see you near him again. Not even for a second. That sight, just you next to him pissed me off more than I can explain.”

I reach for his hand and lace our fingers together.

“You shouldn't stress over him,” I mutter. “ I've been ignoring Kai since high school. You really think now, after all these years, I would suddenly want to be friends with him?”

Luke loathes Kai. He sees him as a threat, a competitor. They're on the same football team and Kai’s got insane skills too.

There's always some debate about it. Some say Kai should be the star quarterback, but Luke is the one with a well known family, the golden boy and not the reckless bad boy who doesn't give a damn about anything.

“I just…” Luke pauses, then lets out a breath. “Never mind. I trust you not to disobey me and mess with that shithead. You’d never do something stupid.”

I stop in my tracks. “Luke.”

He stops too. “Do you have something to tell me?”

“Remember the chemistry test I was preparing for last weekend?” I question.

Luke shuts his eyes for a second, rubbing his palm across his forehead. “I can’t seem to remember. Can you remind me?” He asks back.

He never remembers. I'm not even fazed by it.

“ The one that made me skip dinner with your family,” I remind him.

“ Oh, that. What about it?”

My lips pull into a wide smile. “ I passed the test.”

I wait for his reaction. I expect a grin, maybe a hug. At least a “ that's great.” But nothing from him, not even a smile.

“ Not surprised,” He says. “ You always ace your tests.”

I start. “ Luke…”

He sighs, taking a glance at his watch. “ I have a meeting with my coach soon. Could be about a game. I need to go. Do you still have classes?”

“ No, I'm done for the day,” I reply.

“ Then go home. I'll come over to see you tonight,” He leans in and gives me a quick kiss on the lips. “ Love you, babe.”

“Bye.”

I watch him walk away.

My eyelids drop. I'm not ready to go home, nothing there but silence. I guess I'll just sit somewhere and think for a while. My favorite spot on campus, it is.

~

You know those moments when all you want is to be alone with your thoughts? Just you and the chaos in your head. For that, you need the right place. Somewhere quiet.

I found mine during my first semester of freshman year. A spot on campus where no one looks for me, where I don't have to smile or explain or pretend. Now in my sophomore year and it is still my favorite place on campus.

The Old Building Rooftop.

It’s an abandoned building, deserted and forgotten. Not that the view is anything special, but it works for me. I’ve heard people come here to smoke, make out, or do whatever they feel like. But since I started coming here, I haven’t seen anyone. It’s always just been me.

I reach the rooftop and head straight for the bench leaning against the wall. That's where I always sit. I sit down, pull out my journal from my tote bag and just hold it for a second.

I want to write. Perhaps I should write something about Luke, about how I want us to work out, about how if we work out, it will make my parents proud. Maybe it'll make me proud too.

“ Well, look who it is,” A voice says behind me, a familiar one.

I don't even need to turn around. That low and amused tone? I already know who it belongs to. The real question is, how didn't I hear him coming? Then again, I was too deep in my thoughts. But how did he know it was me with my back turned and head down? What the hell is he doing here?

I feel him getting closer. I swallow hard, then finally turn around. And there he is, the devil himself, standing just a few inches away now, staring down at me like I am the one who doesn't belong here.

“ Crazy we've run into each other twice today. Is that a sign, Whitmore?”

“ A sign?” I blurt out. “ You're just everywhere I don't need you to be.”

His ocean like eyes widen, just a little. He looks amused. His mouth curls up, dimples appearing on both sides of his face. “ Well damn. I was starting to think you were allergic to speaking around me.”

That might be the most I've ever said to him, ever since the first time I laid eyes on him. I never speak to him. I never have to.

I start.“ Kai -”

“ Ava,”

My chest tightens. My name, from his mouth. It's the first time he's ever said it out loud. How it rolls off his tongue… I hate that it sounds good. Way too good.