LOGINLUKE’S P.O.VDre looks over her shoulder while I walk a little quicker, falling into her steps. I stay quiet, trying to pick up on her mood since she hadn’t responded to my last text about the date.It took everything I had to send the text. My confidence does surprise me sometimes, because I still find it hard to believe I actually sent it—without the usual fear of scaring her off that’s been choking me lately. I thought about it before class, and the next thing I knew, I was hitting send.Now, I can’t gauge her tone or how she really feels about the whole date thing from her one-sentence response. But from the way she’s looking, I don’t think she likes the idea.The sky hangs grey above us as we reach my car in the parking lot. It’s always like this when we leave school. Our schedules of late line up because of games and practice, so I get to drive her home after her tutoring sessions and my training.I open the passenger door and help her in, watching her for a few extra sec
DRE’S P.O.VGeneral class has begun, and the subject is plain, simple mathematics.I like the general classes aside from the fact that everyone I don’t want to see is present. I don’t have to stress as much as I do in AP classes, because they're less challenging. I scan the class out of habit, searching for Luke. I’m considering slipping into the back row with him so we can goof around like we do sometimes, but he isn’t here. He and the rest of the team got permission to train instead. Silver sits next to me, glued to her phone because she doesn’t take this class seriously either.“Well, aren’t we a prideful pair,” she jokes when she notices I have no books or pencils out to take notes.I tap a finger to my temple and grin. “It’s math. We can solve any question easily in our heads.”“Exactly!”It’s great having Silver around. If I’d made that same joke to Luke, he would’ve rolled his eyes, muttered something about me being a nerd, and then laughed anyway. I like doing well
LUKE’S P.O.VI took Dre’s advice. After practice, I hang back on the benches while the rest of the team heads to the locker room. Vincent is still in Coach’s office. I wait for him, eyes fixed on the whiteboard where he’d drawn up the new formation days ago. No one has erased it or made any alterations. My name and number stand out in black marker written in Vincent’s handwriting. FORD 34, and right beside it, HAWKINS 29, written directly over where REECE 01 used to be.It looks wrong; it has always been “FORD AND REECE.” Seeing another name aside his will take me a while to get used to.Vincent and I haven’t been the closest. He damn well hates me, especially after he found out I’d been messing around with his then-girlfriend Ruth. He has every right to hate me, and he does, but he never let his hate bleed into the game. He put it all behind him and put the game first for the sake of the team. I respect him a lot for that.But still, just because he’s trying his best to tolerat
DRE’S P.O.VUnlike me, Luke actually likes it when I show up for his games. Win or lose, he doesn’t care. Besides, the basketball playoffs were more exciting than any of my math competitions. The entire school had packed the gym for the last game, and another massive one was coming up this weekend.Lately, though, Luke has been oddly nervous about it. Earlier in the season, he’d been loose and more confident. But things were different now than before. Then SATs were still months away; now they’re breathing down our necks. He also has constant back-and-forth meetings at his lawyer’s office trying to free himself from his father’s mess. Basketball isn’t the clean escape it used to be for Luke. He tries to hide it, but I can see the weight pressing on him. Once I’m awake, I roll over to the edge of the bed, only to find him wide awake, thinking.The moment his eyes meet mine, they soften.“Hey,” I whisper. “Can’t sleep?”“Not really,” he says roughly, his voice weak with exhaustion.I
LUKE’S P.O.VAnother buzz erupts, not letting me finish.Desperate to ignore it, I crush my lips against Dre's. But she pulls back and her grip eases off my dick.“Luke,” she says softly, putting space between us by planting her hands on my chest. I sigh, frustrated, my jaw clenching hard. Why now? Why does he always have to ruin everything?“Is it your, Dad?”The moment is already gone, and my chest heaves heavily on top of her.“It’s him. He’s been calling since the day I left the motel. I’ve been ignoring him ever since.”I pull away, climbing off the bed to get my phone that I had angrily kicked away, staring at the same burner number he’s been using to call me since.I look to Dre, then shake my head. “I can’t do this.”“Then you don’t have to,” she tells me. “But you need to figure something out. You can’t keep living like this, watching your back each time afraid he'll come for you again, just because you won’t do what he says.”Dre’s right. And even though I've been
DRE’S P.O.VLuke flips us gently, laying me back so my head rests against the pillows. He hovers over me, lips trailing down my throat, over my collarbone, pushing my shirt higher as he goes. Every touch, every kiss pulls a sound from me, a soft breathy gasp, as he continues showering me with his kisses.My hands fist in his hair as he kisses lower, tasting the skin of my stomach.A throaty moan slips out from him, the vibration rumbling into my oversensitive skin as I pull his hair tighter.His fingers finally hook into my shorts and thong, sliding them down my legs. I’m soaked, glistening, and the sight makes him moan again, long and low.“Fuck, Dre… you’re perfect,” he rasps, voice thick with desire, the heat of his breath warms the slick between my thighs. My legs twitch, and he pins them down gently but firmly, teasing me with another warm exhale that has me squirming.“I wish… we can stay this way forever,” he breathes.“Luke,” I beg, hating and loving the way he messes
DRE’S P.O.VIn school, I look out for Luke.Every day since he left my room, I’ve looked out for him. For the first week, he didn’t come to school, he came the week after that, and every other day since then, but I barely saw much of him at all. Just the back of his head in the hallways, which I no
DRE’S P.O.VWhen my bladder is full and I’m busting to pee, that’s when I force myself awake.My eyes are glum and swollen from last night’s tears and from the lack of sleep I’ve had. I tried to sleep, but sleep barely came. Each passing day, and every hour after Luke left, I’d wake up. I’ll look t
LUKE’S POVI don’t let go of Ruth’s hand as we push through the cafeteria doors and into the hallway. The bell is ringing; students spill out everywhere, but I don’t slow down. My grip stays firm, pulling her away from the noise until I spot an empty classroom at the end of the corridor. The door
DRE’S P.O.VI give Luke one last pleading look, then focus my attention on Ruth, who’s now in the seat next to him, both of them sitting opposite me. “Hey,” she greets me, then turns to smile at Luke. He barely acknowledges her, still staring at me instead, like I’d betrayed him. In a way, I have,







