20

Luke's POV

God, what was I thinking?! I shouldn't have acted that way. I should stop confusing my past with my present. Linda's not my dad, and she doesn't mean anything to me, It's just revenge. So when I see her today, I'll tell her I forgive her. I mean what do I care if she's going out with our homeroom teacher. Fine, he's good looking but does she have to go out with him? I mean she could go out with...go out with... Uh!!! Just tell her you forgive her and that'll be that.

I turn around the corner to see the mass of students blocking my way making it hard to get to Linda. But what I find mostly weird is the fact that they're staring at her locker.

Damn it! Could Alexia be bullying her.

I stand rooted to the ground when I see Liam McCourt standing over Linda and both of them smiling at each other. He leans close to her ear and whispers something to her which sends her into a fit of giggles.

For some reason, it seems difficult for me to breathe. After a moment, I'm overcome with blinding rage. I can't stand to look at Linda even for a second longer, so I turn around and head to class. I'm not even looking at where I'm headed and so collide with Jack

" woah! Luke! Watch where you're going. " he says trying to steady himself.

" sorry " I say grumpily.

" you are angry. Why are you angry? " he asks raising a brow.

" nothing, just getting to class. " I quickly say trying to pass by him.

" you getting to class, and early too, yeah right. Either way, I want to introduce you to someone, his name is Liam McCourt, used to go here. The guy is really chill. Funny thing is, he's a friend of Linda's. " he says actually smiling.

" yeah I know. " I reply gruffly and elbow him out of the way as I make my way to class, not missing the suspicious, all knowing look he gives me.

Damn it! I don't like her that way.

~ ~ ~

I had to sit through homeroom and all the other classes I had with Linda just to watch her joke around with Liam.

Exchanging funny notes with Liam, texting Liam, is there anything she didn't do with Liam? Why the hell I'm I getting angry over this?

I'm still brewing over all that madness, when I step into the cafeteria to get some food, only to see once more, the two lovebirds waiting in line to get some food.

Just great! Since when does Linda get food from the cafeteria? Probably wanted to be with her boy toy. First the homeroom teacher and now Liam, she sure is getting around for a girl in her own cocoon.

I decide to face her now, rather than later. " Liam! " I say with all enthusiasm.

" Luke! It's been so long since I last saw you. " Liam says as cheerfully as ever. " I believe it was last year at that party your mom held. "

I feel myself barely restraining the anger boiling within me. I narrow my eyes at him, wanting to lash at him, when I see the remorse in his eyes. Not pity, but that remorseful feeling that he'd done something wrong, one reason I always liked the guy.

He always knows when he's wrong and how to apologize unlike some people.

" I'm really sorry, I totally forgot. I shouldn't have... "

I sigh deeply.

Just why can't I hate this guy?

" it's okay, people forget. " I say trying to sound all tough.

He smiles a bit awkwardly, looking like he'd apologize again.

" I already said it's okay. Just get your food already so I can get mine. "

" okay. " he says throwing his arm around Linda as they make their way through the various food sections laid out.

Did he really have to do that?

" So Linda , why are you getting food? I thought you'd bring some from home. " I ask hoping to get a reaction from her.

" I brought a couple of things but they're probably not going to be enough. " she says looking at me a little confused. " I thought you were mad at me. "

" oh please, let's let bygones be bygones. " I say like it was no big deal.

It was a big deal! But it's not like she cares.

That thought makes me feel a little depressed, a feeling I know quite well and scares the hell out of me. But it's then I notice Liam and Linda staring at me suspiciously. " why are you staring at me like that? " I ask placing more food on my tray.

" well...you're awful forgiving...today. " Linda says dragging out the words warily.

" even from when I knew you in England, you weren't...exactly... forgiving. "

" a guy can always change and what I was mad at her about is not really a big deal. Just ask her. " I say smiling to myself as I head to the tables outside.

I find Jack, Dave, Russ, Leah and two kids - I most definitely haven't seen before - sitting at the table we've been sitting at since last week. As I draw closer to them, it's then I notice that I actually know them, Alex Monroe and Veronica Monroe.

I hear Linda draw in a quick breath. " Alex! " she exclaims sounding shocked.

" don't I get a hug? " he asks tilting his head slightly.

She runs over to him and pulls him into a bone crushing hug. " oh my God, I missed you so much. " she says almost sounding like she is about to cry.

" nice knowing I was missed bones. But just in case you forgot, you are made up of more bones than flesh, you're kinda killing me right now. " he says struggling for breath.

who knew she could hug like that, always hugging other guys excluding me. God what I'm I thinking? Bet she hugged Russ in that building last week.

With that in mind I unconsciously sit next to her and glare at Russ who is sitting opposite me.

" um, Luke, should I be worried? " Russ asks swallowing deeply.

" no, why are you asking? " I ask scowling at my food.

I notice Liam sitting opposite Linda and smiling as if everything is just right in the world.

" well you were...glaring at me. "

Linda whom I now notice had been hugging Veronica untangles herself from the poor girl who is gasping for air while Linda sits back down on her sit.

" my eyes were focused on a direction and you just happened to be in that direction. So technically I was not glaring at you, I was glaring at a direction. " I say glaring right on.

Russ gulps nervously gulps and turns to face Liam " so Liam can we please exchange seats? " he asks uncomfortably.

" sorry but I kinda like my view. " he says winking at Linda, who blushes furiously. Then he put her tray in front of her.

Aww! How disgustingly cute.

Russ immediately has this funny look on his face but I'm not quite sure if I'm seeing things cause as soon as I see it, it's gone.

" by the way, you don't have to worry, Luke over here has become quite forgiving. " Liam says smiling.

Every pair of eyes immediately turns to stare at me.

" what? Can't a guy change? " I ask with frustration in my voice.

This only makes them to raise their eyebrows at me.

" Like I said earlier " I say narrowing my eyes at Liam. " what she did wasn't much of a big deal just ask her she will tell you. "

" what did you do? " Jack asks with a suspicious tone.

" I forgot about our group reading and left him waiting. I also came back home late. "

I hear Dave mutter something about me punching him the last time he kept me waiting .

" shut up " I say in a dangerously low voice.

Jack has this look on his face that says I know your secret.

But what secret could I possibly have?

" so...Linda, where'd you go. " Jack asks trying to hide his smile.

That conniving jackass! Ha! Suits his name.

" Libby's house, it was fun! " she said giggling excitedly.

I bet it was.

" Libby as in Libby Cox. " Jack asks unable to hide his smile anymore.

" yep, the one and only. " she replied smiling happily.

" let me guess, Austin was there. "

" uhhuh " she replied taking a sip from her strawberry smoothie which is the same color as the lip she just used her tongue to run over.

Focus Luke! Fo...

But I loose my train of thought as soon as she does it again. I quickly clear my throat and focus my attention on my food. " so Linda, how come you're not acting all cozy with Austin today? Thought you were dating the guy? "

" huh... " Linda tries to say something but before she can give a proper reply, the man of the hour comes striding in all the glory of his 6'2 height.

Now isn't this going to be fun?

He plops down next to Liam and raises his arm. I except him to punch Liam for hanging around school with his girl but the punch doesn't come. Instead, they give each other bro hugs.

To say I'm confused would be quite the understatement of the year. " I'm not sure I'm exactly clear on what is going on right now. " I say sounding bewildered as I look from Austin to Liam and back again.

" ah! Right. Luke meet my uncle, Austin Cox. Uncle, Luke Matthew. " Liam heartily introduces us.

" oh! " I reply lacking the correct word to respond. After a few seconds of taking in the new information, I finally ask the question that has been on my mind. " so Austin are you dating Linda or not? "

" jeez could you be any ruder than that? Try mister will ya? " Linda asks with a sneer on her face.

" don't see you saying mister when you're giggling and blushing, blusher queen. " I say sneering right back at her.

" okay kids you don't have to fight. " Austin says rolling his eyes. " And no Luke I'm not dating Linda, cause as cute as she is I don't date trouble makers or my students. And Lindy love, I don't mind grumpy Lukey calling me Austin. "

" And that is why, they don't respect you, Mr Cox " Mrs Richards says sauntering past us.

" Maybe you could give me some pointers as to what to do to gain their respect. " Austin says standing up to follow Mrs Richards. He winks at Linda and says " Adiós les enfants. " to the rest of us.

" He does know, he just spoke two different languages in one sentence. I mean that's just wrong, wayyy wrong. " I say sounding confused.

Immediately I say that, everyone burst out laughing around me.

" No! Seriously Liam, where the hell did he learn to teach? "

This only causes them to laugh harder than ever.

But Liam being serious as ever still answers the question. " He studied at Southern New Hampshire. "

" just how did he make it out of there? "

We all continue to laugh but I later decide to ask him another question which bothered me since Austin left. " so why is Austin after Mrs Richards? Isn't she married?. "

Everyone becomes sober and kind of sad.

Okayyy what the hell is going on?

" she's single, a widow actually. She kinda lost her husband ten years back. He was trying to save a little kid. He did save the kid but he died. " Dave explained looking a bit sad and lost.

" she must have been pretty young when she got married. She must have been in her early twenties. "

" yeah she was. " Dave replies again.

" it seems like Austin's really really interested in her and I'm not so sure she's over her husband just yet. Do you think that she would accept him? " I ask feeling sorry for Mrs Richards and Austin.

" I don't know but I hope she does. She deserves to be happy, he'd want her to. " Dave says still looking sad.

After a while, the moodiness goes down and we start joking around once more.

" Linda, how come you didn't bring anything from home? " Russ asks pouting.

"uhm...Esperanza had an emergency " she says exchanging a look with Liam. " But, I did bring cookies and Nehi. " she says forcing a smile on her face. Her eyes flick to mine briefly but she looks away quickly. Just not before I saw the hurt in her eyes.

Reminds me of the day she first cried in my arms.

" when are we getting back to your list Linda, I believe we've put it off long enough. " I say trying to get back on track

" we can continue anytime you want but you might want to cancel number one, Liam asked me out today. " she says smiling at Liam whose also smiling at her.

Everyone tells her congrats in one form or another, letting out wolf whistles and teasing her.

While I feel my whole world come apart, but I can't explain it. All I know is that if I don't get out of there, I might do something I would regret. " congratulations " I say getting up.

I notice Russ looking a bit pale but rather than see, i feel Jack's eyes on me.

" where are you going ? You're not even done with lunch. " Linda asks looking worried.

" I have a couple of things to take care of before class starts, I also have to read a little bit. Exams are fast approaching. " I reply not even waiting for her to reply as I burst through the doors.

But I don't miss Linda defending me, when Dave says something about me being too serious all the time. From the corner of my eyes, I see Jack trailing after me.

Soon enough, we're walking side by side and head towards the class room. I take my sit and bring out my books doing my best to ignore him.

At first he barely pays me any attention but later stands up to evacuate the few students we met in the class. He grabs the sit in front of me and sits down facing me. He stares at me for a few seconds. Then calmly asks. " are we still doing this? "

" doing what? " I ask refusing to lift my head.

" the whole taking revenge on Linda thing. " he responds resting his jaw on his hands.

I feel a bit guilty, making me hesitate for a few seconds. I quickly squash that guilt reminding myself that that's the reason I ever made friends with her in the first place. " yes, we're still going on with our plan. I mean why wouldn't we? "

" you've been pretty cozy with her these last few weeks. " He says cockily.

" I believe that was part of the plan. " I say still looking downward.

" and I believe acting overly cozy was not part of the plan. Neither is falling for her. " Jack says getting all riled up but still manages to keep his voice down.

" I am not..." I breathe in deeply and look up just to see him smirking at me.

Arrogant bastard.

Looking at him squarely in the eye, I repeat my sentence with more boldness. " I am not falling for her. "

He sighs deeply and shakes his head at me. " Luke I don't want you to make a choice you'll regret. If you want to be with her, there's a chance you can still be with her. If you do this, you might have just as well eliminated any chance of that happening. "

" Why the hell would I want to be with her?! We're still taking revenge on her and that is final. " I say barely able to hold myself from screaming. I run my hand through my hair and force myself to calm down.

" fine, whatever you decide, I'm still gonna stick by you, that's what friends do. " He says getting up to open the door.

Friends, just how many true friends have I made?

Author's note

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