Luke's P.O.V
The following day coming back from the weekend was absolute torture because I knew what was in store for me. Everyone I knew who had a connection to Kason or Chloe would be asking them about their date, and I did not want to know any of it–okay maybe I didn't really want to hear about it because I knew it would only break my heart, but at the same time a small part of me wanted to know what happened just so I knew. I was being a hypocrite, but all I really wanted to do was spare my own feelings. There was reason I avoided Kason after the game on Saturday.
One thing I did notice was how Chloe didn't seem completely detached from me. As we walked to theatre appreciation I still got to see her smile while internally hurting over carrying her backpack.
Stupid Kason. If he really likes her then he wouldn't be letting her tote the damn thing herself.
We walked into theatre appreciation and sat down in our usual seats. Jessica was awfully perky to see us that day, and I knew why. I just wished she wouldn't say anything about it.
"Hey Chloe," she smiled, blew a mint blue bubble and popped it with her teeth. "How was your date with Kason?"
Damn you, Jess.
"It went pretty well," Chloe asked with a puzzled expression. She was probably wondering why Jess would even care to ask when Jess barely spoke a word to Chloe all semester. It just didn't make sense why she would care now.
But I knew.
"Did you guys make out or anything?" Jess asked, leaning over me to get closer to Chloe and blew another bubble.
Before I even let Chloe answer, I jumped up from my seat and stormed out of the door. There was no way in hell I was going to stay and listen to what Chloe had to say about that. It hurt too much to even think of them together. I must've been out of mind to have been so head over heels for someone that didn't like me back.
Just stop liking her, Luke! You'll get through this, I told myself, but I didn't believe it. It was all just a lie. I couldn't get over Chloe. I didn't even know if I would ever get over her. The perfect way to get over someone was to spend as much time and distance away from them. Jacob–of all people–told me that. But I didn't want any time or distance away from Chloe. It sounded even crazier that I actually wanted to spend more time with her and lessen the distance with each and every single day. I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. I couldn't believe how torn up I was about this whole thing. I had never felt this way before. I had never been a jealous or hateful person and seeing them together made me feel that way, and I hated it.
"Luke, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
I turned to see Jess walking towards me furiously. "You followed me out of class?" I asked.
"Yeah because what the hell was that about earlier?" she asked, cocking out her hip.
"Nothing I need to explain to you about," I said gruffly. Jeez, Luke, you sure are in a pissy mood.
Jess sighed and inspected her fingernails. "You and I might as well be dating," she looked back up with her hand on her cocked-out hip.
"And why is that?" What the hell was this even about? Why did the topic even cross her mind?
"Because the two people we like are dating each other and there is nothing we can do about it," she said as if she was stating the obvious.
"If this is another scheme to get Kason jealous then just forget about it. He likes Chloe and that's that," I folded my arms and sighed. The sudden realization hit me. She said that the two people we both liked. I met her dark eyes. "What makes you think that I like the person Kason's dating?" I tried to ask as casually as possible even though my heart threatened to burst out of my chest.
"A lot of reasons," Jess said and popped her bubblegum bubble with her teeth. "But mainly because Jacob told me."
"He did what?!"
"Sheesh, calm down, Luke," she laughed a little. "He didn't really tell me. I found out."
Why did it feel like my world was crashing down upon me? Everyone was starting to figure me out and I knew it would all just go downhill from here. "And how did you find out?"
She smiled sheepishly, showing her gum between her teeth. She flipped her hair and responded, "I slept with Jacob the other night and when he was asleep he got a notification on his phone. I didn't really mean to be curious but I just couldn't help myself but see what it was. It turned out it was a text from you. You were apparently angry about how things had turned out since Kason and Chloe are now dating. Only a jealous person who was into the girl Kason was dating would say something like that," she smiled as if it was some delicious secret.
I was dumbfounded, speechless, but more importantly, I was hurt. I was hurt by my best friend. It was like I could feel my heart slowly deteriorating.
"Don't worry about Jacob though," she smiled. "He soon saw what I was doing and yelled at me for it. I told him I knew your dirty little secret and he made me swear on my dead mother's body that I wouldn't whisper it to a soul. But I figured you didn't count since you were the secret keeper yourself."
At least Jacob tried his best to keep my secret. I doubted him for one moment, but I couldn't fault him for someone else's actions. Jacob would never betray me like that. He was too good of a person–as weird as that seemed but he genuinely was. It was just deep underneath his mask he put on for everyone else.
"Honestly it makes me feel better that we are both in the same boat," she continued to chew her gum. "We could get together and see what happens," she shrugged.
"No," I said flatly. "I don't want to be a part of your stupid games, Jess."
"What?"
I couldn't believe to see that she genuinely looked surprised by this. "I can't believe that you think I would want to be with you in order to get someone," I shook my head. "Chloe isn't like that and neither is Kason. I'm really disappointed in you Jess. I can't believe you slept with my best friend while still liking someone else. Don't you still like Kason?"
"Of course, I still like him!" she protested. "It's just a girl still has needs ya know and Jacob is awfully convenient."
"Leave Jacob out of this."
"Luke–" Jess began.
"Luke?" I heard a sweet voice ask.
I turned to see that Chloe was standing in the doorway, looking at both of us with confused eyes and a wrinkled forehead.
Chloe.
Jess placed her hands on either side of my face, got up on her tippy toes, and pressed her lips against mine.