Chapter 21 - Status Quo

"Listen!" Ana cleared her throat and said, "I will never say this again, so clear your ears and listen carefully."

"Ok...ay."

Ana's face flushed as she opened her mouth and said, "I...I...love...."

"Hey Ana, I cleared my ears but can't hear it properly. Can you say it a bit louder, and your face is red, are you okay?"

Luka was fully aware of what was going on, but he was trying to act dumb.

"I... I love you." She then stopped and took a deep breath before saying, "But I don't want to go out with you."

"Uh... so Ana--"

Liz wanted to say something, but Ana interrupted her and said, "Wait, let me finish."

"Okay"

Ana turned to Luka and said, "So Luka"

"Yes?"

"We both love you; what do you want to do?"

"I want to date you," Luka replied instantly.

"I knew you would say that, but didn't you hear what I said? I don't want to date you."

"...." Luka was a little annoyed now.

"So how about--"

"So, you want me to go out with Liz?" Luka uttered.

"I didn't say--"

"If you want me to go out with Liz, then I will go out with her. but then don't come crying to me like you did that day."

"I am not---"

"And if you tell me to fall in love with Liz, then I will try my best to fall in love with her."

Ana closed her distance with Luka and slapped Luka's lips, saying, "Listen to me, dammit!"

Ana wanted to say something, but Luka kept interrupting her.

"I am not telling you to go out with Liz, and it's up to you if you want to fall in love with her or not."

"...." Luka didn't try to fight back or shrug Ana's hand from his lips.

"So as I was saying, how about keeping our relationship the way it is now?"

"You mean..." Luka said in a muffled voice.

"Yeah," Ana moved her hand from Luka's lips and said, "I am talking about, 'Status quo.' Our relationship won't change if we keep it the way it is now."

"I see."

"Do you have any problem with that?" Ana questioned.

"If I can be with you, I don't care," Luka replied with a straight face.

Hearing that, Ana's face went red.

Ana then looked at Liz and asked, "Liz, what about you? Are you okay with this?"

"I... I... I really love Luka, and I want him to love me back, so...yeah, I am okay with this, and I will try my best to make him fall for me."

Ana smiled at Liz as she hugged her and said, "That's my Liz."

'Hey, are you really okay with that, Ana? She is your rival in love, you know?' Luka was amazed seeing how Ana and Liz were getting along even though they both loved the same boy.

"Let's drop by at some café. I am hungry," Ana groaned.

"Yeah, I am tired as well," Liz stated.

"Yeah, let's go to the café," Luka said in excitement.

"You are not coming with us," Said Ana.

"Why?"

"You didn't get enough sleep last night, so go home."

"..."

'Right. It's true I didn't get to sleep last night, but how can I miss such fun activity?'

"You hear me? Go straight home," Ana repeated.

"Yeah, Luka, go straight home," Liz supported Ana.

"..." Luka stared at both of them as he thought, 'Girls are scary.'

"Oh, look," Ana shot a smirk at Luka and said, "He is pouting again."

"You are right," Liz said.

"I am not pouting."

Right now, Luka was thinking from deep inside his heart, 'These two girls shouldn't be together.'

Admitting defeat, Luka went home.

After reaching home, he went straight to bed without eating dinner and slept straight until morning.

He was so excited to go to school with Ana after what happened yesterday. But she went early, and that brings us to the present.

"Was school always this far?" he muttered.

He trudged his way to the school.

By the time he reached the academy, the first bell had already rung.

He stood before his classroom door and opened the door, only to see Ana talking with Liz.

The first thought to come to Luka's mind was, 'What is Ana doing here?

"Hey. Ana--"

Luka was about to call out Ana, but Ana noticed him and went out of the classroom from the secondary door.

"Huh?" Luka was puzzled by Ana's reaction.

Is she by chance ignoring me? Why? I did call her an idiot and stuff but didn't we always call that to each other?

Luka looked at Liz, and Liz also turned her face as soon as she noticed Luka was looking at her.

'Why are you ignoring me too?!'

It was true that they were indeed ignoring Luka, but that wasn't because they were angry or Luka did something to upset them.

After Luka went home yesterday, Ana and Liz went to the cafe and talked about various things. They also realized how bold they had acted in front of Luka.

The only reason they were ignoring Luka was just because they were embarrassed to look at his face directly.