MR. PERFECTLY FINE ; LUKE HUGHES

14

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🍒 ꒱ like ribbons in your hair
my stomachs all in knots
you got the one thing that i want
OLIVIA RODRIGO^

LORELEI

I COULDN'T remember the last time I was asked out on a date. Usually, it's the casual party or some other inconsiderate shit. And by looks of this restaurant, it had been a date.

Mark drove us here after picking me up, our small talk in the car kept the silence from becoming uncomfortable. The restaurant was just outside of campus, which probably meant I'd be seeing familiar faces. I wondered if he had done that on purpose.

"So, an english major, huh?" Mark asked, raising his brows as he sat across from me, the dimly lit candle in the center of the table lighting up his features.

"Mhm." I hummed, setting down my glass of ice water. "It's definitely something."

Mark chuckled, white teeth shining at me. "I could imagine. What do you guys even do? Read and shit?"

"Sure." I scrunched my nose slightly at him. "It's just a lot of research and writing. Who knows, maybe someday I'll be an author."

"Will you at least promise to sign my book?" Mark cock a brow at me, bringing a blush to my cheeks as I swatted at him.

I turned my head at the sudden breeze that passed me, it felt like my body had complete frozen as I stared at his backside.

I knew the head of curls anywhere, a dark shirt adorning his pale skin. More evidently, his hand resting on the lower back of a girl. Not just any girl, Jane Cameron.

She was the angelic kind of pretty. Honey blonde hair, green eyes, long legs, straight teeth, the ultimate recipe to perfection.

And she was here with Luke. Had they been on a date? They had history, past hook ups, anything that could
make a girl narrow her eyes. It made my stomach twist at the sight.

He sat across from her, just like Mark and I, except their table had been directly next to ours. Suddenly, I wished I would've passed up this opportunity.

Mark seemed to notice my lingering stare as he cocked his head, fighting a smirk as he glanced back at me. "Did you tell your boyfriend about this?"

"What?" I spat in disbelief, blinking with a quick shake of my head. "He's not my boyfriend."

I crossed my legs, trying to look anywhere then beside me. But I was failing miserably.

I glanced over once again, like maybe I had imagined this entire thing. Chills coated every part of my body as he locked eyes with me.

His features softened slightly with a mix of shock and sadness. His soft expression quickly being replaced with annoyance as he laid eyes on Mark.

Jane reached across the table, placing her hand over his in a needy way. A small pout playing on her red lips as she said something I couldn't hear.

I watched as he nodded towards her, stroking his thumb back and forth on her hand. Every stroke seemed to shatter me like glass.

"Jane Cameron." Mark muttered. "I thought he hated that chick."

I tucked my hair behind my ears, wiping my sweaty hands on my jeans as I shrugged. "Luke hates everyone, doesn't he?"

"Everyone but you." Mark snickered to himself, taking a bite from his half-finished meal.

The words ate me alive more than Mark intended. I rolled my bottom lip in my mouth, taking it between my teeth as my eyes kept searching for him. A natural reaction that I couldn't stop if I wanted to.

Everyone but you. The words replayed again and again. Luke was already looking at me, shaking his head as he seemingly forced his attention back to Jane.

Her puppy dog stare had me huffing a breath of annoyance. Her pre-madonna attitude was enough to replace her beauty as all eyes needed to be on her. She was too much to handle, even for Luke. But maybe I was just being a hater.

"Will you excuse me to the restroom?" I cleared my throat, smiling swiftly at Mark before sliding out from
chair, heading it scratch the wood as I walked quickly to the restrooms.

The glowing exit sign was calling my name as I pushed open the back door, exhaling to myself as the wind hit me. Fresh air. I suddenly felt like I could breathe again.

I didn't expect the door to fly open, making me flinch as I stepped away from it.

Luke shut it, not being patient enough to let it close on its own. I wanted to bolt, to get anywhere that was not here. I didn't want to stand in front of him, he was feet away but it was too close.

"Are you serious, Lorelei?" Luke slapped his hands on his sides. Had he really been mad at me? "Fucking Mark! You're here with fucking Mark."

"Speak for yourself." I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling my heartbeat thumping. "Jane Cameron? That's nice to know you'll swap spit with her."

Luke ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "You know I'm friends with her, Lorelei."

"Really?" I chuckled in humor. "Because I'm pretty sure you were just talking shit about her the other night."

"I wasn't talking shit." Luke shook his head. "I was telling the truth. Don't try and switch this onto me. You're here with my teammate."

I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek, the air between us growing with tension. "Yeah, I am. Why the fuck do you even care? It's not like we're anything."

"Because he treats girls like shit. You're better than that." Luke pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought we both agreed on that."

"So, what, are you the better choice?" I taunted, eyeing him carefully. "At least Mark will kiss me."

I said it without thinking. Mark and I hadn't kissed, in fact, I didn't think we'd ever. But I said it anyway. I tried to walk around him but I was pulled back by my wrists, forcing me to stand in front of him.

"Is that what this is about?" Luke asked, furrowing his brows. "You're avoiding me because I didn't kiss you?"

I snapped my wrists from his grip, swallowing harshly at our proximity. The deja vu hit me like a wave as I stared at the ground. "I've been sick."

"Bullshit." Luke chuckled. "Your roommate talks, Lorelei. I know you haven't been sick. Is this why you're skipping classes? You're really avoiding me that much?"

I looked like a fucking coward and I felt like one, too. "Not everything is about you! Just...just leave me alone, okay? Let's go back to how things were. How things should be."

"What if I did?" Luke paused. "What if I had kissed you? What, would things be different?"

Of course, Luke. I shrugged with pursued lips. "I don't know, Luke. But, let's both be thankful that you didn't kiss me."

I walked around him again and this time, he let me go.

crying sobbing throwing up