10:53 [calum hood]

04

➸ r i l e y

"Luke, stop!" I giggled, pushing him off of me, which only caused him to jump on me again.

"Make me!" he shouted, grinning maniacally. He began tickling my sides as I shrieked with laughter, trying to catch my breath.

He stopped tickling me after what seemed like hours, and I was left panting. "Now say you love me," Luke sang, cocking his head to the side like a schoolgirl.

I rolled my eyes. "No, I hate you." I stuck out my tongue and ran to the bathroom to escape, hearing his monstrous footsteps behind me. I quickly locked myself in his bathroom, pausing to catch my breath. I leaned against the door and I felt him do the same.

"Riley," Luke whispered.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"How's Calum?" My eyes widened in disbelief. Out of all the things he could've said, this was the least expected thing I could think of.

I shook my head. "Uh, he's...good? Why?"

I could hear Luke breathing softly through the door. "Do you like him?"

I jiggled the doorknob and swung open the door, causing Luke to stumble forward. I caught him before he banged his head on the sink.

"Answer me," he said, rubbing his eyes.

I shrugged my shoulders in response, feeling my cheeks heat up. "I don't know."

Luke stared at me for a while before clapping his hands together, startling me. "You do! I knew it!" His face was unreadable, but it was a mix between scheming and...was that jealousy?

"I said, I don't know," I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.

And I honestly didn't know. Calum was my best friend as of yesterday, and I wasn't sure if I were ready to take the next step so early. Did I like Calum? Maybe. I kept telling myself that I shouldn't, but my heart told me otherwise. He was a genius, and he was funny, and he was caring.

But there's also that devious part of him that spreads rumors and calls people sluts.

Calum was intoxicating. You couldn't just not fall in love with him. There was no denying that he was one of the most attractive guys I've ever met. There was no doubt that I would be with him if he liked me back.

If he liked me back.

"Do you know how he feels?" Luke questioned, moving closer to me.

I shook my head and shut my eyes, not wanting to see the expression he was wearing.

"Well, you're lucky you have such a cunning and sexy best friend like me," he joked. My eyes shot open and I stared at his smirking face.

"Why? What are you planning, Lucas?" My eyes narrowed into slits.

Luke sighed, running his fingers through his long hair. "My name isn't Lucas, we've gone over this. And I know a way to find out if he likes you or not. It's quite amazing if you ask me."

"Just tell me your idea!" I yelled, laughing and punching him in the arm.

He looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you were that desperate, jeez. As much as I hate Calum, I want you to be happy. Which is exactly why I have a plan. What works best with every relationship? Jealousy. Make him jealous."

I replayed his words in my mind, trying to see where he was headed with this. "How would I make him jealous?"

Luke grinned and swung an arm around my shoulder. "Ah, you see, this is where your cunning and sexy best friend comes in."