Sooner or Later (Feat. 1D and 5SOS)

16. Tuna Casserole

At eleven fifty, Luke rushed out of his fourth-period history class and hurried into the cafeteria without even bothering to put his books away. He couldn’t afford to waste any time, not during this lunch period. This lunch period was crucial because Luke was finally going to set into motion his brilliant plan to win Emma’s affections. 

As he neared the service counters, he saw Calum standing at the end of the line, so Luke picked up his pace and sped past the group of seventh-grade girls who were sluggishly making their way toward the lunch line. When they saw him run by, they all scoffed and rolled their eyes with disdain. 

“Seriously?” one girl muttered to her friend. “You’re in that much of a rush to eat?” 

Luke ignored all their comments and pressed on, joining his friend at the end of the line. For the past two hours, Luke had been forced to restrain his boyish excitement, but once he saw Calum, he just couldn’t hold back anymore. Before his friend could utter so much as a “Hi,” Luke blurted out his great news: 

“I have the best news ever,” he said with a huge grin. 

“A major record label wants to sign us?” Calum guessed. 

“What? No. I finally talked to Emma.” 

Luke stopped then and waited for Calum’s reaction, which he assumed would be one of shock and praise, maybe even with a little pat on the back and a “Way to go, Luke!” At the very least, he expected some kind of congratulatory remark. The response he received, however, was rather dry and sardonic. 

“Congratulations,” he said with a disinterested shrug.

“No,” Luke went on, “I really talked to her. We had a real conversation, and I didn’t close up and just start staring at her like a creep. We bonded, I think, and it’s all thanks to Todd.” 

“Todd?” Calum repeated, his face scrunched up with confusion. “Who’s Todd?”

“He’s the cricket we had to dissect.” He smiled at the memory. “Well, we never really got to dissect him because Emma freaked out. It was kind of adorable, actually.” 

“Lemme get this straight: You guys bonded over a dead cricket? A cricket you named Todd?” 

“Well, Emma named him. She thought he looked like a Todd, and he kinda did.” 

Calum’s lips remained tightly closed while he listened to Luke go on and on about Todd, but with each word it was getting harder and harder for Calum to keep his composure. Eventually the giggles just exploded from his mouth, making him stumble into the kid in front of him. 

“You b-bonded over—over a cricket! Hahahahaha! Oh my god, that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Doubling over, Calum placed his hands on his knees to keep his balance as he laughed and laughed until his sides hurt and tears filled his eyes. 

“Yeah, go ahead and laugh,” Luke said, “but I’m making progress with her. Soon, she won’t see me as that weird, awkward kid who follows you guys around.”  

Finally, Calum’s laughter started to subside. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he said, “You know what, Luke? I’m happy for you.” Then he smiled and gave his friend the pat on the back he’d been waiting for. “You’re finally coming out of your shell, and it only took two years.”  

Together, they got their food and walked over to the corner table, where Emma was nibbling at her chicken nuggets while struggling to finish her algebra assignment. This was Luke’s time to strike! 

Confidently, he sat down next to Emma and said, “Math sucks, huh?” 

“Tell me about it,” she replied as she furiously erased yet another wrong answer. Her notebook was covered in eraser shavings, which she dusted away before re-attempting the same problem. “I just don’t see the point. I’m never gonna use this.”