Gamble a.i

14. "Speak of the Devil"

The dream I had clearly had shaken me, so much to the fact that anytime I'd look at Ashton I'd blush, or if I'd accidentally touched him, I'd jump.

I guess the dream I had was the equivalent to a virgin's 'wet' dream.

"Mac? Hellooooo?" Erica snaps her fingers in my direction.

"Hm? Sorry, I was out of it a bit," I apologize.

"I was just asking if you had figured out what you were going to wear to the party?"

"Fuck, no, I haven't," I sigh, thankful she brought it up. I still have time to get the dress before the party tonight, considering, like all cliché high school parties, it starts at 10, but the stoners would be there an hour earlier.

A moment later, in a hush-hush tone, Erica casually leans over. "Not to scare you or anything," she says, "but Austin is walking this way, and Ashton is being held back by Luke."

I sigh yet again. I feel a if my world is nothing but sighs.

"Austin, hey," I smile fakely at the dark haired boy with light eyes.

"Hi, Mac," he says nervously. "Are we still on for tomorrow?"

I nod fiercely, hoping to make him go away sooner, but instead he takes it as an invitation to sit next to us.

My eyes flicker over to Ashton, who's studying us with a face of awareness. My eyes beg for him to come over, but my face is taut, signaling for him to stay put.

Even my emotions don't know what they want, and that's a contradicting problem for me.

Instead of Ashton, Luke stands and walks to our table, obviously ignoring the emotions littered on my face.

"I need to talk to you," he gripes before walking out of the lunchroom, knowing I would follow.

"I'll be just a minute," I tell Austin and Erica before walking out the lunchroom doors.

"Luke?" I whisper down the empty corridor. If we were caught outside of the lunchroom during lunch time, we'd be in big trouble.

"You looked like you needed saving," he says from behind, startling me.

"I did, unfortunately. Thank you for that. Austin's just-"

"Creepy?"

"Yeah, completely," I laugh.

"So why are you going to the party with him?" Luke asks, seeming genuinely confused. I know everything I say is just going to go back to Ashton, even if Ashton's still pissed at Luke for taking advantage of me.

I don't think of it that way, actually. I know how I was feeling, and Luke certainly wasn't taking advantage of me. I wanted him, badly, but only because I felt as if it was a way to get back at Ashton.

And it was.

"Ashton is going to take you home after school, okay?" Luke asks with a soft smile on his face.

My face drops and I shrug.

"He cares about you, Mac. Just let him do this, once."

I nod. "Fine, but tell him to keep his mood swings in check or I'll let him fail English."

"Will do," he laughs adorably.

Luke is definitely cute, and in an alternate universe, I would definitely go for him. Not when I have feelings for his best mate. I've already screwed up their relationship enough.

The bell rings obnoxiously from above us, and on instinct, I move towards Luke to avoid being trampled by everyone filing out of the lunchroom.

"Are you going to the party?" Luke's voice rises above the noise.