When the bus finally arrived at school we all got off, and Ashton parted ways from Michael and I without saying anything. Michael had stopped crying now, too, and was trying to wipe his eyes enough times so it looked like he hadn't been in the first place. We walked next to each other and I could literally feel the awkwardness as we silently made our way into the building.
"Michael," I said finally, reaching out and grabbing his arm. He flinched and turned around to face me, and then we spent a good minute and a half just staring at each other.
I had things that I knew that I wanted to say to him and I'm sure that there were some things that he wanted to say to me, but it was like I couldn't manage to get any words out of my mouth. I was completely frozen, because everything that I thought of saying seemed like it would be wrong. It was all wrong, all of this, and I had no idea how to make it right again.
"Michael!" Another voice came from behind him and before I even had a second to think there was a girl beside him, Sarah, and she was taking Michael's hand in hers. Didn't she have a boyfriend?
Michael turned to Sarah and gave her a soft smile before leaning in even more and whispering something to her that I couldn't hear. When he was finished speaking they both turned and glared at me, walking away from where I was standing.
On my way to my locker I saw Luke, talking to Calum and some of their other friends that they knew from somewhere else that used to always invite us all to parties. Luke saw me and broke away from the group, joining me as I continued to walk down the hall.
"How's it going?" Luke asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as we maneuvered our way through the hallway.
"Not good." I answered, sighing, as we finally reached my locker.
"Did you take the bus today?" Luke leaned up against the locker next to mine as he spoke, waiting for me as I got the books that I need for the morning out.
"Yes," I said, trying not to sound too sarcastic about it. "Just like every other day."
"You know I would give you a ride if you just asked." Luke sighed. "Do you want a ride tomorrow? I always pick up Calum and Kayla anyway, you should come too. Then I won't have to third-wheel it."
"My mom won't let me." I said, shaking my head. It was nice of Luke to offer to give me a ride, just like he had many times in the past, but I knew that my mom would not have any of that.
"Your mom doesn't have to know." Luke countered, pulling out a book from my locker that he already knew I needed. For a second I thought that it was a little weird that he knew that, and then I remembered that we had that class together.
"Thanks," I mumbled, taking the book from him. I added, "My mom will find out."
"I hate to say it, Dani, but your mom's kind of crazy." Luke chuckled. I slammed my locker shut and turned around again, ready to head off to my first class.
"At least she likes you." I said, glancing over my shoulder. He followed me, thankfully, and we continued to walk down the hallway together.
"And my parents like you! Let's switch places." Luke joked, catching up with me again.
"I don't know how well that will go over." I laughed.
"Please, my dad will do anything to get me out of the house." Luke chuckled. "I'm pretty sure he hates me."
"He does not." I argued, but I really didn't know if it was true or not. Luke's dad was strict, kind of like my mom, but he wasn't around much. I've only met him a few times, and he usually wasn't in a very good mood. That's why Luke is always at Brooke's house, whether she's at her dad's or her mom's, because he doesn't like to spend time with his own family.
