Part 10
luke's pov.
I walked into school with a smile on my face. I've never walked into school with a smile on my face. I've never felt this happy before. I've never felt like actually looking people in the eye today and smiling at them. There was just something about today that made me anxious, you know, in a good way.
I was about to enter the cafeteria and approach Natalie's sister's table when Calum caught me by the arm. He dragged me outside again and faced me away from the cafeteria. "Hey, what's up?" I was almost scared when he grabbed me so suddenly.
"You cannot talk to Nat's sister, okay?" he reprimanded, wagging a finger and pushing me against the wall with his other hand.
"Why not?" I retorted with a slight whine and angry-confusion in my voice.
"Y-You just can't okay? It's not good, I promise you. Just get over her okay? J-Just forget about her and ask out Natalie, okay?" Calum said, he looked more scared than I had been before.
"Just tell me, what happened. Did she get in a fight or something? Did she change her clothes? Honestly, I'll be fine, Cal." I reassured him. Still, when I tried to walk away, he pressed me against the wall, refusing to let me inside. "Seriously, what's going on?"
"Trust me, Luke." he looked me in the eyes and said this. It was terrifying to see Calum so scared for me. "Just, don't blame Natalie or something. Keep your mind open."
"Why would I blame Natalie?" I asked, even more puzzled than before.
"You wouldn't because it's not her fault, okay?" Calum confirmed, completely ignoring the point of my question.
"What did she do? What did Natalie do?!" I asked, almost yelling. "Did she tell her sister bad stuff about me?! I swear, when I see her--"
"You don't, Luke. You will not." Calum said, understanding my sentence before I finished it. "Just try to get over her sister, okay?"
I shook my head, "I'm going to ask Nat what's going on if you're not going to tell me." I finally broke away from his grip when the bell rang for class. Everyone was flooding out of the cafeteria when I finally saw Natalie's sister. I started walking up to her to get her attention. I just made a new CD for her.
She was talking to someone, pulling on their arm out of the cafeteria. I was still smiling, gripping the CD in my hand as people walked by. I could hear my name being called but I ignored it. I've waited too long to give this to her. It's the final CD before I ask her out.
She was laughing and urging them to come out by pulling on their arm. I was still standing there, waiting for her attention. Someone was still calling out my name, I assumed it was Calum and ignored it.
She pulled them forcefully and now I could see him. She pulled him in and their faces got really close. My breath got caught in my throat. I was still standing there, gripping the CD. Someone was still calling my name and I still ignored it.
They both smiled at each other with their eyes. She was the one to pull him close and connect their lips. I was the one heartbroken with a stupid mix CD in my hand, watching them kiss, as whoever was calling my name earlier had stopped calling for me.
I couldn't look at them any longer but still I stared and felt my heart shrink a couple sizes before they pulled back from each other and walk away. My eyes followed them as they walked across campus together. My eyes found Natalie's pained ones. Suddenly, everything made sense.
Calum was only telling me not to blame Nat because it really was her fault. She probably set them up because she liked me. Wow, I can't believe I didn't see it coming. She was just using Michael and her sister to get close to me. I feel so stupid.
The longer I looked at her, I could feel my anger start to build. She attempted to smile at me but I could see right through her. I started to turn and walk to class when Calum caught up with me.
"Luke-" he started to say, holding my shoulder but I interrupted him by shoving the CD in his hands. I didn't want to look at them ever again.
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natalie's pov.
He looked so hurt today. He looked at me with hurt today. I felt hurt seeing him hurt. I know I didn't do anything wrong and I wanted to confirm that. However, he disappeared at lunch and after school today. I looked everywhere, especially the library because I knew he liked to stalk my sister there after school. I didn't think that he could hate me that much to ignore me forever.
Michael was walking to his mom's car with Calum when I ran up to them. Panting, I breathed words between my huffs, "Have--you seen-- Luke?-- Does he hate me-- or something? Because-- it looked like-- he did."
Calum and Michael exchanged guilty looks. "Actually, I tried to talk to him today before he even saw them together and I might've told him not to blame you." his explanation started out as actual speech but ended in a guilt-ridden whisper.
"And now he thinks you had something to do with it." Michael added.
"Well, I don't." I sighed, "Can you tell him to talk to me?" they exchanged looks again, "Please?"
"I don't think he wants to talk to anyone right now, Nat. I'm sorry." Cal said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But you're welcome to come to band practice later."
I laughed nervously, "To cause more drama between you guys? No thanks." I saw Ashton and my sister strolling towards his car, hand in hand. "Have you even told him about the drummer situation?"
"He took it well, actually." Michael breathed through his nose. "They get along well. I don't even think he's mad at him anymore. I think he's just mad at you."
I bit my lip and blanked out longingly. "Just try to tell him that it wasn't my fault?" I suggested.
"We'll try." Michael smiled, warmly but not confidently.
So I walked away, without even bothering to look for Luke again because I knew he certainly wasn't looking for me.
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I came home to my sister and her hot drummer boyfriend sucking face on the couch. I shut the door behind me, expecting that they'll continue to go at it but surprisingly, my sister pulled away. She whispered something to Ashton when I started to ascend up the stairs.
"Wait! Natalie, please!"
I turned around confused that she would even stop making out with her boyfriend to talk to me. She was holding something behind her back, maybe another knife. But, she looked sincerely sorry.
"What's up?" I sighed.
"I just wanted to apologize for what I said to you. I just don't like it when people take my stuff, you know?" was she being cool? Was she actually trying to be cool with me?
"Yeah, sure." I muttered before turning the knob to my room.
"Wait, I just wanted to give you these." she stuck out her hand and there was the stack she took back from me. "I don't deserve his love, Nat. I don't deserve to keep him as a trophy."
I studied her facial expression which was unwavering. It was some of the best acting I've ever seen from her. She almost looked genuinely like she wanted to make up with me.
"Look, Luke hates me anyway so I don't think lending me the mixes he made you will make me feel any better." I pointed out.
"Why does he hate you? Is it because of me?"
I groaned, "Not everything is about you, Melissa. But yes, in this case, it is."
"What happened?"
"He thinks I had something to do with getting you and Ashton together."
She must have seen the hurt in my eyes when I talked about him because she actually gave me a hug. Maybe she was on a new fad diet cleanse or something. Or Ashton was actually good for her.
"I'm so sorry, Nat. I'll try to talk to him for you." she promised into my shoulder. I hugged her back.
For the first time, I felt close to my sister. I liked it.
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Okay this is the last official chapter of the book but there's an epilogue?? Like everything is resolved except for Luke and Nat and hahahaha that sucks but that's not really the main part of the book? But yeah I'll finish up with an epilogue and include how Luke and Nat make up and stuff.
You also learned Nat's sister's name tbh I just came up with it as I wrote it like um I was planning to keep her as 'Natalie's sister' but idk yeha.
Thank you for reading. This was super fun and I'll hopefully be writing more in the future.
((I would say tell your friends to read but I don't believe on promoting my own story although i rlly want people to frikin read ok bye))