I sat on my bed with my laptop on my lap and Hermes besides me lying down sleeping. I was typing away on my History project only getting the ideas from Luke through my sister, his way of avoiding me as I did to him.
That was a good thing, I wasn't ready to face him an question him about anything, I tried not to think about what Carl's said about Luke, I just wanted nothing to do with that guy and yet everything I try not to think about it, his name would pop up out of the blue by some girl in class or even my sister.
I've noticed that, my sister behaving too friendly with Luke, her being friends with Lisa is understandable and she only talks to Lionel when Jon was around so Luke around her would only meant she liked him around.
I stopped typing, my mind was wandering off for its own good. I sighed, Timothy was hardly speaking to me, I couldn't just appear to him again in hopes he would open up. It was like my confession made it worse between us and I wanted to scream because that was the exact opposite I wanted.
I missed him.
I missed my grandmother and my cousin.
Hermes was all I had and what good will a cat do in conversing. I looked across the room seeing Chloe doing her homework, she was in his pajamas ready for bed but she was trying to push some last minute homework since she forgot it just before she changed for bed.
"Chloe?" I said.
She hummed not looking up at me, I take this as a response to continue. "What do you think about Luke?"
I saw her body froze, she stop writing and turned at me with a blank expression, "Why do ask?"
I shrugged, "He's a family friend yet I don't know him personality."
"And you think I do?" she replied a little harshly, when she saw my hurt expression she softened, sighing a little and getting up.
I watched her as she sat on my bed stroking Hermes who seemed to be grateful for the affection. "Luke was a friend," she said to me. I tried not to open my mouth and interrogate her with questions instead I let her tell me what she wanted to say.
"In fact we were best friends until one night he sneak out of school and came back drunk, he was smiling and laughing telling me how much he wanted to please his grandfather and one day he will own the Anderson Empire and make his family rich – like they aren't already."
Chloe let a small smile linger on his face, she continued gravely, "I listened of course, when I came to WMA I wasn't like how I am now, I didn't had this much authority, Luke gave me this, he helped me make friends, he insisted I joined the student council and when it came to choose the president he gave me confidence to write my name down as nominee. All these little courtesies made me fall for him, his kindness and support, he was my best friend and when he was drunk and I told him I liked him that evening in this same room, he kissed me on the cheek and said he thought of me like a sister. I was a bit hurt and foolish, I kicked him out of my room and yelled at him, he got mad and started to yell back and before I know it I shut the door telling him how much of a manipulator he was."
"You don't talk to him anymore?"
She shook her head, "A few times then and there, he would tell me the little things he learnt and I would say how I'm 'running my kingdom'. Other than that we weren't as close, I spread the rumors about him, the Dark Prince. I told everyone about the hearts he broke and the girls he used, of course it was all lies, he only ever had one girlfriend Katelyn Meyers and she broke his heart, he never told me much about her just only that."
I felt a sudden sadness and pity for Chloe, she looked like such a good girl you'll never think of her this way. I took her hands and she smiled a little, her eyes blinking away the tears.
"Luke is complicated –"
"I heard that before," I said remembering my god father.
She smiled sniffing away her tears, "Yes but he's also a good guy and whatever people say about him now is because of me and sometimes I hate myself for it but I can't stop the rumors and he can't either so he deals with it and I feel horrible about it."
I stared at her, feeling a sense of guilt within me because I myself might have misjudged him but that didn't say he wasn't up to something, I still had my doubts and Chloe rumors weren't the reason for it. "Maybe you shouldn't have tell me anything," I said grimly.
"Why not? Didn't you want you know him?"
"I do," I replied. She didn't go on asking me anything she just nod and got up back sitting back at her desk.
***
Alex has a crush on Luke.
The thought came to me when I saw my sister smiled as he approached the lunch table. The smile lingered for a moment and disappeared.
Usually this would be my cue to leave but I stayed for the sake of curiosity.
"Aren't you leaving?" Alex said, her golden brown eyes stared at me confused. I shrugged at her, "I changed my mind. I'm staying."
"Why?" Lisa asked, looking just as puzzled, "I thought you hated my brother."
Before I could reply to her Luke sat down besides his sister ruffling her hair, she cursed at him and he chuckled laughing at her scowl. He saw me and smiled, "Hey."
"Hey," I spoke, I looked back at my food eating and the others forgot I was there so they continued talking.
Lisa was the one carrying the conversation telling them about the art competition she was signing up for and I listened watching as her brother encourage on. I was feeling a sense of awkwardness knowing I never really take this side of him into consideration and as I watched Alex eyes glittered with something of admiration I smiled a little.
"So how's the history project coming along?"
I blinked realizing Luke was talking to me, stabbing my fork into my food I shrugged, "I'm a bit confuse with the questions you gave me really but I'm trying?"
"Do you need help?"
"No," I replied bluntly.
He didn't look offended, he just nod turning to Alex but before he could ask her anything she already spoke, "David is making me practice the piano for the a play this Friday."
"Oh that's great!" Lisa spoke, Luke smiled at my sister but for a moment he looked a bit suspicious, his expression wasn't selling me and when I heard him spoke I came to another realization.
"So you're going to spend the afternoons with David now?" he said trying to keep his voice cheery.
This was all too exciting to watch with a straight face.
"It's only for the week of course and then we can start our lessons again."
"What lessons?" I asked putting myself into the conversation. Alex actually tried not to blush, her eyes not looking at me at all when she spoke, "Luke promise he'll teach me Welsh."
"Really?" I glanced at Luke who in turn pretended his food was much more interesting. "I know Welsh, why didn't you come to me if you wanted to learn?" I asked her.
"I didn't thought it was important until Luke suggested to help me."
I glanced back and forth at them, Lisa seeming to have the same expression as me but I guess she didn't question it as much as I did.
"Well I guess," I said trying not to sound a bit hurt. I was though, Alex always loved hearing about my new discovery when I'm learning a new language, a new culture and society, that's why Linguistic was a subject I chose because I just loved the feeling of exploring the feeling of understanding another person even if they didn't speak the same language I did.
"I didn't know you learnt Welsh?" Luke said to me.
I nod a little, "My grandmother taught me a few uncommon languages, Old Irish, Welsh, Scots and Latin."
Luke eyes widen and for moment he seemed impressed then laughed, "You're grandmother wasted her time teaching you what's already dead then."
"I beg to differ," I replied, "Languages can't be dead, they're just not of use."
Luke nodded but his eyes didn't look at me when he spoke, "I disagree my grandfather always say the world must move on and living in the past is not moving on, he would say you wasted your time learning a language you never will speak to another soul and I can't help but agree."
I felt a rush of angry in me, I try not to be let it get to me, but my brain couldn't stop my mouth from speaking, "I bet your grandfather is a man who you greatly admire." The tone I said it in was laced with irritation.
"Elizabeth –" It was my sister cautioning me to stop but I didn't listen.
"I bet you're so loyal to him almost like a dog to his master."
I saw the rage in Luke's eyes and he got up, "Don't speak about anything you don't know Elizabeth."
"I know enough," I spoke getting up facing him, "Everyone might be fooled thinking you're such nice guy but I don't. You plan on going after my father and I would not let that happen."
He said nothing but I didn't need to hear him speak to know I got to him, his expression was full of surprise and almost worry.
Both Lisa and Alex got up furious. "What the hell Lizzy!" Alex yelled at me.
Lisa spoke her tone harsh, "Luke what is she talking about? Did grandfather made you do something?"
Luke glanced at me then at Lisa, "I did nothing wrong." His eyes shot daggers at me and he left.
I felt a little bit of victory in my mind but when I saw Alex I stopped smiling. "You're a bitch you know that."
"I didn't do anything," I explained.
Alex looked away as I tried to make her listen to me. She took Lisa's hand ready to leave, "I don't want to hear anything Elizabeth you said enough."
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