twenty five

Luca

~

Is this real?

Cassie Harlow is kissing me.

I am kissing Cassie Harlow back.

Me—Luca Richards.

Our lips stay together like magnets, fireworks going off in my brain, never-ending fireworks like before. I keep my eyes closed and just enjoy the moment before it slips away from me.

I always dreamt of what it would be like to kiss her. How her lips would feel against mine or how our bodies would collide, and now it finally happened. I couldn't help myself. I wanted to explore her. I wanted to taste every part of her like it was my last, just in case, this would be my last.

She smiled against my mouth once the girls walked away, looking into my eyes before breaking the kiss apart. Even if she is doing this to play the part or do it because of our little deal.

I really don't care because either way—

I'm still kissing Cassie Harlow.

We studied more at my house right after the game. I showed her a few steps that Mrs. Higgins taught us the other day and showed her easy examples on how to solve the problems. She might be hard on herself, but she's very bright and caught on rather more quickly than she expected.

"Not bad, Harlow," I tell her as she smiles from pure excitement.

"I can't believe I finally understand this."

I chuckle with her as she tilts her head back. "I told you you'll be fine."

"I guess I should listen to you more often."

"Yes, you should."

She lies back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "What's your favorite Arcade Fire song?"

Her random questions amuse me. "Song on the Beach."

Cassie sits up on her elbows. "Seriously? Mine too."

A chuckle escapes from my lips. I lie down beside her.

"Owen Pallett is a genius."

She nods. "I agree."

"Even with no words in the song, it's still beautifully written."

"So, you like sad songs then?"

"Doesn't everyone?"

"Yeah," her eyes turn away from mine. "I also love Black Mirror."

I scrunch up my nose. She noticed the look on my face. "What?"

"That's like my least favorite song."

Her eyes widened. "That's too bad, Richards. I was beginning to think we had more in common than we thought. You ruined it."

I laughed. "I'm so sorry, let's try again. What's your least favorite?"

Her head tilts to the side, thinking real hard before saying, "Everything Now."

My breath gets caught in my throat. "What?"

"I'm kidding," she pushes me on the shoulder. "I would be ashamed of myself. That song's amazing."

"Yes, it is," I smiled before she took her weight off her elbows and laid her head back on the pillow beside me. "I'm looking for tickets."

Her beautiful face lights up. "Luca... I will die."

"Please don't die on me."

She pulls her bottom lip in her mouth, and I start daydreaming about what it felt like against mine. "I won't."

A loose strand of her thick mahogany hair fell right in front of her eye, making me slowly reach to tuck it behind her left ear. She stares into my eyes almost searching for something and suddenly I'm leaning in to give her all the answers.

As soon as our lips almost meet my grandma knocks softly on my bedroom door.

"Luca, dear? Supper is done."

My eyes never left Cassie's.

"Will you stay to eat?"

"Of course."

She sat across from me at the table. When Grandma enters the room, she hands us our sweet tea. "Can't forget about the drinks."

Cassie smiled before taking a small sip.

"This is Luca's favorite," My grandma mentioned at the Spaghetti. "He would eat it every day if I let him."

It's true. She makes homemade stuffed meatballs with mozzarella. My mouth waters just looking at it on the plate in front of me.

"I'd have to agree with him," Cassie mumbles with food in her mouth. She holds up her hand to cover her lips to speak. "It's my favorite too."

I smiled at her from across the table. She grins at me and takes another bite. We sit in silence eating before someone starts beating on the door. Grandma's fork grabs my attention when she suddenly drops it on her plate. She swallows hard before I stand up abruptly and walk toward the door.

It's after eight. No one should be here this late. No one ever comes here anyways...

The baseball bat behind the door was a few inches away when I slowly cracked it open. Marcus's dark brown eyes looked back at mine before noticing me reaching for the bat. They instantly widened.

"Woah, what the hell?"

I pulled the door open and sat it back up against the wall. "Sorry."

He stepped inside and shook off his jacket. "It's freezing out there."

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I sat back down at the table. Grandma and Cassie both looked at me confused.

He stands by us at the table. "Just left Phillip Drewer's house. Party was lame. It's okay that I'm here?"

Grandma perked up and offered him some spaghetti. "Of course, dear. I didn't think I'd see you again, though."

Her bluntness had Cassie laugh.

Marcus chuckles along with him.

"Me either."

Him being back at my house after all these years was extremely awkward. It felt out of place. Something was missing. Someone was missing and it was Anderson.

"So, how have you been, honey?"

I glance up at Cassie who drinks the rest of her tea. You can tell it was awkward for her also.

"Really good," he says. "I got a football scholarship to Berkeley."

Grandma's smile grows wider. "You're going to be a Golden Bear?"

Why am I not surprised? It's been his dream since he started in junior high. But a sour taste in my mouth says his dad's behind this.

I think Cassie feels the same way with the look she's giving me across the table. I can definitely read her mind just the way she peeks her eyes at him and slightly tilts her head. It's hard for her to believe it too.

Cassie's phone vibrates against the table and I'm somewhat glad something has shifted the conversation. She quickly stands up from her seat when she reads her phone. "I'm sorry, I need to go."

I nod even though she's not looking at me and walk her to the door. Grandma tells her goodbye and Marcus continues eating his food. I'm not surprised by that either.

When I reach her car, she turns to lean against her driver door. "It's my mom again. I need to help my dad clean up the kitchen. She broke a vase and there's glass everywhere."

"Shit, I'm so sorry."

She shrugs like it's nothing. "One of her episodes."

The pain in her voice has me clench my jaw. I just want to hold her and tell her everything will be okay, but do I even know if that's true? She could get worse...

"Well, thank you for staying to eat. My grandma really loved that."

Her frown quickly fades. "And I really loved that spaghetti."

"It's the best, right?"

"My top two for sure."

I scrunch up my nose. "Who's your first?"

She bites the inside of her lip. "Mine."

"You..." a gasp leaves my mouth.

"Yes, I know how to cook spaghetti and it's not from a can. I actually love cooking. Cakes are my weakness."

I learn new things about this girl every day.

"Will you cook me a cake one day then?"

She shrugs again before opening her car door. "One day."

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Prom week finally approached.

Which means everyone is starting to freak out over Prom King and Queen. Something else I could care less about. The halls are filled with light blue and silver decorations with posters taped to almost every locker. Vote Now in the Auditorium. There's also confetti covering the stained concrete. Our student body goes all out for these dances.

I haven't talked to Anderson since Friday before he accused me of acting just like Marcus. I still can't believe he would assume that. I could never be someone like him.

"Hey," I called out to him once I sat down in Mr. Walts' class.

I see him look over his shoulder, barely acknowledging me. "Hey."

Him acting all weird starts to really aggravate me. The class begins to fill quickly, and everyone takes their seat. I get impatient the longer I sit, and he doesn't say a word.

"Man, you've got to stop being like this." I rub the back of my head.

He still doesn't really look at me.

"Then stop acting how you have been."

"Like what?"

He turns his body to face me. "Just look at yourself, you talk just like him and you even dress just like him." I look down and study the dark black jeans with a white collar buttoned up shirt. "I look nothing like him, I always wear this."

He frowns. "Sure, you do."

I roll my eyes. "I'm sorry Andy, okay?"

He runs a hand through his dirty blonde hair before letting out a sarcastic laugh. "This is what I mean."

When he points at me, I flinch.

"Talk to me, please."

"You just don't get it. As much as you hate Marcus you are thrilled to be his friend again and forget about me."

I shake my head. "You're my best friend, I haven't forgotten about you."

"I saw Marcus' Instagram over the weekend."

Him being at my house after we ate spaghetti and hanging out in my room. He ended up spending the night after we stayed up till almost three in the morning watching Cops.

Something Anderson and I always did.

Then I went over to his house Saturday and spent all day with him, swimming and throwing the football to one another. His dad is never home, which is why he invited some of the normal jocks over that evening. I ended up leaving right after everyone started drinking.

"Is this really worth it? I know Cassie is, but you're not the same anymore."

His words bring me back to reality. I basically plea to my best friend. "I am still the same Luca."

He shakes his head. "I'm afraid he doesn't exist anymore."

And just like that, the bell rings to release us from class. All the students stand up to exit the classroom and I just sit there as I watch my best friend walk away.

• • •

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