The argument

Chapter 2

Luke looked all around the school. There was no sight of Zander anywhere. He sighed.
"I need to find him soon.I need to make things right" Luke thought to himself as he kept walking.There was only 15 minutes left of lunch.He knew he was going to be late to his next class but he didn't care.He needed to talk to Zander. He told Hailey to tell their teacher that he would probably be late so that she wouldn't question him when he came into the class later.They weren't doing much in classes anyways since it was the last week of school.The hallways weren't as packed anymore since people were mostly in the cafeteria or study hall.That was helpful as looking for Zander through a large crowd of teenagers would've been much harder.Luke kept walking in hopes that he would find Zander soon.

10 more minutes passed before he found Zander. He was walking on the 3rd floor of the school when he heard a voice in the computer lab.It was Zander's voice.
"Why?" was all that Zander said.Luke knew Zander was pretty upset and the fact that he went all the way to the 3rd floor proved that as well. Zander usually didn't do that,he would just go to the bathroom to be alone for a couple of minutes.This time,he walked up to the computer lab and seemed to not have intentions of coming out soon.Luke walked over and opened the door.When he walked in,the sight he saw shocked him. Zander was sitting in a far corner of the computer lab.His head was buried in his knees and he didn't even turn on the lights in the lab.He was sitting in complete darkness.

"Zander? We need to talk" Luke said as he turned on the lights and walked towards Zander. Zander looked up at Luke.His expression broke Luke's heart. Zander's eyes were watery,like he was holding back tears,his skin had gotten even paler,and the energy in Zander looked like it had been drained out of him.
"Sure I guess we can talk" Zander said with a voice so plain,so cold,so distant that it scared Luke.He sat down in front of Zander and made eye contact with him.It was only 5 more minutes until class started so he had to make his points quick before kids started to roam the halls again and there wouldn't be that much privacy.
"Look I know you're upset about me going far away for college but it isn't forever.Think about it Zander. I can visit for Christmas and Spring break.We can still see each other" Luke started with a hopeful smile.

Zander made eye contact with Luke and Luke could tell his eyes were starting to get filled with anger again.
"Yeah sure visit but only twice for the entire school year.It's 4 years of college Luke! 4 years! You honestly think that's nothing? I don't want to be alone for 4 years!" Zander yelled as he kept his eye contact with Luke.Luke's smile faded but he knew he had to get through to Zander.
"Yes I know it's 4 years but visiting twice every school year is better than not visiting at all.I'll be coming back during the Summer too.Besides,we'll still keep in contact with each other over the phone and you have the rest of our friends so you won't be lonely" he said as he tried to reach out for Zander's hand. Zander quickly moved his hand farther from Luke and got up.

"Keeping in contact over the phone just isn't the same.Summer is only 3 months and you'll still have work to do over the Summer.You think I won't be lonely since I have the rest of our friends?! I will be lonely since you're the only one that really gets me!.....or at least I thought that you got me.Maybe you really don't after all" Zander said as he broke his eye contact with Luke.Luke's eyes widen.He didn't like what he was hearing,the bad feeling in his stomach started kicking at him faster and faster.He wanted it to go away.Luke stood up and faced Zander.
"Yes I know they'll assign me college work over the Summer but that won't take me forever and I do get you Zander. I just want you to understand that you don't have to be upset" Luke said as he walked closer to Zander. Zander backed away.

"Don't get so close! I let you get close and now you're leaving me.What happened to our promise? Does that mean nothing to you?! Do I mean nothing to you?" Zander yelled out as he clenched his fists.A single tear rolled down his cheek.The bell then rang.Students started pouring out the cafeteria as their screams could be heard and students were leaving study hall as well.Luke didn't have the intentions of going to class until things were right.
"I remember our promise and I'm sorry that I have to leave but I never intended to break it.You mean everything to mean Zander! Don't say that!" Luke yelled.He was looking at Zander directly in the eyes.He wanted Zander to know he was serious.
"Then why didn't you tell me that you were applying to that college?!
I could've at least gotten mentally prepared for this! Instead you said you applied to a normal college when I asked you two months ago!" Zander continued to yell.Anger was boiling in his eyes and hot tears slowly started streaming down his cheeks.

Luke clenched his fists.He was trying to make things better but Zander wouldn't listen to reason.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you and I lied to you about the college I applied to but I just wasn't ready to tell anyone.I wasn't sure how to say it" Luke said.
"You could've thought of a way to tell us just like how you thought of a way to tell us now! I just don't want you going to Lakeshore!" Zander yelled,keeping his angry expression.It seemed like nothing could calm him down.Luke was starting to get frustrated.He was trying so hard but Zander always had a counter for whatever he said. Zander,on the other hand,was extremely hurt and he couldn't keep his feelings in.

"Why can't you just support my dream?! You know I wanted this since we were kids.I just want your support!" Luke then yelled out.His eyes widen and he backed away.He shocked himself by yelling at Zander. He never yelled at Zander until now....
Zander's eyes widen as well.That was a pushing point for him.Tears fell down faster and his eyes were getting redder.
"I know that Luke but I at least wanted to go there with you! I want to support your dream but it hurts to let you go! Why can't you understand that I need you?!" Zander yelled as he closed his eyes so tightly and clenched his fists tighter.The halls were getting quieter as kids were now in their class. Zander's words pierced through the air.
"You don't need me Zander! If you'd actually stop telling yourself that then you would see that you don't need me! Besides,you'll probably find your own college friends and forget about me anyways so why does it even matter?!" Luke yelled out so hard that Zander flinched.Luke blinked in surprised that he yelled so hard.He didn't intend that.He hoped he hadn't crossed the line too far.

"You honestly think I don't need you? If I'm telling you that I need you then I actually need you! You think I'm just going to replace you? I thought you knew me better than that.I thought you had more faith in me but I guess not.Who knows maybe you'll find some other person to be with in college? Someone better than me" Zander replied.His tone of voice shifted from a yell to a serious,firm tone.Luke's expression dropped.Find someone else better than Zander? There was no one better than Zander!
"No I do have faith in you! I'm sorry but those words just slipped out.You know I wouldn't replace you and find someone else! You know that I love you and only you Zander!" Luke yelled out.He walked closer to Zander and tried to hug him but Zander quickly moved out the way.

"If you love me then why are you leaving me?! I wouldn't have done that to you! You're going to a different state where there's different people and I won't be there with you!" Zander yelled.His voice was angry but exhausted at the same time.
"Boys,what's going on in there?" a teacher's voice could be heard from the distance.A teacher had heard their yelling and was coming to get them.This was bad news.Luke quickly looked back at Zander.
"Listen Zander,I have to leave to pursue my dreams but I'll always love you.You don't have to worry about those other people.We can do long distance" Luke said,a bit more calmed down.He was taking deep breaths in and out to calm down.He had to make things right before the teacher caught them.
"People always said always but it's never true! You know what happened to my parents so take that as an example! And if we're being honest,I don't think we can do long distance!" Zander screamed and the last sentence broke Luke's heart even more.That same bad feeling was dropping deeper into his stomach.

"What are you trying to say Zander?!" Luke yelled out in panic,but his voice came out more angry sounding than intended.The teacher walked in.
"Boys,you're supposed to be in class! I know this is the last week of school but that doesn't mean skip your classes to have arguments in the computer lab.Get to your classes now before I get the principal " the teacher said with a firm tone in her voice. Zander looked at Luke one final time.
"I'm saying maybe we should just take a break" Zander said with a shaky voice,you could tell he was trying to hold back a river of tears.He ran past the teacher and out the lab.The teacher looked at Luke with a sorry expression.

All Luke could do was leave the computer lab and get to class.The bad feeling in his stomach came true.He had an argument with Zander and now they would possibly be breaking up.Why did this have to happen?

Would things ever be the same again?