The Best Friend Equation

Chapter 3 - The Highlander Novel

After school, I plodded to the parking lot where Luke was waiting for me with his girlfriend.

Almost every day, Cam had to stay behind for cheerleading practice and so Luke drove me home. Since we lived next door, I could go to school with him in the morning as well. Except, Angelina lived on the other side of town and it would make no sense if he came to pick me up after he picked her up. And he left too early to pick her up in the morning on the way to school. No way was I going to wake up at that time.

Of course, it took long for him to drop her off but I had time after school. I just plugged in my earbuds and let them talk about their couple stuff. I could take the bus too, but he insisted that he would drop me.

Climbing in the back seat, I plugged into my favorite Spotify playlist. As music began blasting in my ears, I noticed Luke looking at me in the rear-view mirror. Pointedly avoiding his gaze, I stared out at the scenery zooming past. Luke and Angelina made some small-talk but he seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts.

When we reached Angelina's house, he got out with her and walked her to her door. I got out too to get in the front seat, my eyes straying to the couple. They talked for a bit and then she grabbed him and made a huge production of kissing him sloppily. Grimacing at the PDA, and ignoring the flash of pain in my chest, I turned my face away. After a moment, he got in the driver seat again and drove away.

I put my earphones back in my bag because I knew this was the moment that Luke would want some answers. But I liked avoiding stuff so I kept quiet and waited. After about ten seconds, Luke glanced at me.

"Well?"

I looked at him. "Well, what?"

Luke sighed, as if I was testing his patience. "Tell me about Mason. Why does Cameron think you like him?"

I bit my lip. "Because I told her, I guess."

"What?" Luke glared at me, frustration making his jaw twitch. "Can you please stop playing games and tell me, Aria? What is between you and Mason?"

I sighed. "Okay. So, Cam kept pestering me about who I liked. As if there has to be someone in my life, right? And she kept at it for so long, that one day Mason just happened to be passing by and I just blurted out his name. And it made her so happy, I didn't bother to take it back."

Luke didn't say anything for a moment. "So, you don't like him?"

"I mean he's cute and all. But I'm not really interested."

Luke just nodded, his face blank. I studied his profile, trying to gauge his reaction. "Are you happy now?"

He glanced at me then turned his face to the road again. "I just thought you liked someone for the first time and have liked him for so long but you didn't even mention it to me. And Cam seemed to know all about it. I thought maybe, I had lost my best friend status to Cam."

I stared at him for a beat, bewildered. "Are you nuts? I can't believe you even thought that! No one can replace you, Luke, you know that."

He flashed me a blinding grin that warmed me to my toes. "Ditto."