Aria Matthews is in love with her best friend, Lucas Miller. It is the best kept secret since Area 51 and she knows she would take it to the grave. But things start changing in her senior year of high school when another of her friends takes it upon...
Luke and I were on the way to school and I was still mystified by the insinuation that Yasmeen had made: That Luke had a crush on little old me. Did everyone think that?
"Really?" asked Luke. "Did she tell you about the bullying?"
I nodded. "She did shed some light on why Nathan is doing whatever he's doing but I encouraged her to still report him. They have some bad blood between them."
"What did she say?"
"I can't tell you. I promised her."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Then why did you bring it up?"
I grinned. "Just to tell you that I talked to her. It's a small step but a step nonetheless."
He just shook his head. "Well, I'm glad she opened up to you. You're a good friend. I can attest to that." He shot me a warm smile.
But I don't want to be just friends anymore, I thought inwardly sighing. I just don't know how to tell you that.
"I have something to ask you, actually," he interrupted my morose speculation, his voice hesitant.
"What?"
"There's a basketball match next Saturday." Luke pulled the car into an empty parking spot and turned to look at me.
"Okay?" I said confused. "Are you asking me to attend? Because I always do. You know that."
Luke nodded. "Yeah. Great. But... there's also an afterparty," he said looking intensely at me, as I felt my heart swoop. "Will you be there for that?"
"Uh." I had no idea how to respond. Luke no longer had a girlfriend so there probably won't be the PDAs that I hated. But what if he finds a random girl and I have to watch? And why was my pulse racing as if he were asking me out?
He patiently waited for me as if he could hear the cogs working in my brain.
"Sure. Let me check with Cam, though." At least then I would have the means to bolt if the need arose.
"Awesome." He grinned boyishly and my treacherous heart pounded loudly.
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It was Mr. Gianni's class for the first period. Just as he started his lecture, there was a knock on the door and Mr. Sánchez's face peeked in, his face already split in a wide grin.
"May I interrupt, Mr. Gianni?" the merry principal asked.
Mr. Gianni opened his mouth to reply but the principal was already inside, smiling cheerfully at the students, his hands spread over his ample belly. I half expected him to begin with a "Ho, ho, ho!"
"Look at all these lovely faces!" Mr. Sánchez exclaimed instead. Luke caught my eye and I ducked my head to hide my amusement.
"Sorry to disturb your class, Mr. Gianni," the principal continued, while the teacher smiled woodenly. "I just have an announcement to make to these delightful seniors." Many students had started snickering, and as usual Mr. Sánchez was clueless. "We have a very special guest today who is visiting our school and I would love to introduce you. Please welcome... Ms. Rebecca Martin." He threw an arm out towards the doorway.
