Play The Part (Player Next Door Book 3)

14 | Austin's POV

This chapter is only for the Austin fans ;) 

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Chapter 14: Austin's POV

*Austin's POV*

Luke looked like sh*t today. Last night was rough for the boy and he didn't open up.

Classic Luke - 'Emotions are for the weak.' He keeps it all bottled in, until he physically can't.

I guess I'm one to talk.

"Bianca wants to book in our senior week vacation," Oma told Jamie, sitting across from her on the lunch table, "I'm not part of the planning committee so you should ask her."

The cafeteria was noisy. We didn't usually have lunch here, but Luke had grabbed a table to eat solo, and that's where we all joined him. He's not one to communicate feelings, so these small actions are all the clues we'll get.

Last time I remember eating lunch here was sophomore year. Life was a lot simpler back then. Luke had made the basketball team and was climbing up the ranks. I just started hosting grotto parties, which got us a lot of attention from the seniors back then and I think Chad recently transferred to Preston Oakes. He was the new kid. 

I remember in the early days, Chad insisted on hanging out with us and Luke kept calling him a charity case – which riled him up to no end.

"Oma," I peered over her plate with my fork, "Can I-"

Oma looked down at the tater tot I was eying and nodded. I stabbed a few and popped them into my open mouth.

Warm, delicious rectangular treats. So crispy on the outside. So soft on the inside.

I felt a pair of eyes on me.

"What?" I asked the demon that my best friend had turned into.

He's been grumpy and stoic all lunch.

Luke shrugged, "If only I look at basketball the way you look at food."

"Then maybe you'd be a star. Oh wait..." I replied, sarcastically.

The guy was an NBA prospect no matter how much tatter-tot love he gave the sport.

Normally, I don't like to feed his ego. But in a time like this, I wanted to remind him of his passions without making it obvious I was trying to cheer him up.

He hadn't eaten much of his lunch, and he wasn't exactly joining in on the group conversation either. I was about to say something when a loud voice interrupted us.

The sweet-mouthed, lovely Cearra was gracing us with her presence. Granted, she looked a little more angry than usual.

"Luke mother f**king Dawson."

Strike that, a lot more angry.

Cearra stood in front of us with her hands crossed over her chest like she was in a 'Bring It On' movie. Gloria was watching it on TV the other day. I haven't seen the whole thing, but from what Gloria was telling me, it was a bunch of cheerleaders having stand offs in the cafeteria.

Kind of like now.

Was Cearra a cheerleader though? I tilted my head and tried to picture her in a cheerleader's outfit.

It works.

"Luke, you have a problem!" Cearra attacked him, "How can you go around treating people you're meant to care about this way? Have you no shame?"

"Woah," I exhaled, leaning back.

I've barely seen the girl string a sentence together in Luke's presence and here she was going full force on him.