The Bet || l.h.

- 13 -

I haven't spoken to Luke since the night of the party. My cheeks burn every time I think about my hands tangled in his hair, his lips on my skin...

"Emmy, are you even listening to me?"

I blink, coming back to the present. "Hm?"

Kayla huffs in annoyance. "You've been a million miles away all day. What is with you?"

"Nothing," I stammer, tripping over my words. "You were saying?"

She launches back into her description of her date with Ethan on Friday, but I zone out again when she starts talking about how they made out on her living room couch while her parents were asleep upstairs. I know I shouldn't give Luke a second thought, but I couldn't stop thinking of him. It was so wrong, but felt so right.

I glance over my shoulder at where a perky cheerleader is hanging all over Luke, but he doesn't seem to be paying her any attention. His gaze is fixed on me, his blue eyes burning a hole in my back.

A jolt of electricity goes through me as our eyes meet, but I quickly look away before he can even register the fact that I'm staring back at him, but it's too late. He pushes the cheerleader away and gets to his feet, his eyes set on me.

"I uh I don't feel too good," I blurt, interrupting Kayla in the middle of her story. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, or the nurse."

I shove back from the table, rushing out of the cafeteria before Luke can reach me. I turn the corner towards the front of the school, my heart pounding in my chest. Oh god why did I even kiss him? I knew it wasn't a good idea, but the temptation of his mouth on mine was too great.

"Emmy!" a familiar voice calls after me.

I don't stop walking.

"Em, come on, please!" Luke's long legs propel him fast enough to catch up to me. He grabs onto my arm, holding me back. "Please," he whispers. "I just want to talk."

"Maybe I don't," I throw back, jerking my arm from his. "Why can't you just leave me alone? You're so frustrating!"

Hurt flashes in his ocean eyes before he covers it up. "Look, I'm not the one who kissed you on Friday," he shoots back sharply. "Sorry if I'm just the littlest bit confused when you made out with me and then said you wanted nothing to do with me."

"I can't do this right now," I say with a sigh, storming away from him. Why did he have to be so infuriating all the time?

****

I shift uncomfortably on the bleachers. Why did I even agree to come here? Sports games are exactly what I try to avoid. 

There's so many people cramped on the bleachers that I can't properly scan the crowd for familiar blond hair. I haven't seen Luke since our fight in the hallway, and I still can't sort through the thoughts swirling around in my brain.

"Isn't this so fun?!" Kayla screeches in my ear as our team scores a point.

I force a smile and nod. I feel bad for deserting her every time I can, but I really just wish I could go home and curl up on the couch with some stupid Netflix movie on.

I look back at the guys running around on the field. I've never understood lacrosse, or why it's so popular at our school. Probably because unlike our football team, the lacrosse guys are actually really good.

"Hey, Emmy!"

I start to panic before I realize that it's just Calum. Michael leans back against the top of the bleachers just a few feet behind us, Ashton saying something to him that makes him laugh. I start to search for their fourth friend, but he's nowhere to be found

Calum brushes his dark hair out of his face. "I didn't know you like lacrosse," he says with a smile.

"Right back at you," I say. Swallowing my nerves, I ask, "Where's Luke? He's not with you?"

Calum wordlessly points down at the field.

Oh. Oh.

"He plays lacrosse?" I breathe, feeling a little dizzy now.

Calum nods. "I assume you don't want me to tell him that you came to his game?"

"Please don't," I say quickly. Unable to contain my curiosity, I ask, "Which number is he?"

"Number 7," Cal answers.

My eyes find him quickly on the field. So he's the one that's been beating up the other team with brutal efficiency.

Luke slams into a member of the other team, his lacrosse stick flashing out to send the ball flying towards the goal. The stands erupt into cheers as it goes in. He's really good. I don't know how I didn't know until now that he was practically the star of the lacrosse team.

Luke's managed to score two more goals and block a member of the other team from getting a point by the time I get to my feet, unable to sit here any longer.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," I murmur to Calum.

He nods and I start to shove my way through the people.

No matter where I go, Luke follows me whether he knows it or not. I should have never gone to that party.

The bathrooms are just past a section of the field that's fenced off. I try not to look over at Luke as I walk. I don't want him to know that I came to his game. It was pure coincidence that I came to his game after I yelled at him to leave me alone in the hallway.

"Watch out!" a voice calls, interrupting my thoughts.

I look up to see a ball flying toward me. I don't even have time to throw my arms up to protect my head. But a hand shoots out and catches the rogue ball before it hits me. I relax a little when I see gray eyes looking down at me instead of blue ones.

"Thanks," I whisper in a small voice.

"You're welcome," he replies with a smile. He's a lot taller than I am, with tanned skin and light brown hair that hangs in thick waves. Dimples form in his cheeks when he smiles. "I'm Noah, by the way," he adds quickly, holding a hand out to me.

I shake his hand hesitantly. "Emmy."

"You should look around you more, Emmy," Noah teases gently. I smile weakly at him, still a little surprised. "Catch you later," he calls over his shoulder as he jogs back toward the field.

I watch him reunite with his team, feeling my smile die when I find a pair of blue eyes locked on mine.

Shit.

A/N: Hey guys sorry it's taken me awhile to update, I haven't had any time to write :(

Please vote and comment for me, it lets me know whether you are liking the story or not!!

- A