Coincidences

Chapter 16: Can I kiss you?

Ella had stalked up to Luke's desk at the start of school the next day. He looked weirdly surprised when he saw her.

"Are you avoiding me?" She asked, upfront.

"No." He lied.

"Okay, great, want to go bowling with Alexis, Devon, and I tonight?" She asked.

"Um," He looked down, contemplating it.

"As friends." She clarified.

He looked back up. "Sure. I get off work at six pm, can I just pick you up?"

"Yeah." Ella said, going back to her desk.

*****

She was waiting at her porch step for Luke at 5:50pm. Mike had interrogated her beforehand but she shrugged him off.

She chose to dress casual, a t-shirt and jeans. She was kind of cold but she didn't wanna risk going back in, knowing Mike's obsessiveness would annoy her.

Luke pulled up and she got in the car, gently closing the door after her.

"Hey." She said. "Alex and Dev are already there, so we'll just join their lane."

"Okay." He nodded. His jaw was set and he didn't look to be in a good mood.

The rest of the car ride was awkward. She regretted asking him to come, but why would he agree to come if he didn't wanna hang out with her?

When they finally got there, Ella hurriedly walked out of the car, not bothering to see if he followed behind. She stalked right up to Alexis's lane, recognizing her black afro from a few meters away. She looped her hand through hers and pulled her to the restroom, not bothering to say anything.

"Luke is being super strange." She whined, as they got in.

"What do you mean?" Alexis frowned.

"Well I kissed his cheek at Jake's party and he's avoided me ever since. But for some reason he still said yes to coming today." Ella said, earning an eyebrow raise from Alexis.

"Maybe he feels awkward around you now? I know you've kissed before but a kiss to the cheek could be more intimate for him. Do you have feelings for him?" Alexis asked.

"No! I just think he's cute, that's all." Ella denied

Alexis gave her a deadpanned look. "We've been here too long. Let's go back before they suspect us."

Ella went back to the lane, picking up bowling shoes. She saw Luke tying his own, with Dev next to him, talking to him. She decided she was just going to pretend as though nothing was wrong.

Halfway through their game, Ella was losing in last place by a landslide. Luke was first, then Alexis, then Devon.

She had basically given up, grabbing a red ball and stalking up to the lane, haphazardly rolling it down the aisle, watching in disappointment as it rolled to the right and hit only one pin. She sighed as Alexis laughed at her for the fourth time.

She went to grab another ball when she felt someone right up behind her; Luke pushed his hard chest into her back as he handed her the ball, wrapping his hand around hers with the ball. "You're throwing it wrong." He said. She could feel his chest vibrate with his words. "I'll show you how."

She was suddenly very aware of his body heat and how close to her he was. He wrapped his hand around her forearm, swinging it back to demonstrate the right way for her to roll the ball. At the same time he pressed his leg into hers, pushing it forward, while the other leg stayed back. He smelled good and she could feel her face heating up at their sudden close proximity.