Secrets In The Garden / l.h ✔️

18

~Ophelia's POV~

I sat down at the lunch table and angrily swung my bag off my shoulder, nearly hitting Luke in the head with it as I looped it over the back of my chair.

"Jesus, Phelia." Luke grunted, looking down at me as he ate his breakfast. It looked like Frosted Flakes. "Could you not try to murder me with your bag first thing in the morning?" He grumbled. I was in a really bad mood on account of the fact that my dad was staying with us for a while and had woken me up this morning, acting like he was a good father, so I couldn't help but to glare at the tall boy beside me.

Luke raised his brows when he noticed the glare I gave him, holding his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry." He grumbled, pouting. I just huffed and slouched over the table, putting my head on top of my folded arms. "No, don't apologize. I'm just being mean, sorry." I groaned, my voice a little bit muffled. I was sure that he could still easily hear me, though.

There was a little bit of silence before he spoke again. "Something got you upset, gorgeous?" He asked, scooping up some cereal in his spoon before shoveling it into his mouth.

The question made me whine and bury my face into my arms more, not wanting to think about my father any longer today. I'd had enough of him these past few days and I was already waiting impatiently for him to go back home. However, he was still insisting that he wanted to be a part of my life, so he probably wouldn't leave for another week or so.

"Think I'm gonna take that as a yes." He said in response to my whine, making my lips twitch up slightly as I lifted my head and rested my chin on my arm while I peered up at him through my lashes. "You wanna tell me about it?" He asked, looking at me with his pretty blue eyes. I paused and then smiled softly, shaking my head. "Not particularly." I admitted, feebly shrugging my shoulders. He was probably just asking for the sake of being polite, anyways, and I didn't want to burden anyone else with my problems.

He hummed and continued to eat his cereal while I just sat there quietly with my head in my arms, falling asleep on top of the table. It was just a few minutes later that I felt a warm palm on my back, so warm I could feel it through the fabric of my clothes. Instead of pushing Luke's hand off, I relaxed a little more, liking the warmth and comfort his touch lent me. "That's fine. But just know you're always welcome to share with me if there is something wrong." He murmured, gently rubbing my back.

A small smile rose on my lips and I made sure my face was well hidden from him, not wanting him to see. "Thanks." I said softly, my voice muffled.

When I felt him pull his hand away, I lifted my head up a little bit and looked up at him. "Where's Stella? She's usually wherever you are." I said, noticing that her usual seat was vacant. It was unlike her not to be stuck to his side twenty four seven.

Luke grunted and rolled his eyes as he pushed his tray away when he finished eating, pink tongue poking out to lick off a bit of milk on his bottom lip. "Who knows, or cares." He shrugged, glancing at me as he leaned back into his chair. I noticed the way his biceps bulged when he crossed his arms over his chest and found myself looking at him for longer than what was probably appropriate. "She's your girlfriend." I reminded, raising my brows. Stella was certainly a complicated person to get along with, but she didn't deserve to be dating someone who didn't care about her at all.

"Yeah, well at least she's not clinging to my side like a goddamn koala anymore. Fucking annoying when she does that, especially because she knows I hate when she does it." He grumbled, glaring at his empty cereal bowl.

I raised my brows and frowned, sitting upright in my chair again. "You're not very nice. She obviously really likes you and yet you don't seem to care about her at all." I said, frowning. I felt bad for her. Even she deserved to be with someone who would love her. "Likes me?" Luke snorted, mirth in his eyes as they flicked over to meet mine. "This isn't the sixth grade anymore, gorgeous. She doesn't like me because she doesn't know me. She just likes my cock." He said bluntly, the crude word making my face hot. I had never heard someone speak like that before.

"That's not true." I defended weakly, shaking my head. "Stella doesn't seem like the type to date someone just for sex. If that was all she wanted, she'd have just taken that alone." I added, peering up at him. His plump lips pulled into a smile that made my face warm again. "Maybe," He relented, eyeing me closely. "But that doesn't change the fact that she doesn't know me enough to like me. I'm not with her because I like her, anyways, so I don't really care. She knows what this is to me." He shrugged carelessly.

His words made me feel bad. "I...I..." My mouth failed me terribly, unable to form words. "It's hard for me to want to be your friend when you say things like that. I hate how cruel you can be." I confessed softly. For a moment, he was quiet and then he looked away. "You're gonna have to get used to this, Ophelia. This is just the way that I am." He said simply, making me frown to myself.

I guess some part of me had been hoping for a different kind of response.

"Used to it?" I echoed, looking at the side of his face. It wasn't until now that I noticed how nice of a side profile he had. "You want me to get used to you always using girls for their bodies and then tossing them when you've had your fill?" I asked, making him quickly look down at me with his brows raised.

"Is that really what you think, gorgeous?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. I confidently nodded my head and he leaned down to be closer to me, the scent of sandalwood fanning around me as he grew nearer. "Then yes, that's what I want you to get used to." He hummed, making me furrow my brows a bit. I was getting a bit confused. He made it sound like he only wanted me to get used to it if I thought he was like that, not because he is that way.

Luke scanned his eyes over my features and then leaned in a little more, smiling a bit. "What? I'm a player, aren't I? You should get used to that sort of behavior sooner rather than later." He said simply, shrugging his shoulders. "H-Huh? How?" I stuttered, frowning. I felt the warmth of his breath on my cheek when he spoke, my hands shaking nervously as he leaned in so close that his lips brushed my ear. "The way everyone else does—experience." He murmured, a gasp leaving me as he nipped at my ear.

My heart racing, I squealed and pushed his chest, forcing him away from me as I blushed bright red. "No!" I squeaked, embarrassed. Was he really insinuating what I thought he had been?

He laughed. Yes, laughed. "Fuck, you're cute." He said casually, an amused grin on his lips. It looked like his eyes were practically sparkling. "I'm only joking, Phelia. Although you're gorgeous, I'm not interested." He shrugged, waving it off dismissively. I didn't know what to make of it.

"O-Oh." I stuttered, now feeling a little bit humiliated. He apparently slept with everyone...yet he wasn't interested in me? Am I too ugly, too fat? Did he not think I was attractive enough for something like that? "Right, o-of course." I whispered, ducking my head in embarrassment.

What had I been thinking? Of course he hadn't been insinuating anything before.