10
“Ican’t believe you did that,” I said to Luka, well after I had finally gained my composure.
“Did what?” he asked, eyes sparkling. He unrolled his utensils from the napkin they came in. In one practiced movement, he flipped and folded the napkin, placing it on his lap in less than a second.
“Your hands are quite talented,” I said.
He laughed and smiled, looking down to me. I felt so safe beside him, even despite what we had just done together in front of everyone.
“I want you to tell me the truth about something,” he said. “Are you okay?”
The feelings swirling through me were so big, so warm, it barricaded my heart against the paranoia about the rumors and the stares. I was thankful that, from my vantage point, I couldn’t see much of anything but the corner walls and Luka himself.
“I’m doing fine,” I replied. “I’m wonderful. You’re wonderful.”
The waiter arrived, quickly dropping platters off before disappearing again. I looked down at Luka’s.
“Cheeseburger and fries,” I noted. “Is that the local cuisine of your country?”
Luka laughed, full throated and beautiful. It made me feel happy, and genuinely cared for. This person of such power, means, and beauty enjoyed my company.
I picked up my water glass and rose it in his direction. “Cheers.”
He picked up his own, clinking it against mine. “Cheers, indeed.”
We took a few minutes to dig in, both of us surprisingly famished from the course of the day. Thinking back, I couldn’t remember when I had last ate, or what it had been. Most likely a green smoothie or power bar crammed into my mouth as I ran off for another class. Being a student at VIP certainly wasn’t a leisurely experience.
As we began to slow down, I turned in the booth to face him, sliding one leg under my other. “Luka, if you don’t mind me asking…”
“Of course. Anything.” He gracefully dabbed at his mouth with his napkin before setting it back on his lap.
“Why did you join the planning committee?” I asked.
He leaned back in his seat. “I involve myself in all sorts of campus activities.”
“I noticed,” I said. “It’s hard to nail you down in one spot.”
“And I sincerely apologize for that,” he said. “Nothing would make me happier than to spend more time with you. But I committed myself to so much early on in the year, and now it’s all coming back at me.”
“How do you deal with the stress?” I asked.
“The stress isn’t an issue,” he said. “A lot of these committees and clubs generally rely on at least one person able to make final decisions. I am exceptionally good at that.”
And he was. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Luka act indecisively. He knew what he wanted and was prepared for whatever consequences came about because of his choices. In an odd way, it made me feel safe when I was around him. Like he would take care of anything that happened to go wrong.
“I do, however, like to keep myself busy, so I don’t have time to dwell,” he continued.
“Dwell?” I asked. “On what?”
Luka took a sip of his water and took a moment to consider my question. I could see the work going on behind his eyes; it wasn’t often he had to chew over his words before letting them go.
Finally, he spoke. “There is an inordinate amount of pressure on me from my family right now.”
“What kind of pressure?” I asked.
“The kind where legacy is becoming paramount,” he responded. “There are many plans in the works, decisions being made for me without my input or approval.”
“That sounds familiar,” I said, thinking back to my conversation with Jaeson. “Yesterday, I went out with Jaeson to his office after classes were over. We talked a lot about how his life is so rigidly planned out. It really bothers him.”
