“No, I’m not.”
“I’m sorry about yesterday. I don’t know what happened. Someone must’ve been playing a trick on me.”
Someone.
“It doesn’t matter. We made up for it, right?”
He smiles. “I know we haven’t seen each other much, and maybe things are going a little slower than you’d like, but I like you, Casey.”
“O-Okay,” I say, panic-stricken.
“I just want to make sure that’s clear.”
“Extremely clear.”
“Actually,” he says, taking my hand. “I like you a lot. And I want to prove it to you.”
Oh, fuck.Tonight? Really?
“Maybe I could come upstairs?”
“U-upstairs?”
“We’re outside your house.”
“I’d love to, but I have work tomorrow, and I’m tired. Really tired. Another time, okay? Thanks for tonight.”
I open the door and jump out of the car, walking quickly up the driveway without looking back. I can’t face this conversation. Not tonight; not after seeing Nick, after he kissed me like that, stripping me of my ability to kiss anyone else ever again.
I head towards the door to my apartment and dig around in my bag for the keys.
“Casey,” Luke says, catching up with me and stopping just behind me.
Really?Nowhe decides to push it?
I turn slowly, meeting his gaze. He approaches me, taking my chin in his fingers and lightly pressing his lips against mine. He closes his eyes, but mine are startled, open in shock.
He kisses me slowly, respectfully, and inside me I feel a nausea creep up my throat. I feel anger, a deep, painful hatred; because I’m kissing Luke, but I’m thinking of someone else. Because he came back to ruin my life. Because I can’t get him out of my head. And because I wishhewas the one I was kissing.
I pull away brusquely and Luke’s eyes snap open.
“What’s wrong, Casey?” he asks, almost angry now.
“I…I don’t know.”
He takes a few steps back.
“I’m sorry.”
Luke nods, deep in thought. “There’s someone else.”
“What? No!” I respond, overly enthusiastic.
He smiles tightly and shakes his head. “I might be busy, but I’m not stupid. And I definitely don’t want to be second-best. Do you get what I mean?”
I nod, embarrassed.
“Goodnight, Casey,” he says, before turning his back to me and walking to his car. He turns on the ignition and drives off, leaving me alone in front of my own door, slamming my head against the wood to try and knock some sense into myself.
