Chapter 3
It had been two weeks since I last saw Luke. I looked down at the man leaning against his car outside my building.
This used to be a familiar sight. But now, I figured it would probably become a rare one.
He lounged casually by the car, speaking without a care in the world.
"Our families are having dinner together. I'm here to pick you up," he said.
It was like he'd completely forgotten about our falling out half a month ago, and he hadn't reached out to me once since then.
He really couldn't care less.
I quietly slid into the passenger seat. Neither of us said a word the whole way.
The car pulled up smoothly in front of the restaurant. I got out right away, but before I could get far, he reached out and caught my arm.
"What's up with the campus forum?" he asked.
I had no idea what he was talking about.
He saw the confusion on my face and handed me his phone. I glanced at the screen.
It was a post on the campus forum titled, [Lynn Ashford and Luke Sterling—Did They Break Up?]
The comments were popping off.
[I think it's true. I haven't seen her with Luke in a long time.]
[No cap! Saw Luke and Susie kissing outside the school gate a few days ago. Bumping this!]
[Ooh, this is juicy...]
[They're both as bad as each other. I heard Lynn's been getting pretty close to the head of the sports department too.]
Before I could scroll any further, Luke interrupted.
"So what's the deal with that sports department head?" Luke pressed.
He spoke so quietly, every word sounded like it was being forced through clenched teeth.
"I've been waiting for you to explain the whole ride here. Don't you have anything to say?"
How could he skip over everything that happened between him and Susie and come at me about some guy I'd only met a handful of times?
"There's nothing to explain. You and Susie are a thing? Then that guy and I are a thing too," I shot back.
Deep down, I still held onto a sliver of hope.
Luke, just say there's nothing going on with Susie. Say it, and I would take it all back.
"Susie and I are together. What's your relationship with that sports department guy?" he snapped, his voice sharp and brimming with barely contained anger.
My nails dug so deep into my palm, but I couldn't feel a thing—just a hot, numb ache.
Still, I forced myself to look him in the eye.
"Whatever's between us, it's none of your business," I snapped.
With those words, I turned and walked away.
My mom called, and I said I was feeling sick so I could skip out on having to sit at the same table with Luke and pretend everything was fine.
We'd known each other for fifteen years. Besides being engaged, we were practically like family.
But even with that kind of connection, he didn't say a single word to me for half a month, even though he knew I was upset.
And after all that, Luke still acted like nothing had happened, looking down on me and interrogating me.
When I put all the pieces together, it finally made sense.
That was when I finally realized—he didn't love me.