I had always had a quirky habit of lingering in class until everyone else had filed out. I detested the chaos of jostling through the doorway with a crowd, preferring to exit when the coast was clear. The bell rang, signaling the end of math period, but I remained seated, feigning nonchalance.

Lucas bid farewell to his friends, and I slowly gathered my belongings, preparing for a solitary exit. Amber and her friends had made a swift departure the moment the bell rang. She had waved at me, and I responded with a tight-lipped smile before she vanished into the bustling hallway.

Despite the pain Lucas had caused me, my feelings for him remained unchanged. I was afraid that if I let them go, an unbearable emptiness would creep in. He was the only one who truly understood me, and I couldn't help but wonder if our silent conversations and lingering eye contact meant anything to him.

Just as I grasped my bag to stand, Lucas turned to me, his friends having departed after their goodbyes.

"Hey," Lucas said, his eyes scanning my expression as if searching for a hint of my emotions.

"Hi," I replied, trying to sound casual despite the awkwardness that had settled between us. It had been a while since we last spoke, and the silence felt like a heavy burden.

Lucas struggled to find his words, scratching the back of his head in a gesture of nervousness. "Can we talk?" he asked finally, his voice low and uncertain.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing with possibilities. What did Lucas want to talk about that made him so nervous? Was it related to what he had wanted to tell me the other day?

"Right here?" I asked, seeking clarification.

"Yes, if you don't mind," Lucas replied, his eyes locked on mine.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Of course."

I set my bag down on the table next to him and took a seat. Lucas leaned against the table, his attention focused on me as he crossed his legs, his expression a mix of nervousness and determination.

" What's up?" I asked, trying to sound casual despite the tension between us.

Lucas hesitated, a faint smile on his lips. "Uhm, you good?"

I flashed a warm smile at him, trying to put him at ease. "Yeah, I'm okay. You?"

"I'm good," he replied, his eyes locking onto mine.

I nodded, pressing my lips together. This conversation was getting weird and uncomfortable fast.

Lucas took a deep breath before speaking again. "I just wanted to apologize about Amber and me—"

I raised my hand, palm facing him, to stop him mid-sentence. "I don't want to hear about that, honestly."

Lucas's expression turned stone, and his gaze dropped to the floor. I realized I had come across harsher than intended.

"Shit, I didn't mean it like that," I said quickly, trying to rectify the situation. "I mean, you guys don't have to keep apologizing for it. We're cool."

The words tumbled out of my mouth, but I hoped they were enough to ease the tension between us.

Lucas's gaze darted up to mine, his eyes searching for any sign of insincerity. "You sure?" he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.

I forced a smile, trying to convince him of my sincerity. "Yeah, you guys make a really great couple." The lie stung worse than the last, every time I pretended to sound happy for them.

Lucas shrugged, his expression indifferent, as if my words meant nothing to him. I felt a pang of sadness, wondering if he had ever truly cared about my feelings.

"That's all?" I asked, fearing that my facade would crack if I stayed a second longer. I stood up, dusting off my jeans even though I knew there was no dust.

Lucas nodded, giving me a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, that's all."

I nodded, shouldering my bag, and started heading for the door. But before I could take another step, Lucas's hand wrapped around my wrist, bringing me to a sudden stop. I didn't turn to face him, instead locking eyes with him over my shoulder.

There was still something that lingered in his eyes, a deep-seated emotion that he seemed to be struggling to keep hidden. It was as if a million apologies and explanations were bottled up inside him, things he wanted to say but had decided were best left unspoken. I saw a flicker of guilt, perhaps for not telling me how he felt, or for choosing someone else despite having an idea of my feelings.

Lucas's voice broke the silence, his tone hesitant. "Want to hang out at lunch?"

I hesitated, tempted by the offer. But memories of what had happened the last time I'd spent time with him came flooding back, and I knew I couldn't take that risk again. "I can't," I said finally, my voice firm but polite.

"What about after school?" Lucas asked, his eyes hopeful.

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. "I don't know," I replied, trying to sound noncommittal.

Lucas persisted, his voice gentle. "You can wait for me at practice, and we can grab dinner or something after."

My eyes darted everywhere but his, as I scrambled to think of an excuse. But Lucas's next words caught me off guard.

"I'll drop you off at home," he offered. "We don't have to hang out again after if you don't want to."

I gave it a thought, and before I knew it, my defenses had already melted away. "Okay, fine," I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas's face lit up with a victorious smile, clearly pleased with himself for persuading me. "Great," he said, releasing his grip on my wrist.

The sudden absence of his warm touch left a tingling sensation on my skin. It was as if his fingers had branded a part of me, leaving an indelible mark. I tried to brush off the flutter in my chest as I turned to leave the room.

But I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was kidding myself. There was no way I could get over Lucas that easily, not when we kept crossing paths like this. I couldn't imagine doing something like that to Amber, leading her on or hurting her in any way.

I tried to convince myself that this was just a harmless hangout, like we used to do in the past. It was nothing special, just two friends catching up. I repeated this mantra to myself as I walked to my locker, hoping to calm my racing thoughts.

But deep down, I couldn't help but wonder if this was all going to blow up in my face, unleashing a drama that I couldn't even begin to imagine.