Luke

"So, you and your delinquent boyfriend have detention after school today, right?" I asked, elbowing her as we filed out of Mr. Brooks' classroom.

"He is not my boyfriend. And yes, as a matter of fact, we do," she replied, sticking her tongue out at me.

"Yeah, yeah, semantics. He'll be your boyfriend soon enough," I sighed.

"What?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Rach...I just...Are you sure about him?" I asked, not wanting to upset her.

She chuckled. "No. I'm not, but...that's sort of what makes it fun," she said, shrugging.

"I know what you mean."

"How so?" 

"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I've been having fun with Brooke this past week."

Rachel's eyes widened. "Really?" Then acknowledgment crossed her face. "Wait. Do you like her?" she asked, clasping her hands against her chest.

Rolling my eyes, I say, "I didn't say that. Just that I've been having fun with her. That's all." I scoffed. "She's way out of my league, anyway." Rachel stopped, and I turned around. "What?" 

"Brooke is not out of your league. And let me tell you this: if she's hanging out with you, she at least likes you as a friend. She doesn't waste time with people she doesn't think are cool. And that, my friend, is a start," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder.

Just then, Vice Principal Milton's voice blared over the intercom. "Detention is beginning in three minutes. If you're late, you'll have a Saturday detention to make up for this one. Thank you."

"Shit," she said, giving me a swift hug. "I gotta go. Saturday detention is so not an option. See ya later, Luke!" She turned and ran down the hallway toward the library.

I shook my head as I watched her scamper off. Seeing Rachel Cross run to get to detention on time was surreal.

My phone dinged in my pocket, and I fished it out. It was my dad.

Hey son, your mom and I want to take you out to dinner tonight. Where do you want to go?

I almost dropped my phone. This would make the second time in just a few days that we have eaten together as a family and the first time in years that my dad has asked me where I want to go. 

Hey Dad...can we go to the Back Porch? I'm craving oysters.

Sounds good. Meet us there for an early dinner.

K. See ya there.

Love you, son.

Love you too, dad.

As soon as I put my phone back in my pocket, I remembered something. I had detention today too. I checked my watch. 3:01. 

I guess I'd have a Saturday detention...it was worth it to have dinner with both of my parents at the same time.

I left school feeling better than I had in months.

My parents and I sat at the Back Porch for an hour, talking and catching up on everything from my grades to my dad's work to my mom's AA meetings.

At one point, I just sat there and looked between them, realizing how good it felt to have what felt like a normal family. My dad was in a great mood, my mom wasn't blitzed, and I had a decent day at school.

For once, things were looking up for Luke Salazar.

My phone dinged, and it was Brooke.

Things were looking way up.

Brooke

My God, I am going to fail this Bio 2 test so hard. Why in the hell did I put myself through this? I read the same page in my textbook five times and realized I was getting nowhere. I picked my phone up and opened the messages app.

Hey Luke...I need help.

Are you okay?!

Ahhh, yes! Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out. I need help in Bio 2. We have a test Monday and I am two hundred percent lost. You took DeWitt's class last year, right?

Yeah...I got a 99. Sooooo, I guess I could help you out.

Cheeky.

And you're modest too!

Haha.

Come over to my house this weekend? I'll buy you pizza for your trouble.

Sure. Sounds good. I'm at dinner w/my parents right now but can we talk tomorrow?

Absolutely. Thanks, Luke. I appreciate it.

No problem, Kane.

I threw my phone on the bed and started braiding my hair over my shoulder.

What is life right now?

Rachel

Detention is so damn boring. No talking. No eating. No drinking. No chewing gum. Definitely no texting because we had to turn our phones in at the door.

At least I made it in time to sit at the table in the back across from Miles. Before they made us "zip it," Miles brought something up that I had forgotten.

"Didn't Luke have detention today, too?"

"Oh, yeah!" I exclaimed. "I forgot about that! Maybe he got out of it somehow?"

Miles opened his mouth to answer when Mr. Parker glared at us.

"It's time for detention to start," he said, parking himself at the desk in front of us. We looked around; there were only three other people in the room. "Don't talk, or I'll see you tomorrow afternoon too."

We "zipped it."

In the silence, I finished all of my AP Euro flashcards and read the first half of A Modest Proposal.

I put all my stuff back in my backpack and looked at the clock. 3:45. Jesus, fifteen more minutes.

I stole a glance at Miles, and he was scribbling down government homework—government homework that had been due today. I stifled a giggle.

He looked up at me, and I bit my lip. He winked, and I felt myself melt a little. Suddenly I felt like doing something ridiculous. I turned my head to see what Mr. Parker was doing, all his attention devoted to some book about education in today's America.

I scooted my chair a little closer to the table after making sure Mr. Parker's eyes weren't leaving that book; I slid my foot out of my sandal and ran my toes down Miles' bare leg, from his knee to his ankle.

His head snapped up, and his eyes showed both surprise and...longing?

I shot him a flirty smirk and drew my foot back, putting the eraser of my pencil between my teeth and twirling it back and forth.

Miles shifted in his seat, and I raised one eyebrow. Hmm, it seems I'm having an effect on him...Damn, I'm bored. But this was passing the time, I thought as I glanced at the clock. 3:53. I ran my hand through my hair, sweeping it over one shoulder, exposing the freckled tanned skin on my neck.

Miles dropped his pencil on the table, and it rolled onto the carpet. He gazed at me and licked his lips.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, my hair falling over the back of the chair, and I ran my hand down the side of my face and over my collarbone. When I sat up and looked at Miles, his mouth was hanging open.

I winked and blew him a kiss.

"Okay, kids, it's 4:00. You're dismissed. Come by and get your phones before you leave," Mr. Parker said, and he was back to his kind, laid-back self. He was a total asshole during detention, but the rest of the time he was cool.

I stood up to get my phone, but Miles remained in his chair.

"Are you coming?" I asked.

He cleared his throat. "I can't, uh...I can't stand up at the moment," he mumbled, his face the color of a ripe tomato.

I threw my head back and laughed. Mission accomplished.

Maybe detention isn't so bad.