The 10 Steps To A Boy's Heart

Chapter 22

Luke's sitting by the concrete bannister lining the small porch that leads to our side entrance. I stop in my tracks and blink a few times wondering if I'm seeing things but he remains as real as can be.

I catch him sway a little and then he places his elbows on his knees and bends over. I rush over to him, wondering if he's about to fall off.

"Luke, are you alright?"

"Hmmm, Danielle?" He pushes the strands of hair that have fallen over his forehead, eyes fluttering when he notices me approaching. He then puts a hand out towards me and waves it in the air. "Are you really there?"

I resist the urge to smile, he's clearly drunk. He taps on the smooth grey surface next to him and take a seat.

"Yes, I am. In the flesh," I joke. "You don't look so good. What are you doing out here?"

The sports facilities are on the other side of campus where the stadium is and so are our sportsmen's student housing. I remember Stacy was offered a place in one of our most luxurious buildings but she refused, opting to stay here with Daphne instead.

"I had to walk someone back. She was drunk, I think."

A shot of jealousy runs through me. "Oh," I murmur, trying to sound casual. "Must be someone special."

He snorts immediately. "If she were so special I think I would have at least remembered her face. It was late and she wanted to leave, I offered to walk her back or she insisted, I don't remember."

I study his face under the dim yellow porch lights, he looks so completely out of it.

"Speaking of someone special. So you and Zander, huh?"

He finally says it, finally one of us had the courage to do so.

"Yeah," I answer hesitantly. I can't lie about it any more than I can turn back the clock to when I first challenged Zander Wyatt. It is what it is now.

Luke scratches his head, his expression that of confusion. "I must have miss read the signals."

His admission makes me squirm with guilt. No, he never miss read anything. My primary target has always been Zander but that doesn't mean I didn't get a little side tracked. Okay, maybe a lot side tracked. I almost deviated entirely because of Luke.

I don't say anything, because what would be the point? I burned that bridge the moment I accepted those flowers and went out on that date with his best friend.

"You look really drunk." I state making him sigh.

"I'm fine. Just peachy." He stands up but he wobbles slightly making me wonder if he's about to fall over the rows of potted plants behind us. I jump up quickly and pull at his arm to steady him but he shrugs out of my hold.

"I'm fine." There's no denying the resentment in his voice. He then saunters off, tripping over himself twice while I stare after him helplessly.

The light above flickers surreptitiously and when he trips the third time I decide to intervene.

I run over and grab his arm, putting it over my shoulder in an attempt to stabilise him.

"Danielle, I don't need this." He mumbles, pulling away feebly but I resist. He's obviously stronger than I am but thankfully too drunk to put up much of a fight and I use that to my advantage.

"Shhh, you can't even walk in a straight line. Let me just walk you back like you did with that girl you were with. It's common curtesy." I reason with him and I can tell he isn't putting his weight on me because I doubt I'd be able to support all of it.