The 10 Steps To A Boy's Heart

Chapter 29

There's a cascade of voices coming from the common area and I catch Zander in the centre of it all. He must have made a joke because the crowd of students flanking him are all holding on to their sides, aching as they laugh. 

He's absolutely glowing under all the attention, basking in their praise and adoration. After all today is his day, although after spending more than enough time with the playboy it feels like every day is Zander day. 

I walk past the corridor and he catches sight of me, the smile on his face growing. My heart lurches, thinking about how close I was to kissing Luke mere seconds ago. A door shuts behind me and I catch Zander's gaze shifting to something behind. 

I resist the urge to look, even though the anger on Zander's face is evident enough that the person behind me is Luke. Meaning he saw me coming out of the same room that Luke was in. 

I bite my lip, looking around for my safe zone that is Daphne and Stacey. There's a tuft of curly blonde hair visible from the corner of the common room and I make my way to Stacey. 

"Danielle, there you are," Zander says, a little too loudly, stopping me in my tracks. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend." 

He emphasises on the word and it feels like my feet have turned into clay, merging with the floor. The rest of the student body looks just as stunned, like he'd just mentioned he was making a trip to the moon. 

With Zander's reputation it would be more likely that he'd travel to space than settle down with someone. Which is why numerous students burst out laughing. 

"Dude, come on. You've got to be joking," Someone says but I can't recall who spoke. Everyone's a blur to me, my embarrassment making it hard to recognise all the scrutinising faces. The guys are looking at us like we are a joke but some of the girls have started to size me up, their expressions less friendly. 

A few of his teammates bend over cackling, like he'd just said the funniest thing. He reaches my side and puts an arm around my shoulder. I turn to him but he isn't looking at his chortling friends, instead his gaze is fixed on Luke who has just walked in from the hallway. 

Zander's arm weighs down on my shoulders, it feels a lot like he's marking his territory. 

"Girlfriend?" Luke answers in stride. "Never thought I'd hear the word from your mouth." 

"Well I guess there's a first for everything." He then regards me adoringly and places a kiss on my cheek. "And the right one for it all."

My skin warms at the contact but more from discomfiture than anything. 

"So you're in a relationship now?" Josh, one of the Daltech linebackers steps forward towards us. 

"I guess we are." Zander answers, pulling me closer into a side hug for confirmation. 

I try to smile when Josh looks at me but my cheeks are frozen, the muscles underneath stiff from panic. I didn't expect him to do something so brazen, didn't expect him to make us official in front of everyone like this. 

And I have a dirty feeling it has everything to do with Luke and not me. 

My phone buzzes in my bag again and I try to ignore it, try to push Elizabeth's call from my mind. I pray she stays oblivious till the three month mark is over but that might be harder than I had originally anticipated. 

I don't like the way Luke is looking at me either. There's an inquisitive frown on his face, like he's more suspicious than anything. 

"Well congrats bro!" Josh fist bumps his friend and winks at me. "Danielle, you're a lucky girl. Never thought my boy would settle down but I guess what's meant to be will be."