“So you’ll talk to Blake today?”

                I nodded at Luka and he relaxed and handed me my breakfast, sitting down across from me. We ate in comfortable silence before going upstairs and getting ready for school.

                We got in my car and I started towards the school. I mentally sighed and turned the radio down so that I could talk to Luka.

                “Luka, I’ve been staying over your house for a few days. I need to go home,” I said.

                “Connor, I don’t mind when you stay over,” he said, looking a little panicked. “You don’t have to go back to your house! You can stay longer and-”

                I shook my head at him and he fell silent, looking defeated. I reached over and took his hand in mine, offering him a reassuring smile.

                “Hey, come on. I have to go home. My parents are going to think I got abducted by flying narwhals or something if they don’t see me soon,” I said. “It’s not like you’ll never see me again.”

                “Connor, I don’t like it when you stay at your house. I don’t like the way they treat you,” he said silently.

                “You act like they lock me in a cage and dip me in acid. Luka, I don’t mind staying at my own house. My parents are just quiet people. You know that,” I said, leaning over and kissing his cheek at a red light.

                “They don’t talk to you enough Connor. They need to talk to you more,” he said stubbornly.

                “They talk to me enough Luka. If I was home more…” I raised an eyebrow at him and he blushed and sighed.

                “Fine, fine. But you can come back to my house if you get lonely,” he said as I parked the car and shut it off.

                I leaned over and kissed him deeply before getting out of the car. Luka copied me and we held hands as we walked up to the school together.

                We entered the building and went down to the senior hallway. I watched as Luka exchanged his books before straightening up and turning to me.

                “Talk to Blake during lunch. Please,” he said.

                I wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close to me, kissing his forehead. “I will,” I said, giving him a weak smile. I didn’t want to talk to Blake. But I had to try to fix everything.

                The bell rang and we made our way to first period. When lunch time came around, I followed Luka to the cafeteria and sat down with him.

                “Where are Blake and Felix?” Luka asked nervously, staring at their empty seats.

                “We got here pretty early. I’m sure they’ll show up,” I said, scooting my chair closer to Luka’s and putting my arm around his waist.

                Sure enough, I looked up and saw the two of them entering the cafeteria together. They came over to our table and sat down, neither of them looking at me. I mentally groaned. Great, now Blake had Felix on his side.

                “Hi guys!” Luka said, looking relieved that they were there. “I haven’t seen either of you all day! I hope you’re having good days.” He nodded to himself.

                “My day is just simply wonder-fucking-ful. I woke up late, almost forgot to pick Felix up, and failed a test first period,” Blake grumbled with an annoyed sigh.

                Luka narrowed his eyes at Blake. He reached over and flicked his nose. Blake whined and rubbed his nose, pouting at Luka.

                “That was a very not nice word!” Luka said sternly, pointing at Blake, his eyes still narrowed. “We don’t use not nice words!”

                “Watch out: The language police is officially here,” Felix said jokingly.

                “Hush,” Luka huffed, pouting.

                I chuckled and kissed his cheek. He blushed and smiled at me, pecking my lips. His smile slipped a little and he gave me a look.

                I nodded slightly at him and kissed him again before standing up. I turned to Blake and took a deep breath to calm myself down.

                “Blake, come here. I need to talk to you,” I said.

                Blake glanced at me and nodded slowly. He got up and followed me out of the cafeteria and down the senior hallway. We went into the locker room and I made sure it was empty before turning to Blake.

                “Stop hurting him,” I said flatly. “Stop hurting Luka just to hurt me. It’s not right. He didn’t do anything wrong. Leave him alone. You know he hates to see friends fight.”

                “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Blake said innocently.

                “Cut the shit Blake. You’re just being a sore loser about this whole situation.”

                “Gee Connor, I’m sorry if I’m a little offended that you were a complete piece of shit to me,” he said, his eyes widening a little. “You’re right, how insensitive of me.”

                “Shut up,” I said. “Just shut up. You’re annoying. All I’m saying is that you better leave Luka alone.”

                Blake grinned at me. “Whatever happens, you brought it on yourself Connor.”

                “Shut up Blake. You knew we wouldn’t last forever. I told you right from the start that I was in love with Luka,” I said.

                “If that’s true, then why did you cheat on him in the first place?” Blake asked, raising an eyebrow. “You dragged him into this Connor.”

                “Leave him alone Blake. Do you really want to hurt Luka?” I knew that Luka was still one of Blake’s best friends. He wouldn’t want to hurt him. Not like this. Not over this.

                “I’ll do what I have to do,” Blake said simply, turning to leave.

                I reached out and grabbed his arm. “Blake,” I snarled dangerously. “You know how protective of Luka I am. Do you really want to test me like this?”

                Blake yanked his arm out of my grip and grinned. “Yea, Connor. I do.”

                With that, he left the locker room. I stared at the door as it shut. I couldn’t believe it! Blake was really going to use Luka to hurt me!

                I turned and let my fist collide with one of the lockers, hissing in pain as I did so. I groaned and sat on one of the benches, burying my face in my hands.

                “I’m sorry Luka. I’m so, so sorry,” I whispered miserably.

                I sighed and leaned back, banging my head against the wall several times. How could I have let this happen?

                “If that’s true, then why did you cheat on him in the first place?”

                I shook my head wildly, trying to forget Blake’s words. Blake didn’t know. None of them, not even Luka, knew. None of them could ever understand. No one ever would. The reasons why I had cheated on Luka in the first place were too hard to explain to anyone.

                The bell rang and I squeezed my eyes shut as the sound echoed through the locker room. I didn’t want to go to class. I didn’t want to see Luka. God only knows what Blake had told him had just happened in the locker room.

                I grabbed my iPod and shoved my earphones in, turning the volume up. I would just skip class. I didn’t want to worry Luka more, but I just couldn’t face him right now.

                “Now I know how things should be. I’ll do anything, you mean everything to me. Please give me one more chance to be with you again,” Makeshift Romeo sang.

                My phone buzzed in my pocket but I ignored it. It was probably Luka asking me where I was, or Blake rubbing something in my face. Either way, I didn’t want to be bothered with it.

                I hid out in the locker room until the end of the day. When the final bell rang, I got up and left, avoiding the senior hallway so that I wouldn’t run into Blake, Luka, or Felix.

                I went down the hill and climbed into my car, pulling out of the parking lot and away from the school. I drove myself home and used the spare key to let myself inside.

                I looked around the house and relaxed, realizing that my parents weren’t home from work yet. I went to my bedroom and collapsed on my bed, feeling exhausted and a little hopeless.

                Blake knew he had me in the palm of his hand. He knew I would do anything to keep our affair a secret. I had to find some way to get rid of him without him telling Luka about our affair. But how was I supposed to stop him? He had the upper hand right now.

                My doorbell rang and I sighed before getting up, realizing I still had the spare key in my pocket. Maybe my mom or dad had forgotten their key and were trying to get into the house or something.

                I pulled the door open and froze. Luka launched into my arms, hugging me tightly. I was shocked for a minute before weakly hugging him back.

                “Luka…what are you doing here?” I asked quietly. I glanced out and saw he had parked down the street a little.

                I quickly put the spare key back before pulling Luka upstairs and into my bedroom. We sat on my bed together and Luka bit his lip.

                “Blake said he didn’t know why you were mad at him. He said you were yelling at him. Then you never came back to the lunch table, and you didn’t show up to class. I couldn’t find you afterschool, and we even checked the parking lot. Felix brought me home and I drove to your house. I was really worried about you Connor,” he whispered, hugging me again.

                “I’m sorry Luka. I didn’t mean to worry you,” I said, kissing him gently.

                “Connor, please tell me what’s going on with you. Why are you mad at Blake? Did something happen? Are you just angry and taking it out on him? Did your parents do something to you? Did someone at school do something? Did…Did I do something?”

                I shook my head wildly. “No! You didn’t do anything Luka!” I cried.

                I sighed and laid down, pulling Luka into my arms and kissing him deeply. He pulled away and searched my eyes.

                “Connor, please tell me what’s wrong. Please,” he begged.

                “I wish I could Luka,” I mumbled.

                “Don’t you trust me Connor?” he asked, his voice going small.

                “Of course I trust you Luka! But there’s nothing to tell you,” I said. Well, there was a lot to tell Luka. Just nothing that I actually could tell him.

                I sighed and held Luka close to me, kissing him. “Listen Luka, I think it would be best if I just stayed away from Blake for a little, okay? Just until I…Until I calm down. So can you please not invite all of us to hang out at the same time? I know it’s not fair of me to ask you that. Believe me, I know. And if you want to hang out with Blake, I’m okay with that. I just won’t come along. I don’t want to keep upsetting you.”

                Luka stared at me, looking horribly upset. I miserably squeezed my eyes shut. I hated seeing Luka upset, no matter what it was over. I would die to make him smile. But now I had fucked up royally, and Blake was making Luka pay for it.

                I felt Luka’s lips on mine and kissed him back. He pulled away and I slowly opened my eyes, afraid to see that upset expression.

                “Connor, I love you. I don’t know what’s going on with you. But I’m here for you. Whatever it is, I’m right here baby. I have a feeling that you’re not telling me something, and I’m not mad or hurt. I know that you have secrets you can’t share. I trust you. And I’ll be right by your side until everything is okay again,” he promised me seriously.

                “Thank you Luka. I love you,” I said, resting my head on his chest and wrapping my arms around his waist.

                I would just stay away from Blake as much as I possibly could. It would upset Luka, but not nearly as much as him thinking I was violent towards Blake would. But I couldn’t avoid Blake forever. I had to come up with a way to make him leave us alone before he ruined everything for us.