That Popular Guy, Yeah, I Destroyed Him - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The cold, unyielding wall pressed against my back while Luke's warm, solid chest shielded me from the front.
I melted into his embrace, my mind blissfully blank.
"Why are you blushing?"
Luke suddenly dipped his head, his breath brushing my cheek like a whisper:
"With the mood like this… can I finally tell you how I feel?"
Luke and I stepped out of the teaching building together.
His basketball teammates swarmed him, punching his shoulder playfully. "Where the hell've you been, man? You and Parker both ghosted practice—Coach was so pissed he rescheduled the game for day after tomorrow!"
Relief washed over me. At least it wasn't canceled. There's still a chance.
Luke flashed them an easy grin. "Then we'll crush it day after tomorrow. With me there, it's a guaranteed win."
Their eyes flicked toward me, curiosity barely masked.
I shifted uncomfortably and tugged at Luke's sleeve.
He glanced down—then laced his fingers through mine without hesitation. "Hungry?"
The move was a clear claim.
His teammates smirked, shooting him exaggerated thumbs-ups.
My face burned.
I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.
Once we were off the field, he finally leaned in, smug.
"What's wrong? Am I that embarrassing?"
I smacked his arm. "You take advantage and gloat about it?"
But the moment we turned the corner, we froze.
Parker stood there, his cold stare locked on our joined hands. A mocking smile twisted his lips.
"Oh? Found someone to replace me that fast?"
Parker didn't stick around—just dropped those words and left.
Luke exhaled, thumb stroking the back of my hand. "It's okay. Even if he loses it again, I've got your back now."
But unease coiled in my chest.
"I just… don't recognize him anymore."
Parker and I had been inseparable as kids—the definition of childhood sweethearts.
Then, whether it was his family falling apart or him just… breaking, he became this.
Luke ruffled my hair. "I won't let him hurt you again."
"Was I weak before? I even dragged you into it…"
He shook his head, smiling softly. "If it were me, I'd struggle too. When someone changes, but you still remember how good they used to be? That's worse than them just being rotten from the start."
I searched his face. "What about you? Will you change?"
Luke's smile faded. He hooked his pinky with mine, voice turning serious.
"If that day ever comes, slap me. Call me a bastard. Kick me to the curb. Don't you dare stay and take it."
Before the joint exams, I holed up at home to study.
My parents had thawed—Mom even left cut fruit on my desk.
But just as things seemed to smooth over, with one day left until the exams, Luke's silence set off alarms.
I called him. Over and over. Nothing.
At the hallway's end, a figure blocked my path.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Parker.
A bruise shadowed his jaw, a thin cut near his eye.
Dread spiked through me.
"Where's Luke?"
His lips curled, but exhaustion dulled his usual sharpness.
He caught my wrist, fingers slowly—tightly—twining with mine.
His gaze dropped to the faint red mark peeking above my collar.
Luke's doing. Careful, hesitant, barely there—yet Parker noticed.
His breath hitched. Shoulder pressing me against the wall, he repeated, low and rough:
"Where are you trying to go?"
I wrenched free. "None of your business."
Parker's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Fine."