He was standing with his hands in his pockets, wearing a dark blue version of the Henley I loved so much.
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.
“Hi,” he said, and his voice was blanket-soft and familiar.
My heart skipped a beat.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
I stole a look behind me to make sure my dad was still at the table, then stepped out the front door and shut it behind me.
“What’s up?” I said, finally finding my voice.
“Not much. I’m back in town for the weekend.”
“How’s school?”
“Different,” he said. “Good different. I think.”
I nodded.
“How have you been?” he asked, and it was weird making small talk like we were strangers. Sure, Ro had always been my best friend, not Luke, but we’d been such integral parts of each other’s lives that there was never nothing to say.
“Good. School’s ... school.”
He grinned and then rubbed the back of his neck.
“Why are you here?” I asked finally.
Luke looked down at the ground for a minute and then said, “I miss you.”
At first I thought I’d misheard him. “Please don’t make fun of me.”
He looked surprised. “I’m not. I ... wouldn’t.”
“So what do you want?” I said, folding my arms across my chest.
“About that night ... I’m sorry. It wasn’t ... it’s not you.”
I cringed. “Please, dear God, don’t say it’s you.”
“It is me,” he insisted.
I took a step back. “Okay, good night, Luke.”
I opened the door to go back in, but he grabbed my hand, stopping me. “You’re making this so complicated.”
Luke was basically holding my hand now, but I didn’t react.
“It’s not that complicated,” I said. “I liked you, I kissed you. You didn’t like me, you didn’t kiss me back.”
“That’s what you think happened?” He let go of my hand to push his hand through his hair. “Please come out and talk to me.”
I hesitated, let go of the door again, and turned to face him.
“I’m trying to be ...” He shook his head, like he was struggling to find the right word. “I’m trying to be a good guy here.”
“No one asked you to be.”
