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“At a guess, I’d say your sanity, because you clearly no longer have it.”

“Right you are, my friend!He’s got the whole world in his hands!” And with that, he took off in a run, leading the people attached to his can-can line frantically trying to keep up, tripping over their feet as they did so.

Somewhere near the back, someone clapped along wildly offbeat, and the squeak of the wooden benches was almost deafening as the kids grew bolder and joined in with Luke’s shenanigans.

This assembly was an utter shambles, but it was the most fun I’d had in a long, long time.

When things were beginning to calm down, and we were beginning our traditional two minutes’ silence, I pulled out my phone—a brand new Nokia 7650 that I’d got for my birthday—and sent a text to Luke.

Gabriella: U know UR going 2 pay 4 this, don’t U?

Luke: 4 what?

“Master Luke, put your phone away or I will confiscate it for the rest of the term!”

“Sir, this is feeling like bullying,” Luke replied. “Have you read the school’s policy on bullying, because I am nothing but a victim to—”

“You can have him sat down on his phone, quiet and distracted. Or you can have him up on his feet again. Which would you prefer?” Dante interrupted.

Mr Hodges paused at that and then turned his back on them in a huff.

Gabriella: Old Hodges is ready 2 take UR head off. Look at him. He’s shaking with anger. UR in big trouble.

Luke: Trouble is my middle name.

Gabriella: UR middle name is twat. I thought we established this months ago?

Luke:And I thought we established months ago 2 give in 2 this flirty chemistry between us. Yet here U are, insulting me and pushing me away.

I looked at my phone, shaking my head, a playful smile on my lips.

Gabriella: In UR dreams, Luke. U would never B so lucky.

Luke: UR in my dreams. All the damn time.

I paused before replying.

When we first exchanged numbers, our texts had been simple. I asked about his mum, he asked about me. It was polite, minimal, but somehow something I looked forward to.

Over the months, he became flirtier, more playful… I had expected the humour to come at some point. He was Luke, after all. What I hadn’t expected was just how relentless he would be with his flirty teasing.

I wasn’t an idiot. We were fourteen now, and Luke flirted with every female in this school—teachers included! He had a natural charm and charisma, and his status as one of the leaders of the Descendants only added fuel to the whole “bad boy” thing that appealed to half the girls my age.

But I grew up with bikers. I practicallywasa biker. So it wasn’t that for me… It was something else. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Maybe it was those moments, the ones past midnight, when everyone else was asleep. The moments where he would text me something likeU up?And his guard would come down.

There was no comedic acting then. He opened up to me. He invited me into his world. It was our little secret.

Gabriella: I hope they are dirty dreams.

I pressed send before I could stop myself. From the corner of my eye, I saw his blonde head shoot up and look in my direction.

“Flick me with your hair like that again, Devon Sawa, and I’ll shave the lot whilst you sleep,” I heard Dante hiss, punching Luke in the arm.

I lowered my head, chuckling into my phone, only for Natalie to nudge me with her elbow. “He’s not wrong. Luke does resemble Devon Sawa.”

“He’s blonde. That’s where the resemblance ends,” I muttered back, shaking my head. I looked up just in time to see Dante swing at Luke a second time.