He laughed and kept up with me easily. “My day’s going great. So far I’ve got four girls’ numbers.” His eyes flicked to Charlotte, a smirk on his face. “Care to make it five, sweetness?”

She snorted, and I knew any thoughts she had about him, were now gone. She hated being called pet names. If she was crushing on him at all, that was now gone. “In your dreams,” she replied, waving a hand dismissively.

He laughed and pulled a burger and fries onto his tray. “Probably actually.”

I turned to him and looked him dead in the eye. “Zach, I don’t want to do this today, okay? I’ve had a really long day already and I’m only half way through. If you could just cut the annoying comments down slightly, otherwise please go find someone else to eat with.”

He grinned and started munching on his fries. “The comebacks are definitely getting better.” He winked at me. “So, about this tutoring thing. We don’t really need to do that, do we? I’ll just say I’m meeting you at the library and stuff, you’ll get paid, and everyone’s a winner.”

I scowled at him distastefully. “I’m not doing that. If you want an easy ride then you find another tutor,” I stated confidently. I smirked at him. At least now I’d get out of the whole tutoring thing.

He cocked his head to the side, studying me, as if he were assessing how serious I was. After another minute he frowned and nodded. “Fine. But I don’t do libraries,” he grumbled.

I sighed and grabbed a sandwich, not even hungry in the slightest, but I needed to get something otherwise Charlotte and Beth would be looking at me worriedly and fussing over me. I didn’t say anything, just ignored him for the rest of the line, watching Charlotte’s back as she chatted with a girl in front of her about fundraising for the IT department. I was dimly aware of Zach following behind me as we walked to the table where a couple of our other friends were already sitting. He plopped himself down right next to me.

I looked up just as Ricky and Luke walked into the canteen. My back stiffened automatically. Was Luke going to approach me? I always ate lunch with him, every day for the last nineteen months. I shifted on my seat awkwardly.

Zach elbowed me in the side as Luke’s eyes flicked up and met mine. I saw hurt and sadness on his face that just broke my heart all over again. “Who’s that? Please tell me you weren’t dating a jock! The nerd with the jock, how cliché,” Zach mocked sarcastically from beside me.

My mouth dropped open. I wanted to make an angry retort, but nothing was coming out. I felt my eyes prickling with tears and I willed them not to fall. Luke raised one hand slightly in acknowledgement and mouthed the word hi to me.

“Wow, you sure can pick ’em, huh? Let me guess, quarterback? Maybe the running back? Hmm, this is probably going to hurt,” Zach muttered, nudging me again to get my attention. I dragged my eyes away from Luke and looked at Zach, still not seeming to remember how to speak. What’s going to hurt? What is this guy even talking about? He smirked at me and slipped his arm around my shoulder. I frowned and shifted so it would drop off, but he just adjusted his position and moved it back there again.

Before I knew what happened, something slammed down onto my table making me jump and yelp as I glanced up to see a furious looking Luke had slammed his fist on the table. He was glaring, not at me, but at Zach.

He leant over, his eyes fixed on Zach. “Don’t touch her!” he growled, knocking Zach’s hand off of my shoulder.

I frowned at Luke. I hated it when he got all possessive, and it wasn’t even as if he had a right to anymore anyway. Zach just laughed. “Luke, don’t start,” I warned, looking at him sternly.

Zach stood up next to me, smirking at Luke. “So, you’re the one I need to thank? I’ve been trying to catch you all day just to say thanks for screwing up with Maisie. If you hadn’t f**ked that little cheerleader on Friday night then I wouldn’t have had the most amazing rebound sex with your girl,” he said, running his hand up my back again to grip my shoulder tightly.

I gasped and jumped out of my seat, but before I could even open my mouth and tell Luke it wasn’t true, Luke lunged for him. Zach shoved me backwards at the same time as he stepped forward in front of me protectively. I stumbled but managed to catch myself before I fell on my ass. I watched with wide eyes as the two of them started fighting in the middle of the lunchroom. Both reining blow after blow on each other as people gasped and started heckling and clapping along, just like in a bad teen movie.

Chapter 8

I could see Luke’s lip bleeding, as was Zach’s nose. I screamed at them to stop, and stepped forward, grabbing Zach’s arm because he was closer to me, but before I could do anything I was immediately pulled back again. Two strong arms wrapped around my waist and literally lifted me off of my feet, turning me and carrying me a couple of feet away.

When the arms disappeared I glanced up to see a furious looking Alex. He stepped in front of me protectively as he watched the two boys fight it out. Zach launched himself at Luke, throwing them both onto the table, knocking peoples’ lunches everywhere; he straddled Luke and punched him over and over in the face and chest. He was a serious badass, and I was pretty sure that Luke hadn’t landed more than a couple of punches on Zach, and one of those was probably because he’d taken the time to shove me out of the way.

I dug my fingers into Alex’s side as my tears started to fall. “Alex, stop them for goodness sake. Please?” I hated seeing Luke get hurt.

“Let the new guy kill him, it’ll save me doing it,” he growled, shaking his head.

“Alex, please?” I begged, pressing my face into his shoulder blades, trying to block out the sight of it, but the sounds of the fight were rebounding off of the walls, making each crash and blow echo and seem even more horrifying.

Alex sighed and nodded. “Fine, but just stay out of the way. You don’t ever step into the middle of a fight, have I taught you nothing?” he scolded, shaking his head at me in disapproval.

I flicked my eyes to the fighting pair in time to see Luke throw Zach off of him, both of them crashing to the floor, Luke now on top. “Can we leave the safety lecture until later?” I cried, pointing at them, shaking my head at my twin who was more concerned about me getting hurt than breaking up the fight.

He sighed and nodded again, turning on his heel. He wrapped his arms around Luke from behind and pulled him up to his feet. He was still thrashing, trying to kick Zach as he was dragged away a few steps. I could see Alex talking into Luke’s ear, his face hard and angry, I had no idea what he was saying but by the distasteful look on Alex’s face he didn’t like touching Luke at all.

Zach pushed himself up off of the floor; he smirked at Luke who immediately started thrashing in my brother’s arms again. Zach brushed off his clothes. He didn’t look too bad at all; judging by the way he acted, he was probably used to getting in fights. “Thanks again for screwing up, Luke. She’s the best lay I’ve had in ages,” he teased, grinning and winking at me.

I scowled at him and Luke threw off my brother’s hold, jumping for Zach again, but Alex grabbed him in time and stopped it, putting his body between the two boys. “Back off, Hannigan!” Alex shouted, shoving on Luke’s chest hard, making him stumble back a couple of steps.

Zach smirked again over Alex’s shoulder. “Yeah, back off, Hannigan,” he teased, winking at Luke.

“Son of a bitch!” Luke shouted.

Before I knew what happened, Luke was on the floor and my brother was shaking out his hand so he’d obviously punched him. “Calm down, fucktard!” Alex growled, sneering at Luke who was looking a little dazed as he sat on the floor.

Zach smiled and patted Alex on the back. “Nice punch,” he congratulated.

Alex turned and punched Zach in the face too, making him crash back into the table. My mouth dropped open in shock as Alex stepped closer to him. “Don’t make up shit about sleeping with my sister!” he shouted angrily.

Zach smiled and rubbed his jaw, looking at Alex appreciatively. “Ouch, dude. You seriously fight great. You train?” he asked, not seeming to be bothered about the fact that my brother had just punched him in the face.

Alex frowned, looking a little taken aback by Zach’s comment too. “Yeah, amateur kickboxing league,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Break it up! What on earth is going on in here? Hannigan, Preston!” a male voice bellowed. I looked up to see a couple of teachers running over to us. Mr O’Conner, the gym teacher, was at the front, looking murderously angry as his eyes took in the situation. Food was all over the floor, there were broken plates everywhere, students all in a crowd looking at the three boys in the centre.

Zach held out his hand to Alex, smiling happily as if this whole scene hadn’t just happened. Alex frowned but took his hand anyway, pulling him to his feet, his body still tense as if waiting for a sly attack or something.

“And who are you?” Mr O’Conner growled, looking at Zach when he was on his feet again.

Zach did a little bow. “Zach Anderson, new pain in your ass.” The watching crowd laughed at his comment.

“Principal, all three of you!” Mr O’Conner barked, pointing at the door.

Alex frowned but didn’t protest; Luke winced as he rubbed his hand over his bruising cheek but headed out without another word. Zach just laughed.

I watched the three boys go, hoping that Alex didn’t get into too much trouble. I would owe him for that, I asked him to break it up and get involved, so if he got detention then it’d be my fault. The crowd dispersed quickly now that the teachers were here. I saw a blonde head step in front of me. I gulped when I looked up at Sandy’s smug face.

“You’re not worth all that,” she stated, sneering at me.

I wanted nothing more than to push her to the floor and rub the spilt spaghetti over every inch of her face, making her look like an Oompa-Loompa. “And you think you are?” I asked, shaking my head at her.

She grinned at me, flashing her straight white teeth. “Luke thinks I am. He told me that I was the best night of his life,” she stated, picking at her manicured nails.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her comment. That couldn’t be true, they didn’t even get to finish, he was throwing up all night and spent the night in hospital. That was clearly not the best night of his life! She was obviously lying, trying to upset me. I knew she wanted Luke; she had done for a long time. It wouldn’t surprise me if I find out that she was the one that drugged him just so she could have her way with him.

Then it occurred to me what I’d just thought. Had she been the one to spike his drink? She gave him a drink after he fell off of the stool, then one of her friends came and told me where to find Luke. Did she plan to have me walk in on them like that? Had she set this whole thing up?

I felt my eyes widen with shock. Would she really go that far though? To drug someone to get them into bed? Did she want him that much, and hate me that much? “Did you-” I started, but the warning bell sounded, signalling there was five minutes until afternoon classes. Without another word, she turned and walked off. She shot me a smug smile as she let the door slam shut behind her.

My heart was racing in my chest. If she’d planned the whole thing then I kind of felt sorry for Luke; she’d used him, and taken advantage of him in a way. But he would still have been able to say no, he certainly wasn’t fighting her off and telling her no when I walked in the room, he was clearly enjoying himself. Did it make a difference if someone spiked his drink or not? He was in full control of himself; he pushed her off when I walked into the room so he could have stopped it at any time if he wanted to. She wasn’t exactly forcing herself on him, or was she? Maybe I needed to speak to Luke about it again.

I felt the bile rise in my throat as I immediately started to picture it again. I closed my eyes and tried to shake the images away. All I wanted was to erase it from my mind, if I could do that then I would be able to forgive Luke, I would be able to have the future that I planned, the happy one with the adorable guy. Instead, I get to see that smug witch walk around, knowing that she slept with my boyfriend.

I hung my head and tried to ignore the whispers of people around me. Charlotte and Beth ran up to me immediately, Charlotte gripping my arm tightly as she looked at me worriedly. “You alright?”

I nodded and shrugged, not really knowing what to say. Maybe I was going into shock or something, I kind of felt a little numb, like this was all happening to someone else. It was quite nice to feel numb and not feel the heartbreak; I secretly hoped it lasted for a little while. “I’m fine. Come on, let’s get to class,” I suggested, trying to keep my voice stronger than I felt.

Beth looked at me sympathetically. “Everything will get better, Maisie.”

Charlotte frowned, looking like she was trying to think of something to say that would help. “Your brother is seriously hot when he fights. If he didn’t ruin it as soon as he opened his mouth, then I would definitely tap that,” she stated, waggling her eyebrows.

I burst out laughing and she smiled proudly. It was obviously her intention to take my mind off of what had just happened. “Yuck,” I replied, pretending to gag.

She grinned and linked her arm through mine. Beth took my other, and we talked about Alex being a badass as we walked to our lockers to get our books before the next bell rang for the start of class.

I grabbed my gym bag and headed there, feeling the dread sink in with each step. Both Sandy and Zach were in this class. People were staring at me even more after the whole fight scene that took place a few minutes ago. Instead of changing in the locker rooms, I headed to the bathrooms next door and changed into my black shorts and white T-shirt, pulling on my sneakers and then reluctantly headed out to the gym to see what we were doing today.