“Look, I’m sorry, or whatever,” Luke said. “Kent ripped me a new one for messing with you, so I’m sorry.”
“You know when ‘I’m sorry’ sounds really sincere? When you explain that someone forced you to say it and add ‘or whatever’ to the back,” I said. “I don’t care. If you’re sorry even a little bit, just stop. We only have a few more days to deal with each other and then we never have to see each other again, so just… just stop.” My throat started to burn. The last thing I wanted was to show Luke any sign of weakness, but years of being tortured by him was boiling near the surface threatening to bubble over. “You’ve been a jerk to me my entire life, and I don’t even know what I did to deserve it. Why? Just because I was a little chubby? Do you have any idea at all how difficult it was to get through those four years? High school is supposed to be the best time of your life, but thanks to you, it wasn’t for me.”
Luke frowned. “Khloe.”
“No, just… For once, listen instead of talk.” I turned to face him outright so that he understood the seriousness tensing my body as I spoke. “I hate you, and there’s nothing else to it. You made those four years miserable for me and now it’s ten years later and you’re still doing the same thing. Please, if there is even part of you that is human at all, just leave me alone. Be a civilized human being for once and let me get through these next few days without any additional pain.” The bartender set down the drink and slinked away, sensing that the conversation was not one he should interrupt. I picked it up and turned my back to Luke to walk away. “Goodbye.”
As I was walking away, I felt someone grab my wrist. I looked over my shoulder and Luke immediately pulled his hand away. “I’m sorry.” There was a sincerity in his eyes that I had never seen before. It was enough to keep me there to hear what more he had to say. “Seriously. I’m sorry. Not just for today, but for all of it. I was an ass back in high school. No, more than an ass, I was unworthy of being in your presence, let alone making it so difficult for you.” My skin prickled with warmth as I listened to his words paired with how honest he seemed. “I was an idiot kid who thought I knew what would make me happy, but instead it made me miss out on this really amazing person that, honestly, I probably would have really loved to get to know back in the day. And now she’s standing in front of me and I have this crazy opportunity to not repeat the mistakes of my past, and what am I doing? I’m being the same idiot I was back then. Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry. For everything.” He smiled. “And for what it’s worth, I thought your hair looked good wet. I also think it looks good now.”
I stood in silence. I wasn’t expecting such a passionate, heartfelt apology. I had no idea how to respond. What was worse, is that his language, demeanor, everything was totally different from the Luke I was used to. He sounded kind, intelligent, and considerate; nothing like the asshole I’d had to endure for the past six months or the past ten years. He was unbelievably sexy, and if he was actually a good guy; that changed everything. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.
“I accept your apology,” I murmured. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to leave immediately. The longer I stood there, the more risk I ran of losing control. “I’m gonna go.”
I turned around again, still entirely unsure of what was going on in my brain. How could a single apology change my perception so much? I’d just told him I hated him five minutes prior.
I grabbed my drink and started to amble away when his dusky voice filled my ears again. “I do want you, you know?” It stopped me dead in my tracks. “I’ve been lusting after you for a long time now; six months, right? Since the second I laid eyes on you again.”
I rotated back again and stared deep into his azure eyes. “I know,” I said.
“You know?” he said. “So, where does that leave us?”
13
Luke
I watched Khloe carefully for signs of her response. There was a slight shake to her legs and a few beads of sweat had pooled at her hairline. She was nervous, but the way her pupils flared told me she was also excited. I stood up from my stool and walked over to her. I threaded my fingers into her hair and around until my hand was cupping the back of her head. I leaned in until my lips were perched just in front of hers, and then teasingly passed them by, situating my lips near her ear.