Chapter 4
1654 Words
It would have just been another typical day at school.
Jonathan's lingering glances at Elena during class, Elena's deliberate attempts to ignore him. And I, sitting beside Elena, would be quietly teasing her about Jonathan, enjoying the little drama unfolding. It was all part of the usual daily routine.
But today was different. It wasn't just another day.
My attention, typically divided between watching Elena and Jeremy while listening to the classroom proceedings, was now fully consumed by the new transfer student seated at the back of the classroom.
Lucas.
I thought, now that I wasn’t stuck alone in a room with him, that my thoughts would gradually fall into order. But as the minutes ticked by, my thoughts were a whirlwind of worry and apprehension, and I found myself stealing nervous glances in his direction. I couldn't shake off the feeling that his appearance in my life was no coincidence. It felt like a cruel twist of fate, a cosmic joke that had singled me out for misery and despair.
Every time I glanced in his direction, his stoic demeanor and piercing gaze made my stomach churn with unease. There was something unsettling about the way he observed his surroundings, as if he held secrets that could unravel everything I held dear.
Would Lucas keep his mouth shut about our one-night stand? The last thing I wanted was anyone to find out, especially Elena. Imagining her reaction to my association with the enemy's brother filled me with dread. I couldn't bear the thought of her disappointment or judgment.
This is bad, I thought, sighing into the palm of my hand. I felt like my life had been thrown completely off-sync.
I felt Elena lean sideways towards me during the five-minute break between classes and I glanced in her direction. She was looking over her shoulder before flashing me a smile.
“It’s strange, but he and Luna look nothing alike,” she whispered.
They totally share the same crappy personality though, I thought grimly.
“I mean, I get that they’re non-identical twins, but you'd think twins would at least share some resemblance,” Elena continued thoughtfully.
"Maybe they take after different sides of the family,” I whispered back with a shrug. “Genetics can be pretty unpredictable sometimes.”
“I guess you’re right. But seriously, they could pass for completely unrelated if you didn't know they were siblings.”
I smirked at her. “Talking about other guys might make Jonathan jealous, you know. Or are you deliberately trying to do that?”
Elena frowned. “I’m not.”
“Hmm, maybe you should,” I suggested mischievously. “I bet Jonathan’s hot when he’s jealous and pissed.”
She shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. “You have no idea.”
Intrigued, I leaned in closer. “What’s that?”
“Nothing,” she sighed. “Anyway, Jonathan won’t catch me looking. He’s talking to Lucas.”
We both glanced over our shoulders to where Jonathan and Lucas were, both engaged in conversation in hushed tones. From where I sat, I couldn't catch Jonathan's expression, but his rigid stance betrayed a hint of tension. Meanwhile, Lucas seemed at ease, lounging back in his chair with his hands casually tucked into his pockets.
I watched Lucas's face closely. He was looking up at Jonathan as they spoke, and a subtle smirk played at the corners of his lips.
Was it just my imagination, or was Lucas deliberately taunting Jonathan?
Then more students began to crowd around Lucas’s desk, forming a tight circle that blocked my view. They were mostly from the popular crowd, Luna’s friends, excited about getting to know the brother, and he seemed perfectly at home being the center of attention.
It shouldn’t surprise me.
He belonged in their world. A whole different class compared to me.
“Good-looking people always have good-looking friends, don’t they?” I muttered under my breath.
Elena shot me an amused glance. "Is that why you’re upset?”
My brows furrowed. “I’m not upset.”
“You look like you are.”
I sighed. “I’m not. I was just… making an observation. Wait.” I blinked. “Do I look upset?”
“A bit, yeah,” she answered with a nod. “Did something happen between you and Lucas?”
I laughed nervously. “What do you mean? Nothing happened.”
Elena tilted her head to the side. “You sure? You’ve been making that face since you got back with him.”
“Oh, that?” I waved a dismissing hand. “Lucas being Luna’s brother and all makes it hard not to feel a bit annoyed around him. I mean, he’s basically on her team, right?”
Elena giggled as she flipped open her textbook. “If you say so. And your observation is pretty spot-on, isn’t it? It’s only his first day but he’s already so popular.”
“It’s most likely because he’s a Prieto,” I muttered. The Prietos, after all, were quite known for their wealth and influence.
“Or because he’s too handsome,” Elena said, grinning at me. “Isn’t he totally your type?”
I rolled my eyes, trying to brush off her teasing. “Oh, please.”
"Come on, you can't deny it. He fits your type perfectly.”
"And what type would that be, exactly?”
Elena stifled a laugh. “Come on, Coline. You know what I’m talking about. You've talked about your 'type' enough times for me to recognize it when I see it.”
Darn it. She knew me far too well.
"Fine, you win,” I mumbled. “His face and body are my type, but that’s pretty much about it.”
“What about his voice?”
I fought the urge to blush at the memory. "Same, but there’s no way I’m going there.”
“Why not?”
I gave her a pointed look. "First of all, he’s Luna’s twin brother. Second, I don’t intend to get into a serious relationship with anyone until I’m safely into college. And lastly, he’s Luna’s twin brother.”
“Okay, okay,” she relented with a grin. “I get it. Geez. But isn’t high school the prime time for romance? Why wait for college? Your looks will go to waste.”
I rolled my eyes at her playful jab. “Where is this coming from?”
“I’m just curious because isn’t it easy for you to get a boyfriend? I mean, you're on the ‘Top 20 Hottest Girls’ list”
The mention of that ridiculous list some guys had compiled on the school forum made me scoff. “Yeah, but I'm number 20. That's practically at the bottom.”
She shrugged. "Still counts."
“Sure, if you say so. But what about you? If I need a boyfriend to not let my looks go to waste, then you need one too.”
Her teasing smile faltered for a moment. "You know I don’t have time for that.”
"Sure, sure," I teased, nudging her playfully. "But let's be real here. In that hottest girls list, if those guys weren't afraid of Luna's wrath, you'd be number one.”
A faint blush tinted Elena’s cheeks, her bashful smile betraying her embarrassment. “And here I thought I’d finally get the upper hand in teasing you.”
I grinned. “Never.”
“But about Lucas—?”
I cut her off with a firm shake of my head.
“Never,” I stated firmly, and she burst out laughing.
The next teacher came in and both Elena and I straightened and turned our attentions towards the front of the classroom. The crowd around Lucas's desk also dispersed, with Jonathan sneaking a glance in Elena’s direction and Elena promptly ignoring him.
Careful not to attract any attention from the teacher or my classmates, I reached into my bag and retrieved my phone with practiced stealth. As the lesson droned on in the background, I surreptitiously opened the website for the school forums and the chatrooms I belonged in.
Sure enough, Lucas was dominating the discussions. Some threads were abuzz with chatter about his looks, while others were already forming opinions based on his interactions with Luna, and, of course, the inevitable comparisons to Jonathan.
It seemed inevitable that Forrest was fast overtaking Jonathan on the number 1 spot in St. Therese. But Jonathan wasn’t too worried, from the looks of him. He was too busy trying to get Elena to talk to him.
I scrolled through the messages, absorbing snippets of gossip and commentary from my classmates and schoolmates, trying to piece together the puzzle of who Lucas really was and he really was like. But as I delved deeper into the online chatter, I found myself met with only more questions. None of them seemed to come close to unveiling the real him. Sure, there was plenty of information circulating about his family, but when it came to his life overseas and his true character, it was all just guesswork.
With a mix of frustration and relief, I powered off my phone and slipped it back into my bag. As much as I loved delving into mystery novels and TV shows, Lucas was not a puzzle I should attempt to solve. The more I dug, the more I realized how elusive he truly was, and the thought of unraveling his enigma sent a shiver down my spine.
As the lesson dragged on, I couldn't resist the temptation to sneak one last look at Lucas over my shoulder and found him staring right back at me.
Caught off guard, I quickly averted my eyes. My heart started to pound as a foreboding sensation gnawed at me.
It was whispering that Lucas Prieto was far from finished with me.
- Writer
