Not the Only One (Book 1 in the Four of Us Trilogy)

Twenty

Luke

I cracked my eyes open, and I felt a gentle breeze on my skin. I tried to reach my arms over my head and stretch, but I couldn't. I looked down to see what the problem was.

There was a person asleep on my chest. Her black hair swept over my forearm, her chest rising and falling in rhythm with mine.

Brooke.

Holy shit, I thought. We must've fallen asleep studying. I brought my wrist in front of my face and looked at my watch. It was after 1:00 am. My mom was going to kill me.

But I looked down at Brooke, and she was sleeping so peacefully, I couldn't bear to wake her just yet. I reached far over to the arm of the couch and grabbed my phone between my thumb and forefinger. I had three missed calls from my mom.

With one hand, I thought of a lie fast and typed a text.

Hey mom, so I went to my lab partner's house to work on our physics project and we lost track of time. I am so sorry I'm late, but I will be home as soon as possible.

Lucas Graham Salazar, you are in BIG trouble. You better get your ass home, like, four hours ago.

I know, I know. I love you, Mom.

I love you too, son, but you're still grounded.

It's worth it, I thought to myself as I gazed down at her.

I brushed her hair off of her face, and she stirred. Her eyelids tightened and then fluttered open. She looked surprised for a moment but then grinned.

"Hey there," she said, her dark eyes on mine.

"Hey...I guess we tired you out with all that studying, huh?" I teased.

She elbowed me in the ribs. "I think I'm ready for that test, though, for real. Thank you, Luke," she said, sitting up and facing me.

"You're welcome...Glad to help," I said, trying to ignore the fact that she was now sitting on my lap.

She grabbed my wrist and looked at my watch. "Shit, Luke, it's already 1:00?"

"Yep," I sighed. "I'm grounded."

She gritted her teeth. "Oops!"

I yawned and stretched my arms up in the air, and when they came down, they ended up somehow around her waist.

She looked down, and I jumped, snatching my arms back. "Sorry," I muttered.

She cocked her head to one side. "Luke, I've been sleeping on top of you for the past three hours. I'm pretty sure your arm around my waist isn't unacceptable."

I laughed. "I have to go anyway. If I don't get home in the next ten minutes, my mom will have the Beach Police scouring every street in Panama City."

Brooke stood up and held her hand out to me; I took it and stood up, walking back into the house.

When I got all my books put back in my backpack, I opened the front door and turned around to face Brooke.

"Thanks for having me over," I said, shifting from one foot to the other.

"No, thank you for helping me with Bio 2...I'd never have been ready for this test without you," she said, stepping toward me and kissing my cheek.

I felt my skin flush. "It's no problem, but I better go. Goodnight, Brooke."

She smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, Luke."

I swallowed and walked to my car, hating every step I took.

Brooke

I waved at Luke, closed the door, and leaned against it.

Luke Salazar just left my house at 1:00 am. After I slept on him for three hours. I should've been embarrassed, but he hadn't seemed to mind. In fact, if his mom weren't on his ass, I bet he wouldn't have wanted to leave at all.

I pulled my phone out of my hoodie pocket and checked the time. It was almost 1:30, but I was dying to tell Rachel what had happened.

But then I remembered: she was having a little rendezvous of her own. I guess we'd just have to exchange stories in the morning.

I was enjoying a glass of orange juice when I heard Katherine padding down the hallway.

She came into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. "Hey, Brookie. What are you still doing up?"

I yawned. "I've been up studying for Bio 2," I said, downing the last of the orange juice.

She smirked. "Did your gentleman friend get home all right?

I rolled my eyes. "He just left," I admitted.

"Sooo...you were safe, right?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Katherine!" I exclaimed. "Luke is just a friend!"

"For now," she teased.

"Stop it, Kat," I said, putting my glass in the sink and bumping her hip with mine as I left the kitchen. "Have a good shift, okay?" I kissed her cheek.

"Sleep well, little sister," she said, kissing my forehead and ruffling my hair.

I headed down the hallway to my room, suddenly exhausted.

I flopped onto the bed, my eyelids very heavy. I'd have to figure out what was going on in my head in the morning.