The Best Friend Equation

Chapter 15 - The Tutor and the Bully

Trigger warning: Bullying

By the time Luke came home a couple of hours later, I was sitting up on my bed against the headboard and reading the Business Management textbook. It was a good sleep strategy to read something boring but my mind was abuzz. I had read the same sentence ten times.

I kept the book aside as Luke entered my room, his hair standing up as if he had raked his fingers through them multiple times. He held up a bag. "Got ice-cream for you."

That sentence gave me a blast of energy as I made grabby hands at him. "Cookies and cream?"

"What else?"

Grinning, I thanked him and I dug in. "Want some?" I asked, but Luke shook his head.

He seated himself on my desk chair again, watching me. "How are you feeling now?" he asked quietly.

"Better. I can walk around at least."

He nodded. He seemed to be in a pensive mood. "That's good. Do you want to order takeout or something?"

"Sure." I smiled at him cautiously, unsure of his mood. "I binged on the chocolates you bought me."

"Good," he said, his mouth tilting in a slight smile. "I'll order something then." He seemed different. More intense as he stared at me.

"What?" I asked. Our friendship was straightforward. I knew I could ask him anything. "Is everything okay?"

I watched him swallow. "I broke up with Angelina."

I bit the inside of my cheek, looking down at the rapidly melting ice cream. "I heard. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah." I couldn't discern whether he was happy or sad or angry with the breakup. As he sighed heavily, my heart sank. Maybe he missed her already? Maybe he wished he'd never heard the recording so he didn't have to break up with her?

Suddenly, ice cream was unappealing. I kept the tub aside on my dresser, making sure to add the cloth carry bag underneath as a coaster.

"Cam told me there was an audio recording?" I started scraping the week-old purple nail polish from my fingernails in agitation. I usually wasn't this fidgety.

Luke rubbed his forehead, his hands running through his hair again. "Yeah. Someone recorded it. We still don't know who it is."

My heart hurt more than my cramps. "I'm sorry. I never wanted you to find out. Whatever she said was in anger. Why didn't you try to make it work? Now I'd always feel that you broke up with her because of me."

Luke narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "It was because of you."

My world seemed to still. "What?"

He scoffed, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. "After what she said to you, you still think I would want to make it work? Even if it was in anger. You know I can't stand it if someone hurts you."

"But—"

"What if the situation were reversed? If your boyfriend insulted and degraded me, would you still want to be with him?"

I stared at him. "No," I said in a small voice.

Luke raised his eyebrows as if to say you see?

I sighed. "But you don't have a low self esteem like I do. No one would dare insult you. You're strong."

He shook his head. "Strength has nothing to do with it. You're the strongest person I know. I just don't care what people say about me." He looked disturbed. "Although... I'm sorry that Angelina treated you like that," he continued, hanging his head. "She was jealous of the attention I gave you and she took out that frustration on you. She should have come to me if she had a problem."