Chapter 12: A Late Walk and Lingering Thoughts
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[8:25 P.M., Brisden Town]
Brisden always looked its best at night.
The quiet suburban streets were bathed in a soft golden glow from the streetlamps, their light filtered gently through the overhanging trees. The distant chirping of crickets filled the silence, broken only by the occasional bark of a dog or the fading footsteps of someone heading home late.
Luke walked along the familiar path, hands tucked into his pockets, his thoughts drifting as he passed by dimly lit houses and closed shop fronts. He hadn't meant to stay so long at Sani's place. Dinner had ended over an hour ago, but Sani had begged him to stay for just a few rounds of PvP Knight Battle Arena.
And how could he say no?
"Aunt Ailey said she'd talk to Sarah if anything happened," Luke reminded himself, though the thought didn't help ease the small pit of worry forming in his stomach. "Still… I hope Sarah's not mad at me."
He was halfway down the block when he spotted a familiar figure walking toward him.
Luke blinked in surprise before offering a small wave. "Oh—Good evening, Emily."
Emily's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected to see him either. "Oh, good evening, Luke!" she said with a smile, brushing her bangs behind her ear. "What are you doing out this late?"
"Nothing much. I was invited to dinner at Sani's place. Aunt Ailey made cake," he said, his tone light.
"Ooh, Aunt Ailey? It's been a while," Emily replied, her curiosity piqued. "How is she doing?"
"She's doing fine," Luke said, nodding.
After a small pause, Luke looked at her curiously. "But wait, you said you'd be home by afternoon. Why are you out late?"
Emily let out a small laugh and scratched her cheek, looking a bit embarrassed. "I was heading home like I said… but some friends dragged me out to this new restaurant. Dinner plans sort of… happened."
Luke chuckled. "Hah… I guess we both messed up. Let's hope Sarah doesn't get mad at us."
"Yeah, fingers crossed," Emily grinned nervously.
The two of them walked side by side, their steps quiet as they made their way back home under the soft hum of streetlights.
A few minutes later, they reached the front door of the Whitmore residence.
As soon as they stepped inside, they froze.
Standing in the hallway, arms folded, was Sarah.
She looked calm—but only on the surface. That subtle crease in her brow, the tightness in her jaw—it was enough to send a shiver down Luke's spine.
"Sarah…"
"Mom…"
They both said at the same time, like children caught sneaking in past curfew.
Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why are both of you late?"
"I-I was playing games with Sani after dinner!" Luke blurted, trying his best to sound casual. "It's been a while since we played together, so…"
"I was heading home," Emily added quickly, "but some friends dragged me to dinner. I didn't plan it, I swear."
Sarah remained silent for a moment, then looked at Luke. "You have class tomorrow. Go to your room."
"Okay, okay!" he said, grateful for the escape.
She turned to Emily. "Come with me to my study."
"Ugh… okay," Emily muttered under her breath, trailing behind.
Luke glanced back at them from the stairs, whispering to himself with a grin, "R.I.P. Emily…"
With that, he slipped into his room and closed the door behind him.
Inside, the air was still. Luke leaned against the door and sighed. "Today was… weirdly fun."
Just as he was about to sit down, there was a knock.
He blinked. "Now what…"
He opened the door to see Lily standing there, her expression unreadable.
"Lily? Why are you knocking this late?" Luke asked, confused.
Lily didn't answer. She stepped into his room, got close—way too close—and leaned in to sniff him.
"Wha—Lily?! What are you doing?" Luke stepped back, flustered and red-faced.
Lily finally looked up at him, cheeks slightly pink. "D-Did you… get a girlfriend?"
Luke blinked, stunned. "Huh? What? No! Why are you even asking that?"
She looked suspicious. "My friend saw you entering a beautiful woman's house earlier…"
"Oh, that…" Luke exhaled in relief, realizing the mix-up. "That wasn't a girlfriend! That was Sani's house. You know—Aunt Ailey? His mom? Your friend probably just saw me going there for dinner."
Lily narrowed her eyes for a moment, then simply turned around and walked back to her room without another word.
Luke stood there in the doorway, still confused. "Seriously… what is with that girl?"
[Two Hours Later]
It was almost 11 P.M. Luke had finished his homework and was now changing into his night clothes.
As he pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the chair, he paused, his mind drifting.
He pulled on his t-shirt and flopped onto his bed, lying back with a groan.
Sani's words echoed in his mind:
"Take her to an amusement park. Play some games. Maybe a haunted house. Then when the fireworks go off, boom! Confess."
Luke stared up at the ceiling.
"Maybe I'll ask her," he thought. "It's not a confession. Just… a hangout. Yeah, a normal hangout at the amusement park…"
His heart thudded in his chest as the idea planted itself more firmly.
"I hope she doesn't reject me…"
With that final thought, he closed his eyes, the city quieting around him as sleep slowly pulled him under.
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Author's Note
Hey everyone!
I originally started this story as a bit of a joke… but it's gotten way more attention than I expected—so now I feel like I have to take it seriously!
The first 12 chapters were part of the Character Introduction Arc, where I introduced some key characters who will take the spotlight in future story arcs.
Up next is the Love Confession Arc, so stay tuned!
Just a heads-up: my exams are currently ongoing, so updates might be a bit irregular for now. But once my exams are over, I'll be uploading new chapters much more frequently.
Thank you all so much for your support! It really means a lot.
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Enjoy the journey!~ (¬‿¬)
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By Ecstasy Crown