After witnessing something he never could have imagined, Luke walked away from the house with his heart pounding and his mind in a blur.
Sarah—the graceful, elegant woman who had taken him in years ago, who raised him like a son, who smiled at him gently each morning—was in his room.
Fantasizing about him.
It had shaken him, shocked him. For a brief moment, he'd frozen at the door, caught between disbelief and curiosity, between guilt and something darker. But then, with trembling breath and burning cheeks, he'd quietly stepped away and left the house.
Now, with his schoolbag on his back and the wind brushing through his hair, Luke walked briskly toward Brisden High School.
She was thinking about me... he thought, his face still flushed. She said my name. That wasn't just a dream.
Despite the embarrassment, a strange warmth filled his chest.
"At least I have a chance now," he murmured under his breath, a small smile tugging at the edge of his lips.
[ 08:50 A.M., Brisden High School ]
The gates of Brisden High were wide open, welcoming the flood of students streaming into the campus. The sky overhead was a soft shade of blue, sun hanging high, casting shadows on the school courtyard.
Luke entered the school building just in time. His shoes echoed faintly down the corridor as he reached his classroom.
Inside, the room buzzed with life—students chatting about weekend plans, exams, or the newest drama series. Laughter bounced off the walls, chairs scraped the floor, and the low hum of morning excitement filled the air.
And then there was Shan.
The new transfer student had only been here for a day, yet he had already turned heads and melted hearts. Girls gathered around him like moths to a flame, and even the boys—begrudgingly or not—admitted he was cool.
Shan Carter.
Tall, with golden-blonde hair that shimmered like it belonged in a shampoo ad, and eyes the color of polished gold. His build was lean but strong, posture relaxed, and his smile held that effortless charm usually reserved for manga protagonists.
He spoke kindly, listened when others talked, and laughed at the right moments.
In another life, he could've been the main character.
Luke watched from his seat near the back.
Does it bother me? he wondered. Am I jealous?
But the answer surprised him.
No. Not really.
Luke wasn't the kind to chase popularity. He had always preferred the background. The quiet. The unnoticed corner of the room.
Still, he thought, if Shan's charm points were 80, mine are probably just 60.
He sat down quietly at his desk just as a familiar voice called out beside him.
"Yo, dude. Why are you so quiet again today?"
Luke turned. Standing beside him was Sani—tall, tan-skinned, with messy black hair and expressive brown eyes. He looked like someone who belonged in a university drama club, always wearing a lopsided smile.
Sani was his closest friend.
"I'm always like this," Luke replied plainly.
"Tch. Same old cold reply," Sani muttered, feigning hurt as he sat down next to him.
The class bell rang, cutting off any further conversation.
A moment later, the classroom door opened with a loud creak, and Mr. Dalton stepped in.
Their homeroom teacher was a man in his late forties, with neatly combed grey-streaked hair and a strict demeanor. He wore a buttoned-up shirt and a brown vest, glasses perched low on his nose. Despite his harsh presence, he was known to be fair.
"Good morning, Mr. Dalton," the class echoed as they stood.
"Good morning. Be seated."
Once everyone settled down, Mr. Dalton placed his leather-bound attendance book on the desk.
"Next month marks your first semester exams for Class 10. I hope you're all studying seriously. These results will determine your future course selections."
He began calling out names, checking off attendance.
As the class shifted back into its usual rhythm, Mr. Dalton moved to the whiteboard and started the day's lesson—mathematics. Formulas and equations filled the board, and most students leaned forward, scribbling notes.
But Luke... he was somewhere else.
His pen rested idly on the paper, eyes gazing past the window. The events of that morning still replayed in his head like a loop he couldn't pause.
Sarah's voice.
Her expression.
The way she whispered his name.
Was it just heat-of-the-moment confusion? Or had she truly felt that way for a while now?
"Yo," Sani leaned over and whispered. "You okay, man? You look like you just saw a ghost."
Luke blinked, pulled from his thoughts. "Just tired."
Sani narrowed his eyes. "You're lying. You're totally thinking about a girl."
Luke didn't reply, but his ears turned slightly pink.
Sani grinned. "I knew it! So? Spill. Who is it?"
Luke sighed. He couldn't exactly say my adopted mother, could he?
So instead, he asked, "Hey, serious question. How would you confess to someone you really like?"
Sani leaned back in his chair, putting on a smug face. "Ah, you've come to the master. I have 20 years of anime wisdom to share."
Luke rolled his eyes. "You're literally 18."
"Details, details," Sani waved off. "Okay, here's the plan: Take her to an amusement park. Play some games. Maybe a haunted house. Then when the fireworks go off, boom! Confess."
Luke stared at him. "That's... oddly specific."
"It's foolproof," Sani said, nodding like a sage. "Unless she has a heart condition. Or hates crowds. Or ghosts. Or you."
"Wow. Real inspiring," Luke muttered.
Sani grinned. "You'll thank me later."
Despite everything, Luke chuckled quietly. Sani had a way of making things feel lighter, even when Luke's mind was weighed down.
As the lesson continued, Luke finally picked up his pen and started taking notes.
His handwriting was slow, but steady. Each stroke helped clear his thoughts.
Whatever happened next... it wouldn't be easy.
But one thing was certain now:
Sarah had feelings for him.
And for the first time in a long while, Luke felt a strange, hopeful excitement about what the future might bring.
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