He Turned My Exam Into a Joke, I Turned the Page Chapter 04

He Turned My Exam Into a Joke, I Turned the Page Chapter 04

The next morning, Mom measured out the medication I took for my autism symptoms and packed it into my backpack.

“Sweetheart, you haven’t taken these meds in years. If you feel sick after taking them today, call me, okay?”

I nodded.

I had just walked out the front door when I saw Luke standing by the curb with his bike, waiting for me.

He held up the breakfast bag in his hand and gave it a little shake.

“Come on.”

I ignored him and walked toward school by myself.

“Stop being mad,” Luke said, riding up beside me. “I’m apologizing, okay?”

“I messed up. I shouldn’t have played that prank on you.”

I pressed my lips together and said nothing.

“It’s only because your grades are too good. Zoey can only ever come in second,” he said with a small pout. “I figured it was the last practice SAT of senior year, so why not let her be happy for once? It’s not like it actually affects you.”

At some point, Luke had started bringing Zoey up in every other sentence.

He thought I was not as fun as she was.

He no longer went to the library with me. Instead, he followed her around campus and drifted from classroom to classroom with her.

His weekend plans no longer included me either.

Most of the time, I would sit outside the Bennett house from morning until dusk, only to see Luke come home humming, holding some little gift that girl had given him.

My heart would fill with disappointment.

It sat heavy and dull in my chest, bitterness rising into my throat until I did not even want to speak.

“Oh, crap,” he said, smacking his forehead. “I was so busy going to the aquarium with Zoey today.”

“I forgot I was supposed to go buy flowers with you.”

“Should we go now?”

I shook my head.

It was too late. The flowers would no longer be fresh.

“I’m sorry. Next time. I swear I won’t forget next time,” he said.

Luke always said that.

And then, again and again, he stood me up for Zoey.

In the end, just to make her happy, he had even turned me into a joke.

“Luke, you like Zoey, don’t you?”

I stopped walking and turned to look at him.

Luke froze. A flash of discomfort crossed his face, and the tips of his ears slowly turned red.

“I… uh…”

“But she doesn’t like me,” I said. “She’s always picking on me.”

“So, Luke.”

“Let’s stop being friends.”