Chapter 19 Aria
“How did you get hurt?”
That was the first thing that slipped out of my mouth the moment I saw him leaning against the lockers the next morning. I had walked into school still replaying last night like a movie I couldn’t turn off—the diner incident, that creep cornering me, and the way Luca came out of nowhere and held him against the brick wall like he weighed nothing.
And now he was standing here like nothing happened. Like he hadn’t confronted someone twice his size. Like saving girls behind diners was a normal Wednesday night hobby. Luca tilted his head slowly, eyes dropping to the faint bruise on his knuckles. “Good morning to you too.”
I ignored the sarcasm. “I’m serious.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Basketball practice.”
“That wasn’t basketball,” I said, lower this time, because a group of juniors passed by and glanced at him the way everyone always did. I termed it The Hale effect.
Luca’s mouth twitched. “He hurt you.”
“He only grabbed me.” I gripped my notebook a little tighter, trying not to let my tension show.
“He shouldn’t have,” Luca said, voice low and flat.
The bell rang before and he pushed off the locker and started walking away ending the conversation. Like his bruised hands weren’t a neon sign flashing something’s not normal about him and maybe I shouldn’t care. We weren’t friends and we weren’t even anything. But the memory of him stepping between me and that guy made something in my heart flutter.
First period sucked. The teacher droned about the Renaissance era, and I couldn’t stop tapping my pen. My leg bounced and every thirty seconds I kept replaying Luca’s display of heroism. Normal teen boys didn’t move like that. Maybe adrenaline made everything blur or maybe I just wanted an explanation he wouldn’t give. When class ended, I found Sienna leaning against the lockers, scrolling her phone. She glanced up.
“You okay? You look like a pig vomited in your drink.”
“Close,” I muttered. “Do you remember the guy I told you about at Eddie’s? The one who grabbed my arm?”
Her eyes sharpened instantly. “What about him?”
“I might have left one part of the story out,” I half grimaced.
Her eyes narrowed. “What part?”
“Luca stepped in.”
Sienna froze like she got slapped by invisible wind. “He what?”
“Yeah. He showed up out of nowhere and shoved the guy off me, really hard” I studied her expression, expecting her to roll her eyes or crack some joke. Instead, her jaw tightened.
She breathed in once, like she was counting something behind her. “What exactly did he do to the guy?”
“He just grabbed his wrists and held him,” I hesitated.
“That’s surprising.” Her tone was careful.
“You told me to stay away from the Hales,” I reminded her. “Because they are bad but Luca is a Hale and he saved me.”
Sienna’s gaze flickered “Just be careful.”
And she didn’t elaborate, like always. She straightened, pushed hair behind her ear, and acted like we were suddenly talking about romcoms. Deflection, I noticed and every person in Silverpine mastered it.
Lunch didn’t help me, either. I sat at the end of the table with Sienna, picking at fries. Luca was across the cafeteria with his basketball jocks—loud, cocky, and laughing. Girls kept drifting past their table, twirling ponytails, playing with bracelets, and randomly touching the boys' shoulders. He didn’t even pretend to notice. He leaned back in his chair, lazy confidence shaping his whole posture, and scanning the room like he was half-bored with the entire human population.
Until his gaze landed on me. A beat passed then he looked down at his food again, his expression unreadable, like my existence was just another puzzle he didn’t want to solve.
I stabbed a fry.
“You should breathe and free the innocent fry,” Sienna leaned in whispering in an amused manner.
“I’m breathing,” I murmured.
“No, you’re dissecting Luca with your eyes.”
I choked on my soda. “I’m not—”
“You’re curious about him, aren't you?”
Curious was one word, distracted was another but drawn was something else entirely. I was trying to understand how someone could be that flirty and still react with explosive violence the second a girl was in danger. What made him jump in? Ego? Or something else?
I didn’t find answers until after school. I saw him near the bleachers, hands in pockets, and kicking at gravel. Alone for once and not surrounded by his teammates or girls. Before I knew it, my feet were already moving.
“Luca.”
He turned, “You shouldn’t be here.”
I crossed my arms and sighed. I was tired of people telling what to and what not to do. “I asked you a question this morning. You didn’t answer.”
He sighed like dealing with me aged him. “Aria—”
“How did you move like that?” I blurted. “It was just me and that guy alone. I know it cause I watched the last person leave.”
He stared at me for a long time longer than necessary and I suddenly felt shy.
“You think there’s something wrong with me?”
“I think there’s something different about you.”
His lips lifted into a small smile. “Maybe I just don’t like seeing girls cornered behind dumpsters.”
“That’s not an answer.” I snapped. “You’re hiding something, I can feel it.”
That got an actual reaction. Luca’s lips pulled into a frown and eyes glittering with irritation. “Drop it, Aria.”
“No!”
His eyes snapped back to mine darkening with rage. “I’m serious.”
“So am I.” I swore within myself if he or anyone for that matter in town didn't give me answers, I’d have to find them myself.
“This town isn’t what you think,” he said.
“Then tell me what it is.”
“I can’t.”
“Or you won’t.”
He didn’t deny it. He just pushed off the bleacher, brushed past me, and started walking away again. Damn! Why did I always have to be the one always seeking him out?
“Thank you,” I said suddenly.
He stopped, shoulders tight.
“For what you did,” I whispered. “That guy could’ve done worse.”
Luca didn’t turn around. But his fingers curled slightly at his sides then and without looking back, he said, “Don’t put yourself in places where I have to save you.”
And he kept walking, leaving me with a thousand unanswered questions.