Accidentally Yours

The Empty Seat

I should have let go of Lucas Bennett's hand before we reached the cafeteria.

Instead, I walked beside him as if we'd known each other longer than a single school day.

His fingers had already slipped away by the time we reached the table, but I could still feel the warmth of them against mine.

“This is Emma,” Lucas said, gesturing toward me.

Three boys looked up.

One of them grinned. “The new girl?”

“Apparently.”

I gave Lucas a sideways look. “You make me sound like a rumor.”

He pulled out a chair. “You kind of are. Everyone's been talking about you.”

“That can't possibly be true.”

“You'd be surprised.”

The boy sitting across from us laughed. “I'm Noah. That's Mason.”

Mason raised a hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

Lily immediately took the seat beside me, and judging from the expression on her face, she was already collecting material for whatever interrogation she planned to conduct later.

I opened my lunch and tried to act normal.

It wasn't easy.

I'd spent most of the morning telling myself that Lucas was just another student. A popular one, maybe, but still just a student. The fact that half the girls in school seemed to notice whenever he entered a room shouldn't matter to me.

Unfortunately, he was sitting directly beside me.

“So,” Noah said, looking between us, “how long have you two known each other?”

“Since this morning,” I answered.

Lucas leaned back in his chair. “Feels longer.”

I turned toward him. He looked completely serious.

I couldn't decide whether he was teasing me or simply enjoyed making me uncomfortable.

Before I could respond, someone stopped beside our table.

“Lucas.”

I recognized Sophia immediately.

She looked exactly like the kind of girl who belonged at the center of every school photograph. Her uniform was immaculate, her hair fell perfectly over her shoulders, and her confidence seemed to follow her into every room.

Her gaze moved to me.

Then to the chair beside Lucas.

“That seat is usually mine.”

Lucas barely glanced up from his food. “You weren't here.”

“I told you I had practice.”

“And now you don't.”

Sophia's expression tightened. For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Lucas gestured toward another table. “There's an empty seat over there.”

Her eyes returned to me.

Something in them made me straighten.

“I see,” she said.

She walked away without another word.

I watched her go.

“I didn't mean to take her seat,” I said quietly.

Lucas looked at me. “You didn't.”

“She clearly thinks I did.”

“That sounds like her problem.”

I lowered my voice. “You didn't have to embarrass her.”

His expression softened slightly. “I wasn't trying to embarrass her. I just didn't want you to move.”

The answer was simple, but it stayed with me.

I looked down at my lunch. Lily nudged my elbow beneath the table.

I ignored her.

“You're quiet,” Lucas said.

“I'm eating.”

“You've been staring at the same piece of chicken for thirty seconds.”

I looked down.

He was right.

I stabbed it with my fork and ate it.

“There. Happy?”

“Very.”

Noah laughed. “You two are going to be entertaining.”

I nearly answered, but Lucas beat me to it.

“She thinks I'm annoying.”

“You are,” I said.

“And yet you're still sitting here.”

I couldn't help smiling.

“Unfortunately.”

His smile appeared again. That smile was becoming a problem.

After lunch, I returned to English class and tried to forget about it.

That lasted approximately three minutes.

Lucas dropped into the chair beside me and placed his notebook on the desk. “You missed the homework question.”

“I didn't know there was homework.”

“You weren't listening.”

“I was listening.”

“You were drawing.”

I immediately covered the corner of my notebook.

He looked amused. “So you admit it.”

“I was taking notes.”

“Those are flowers.”

“They're decorative notes.”

He laughed under his breath.

I tried not to smile.

It was strange how quickly our conversations had become easy. I'd spent the entire morning expecting him to act like the popular students I'd known before, the ones who made sure everyone knew they were important.

Lucas wasn't like that.

He seemed almost bored by his own popularity.

The teacher began writing on the board, and I copied the notes as quickly as I could.

A few minutes later, Lucas quietly slid his notebook toward me.

I'd missed a sentence.

“You can copy mine,” he whispered.

I glanced at him. “You actually take notes?”

“Sometimes.”

“I'm impressed.”

“You shouldn't be.”

“Why?”

“I have a reputation to maintain.”

I smiled and copied the sentence.

When the bell finally rang, everyone rushed toward the door.

I packed my things quickly, eager to get home before Lily could start another interrogation.

I was halfway down the hallway when I realized my notebook was missing.

I turned around.

Lucas stood at the classroom door, holding it.

“You forgot this.”

I walked back and took it from him. “Thank you.”

He didn’t respond.

I tucked it into my bag.

He watched me for a moment before asking, “Do you always go straight home?”

“Usually.”

“Why?”

“Because I like my house.”

He laughed. “That's not an answer.”

“It is if you're asking whether I have somewhere else to be.”

“I was wondering if you wanted to come with us.”

“Where?”

“There's a café across from school. Noah and Mason go there after class.”

I hesitated.

“Lily's coming too.”

As if he'd summoned her, Lily appeared at the end of the hallway.

“I am?”

Lucas nodded.

She immediately looked at me.

“Definitely.”

I laughed. “You didn't even know where we were going.”

“I don't need details.”

Lucas smiled.

I shook my head.

“Maybe tomorrow.”

He didn't argue. For some reason, I was surprised.

Most people who were used to getting what they wanted didn't take rejection gracefully.

Lucas simply stepped aside and let me pass.

“See you tomorrow, Carter.”

I walked toward Lily.

She waited until we were far enough away before grabbing my arm.

“You like him.”

“I've known him for one day.”

“That wasn't a denial.”

“Lily.”

She laughed. “Fine. I'll give you time.”

We continued toward the front entrance. Then I heard footsteps behind us.

“Emma.”

I turned.

Lucas was coming toward us.

He stopped in front of me, holding something out.

My notebook.

“You forgot it again.”

I stared at him.

“You just gave it back to me.”

“I know.”

I opened it.

A small folded piece of paper fell onto the floor.

Lucas bent down before I could. He looked at it. Then handed it to me.

“What's this?”

I unfolded it.

There was only one sentence written inside.

Stay away from Sophia.

My smile disappeared. Lily read it over my shoulder.

“That's not creepy at all.”

I looked at Lucas. “Did you write this?”

His expression changed immediately.

“No.”

He took the paper from me.

His eyes scanned the handwriting.

“Who gave you this?”

“I don't know. It was inside my notebook.”

Lucas looked toward the crowded hallway.

For the first time all day, the relaxed expression disappeared from his face.

“Don't worry about it.”

“That's easy for you to say.”

“Emma, I'm serious. Just ignore it.”

I folded my arms. “Why would someone tell me to stay away from Sophia?”

Lucas didn't answer.

That silence told me more than an explanation could have.

“You know something.”

“Not enough.”

“Then tell me what you do know.”

He looked at me for a long moment.

Finally, he sighed.

“Sophia and I used to be friends. Things happened. Now she thinks I owe her something, and I don't.”

“That doesn't explain the note.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you telling me to ignore it?”

“Because I don't want you getting dragged into something that has nothing to do with you.”

I studied his face.

There was no teasing now.

No easy smile. Just concern.

“You barely know me,” I said.

“I know.”

“Then why do you care?”

His eyes stayed on mine.

“I'm starting to.”

My heart stumbled.

Before I could think of an answer, a car pulled up outside the school.

Sophia was sitting in the passenger seat. She rolled down the window.

“Lucas, are you coming?”

He glanced at her, then back at me.

“No.”

Her expression hardened.

“Seriously?”

“I'll see you tomorrow.” The car drove away. I watched it disappear through the gates.

Then I looked at Lucas.

“You two really have history.”

“You could say that.”

“And you're not going to tell me what happened?”

“Not today.”

I should have been annoyed.

Instead, I found myself wondering what had happened between them and why Lucas looked almost uncomfortable whenever Sophia was around.

He reached for the strap of my backpack and gently pulled it back when I started walking.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“There's something else.”

His voice had changed again.

“What?”

He looked toward the school doors.

“Someone has been asking about you.”

My stomach tightened.

“Who?”

“I don't know.”

“Then how do you know?”

“I heard your name this morning.”

“Where?”

“Outside the principal's office.”

I stared at him.

“Why would anyone be asking about me? I just transferred here.”

“I don't know.”

He paused.

Then his gaze settled on me.

“Until we figure it out, don't trust everyone who suddenly wants to be your friend.”

I swallowed.

“Does that include you?”

A small smile returned to his face.

“Especially me.”

I laughed despite myself.

But when I walked home that afternoon, his warning stayed in my mind.

I had come to Westbrook High expecting nothing more than a fresh start.

Instead, on my first day, I'd met Lucas Bennett, annoyed Sophia, received a mysterious warning, and somehow become the subject of a conversation I wasn't supposed to know about.

And the strangest part?

For the first time since transferring schools, I wasn't wishing the day had never happened.

I was already looking forward to tomorrow.