Welcome to Café Luxe

It was a beautiful Christmas Eve: the world was filled with colorful lights and children ran across the streets to give out gifts. Luxe Scholastic International School was also filled with joy, being a prestigious school, and brilliant students from Freshman to Senior enjoyed each other's accompany in their dorms.

Which leaves out one lonely dorm that was secretly kept away from the other dorms, located at the back of the school...hidden under the forest that the school forbidden to be entered unless authorized to. The dorm remained colorless from Christmas lights so that it won't be noticed. Guardians' Dorm was built for whoever will stay there, should stay put and guard the school in night times.

But away from the Christmas spirits was a boy, sitting right in front of the lighted fireplace, hugging his knees and kept himself warm. He wasn't much of a sociable person, although he was very known throughout school as the top ranker of the Excellent Class among the Freshman division.

He listened to the only sources of sound in the library: the ticking of the clock and the crackling of the fire.

He sighed for the 23rd time and stared at the clock that marked 10 pm in red, bold numbers. Beside him was a tray of tea and some strawberry cake that Mrs Davies sent for him to eat.

All of a sudden, he felt the door of the library being opened by someone who knew his presence. He remained still, staring back at the dancing flames from the fire.

"Back so soon?" he heard himself say to the person who stood behind him. A smile crept up on his face.
She sighed and sat right beside him, "it was pretty boring anyway. A room full of talking grown-ups."
"I see. It's been peaceful here but then, you showed up," he replied, half-joking.

"Anyway," Sam smiled at him, "I'd rather be with you than to be in a room full of people and yet, still feel lonely."
Luke's eyes widened, blush appeared on his cheeks as he stared at the blond girl beside him.
"I mean," she chuckled, "I'd rather be with a rival and to be able to compete rather than being bored, right?" she smiled.

Luke's eyes twitched a little in irritation, "oh, so that's what she meant by being alone with me..." He looked away from her and focused on the lighted fireplace, "and you left Ian alone, this time?" he asked aloud.

Sam nodded, "don't get me wrong. I like being with him but it's just to crowded around him. A lot of businessman would chat with him and he barely forgot my existence for a second there," sh laughed.

"Right. Because dad used to bring Ian to the office with him and so some of those important people might recognize him. He's pretty popular in business."
"Can I ask why?"
Luke sighed, "dad really admired Ian for his knowledge in business and I think he would give the Van Drie Enterprises to Ian someday. Plus, a lot of business man admired Ian for being so mature in such young age."

"But you're Mr Van Drie's son too. What do you get?" Sam asked, taking a piece of cake.
"I take a share, probably less than the half of what Ian takes. The eldest son takes it all, no matter who the mother was," he sniffed a little, smelling the scent of the burning wood, "besides, I have no plans of taking over Van Drie Enterprises."

Sam hugged her knees, eating her cake, "then, what do you want to do?"
"Architect," he smiled, "I want to take the role of my grandfather."
"I see," Sam stared at him, "then, I think your dad's going to be disappointed."
"Not really, he knew what I wanted and since he likes Ian better...," Luke didn't continue.

"Stop with that nonsense!" Sam suddenly blurted out loud, "you and Ian are the same in your father's eyes. A parent shouldn't be so irresponsible to choose between children who are both capable of continuing the success he'd gain so far!"

There was silence.

Sam settled down, "even though I don't really know what it feels like to have a sibling, I know that parents shouldn't have favoritisms."

Luke sighed and stared at her with her golden brown eyes. He was irritated, "have you actually met my dad? He's irresponsible! How could you say he's not, when he left me and Ian without any money or a house and left for some place without telling us?!"

Sam looked back at him, staring at his eye color, "please don't get mad," she said softly, "the reason why I know how your father acts is because...,"-she paused, "because I can see it through you and Ian. His sons."

Luke looked away as his eye color changed back to its normal one, "sorry," he muttered.
Sam smiled, "it's okay. But it's rare how you can control your anger when you're with me. Usually, you get all mad and walk out or something."

"Don't get so full of yourself," he hissed, turning to her again but his eye color was in its normal color, "just because I can control my anger with you doesn't mean you're anything special."
Sam grinned, "I know," she pulled out a nicely wrapped gift out of her pocket, "here. My present."

Luke stared back at it before taking it, "thanks...," he said almost oddly, "what is it...?"
"It's Christmas," Sam threw her arms up, "it a present and you should open it when the time comes."
The clueless boy placed it beside him, "but my gift for you and the others..." he blushed a little.

"Oh, no need to mind that," she smiled, "as long as you keep your top rank at its place until I finally beat you. That's fine with me," she snickered, "besides, it's not like I expected anything from the homeless and penniless person."

Luke frowned, "sorry about being homeless."
"I was kidding," she said with half-moon eyes. Suddenly, she shivered a little.
Luke looked away, taking off his jacket, "but was it fun?"
"Huh?"
He put his jacket onto his rival and smiled, finally, "the Christmas party?"

Sam blushed a little, hugging the jacket, "I think it's more fun here than some boring party."
"Well, it's boring here too."
She grinned, "you see, there's a difference here than in the party," she explained, "here, you're lonely and I'm lonely so we share the same thoughts. Unlike in the party, everyone's enjoying it while I was lonely. It's not really a match."

Luke nodded, "I see."
"Well, being with my rival from elementary in Christmas Eve, it's pretty weird," she flashed a smile at him, "but I think it's worth coming back here."

He blushed, "oh, I see."
"You know," she sighed with a warm smile, looking up at the ceiling, "I never really talked to you like this. You know, because we would always argue."

"That's what we do, as rivals," Luke added, "but yeah, I have to admit, I don't really feel lonely anymore." He leaned back a little, his arms served as a support against the floor, "but I still want to be left alone."

"You are a loner," she laughed.
"Am not."
"Are too."
"By the way," Luke changed the subject, "you still like Ian, right?" he asked casually.
Sam shook her head, "well, we kissed but I didn't feel anything. So I don't, anymore."
"Oh, I see."
She looked at him, "why do you ask?"
"Nothing," he shrugged, "it's just that, if you still like him, well...I'll stop arguing with you in front of him."

"Oh, so little brother cares for his big brother?" she teased.
Luke frowned, "not really. Ian likes you so I'd just help him a little."
"He doesn't like me."
"He does."
"Does not."
"Whatever," Sam looked away, "besides, I'm moving on. I'm going to find a new one to admire."

Luke looked away as well, "well, good luck with that, idiot."

Suddenly,there was a knock on the door of the library. Sam and Luke both looked back to the door. It open roughly and there, stood a boy almost covered with snow, "I'm back," he shivered a little.

"Ian?! What happened?" Sam stood up from her seat.
Luke stared at his brother, without standing, "ah, a live snowman...," he pretended to be scared.
"I noticed that Mistress wasn't there anymore so Ms Dean asked me to make sure Mistress was here," he smiled.

"Poor you," Sam held his hand and pulled him to the fireplace. She sat him right beside her as she sat beside Luke.

"A girl shouldn't sit between boys...," Luke thought with a frown. He secretly glared at Ian, "and he had to ruin the moment." He snuggled in his knees, "not that I was enjoying it," he lied as he thought.

==o==o==o==o==o==o==
"Now what...?" Sam thought aloud, "now it's boring...," she pouted.

"Did I ruin any moment or something...?" Ian smiled uncertainly at Sam and Luke.

"Yeah, you did!" Luke thought angrily.

"Not really," Sam smiled innocently, "it's just that Luke is more expressive when his brother is not around."

"Oh...," Ian said with half-moon eyes, specifically staring at Luke, "without me, huh?"
Luke looked away, "but it was as boring as you came."

There was silence.

Ian silently put his hand on Sam's warm hand that rested on the floor where they sat. Sam looked up, blushing a little as Ian smiled back at her but this time, it was a bit compassionate.

"Can I help you?" she asked aloud with a smile.

Ian was surprised, "ah-well...I-uhh, nothing...," he retrieve his hand. "She can't possibly so clueless on my feelings...," he thought helplessly. He sighed, "she understands love when she feels it but when someone shows it to her, she doesn't understand it. She's dense when it come to love...," he mentally slapped his palm on his forehead.

"what's up?" Luke asked her.
Sam smiled, "nothing. Ian just put his hand on mine so I thought he needed something." Ian suddenly turned red and looked away to avoid Luke's stare that seem to dagger itself in his head.

"Hoh...," Luke sneered, "and you don't know why he did that...?" he asked Sam.
Sam shook her head.
Luke stared at her, "you're clueless when love is showed to you, huh?"

"Do you know the reason?" Sam asked.
Luke stared at her and Ian, "not really, no," he lied.

"I see," Sam smiled, "well, maybe Ian's feeling lonely too," she laughed. She looked at Ian, "don't worry, we're lonely too so we're all lonely here!" she threw her arms up again.

"This clueless girl...she's so dense...," both the boys thought.