by India Lee
“I told you it was a possibility. And up until this truck came in, I still thought it was just a possibility,” Lucas explained, crossing his arms as well. He averted his eyes from Gemma’s, watching as the movers continued to work. “It’s not exactly my decision.”
“Well…” Gemma grasped for something to say. “I mean. It’s your family moving. You have college so you won’t be going with them, right? Are you still considering Rutgers?”
“I’d love to go there,” Lucas said, remaining at a distance with his eyes still focused on the truck. “But even with the little money they gave me and the state price, my family can barely afford it. And with the out-of-state prices after we move… it’ll be hard to continue after freshman year.”
“Rutgers is perfect for you! It’ll be near me because I’ll make sure to stay in the city and it’s a great sports school which you’ll love.” Gemma could hear her voice getting higher-pitched than she had intended. She wasn’t sure what Lucas was resisting and it made her nervous. He reached forward and took the mail from her arms, examining the large college packet.
“And I guess New Hampshire’s not too far either,” Lucas smiled as he handed the mail back to her. “As of today, you have a choice of more than one Ivy League school and you’re going to try to stay in the city? Did you even apply to any schools in the city?”
“I did,” Gemma said. “But honestly, Lucas, I told you I’m probably going to put college off for a year or two.”
“I know. I’m thinking of doing the same thing.”
“Why? What would you do? You have to go to college.”
“Really, why?” Lucas finally turned to meet Gemma’s eye. “So I’m not just building things for the rest of my life? So I don’t end up like my dad?” Gemma jaw dropped with resentment, the envelopes in her hand dropping to the ground. Lucas’s warm hazel eyes suddenly looked cold. His tall body was stiff and defensive. It lasted for all of a second before he softened and knelt to the ground to help gather her envelopes. Gemma knelt beside him.
“You know that’s not what I mean, Lucas,” she whispered. He didn’t reply. Not knowing what else to do, Gemma got up and dashed back into her front door.
~
That night, Gemma woke up to the sound of someone walking through her house downstairs. She jumped to her feet with the sudden realization that she was supposed to be home alone. Gemma grabbed a flashlight, feeling the heft of it in her hand as she crept out her bedroom door. Her heartbeat seeming to pound through her ears, she caught a glimpse of the clock perched on her night table. It was just past midnight. By the time she reached the top of the stairs, the light came on in the foyer. Lucas was closing the door.
“Lucas! How did you get in?” Gemma yelled, her heart still pounding. “Why wouldn’t you just call me or ring the doorbell?” She was just as much relieved as she was angry, and suddenly, she began to cry. She sat herself down at the top of the stairs, burying her face in her hands.
“I just got in from showing the movers how to get back on the highway and I saw your door was cracked open.” Lucas walked up the stairs and sat two steps below her. “I was worried something had happened.”
“No, nothing happened.” Gemma said, shaking her head and wiping her eyes. “I didn’t even know I left it open.” She heaved a quivering sigh. “I was just upset before. I ran back in without thinking.” She hadn’t meant to bring up their awkward exchange earlier that day, but she was still disoriented from it and even more so from being unexpectedly roused from her sleep.
“I’m sorry about before,” Lucas said. “I didn’t mean to take my anger out on you. I swear I only found out about moving right before you did.” He shook his head with a look of defeat. “I should have just known that it would be like this, the way my dad talked about it for so long. Just one day, he decides that he’s done and we all have to leave.” Lucas ran his hands through his hair, elbows propped on his knees. Gemma put a soothing hand on his back.
“I know. I was just sad and… I didn’t mean the whole college thing the way it came out. You know that, right?” Gemma lowered herself to the step that Lucas was sitting on, resting her head on his shoulder.
“I know.” Lucas nodded, placing a hand over hers. “I kept telling myself that I would be okay if college turned out not to be an option, but I’m starting to feel the reality now, and it’s harder to swallow than I thought. I was thinking about taking out loans but I don’t want to end up like my dad. He just finished paying everything off and he’s selling the house to deal with all our mortgage issues. I just don’t want to end up like that.”
“So you’re just not going to go?”
“In my mind, I’m just putting it off. I’ll find work and make enough money to put myself through school somewhere. I’m just more comfortable not having my parents worry about this when they still have Elisa,” Lucas replied. Gemma nodded, unconsciously agreeing with his point. “Besides, it’s an easier decision for me since unlike you, I don’t have a dozen schools begging for me to pick them.”
“They’re not begging. Only like, two, want me that badly,” Gemma laughed. She then bit her lip, remembering how far Lucas’s aunt lived. “So are you going to go work in Arizona with your family?”
“I don’t know,” Lucas shrugged. “There are a lot of options and still some time to think. Who knows what’ll happen from now until then?”
Gemma nodded. Though she was beginning to feel better about what happened earlier, she still felt a little strange. Was it terrible that she didn’t want to go to college just yet? There was just so much more to Queen Bee that she felt she could explore, and she wanted to do it while everything was still fresh. But now she felt guilty for planning to turn down the collegiate opportunities that presented themselves when Lucas wasn’t even able to consider his.
Gemma took his hands in hers, kissing him on the cheek. He smiled, turning his face to kiss her on the lips. She hoped whatever he had in mind would keep him close.
- Chapter 13 -
Gemma tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as she pulled into her street, music blaring through the car speakers. There was something wildly cliché yet completely right about making Lucas a playlist on his iPod for Valentine’s Day. They had both agreed not to spend any money on each other, but Gemma wanted to make some kind of gesture. She also knew that Lucas would find a loophole within his own rule so he could somehow present her with a thoughtful gift. Gemma prepared herself for a homemade meal or some sort of delicious pastry.
Her eyes were too busy disconnecting the iPod from her car to notice the inconsistency perched between her house and Lucas’s. When she stepped out onto the driveway, however, it was impossible not to see.
“Oh my God, what is that?” she cried with both excitement and confusion. Sitting in the trees that separated her house from his was a small but impeccably built wooden treehouse. Its design was simple but beautiful, looking like a miniature suburban home sitting atop tree branches. There were windows, a roof, a door, and soon enough, a rope ladder rolling out of the door.
“Hi,” Lucas grinned as he stuck his head out of the house. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Gemma simply stared, awestruck.
“Wanna come up here?”
Gemma didn’t answer, still staring with her hand covering her open mouth. Lucas laughed.
“Do I need to come get you?” he asked.
“No,” Gemma managed to say, a huge smile spreading her lips. “I’m coming!” She kicked off her shearling ankle boots and climbed up the ladder in her socks, her eyes on Lucas the entire time. He watched her with amusement as she made her way up, giving her a sweet kiss on the lips when she reached the top. She looked around the treehouse in awe as Lucas gathered the ladder back up.
It was much more spacious than it looked from the outside. And on the inside, it was decorated perfectly for a warm and cozy feel. On the floor was a sheepskin rug surrounded by distressed brown leather pillows. Lining the walls
and windowsills were candles of all colors and designs, set in glass vases. Sitting atop a small and seemingly homemade table was Gemma’s iPod dock.
“Did you take that from my room?” she laughed.
“I had Mira get it for me,” he answered. “You asked for my iPod, I asked for your dock.”
“Smart boy,” Gemma narrowed her eyes playfully at him, taking his iPod out from her jean pocket. “I made you a playlist, but I guess that was pretty obvious.”
“It was. But I still love it,” Lucas decided.
“But you haven’t even heard it yet.”
“I don’t have to if it’s from you,” he said. “But if you don’t trust me, I’ll put it on.” He set up the iPod and began scrolling through the playlists. “Let’s see… is it this one? Titled ‘It’s Valentine’s Day.’”
“I didn’t know what else to call it!” Gemma blushed. “I tried to name it all these romantic and cute names, but they just sounded too corny.”
“This name’s perfect,” he laughed, putting on a song and kissing Gemma once again. “And you like your gift, right?”
Gemma stared at her surroundings and then him. “I hate it, obviously,” she rolled her eyes before bursting into a giggle and throwing her arms around his neck. “It’s amazing, Lucas, I honestly don’t have the words to describe it. It’s just… incredible. You’re so talented.”
He beamed happily at her, holding her in his lap as they sat in the middle of the floor. “I’m glad you like it,” he said quietly, brushing her hair out of her face. She did the same for him, brushing back his wavy brown hair. His skin was warm, no doubt for lifting and building all weekend. Gemma surveyed the treehouse once again. The fact that he had built it for her was incredibly sweet, but the fact that he had built it with his own two hands was, well, hot. Gemma trailed her own hands up his arms, squeezing his biceps to give herself a little thrill. She giggled.
“What are you doing?” Lucas cocked his head with a laugh, charmed by Gemma’s wonderment.
“Nothing,” she said, smiling at her blatant lie as her hands began wandering over his broad chest. Sometimes it was hard to believe that he was her age. He always felt wise and strong beyond his years. Her hands moved down to his muscled abs, her fingers sweeping across the lines of his six pack. Why don’t I do this more often? Gemma wondered, mentally kicking herself for not having realized how truly statuesque her boyfriend was until that moment.
Chills ran down Gemma’s back when Lucas began to kiss her neck. He guided her lips towards his, and she kissed him back as her hands continued to wander. They decidedly continued downward despite reaching the top of his jeans. She could feel his reaction to her hands when he stopped kissing her. Their lips continued to touch, but his mouth parted a bit, his breath heavier as she unbuttoned his jeans.
Soon, she felt the weight of his body on top of her as they lay down on the sheepskin. He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips, her cheek. She tugged at his shirt while he kicked off his jeans. Gemma was too busy admiring his bare body to help him remove her own clothing. As it turned out, he didn’t need much help.
“I have…” Gemma whispered, not bothering to finish her sentence since Lucas knew what she was talking about. She reached for her purse, quickly locating a condom and handing it over to him. She had no idea what to do with it. She watched as he unwrapped it and kicked off his boxer briefs, her eyes unblinking. She was impressed with him, and surprised with herself for being without any sort of fear. But then again, everything about Lucas put her in a peaceful calm.
The first moment was perfect and gentle. She did gasp, but Lucas kept his eyes fixed on her, making sure that he could read her every expression and adjust to her comfort. However as he began to move in a rhythm, Gemma could see his hazel eyes having difficulty staying open. The first groan out of his mouth put Gemma at ease and pleased her in every way possible. She smiled and pulled his face closer, kissing him everywhere. His forehead, his nose, his lips, his cheek.
His hands then took their turn wandering her body, starting from her neck to her breasts to her hips. Her fingers tightened around his shoulders, pulling him closer. Her mouth next to his ear seemed to electrify him, her panting breaths tickling his skin. She sort of wished she could see what their entangled limbs looked like, but the thought was fleeting in her moment of pleasure.
When it was over, they panted for breath against each other’s chests. Their hot and damp bodies seemed unwilling to separate. Gemma couldn’t tell how long she had been in the treehouse for, but as Lucas held her face in one hand and kissed her cheek, she realized that she didn’t care. She could honestly stay in there forever. For once, all the timing and feelings in her life were aligned to show her that Lucas was the one for her. In a strange but perhaps not-so-improbable moment, they said “I love you” at the same time. It was wildly clichéd yet completely right.
- Chapter 14 -
By March, everything in the air was beginning to feel different. With admissions letters going out, the idea of college was becoming all the more real for everyone. Leah was already moving belongings into her parents’ pied-à-terre in Chelsea, not so far from FIT. Kate was busy shopping for as much Rutgers apparel as possible since her admission to the university.
For Gemma, however, March meant something much different. She had already been accepted into several colleges, but she hardly cared to celebrate that when Mira had agreed to let Queen Bee officially come out of hiding. That, in her opinion, was much more exciting.
“We need a video for it,” Mira said, referring to Gemma’s ode to the fans. “And it needs to be big, considering how long you’ve been gone for. Have you been reading the blogs or gossip columns at all?”
“Nope.”
“Good,” Mira said. “Don’t.”
In addition to the plans for a music video were Gemma’s plans for Lucas’s birthday in April. By the week before his birthday, she had made all the reservations and booked all the tickets needed to make the celebration particularly special.
“Aunt Mira, you have to let me pick them up. Please? No one’s going to look twice at me, I promise,” Gemma begged, nearly crushing her cell phone as she pressed it against her ear. The courtside Knicks tickets that Mira had nabbed for her were at the offices of Roebling-Hunter, forgotten by Mira before flying to L.A. on business. With Lucas’s birthday just two days away, Gemma was anxious to pick up the tickets before the office closed for renovation. But as usual, Mira was hesitant about letting Gemma into Roebling-Hunter, where she hadn’t stepped foot since becoming Queen Bee.
“Gemma, I told you. I’ll have my assistant send it overnight. You’ll have it right in time,” Mira said.
“But that’s so risky! Aunt Mira, please. I need everything to be organized and perfect or I’ll have a panic attack,” Gemma implored.
“Honey, it’s such a busy office and so many people there work exclusively on Queen Bee, it just makes me a little nervous…”
“Just let me go really quick. I’ll be in and out in like five seconds. Literally five seconds, Aunt Mira, please? Three seconds, even.” Gemma balled up her fists in anticipation of an answer. She could hear Mira relenting on the other side of the phone.
“Fine, Gemma.”
“Thank you!”
“But – but you really do need to make it very fast. I’m going to call in and say that my niece will be picking something up from my office so you don’t need to tell anyone what you’re doing. Just go in, get the tickets, and then get out.”
“Done. Definitely. Bye!” Gemma said before quickly hanging up. She didn’t want to stick around long enough for Mira to change her mind. Her next move was to call a car service to the city, and then Lucas, so he would accompany her.
“So I’m really not allowed to know what we’re picking up?” he asked as the car approached the Lincoln Tunnel.
“You’ll know soon enough,” Gemma said. “It’ll be good, I promise.”
“Okay,” Lucas laughed,
ruffling Gemma’s hair before kissing the top of her head.
By the time the car reached Roebling-Hunter in the Flatiron District, Gemma was antsy again. She didn’t know why. “I’m gonna make this really quick, and then we can get a bite to eat afterwards,” she said to Lucas as they rode the glass elevator.
The office lobby looked pretty much the same as it had when Gemma had last seen it. Agnes, the same woman who had sat at the reception desk two years ago, was still there.
“There she is!” she gasped upon seeing Gemma. Gemma froze for a second before realizing that Agnes remembered her as Mira’s niece. “How are you, dear? My goodness, you’ve gotten tall. And beautiful!” She eyed Lucas with a wink. “Lucky guy you are.”
Gemma smiled politely. “Thanks, Agnes. I’m just going to pick up some stuff from my aunt’s office.”
“You go right ahead. Remember where it is?”
“I believe so. Thank you!” Gemma said as she took Lucas’s hand and began pacing down the hall towards her aunt’s office. Once they were inside, Lucas raised his brows and looked around, no doubt studying the architecture while Gemma raided Mira’s drawers for the tickets. “Got it!” she grinned upon finding the white envelope labeled “NYK TIX.” She stuffed it into her purse before Lucas could see, giggling as he tried to pull it out.
“Quick peek,” Lucas grinned, tickling Gemma so she would lose grip of her purse.
“No!” Gemma squealed. “You’re so bad!” She ran out the office, hugging her Balmain satchel to her chest and shutting the door on Lucas. Too busy running from him, she bumped into someone in the hallway, immediately losing her balance. “Oops, sorry!” she was still giggling as she let the stranger help her to her feet. However her smile quickly faded upon seeing who stood in front of her.
“Are you okay?” Tyler asked just as Lucas made his way out of Mira’s office. Without turning around, Gemma could hear Lucas stop in his tracks. She stared at Tyler, frozen with both fear and shock. She was unsure of how to respond, whether or not she should try to disguise her voice at all.