by Mj Fields
What an ass, she thought.
* * *
Kendall and Tessa ran the booster club booth at the fair on Thursday night they laughed and had a great time talking to people she hadn���t seen over the past year. Lucas, Jade, Ryan, and Lukie joined them for dinner. There was a band playing, and she begged Lucas to dance. He shook his head yes and followed her. She looked at the band and noticed the drummer.
���What are you looking at?��� Lucas scowled.
���I thought the drummer was the voice coach I was telling you about, must be the tattoos��� she laughed.
���They never called you?���
���No, but I ran into him running last week, he seems like a jerk. I told him I would look elsewhere.���
���Was he rude?��� he asked, getting pissed.
���No Lucas, he just seems full of himself and he probably isn���t any good,��� she rolled her eyes.
���Okay, but you said you missed singing, Baby,��� he said looking at her as they danced.
The drummer took the guitar and sang the next song.
���Lucas, I really think that���s him��� she glanced and laughed as they walked to the booster clubs booth.
���I���m going to head home baby, walk me out?���
She kissed him goodnight, and he promised to text when he got home, she promised she would only be a couple more hours.
Tessa went back to work with Kendall and the band guy walked up to the booth.
���Tessa, right?��� he smiled.
���Adam,��� she said as she wiped off the counter. Kendall walked up, ���This is my sister Kendall.���
���Nice to meet you, can your sister sing?��� he asked Kendall.
���She���s amazing, she was the lead in the musical Avita last spring,��� she said, ���You should have her sing with you up there unless you���re scared.���
Tessa shook her head no and rolled her eyes at Kendall
���No, that���s quite alright,��� she said.
���What should she sing?��� he asked Kendal ignoring Tessa.
���Anything,��� Kendall laughed.
���We do rock, pick a few and I���ll choose, see you in five minutes,��� Adam walked away.
���Kendall, what are you thinking?��� she laughed.
���I���m thinking we need to pick a song, Tessa he looks familiar, like MTV familiar,��� she laughed.
���It���s probably the tattoos,��� they both laughed.
* * *
Tessa asked Ryan and Jade to come watch, and they sat in the bleachers.
���Can your band play The Cranberries Zombie or Alanis Morissette You Oughtta Know?���
���Yep,��� he said and walked away.
���Well, which one?��� she asked.
Adam smirked and they started playing You Oughtta Know. She did great and smiled as she started walking off stage. Zombie started she turned to him and smiled, he gave her a challenging stare. Tessa raised her eyebrow, a challenge please she thought. Next they played Baby One More Time by Britany Spears. She sang and looked to him for approval; he pretended to yawn and rolled his eyes. Tess incorporated a few little dance moves and he smirked. She danced and sang and had a great time. He moved to the keyboard.
���You all want one more?��� he asked, and they cheered.
He began playing a song from Avita. She smiled and sang Don���t cry for me Argentina.
���We���re going to take a quick break��� he announced and rushed her off stage. ���I think I can work with you, do you play an instrument?���
���No,��� she said.
���Okay, so piano, you���ll take piano lessons starting three weeks from Monday at six pm,��� he said.
���What about voice ��� I can���t do six at night,��� she said confused.
���So this isn���t important to you?��� he asked, but it was more like a statement.
���Well, I have to work to pay for lessons, and I do have a social life,��� she crossed her arms and scowled defensively.
���Fine, Mondays at nine in the morning. And you���ll start with an instrument��� he walked away.
* * *
Tessa walked in the bedroom, and Lucas was sleeping. She was excited and wanted to tell him all about singing. She went under the covers and kissed around his pelvis. He rolled over. She moved to the other side of the bed, and he turned away again.
���Tessa, come on baby��� I���m tired,��� he mumbled.
He woke up and looked at her sleeping he bent down and kissed her.
���I love you, baby.���
���You turned me down,��� she pulled the covers over her head.
���Sorry, I was tired,��� he said, ���I���m up now.���
���And I���m tired��� she rolled over. ���Have a good day, I love you anyway.���
���Tessa don���t be mad,��� he rubbing his hand softly down her back.
���I���m not, I have to be up in an hour for work, see you later,��� she covered herself.
* * *
Lucas walked into work, ���Hey Jade taped Tessa singing last night, do you want to see?���
���Sure,��� he said confused.
Her phone chimed, and it was him
- Nice performance last night Tessa��� LL
- It would have been if you didn���t tell me NO��� LT
- No baby, at the fair��� LL
- Oh, I forgot I was going to tell you last night but well you were tired and this morning I wasn���t thinking about that AT ALL, feeling rejected��� LT
- I���ll make it up to you baby, I can come home if you want��� LL
- I wanted last night, not now��� LT
- I���m not going to live this one down am I��� LL
- NO!!! Don���t do that to me again, you made me this way! I���m going to work, see you later��� LT
- Baby I think it���s you���still sorry, see you tonight��� LL
Tessa came home and made dinner and showered. Lucas walked in with a bag and flowers.
���Hello baby, I brought you gifts,��� he licked his lips and bit his lip. Tessa smiled and he handed her the bag.
���What the hell is this?��� she asked shocked.
���Toys,��� he looked her up and down.
���So this is what I am supposed to do when you turn me down? I don���t think so,��� she shoved the bag at him and walked away.
���No, you better not, they���re for us,��� he laughed and grabbed her.
���No, thank you I prefer the real thing,��� she snapped, ���When it���s available. I understand tired and I have been a baby about it today, but that stuff is not happening.���
���Okay baby, I���m sorry.���
He laughed as he walked out of the room and up the stairs.
He took the bag and shoved it in the back of the closet.
He walked downstairs and looked at her.
���Am I in the doghouse?���
���You weren’t, but now you are,��� she scowled at him.
���I should���ve taken you with me shopping, huh?��� he smirked while he turned to walk out of the living room.
She threw a magazine at him.
Lucas turned around stalked back to her. He picked her up off the couch and threw her over his shoulder and grabbed the magazine and smacked
her on the butt.
���Put me down!��� Her voice broke and he put her down, and there were tears in her eyes. She stormed away.
Lucas grabbed her, ���Talk to me, damn it!���
���I don���t know���I don���t know why������ she hugged him.
���Okay, that’s better,��� he held her. ���You’re seriously not pissed at me are you?���
���No, not about last night, those things though, not cool,��� she laughed.
He pulled back and looked at her, ���Now you���re laughing?���
���Yes, I���m very moody today,��� she put her head on his chest.
After she had forced to calm herself down she looked up at him and he was looking at her apprehensively.
���Sorry?���
He smiled, ���We good now?���
She shook her head yes and stepped back.
���Can we eat?���
They finished eating, and he cleaned up. Tessa did some homework, and he sat and read the newspaper next to her.
She was getting tired. She shut off the computer and stood up,
���I���m going to bed,��� she kissed his head.
She showered and got into bed. A few minutes later came up and did the same. He lay next to her and wrapped his arms around her.
���I love you, anyway,��� he smirked.
���What?��� she laughed.
���You know even though you���re crazy.���
She tried to pull away from him, and he laughed and held her tighter. She didn���t fight, she was tired.
���It���s been five months today, Lucas,��� she whispered.
He thought for a minute, ���Oh.���
She rolled over and hugged him.
He kissed her. ���Sorry baby.���
���Me too,��� she closed her eyes fell asleep.
He couldn���t sleep. He didn���t know how to make this better for her or him for that matter. He thought about David and wondered how Sadi was doing. He got up and went downstairs. He logged onto her Facebook account and checked to see if he could go through one of Tessa���s friends page���s to hers. It worked. Sadi was going to school up at Syracuse, and he had not run into her, he hadn���t even thought about her until now. She was in a relationship, and he was happy for her. Her posts were upbeat and very positive. He got up to get a drink and walked back in. Tessa was standing in front of the computer and looked shocked.
Oh Fuck, he thought. ���Tessa, I just wanted to know how she was doing.���
���Okay, well I hope she is doing well,��� she looked at him as tears welled up in her eyes.
She ran upstairs into what would have been her baby���s room and locked the door. She lay on the bed and cried.
���Tessa, open the door please,��� he said. ���Let me explain.���
She didn���t answer him she put her ear buds in and cried herself to sleep.
He tossed and turned as he tried to go to sleep and couldn���t. He grabbed a wire hanger and popped the lock on the door to the room she was sleeping in. He looked at the bed and saw her laying there. He knew he had crossed a line today and even if he explained it to her she probably would still be hurt, and he could blame her. He walked into their room and went to sleep.
In the morning, he wrote a note and left it on the counter.
Tessa,
I���m sorry. You have every right to be upset with me. After you had fallen asleep, I started thinking of David. I just wanted to see if she was doing alright.
It was poor timing on my part, and very insensitive. Please accept my apology, I love you forever.
Love,
Lucas.
P.S. Please come to lunch today.
She read the letter and took a shower.
His phone chimed, and it was her.
- I accept your apology and am sorry that our loss reminds you of yours with her. I truly understand that in my head. I will not lie ��� it hurt like hell. I won���t be able to make it to lunch. I have three days off and am planning to go to my parents to help get ready for Molly���s baby shower. I���m working with Kendall tonight. I shouldn���t be too late. I love you��� LT
- I understand, sorry again.. LL
She drove to the farm and texted him
- I���m home, I think I will stay tonight if you want to come you. can.. LT
He didn���t text her back, great she thought.
After finishing the shower favors, Tessa decided to go for a walk with Chewy. She sat next to the falls, thinking as he splashed in the water. She knew it shouldn���t be a big deal and was sure she was even more emotional because Molly was going to have a baby. She couldn���t do that, she knew it wasn���t meant to be, making her wonder about everything else that had happened with her and Lucas in the past. She decided to suck it up, ���Come on Chewy.���
Tessa showered to get ready for the fair. She worked with Kendall and was having fun. She saw all her old friends and chatted about college and life. Of course, everyone asked her how she and Lucas were doing.
Her phone chimed it was him
- You look so happy right now Tessa. If I come see you will that make you sad?... LL
He stood back and watched from the crowd. He saw her brows turn in and she pinched the bridge of her nose.
- Guess that answers my question, I���m going to head back baby, be happy��� LL
- You better get back here Lucas!... LT
Lucas walked up with his head down, and he looked up through his long lashes at her. ���Hi,��� he said softly.
���Hi to you,��� she smiled, ���Why don���t you come back and help?���
���Alright,��� he walked around to the back.
���Are you okay?��� she asked him as he looked around lost.
���Yes are you?���
���I���m having fun, come on,��� she threw him an apron ���Suit up, Links.���
Their tent quickly became the busiest one at the fair, from all the girls middle through high school checking him out, all the way to the die hard SU fans. They sold out of everything before closing. They were cleaning up when Tessa saw Sadi walk up to the booth. Great, she thought. She looked at Lucas, and he looked down and shook his head. Great he thought, she is going to think this was my doing.
���We���re closing up, all sold out,��� Kendall told her.
���I wanted to talk to Lucas,��� Sadi said calmly.
���Lucas, you have a visitor.���
He looked at Tessa.
���Go,��� she said and looked away.
���Hi Lucas. I wanted you to meet someone, this is my boyfriend, Seth.���
Lucas looked up. Seth had gray eyes and shoulder length messy hair. He was attractive but completely different from her typical type.
Lucas put his hand out and shook his.
���Nice to meet you,��� he said. ���Tessa, come here, please.���
She walked over.
���Tessa this is Seth, my boyfriend,��� Sadi smiled.
���Nice to meet you,��� Tessa nodded.
���When you two are done, could you give us a minute?��� Seth asked politely.
���Sure,��� Lucas answered.
���You go ahead Lucas, I have nothing to say to her,��� she whispered.
���Tessa, please,��� she took a deep breath, and he grabbed her hand, ���Thank you.���
They sat across the table from them; Tessa looked down avoiding eye con
tact.
���Tessa, I���m sorry��� Sadi���s voice broke, ���I truly am.���
Seth put his arm around Sadi. ���I got this. Sadi and I met at the beginning of last year. She and I have had many talks about what you have all been through. She feels pretty bad about everything. Her hope, our hope, is that she can put this behind her. She knows she was awful to you, Tessa. And Lucas, you both did some pretty rotten things to each other, but Sadi knows how wrong she was for what happened a year and a half ago. We stopped at the cemetery tonight, and she saw the flowers you���d left���today I think. She knows she hurt you, and she just wants you to know that. If you could forgive her, she could more easily move on.���
���I forgive her, is she still seeing a therapist?��� he asked Seth.
���Actually she is doing much better,��� Seth retorted defensively.
���Lucas,��� Tessa whispered.
���What Tessa?��� Lucas snapped at her.
She looked down.
���I���m sorry,��� he said and lifted her chin. ���I���m sorry.���
���Well, we just needed to put this behind us, do you have anything else Sadi?��� Seth asked.
���Tessa I���m so sorry. I understand now what made him fall in love with you. I swear I have met a male version of you. He just wants me to be happy, and he loves me regardless of what has happened in my past. I���m so sorry, please forgive me,��� Sadi pleaded.
Tessa looked up and smiled, ���I do Sadi, and I forgive you.���
Sadi stood up and walked around the table and hugged her.
���I really am sorry I was such a monster to you,��� she said. ���I hope you two are as happy as we are.���
Tessa smiled, ���I���m happy for you.���
They said their goodbyes and Tessa nodded to the booth. When they finished cleaning up, they all left. Lucas followed Tessa and Kendall to the farm. Kendall started the hot tub. Alex and Phoebe pulled in and ran inside to change.
���I think I���m going to head back to our place,��� Lucas said when Tessa walked up to him.