by Unknown
Ugh, gross! Yeah, never going to happen. Hell will freeze over first.
“Ew, yeah, I’ll pass on that, Lucas,” I say equally disgusted and amused.
I wonder if I should I mention the rest of the dream? The part where Marcus squeezes the life out of me. I’m not so sure.
“What’s that look? Did something else happen in the dream?” he asks, probably concerned by my blatant unease.
I really need to get better at hiding my emotions and masking my facial expressions around him.
“Marcus turned into Aiden at the end of it and…choked me. Like, choked as in he was trying to kill me. I was so scared, Lucas,” I say, my voice shaking.
He comes over, wrapping me up in his arms. I breathe heavily into his chest, feeling his warm skin against my cheek.
“Em, it’s okay. It was just a super-hot dream that turned into a nightmare. We all have weird dreams that don’t mean anything. I know that Marcus has been bothering you lately but nothing will ever happen to you. You’re protected and safe,” he says trying to soothe me.
“I know. I just…it worried me. What if I run into him again, Lucas? I’m afraid of what he might do. I just don’t get why he hates me so much,” I whisper.
“I know it’s frustrating, Em. Let’s just have fun today and try take your mind off of it. Although, if you want to replay what I was doing you in your dream today, feel free to. I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, I bet you don’t,” I chuckle.
I pull away from him, feeling a little better about the situation.
“Okay, you can have the bathroom first to get ready. Just don’t hog it! I have to get sexy for the day and all of my stuff is in there,” he grins.
“Fine. I’ll make sure to be quick so you can do your make-up and tweeze your eyebrows or whatever it is that you do in there,” I retort as he laughs.
I make sure to take a quick shower, having to put on my old clothes yet again.
Damn, I’ll definitely need to buy some new clothes today. Don’t want to start reeking like a teenage boy or something. I’m surprised Aiden didn’t bring me my clothes when we saw each other yesterday.
I frown, just thinking about him is depressing. Try to distract yourself, Emma. He’s gone but he’s coming back…eventually. Make yourself busy. The pain won’t be as hard to deal with if you don’t have the time to deal with it.
I put on my makeup and walk into the living room. I see Lucas occupying the kitchen. He looks so cute sitting at the table, casually eating colorful cereal. He finally put on a shirt, thank God! Too much abdomen exposure can be a bad thing. For my sanity, that is.
He looks up from his bowl, smiling with the spoon still in his mouth.
“What a well-balanced breakfast! I don’t know how you eat that processed shit, Lucas. You must have an iron stomach,” I say, openly judging his bowl of sugar.
“Sure do. Hey, I’ve eaten this my entire life and it hasn’t killed me yet. Although, I did have a lot of cavities as a kid,” he says remembering.
“Well, that explains it,” I chuckle.
I think about Lucas as a child. I feel like he was little heartbreaker then too.
I frown, wondering about his mom. He’s never talked about her and I’m pretty sure she’s not in his life. Maybe she lives out of state or something. Leo’s never mentioned her either. I wonder…
“Can I ask a personal question?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess, Em,” he says shrugging.
“Where’s your mom? I mean, you’ve never mentioned her.”
He looks uncomfortable and slightly forlorn. Oh, no. Do I really want to hear this? Stupid, Emma!
“She died when I was in eighth grade. We were living in Portland and she…she got in a car accident on the way to pick me up from school. She died on impact and…I’m just glad she didn’t suffer,” he says softly.
I reach my hand across the table, placing it on top of his.
Poor guy. He lost his mother just like Aiden did. It must be so difficult losing a parent. I can’t even begin to imagine my mom not being around. It give gives me chills just thinking about it.
“I’m so sorry, Lucas,” I whisper.
“I miss her all the time. She was an awesome mom and a pretty unforgettable woman,” he sighs. “My dad and I ended up moving here. He had another bar in Portland but it was just too much. The memories were too strong there with her gone.”
“I get that. That’s pretty much the same thing I did after Jeremiah passed,” I say.
Well, not the main reason but part of it.
“You remind me of her,” he says looking deeply at me.
My eyes widen at his confession. I do?
“She was unique, strong, and she spoke her mind. She would put me and my dad in his place. She pretty much held the family together. When she was in a room, every eye was on her. She was just that kind of woman. Just like you,” he says.
I gulp, flattered and confused by his opinion of me. I never knew that he viewed me in such high regard. I didn’t think he saw me as the woman who grabs attention. Well, technically I do, but only the bad kind. I’m the light that all the pesky mosquitos seem to flock to.
“And just so you know, you don’t look anything like her. It’s just the personality and the way you hold yourself that reminds me of her. I love my mom but I don’t have any deep seeded mommy issues,” he smirks.
“Whew! You had me worried there for a second,” I laugh.
“Okay, enough sad shit! I’m going to go get ready and then we’ll head out. I texted Leslie earlier and she said she’d meet us at the Goonie house.”
“Sounds good,” I say smiling.
He gets up out of his chair, giving me a side hug from where he’s standing. I return the affection, gently patting him on the back.
Finally! He’s finally understood the whole casual friend hug thing. I smile, loving that he took my words to heart. I think he’s really trying to make this friendship work. I just hope it stays that way.
We decide take his old Toyota with us, that way we can get groceries later. We park it down the hill from where the house is located. He says we have to trek up the hill to see the house because we can’t actually go up to it. We have to look at it from the street.
“Ugh, that sucks!” I complain to him, breathing heavily as we walk up the hill.
“Hey, crabby. How would you like it if tourists came up to the doorstep of your house and took pictures?” he laughs.
Okay, good point. I would probably get a shotgun and threaten anybody who stepped foot on my property. I’d pull a classic Clint Eastwood with a one-liner like, “Get off my lawn!” or something. I chuckle at my own absurdity.
We get half way up the hill and I see Leslie standing there, waiting at the top for us. Her blonde hair is down, falling in waves. Hmm…I think she went all out and styled her hair today. I wonder if she did it to catch someone’s oblivious eye.
We reach the top of the hill, as I breathe out dramatically.
“Gotta lay off the smokes,” I croak out.
Lucas laughs and Leslie just stares at me, probably wishing I’d choke on the air. Okay, I need to win her over because the tension between her and Lucas is not what I want.
“Thanks for meeting us, Leslie. Lucas was saying how you and he had a bad argument at work. He’s felt really bad about it and hates that you guys are fighting. He hasn’t stopped talking about you actually,” I say.
“Em,” Lucas bites off.
“Oh, really?” Leslie asks unconvinced.
“You’re like his go-to woman at work. He wants to apologize but he’s shy,” I say, grasping at straws.
I see Lucas’s jaw drop by my words. I think he knows what I’m up to and can’t believe it.
“Lucas? Shy? I think I’d have to pay money to see a shy Lucas,” she finally laughs.
“Hey, you guys do know I’m standing right here? If you want to talk shit, at least wait until I’m out of earshot,” he pouts.
He smiles, nodding his head in agreement. He goes over to her, wrapping her in a hug. His back is turned towards me and I see her face over his shoulder. She gives me a, “Ha! He’s hugging me not you, bitch” look. I smile in amusement. I will have to pull her aside soon and tell her that Lucas and I are just friends.
“Okay, so I’m going to take some pictures on my phone. I’ll see you guys in a bit,” I say, letting them have some alone time.
I smile, proud of myself. Okay, Emma. Let’s get some good shots of the house.
I snap a few from different angles, accidently hitting the camera button before I can focus.
“Fucking iPhone!” I curse under my breath.
I really need to get used to this thing.
They make their way over to me, laughing and smiling. Well, I guess they kissed and made up, so to speak.
“You dare me to go up the house and do the truffle shuffle in front of the gate?” Lucas laughs.
“Uh, fuck yeah I do! Get to it, Chunk!” I say laughing.
He looks like he’s about to do it but quickly changes his mind.
“On second thought, I better not.”
We all laugh. I can’t picture him doing something so degrading.
“So where should we go now?” Lucas asks.
“Well, I need some more clothes. There was this one thrift shop I went to when I first moved here. It was pretty cool,” I say to them.
“Which one was it?” Leslie asks.
Is she finally warming up to me? I hope so. I tell her the store and she shakes her head sideways.
“There’s an even better one just around the corner from that one. It’s even cheaper and has more vintage stuff. That’s where I get all of my clothes,” she says.
I look at her cute flowery dress, admiring the cut and design. Yeah, she obviously appreciates fashion like I do. I nod my head in agreement.
“Sounds awesome, Leslie,” I smile at her.
I’ll find a way to get her alone at the thrift store, telling her all about my relationship with Lucas.
“We can walk there from here,” she says.
“Ladies?” Lucas says, holding out both elbows for us to link our arms through.
We both laugh at him but readily comply with what he wants.
“Lucas, you’re such a man-whore! Now everybody in town will think we’re in a weird relationship,” I say.
“And that would be a problem why?” he asks innocently.
“Douche!” Leslie yells, playfully elbowing his stomach.
“Damn, woman, watch the abs. They bruise easily,” he smirks.
I see Leslie stick out her tongue out at him. I laugh at how easy going she seems with him. They are always fighting and on each other’s cases at work. I think its way more than just friendly bickering. Sexual tension maybe?
We reach the thrift store and I finally have the perfect plan to get Leslie alone.
“Okay, girls go this way, boys go that way,” I say pointing to opposite sides of the store.
“Awe, c’mon, Em. You know I want to watch you try on clothes. I’ll help you into them if you want. I can even zip you up if you need it,” he says.
“Shut it, Lucas. We’ll be done soon and then come and get you. Ten minutes tops, I promise,” I say.
“Fine,” he huffs, walking away pouting.
“So, am I wrong in thinking that you have a thing for Lucas?” I ask her right off the bat.
She looks startled by my abrupt question. I feel sorry for the poor woman but not quite enough because I want an answer.
“Does it matter? You guys are together now,” she says, looking at clothes, avoiding eye contact.
“We’re not seeing each other. Not even close,” I say.
She looks at me confused.
“I like him as a friend but nothing more. I won’t lie and say I’m not attracted to him and at one point, wanted to jump his bones. I’m not Helen Keller, for God’s sake. I can see that he is a fine piece of ass, plus he makes me laugh. I just wanted to tell you that we’re roomies and that’s it. He knows where we both stand now.”
“That being said, I think you like him. A lot. I want to help you get him,” I say truthfully.
She looks straight at me now, a pained look on her face.
“Yes, fine. I like him. I’ve liked him for a few years now, since I started working at the bar. But he’s way younger than me, Emma. I’m seven years older than him. I feel like a pedophile just having those feelings for him,” she says embarrassed.
“I think you’re making a big deal out of it. If two people like each other and get along, what’s the problem? Age is just a number, Leslie. Don’t let that hold you back from having something worthwhile. Lucas is worth taking a chance on. I just know it,” I say, defending him.
“He doesn’t like me more than a friend. I mean, we’re barely that. This is the first time he’s even asked me to hang out outside of work. We’ve always casually texted each other but that’s it,” she says frowning.
“Wait…he’s texts you? Um, if he didn’t like you he wouldn’t do that! You need to break that friend-zone barrier. I think that he might have never tried anything because he doesn’t think you’re into him. Lucas is a good guy but…let’s just say he can be a little dense when it comes to the opposite sex,” I say laughing.
“Yeah, I can definitely agree with that,” she laughs. “What should I do to get him interested in me? I’m not big on flirting.”
“Lucas is not one of those subtle guys. He likes dirty talk. You know how to do that, right?” I ask her.
Please tell me yes. I want to help her but I’m not a miracle worker.
“Yeah, I can talk dirty but I’ve only ever done it when I’m in relationship with a guy,” she admits.
“Okay, well, we’ll just ease you into then. Start sexting him. Guys love that shit and I think you’ll like it too. It’s exciting and fun when you do it with someone you aren’t dating. Trust me on this. Try and see what happens.”
“I guess I could give it a try,” she says sighing. “I do have a few pics that I saved on my phone that I sent to old boyfriends.”
I smile, proud at the work I’ve accomplished.
We look through racks of clothing and I pick put a few skinny jeans, some t-shirts, and vintage dresses for the hell of it. I don’t bother trying them on because I know my body pretty well. Leslie picks out a few things too and we grab our finds, making our way over to Lucas.
“When you shop, you really fucking shop, Em” he says looking at my stack of clothes.
“Damn straight,” I say proudly.
“Well, let’s go and pay and then we can go and get groceries. Do you need to get some too, Leslie? You can come with us if you want,” he says.
“No, I’m…” she says as I give her a knowing glance.
“I mean, yes, I need to stock up on a few things. I meant no, I’ll just take my own car,” she says finally.
“Okay, we’ll meet you down there then,” he says smiling.
We both pay, saying our goodbyes and that we’ll see her shortly.
“Can I drive your car?” I ask him sweetly.
“Yeah, I guess, Em. Just don’t crash her. She’s the only woman in my life that actually likes me,” he says smirking.
“That’s what you think,” I say under my breath.
I get in the driver’s side while Lucas gives me directions.
We sing along to bad eighties songs in the car, when I hear a ping sound coming from my phone. I think it was a text or something. The only people who have my number are Lucas and my mom. It was either her or one of those annoying as hell updates or alerts for my phone. I’ll have to check it later.
I look over at Lucas and notice that he’s stopped smiling. He’s looking at his phone, shell shocked.
“What is it? Is something wrong?” I ask worriedly.
; “Well, I’m not really sure,” he says now smiling.
“I mean, it was nothing bad, just surprising,” he says.
“Well, spit it out, Lucas!” I yell.
“I just got an unexpected text from Leslie. I think she might have sent it to me by accident. It was of her in her bra and panties,” he chokes out.
Oh my God! She really did take my advice to heart. I’m proud.
“I’m just…I guess I’m speechless,” he says.
“Well, text her back. Compliment her or something,” I say.
“What if it isn’t for me? That would be really embarrassing for her, Em.”
“Just respond to it, dumbass. Take a chance. That is, if you like what you see,” I ask curiously.
“Fuck yeah! I mean, I’ve never seen her body like that before and I’ve always thought she was sexy,” he says clearing his throat.
I swear, if we get out the car and his pants are shorter, I’ll know why. Way to go, Leslie.
“Make sure the text is hot but also classy. Don’t sound all pervy, Lucas. Don’t be like, “Oh, man, that’s hot but it would be even hotter if you sent a close-up of your sweet pussy”. Ugh, I hate when guys do that. It’s like, um, do you know how difficult it is to get the right angle and lighting to make it look remotely attractive?” I rant.
“Okay, boss. Are you sure you’re okay with me texting her back?” he says asking for permission.
Does he think I’ll be jealous or angry? The green-eyed monster only comes out around Aiden sadly.
“Of course I am. I want you to move on and be happy, Lucas. Don’t feel guilty,” I say.
He smiles at me, obviously pleased by my response. I knew Lucas would get over me. I honestly only think that he had a thing for me because I reminded him of his mom. That and the fact that we both have dirty minds and like to tease each other.
We finally get to the store and we find Leslie near the entrance, anxiously waiting for us. She looks shy and uncertain, with an underlying excitement radiating from her. I notice Lucas look her up and down, probably trying to imagine her naked. Ugh, men!
“Okay, I’m going to get anything that isn’t Ramen noodles and then I’ll meet up with you guys,” I say.
I think they need a little one on one time to discuss that text. I don’t wait for a response or acknowledgment. I just haul ass towards the groceries.