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“Clem!” I turned around and I saw Elizabeth Cole waving at me. I hadn’t visited their house since my father’s affair became a public knowledge. At first I was embarrassed and then, when I got back from Seattle in the summer, Lucas was looking at me differently, and I kept my distance from his entire family.
Elizabeth came and hugged me. Then she whispered in my ear.
“You won’t believe what Lucas is wearing.”
I peeked behind her and there he was. Standing with his father and little brother. Looking at him made my pulse beat in my ears.
“He looks…good.”
“You should tell him that when he comes over,” Elizabeth kissed me on the cheek. “How are you? Is everything okay at home?”
It was no secret me and my mother didn’t get along.
“Yeah. It’s fine. Ty is still here to lighten up the mood. The real treat will begin when he graduates in a few months.”
“I’m sure it would be fine. You can always come talk to me if you need anything.”
“Sure,” I said, but I wasn’t planning on doing that. I didn’t like talking about our family drama. Elizabeth said a few words to my best friend and headed back to her family.
Lucas was looking at me straight in the eye. He said something to his father and walked over to us.
“Do you want me to leave you alone?” Hannah whispered when he was only a few steps away.
“Don’t move”, I roared. Seeing him now made me scared to death.
“Hey,” Lucas stood in front of us.
“Hey,” I answered breathlessly.
“Where are the others?” he asked staring at me.
“I don’t know,” I said without even glancing around us to try to figure out. “We just got here.”
“Let’s go find them,” Lucas waved his hand towards the back door. Every year we just hung around in the backyard. This time we were the oldest from the group of the children here. Probably we would have a separate party next year and we would never again hide in the darkness of this yard.
“You look pretty,” Lucas leaned in to me while we were walking by the adults.
“Thanks,” I felt my breath hiss. He smirked. He knew he was making me uncomfortable. I should have been mad or embarrassed, but I felt good. Excited.He cared.
We found the others sitting on blankets on the ground. I thought Lucas would go sit with his best friend Chase who was kissing a girl at that moment, but no. He settled next to me.
It is happening. It is happening.
A shiver past through me, and he asked if I was cold.
“No,” I said with eyes glued to the ground.
I felt his hand sneaking into mine, and he gave it a little squeeze. Then he laced his fingers with mine.
He nodded to a boy sitting across from us that I hadn’t paid attention to up until now.
“Hey, Dylan,” I greeted him. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“Surprise,” he smiled at me.
Hannah hugged him and sat next to him. They talked, but every once in a while I caught Dylan staring at my hand. It was still in Lucas’s. It made me feel uncomfortable. Was he judging us for holding hands in public? My fingers twitched. Lucas felt it and turned his gaze to me. He smiled and ran his thumb on the inside of my palm. It squeezed my heart.
At some point I had to use the bathroom. Lucas was joking around with Chase and wasn’t paying any attention to me, so I decided it was a good time. I tried to pull my hand away, but he tightened his grip and turned to face me.
