My mom named my twin sister and me after U.S Presidents. Our dad had no say, which was obvious for Theodora, Teddy for short, and I at a young age because instead of being picked on for our incredibly lame names we would have been Samantha and Amanda, the coolest girls around…But like I said, my dad had no say. Mom used to tell us stories when we were younger on how her father used to give her books upon books about the United States Presidents and how fascinated she was by their lives and what they were able to do and not do for our country. Teddy and I would get bored with her rambles and it was usually how she got us to sleep at night. Mom tried to get Teddy and me to read the books that she had received from her father but we just were not interested. It hurt her at first. She wanted us to have some sort of connection that she had with her father. But I was just so mad at her for naming me Lincoln. And I've never really gotten over it.
"Is your name really Lincoln?"
I stared down at the young girl, whose pigtails looked a little too tight, as I placed her chocolate milk in front of her.
"Yes it is," I replied, forcing a smile.
"Like the car?" Her father asked with a slight laugh as he took a sip of his coffee.
"No, like the president." He looked at me quickly before turning his attention back to his menu. "Are you guys ready to order?"
I jotted down their order quickly before heading back to the kitchen. I glanced up at the clock noticing I only had a few more hours left. It was a Friday and I was off on Saturdays so I was looking forward to heading to my apartment, which I shared with Teddy, and curling up on the couch and eating Chinese food until I couldn't feel sorry for myself anymore. But who was I kidding? My life more than sucked. I was twenty-three years old, a struggling waitress at a shitty ass diner in the middle of motorcycle town, where grown men thought it was fun to ride bikes and talk about nonsense all the while causing a constant uproar. It felt like every other day something in Charming was happening and more and more people were making their way out. I would have left too if I actually had an idea on what I wanted to do with my life or if I had any sort of grip on who I was. All I had was the name Lincoln and the questions that surrounded my name and how people were fascinated with it when all it was, was a name.
Several hours later I clocked out and split my tips with the busboys before heading out and taking in the California air. I started up my car, rolled down my windows, and drove on home. Teddy's car wasn't there when I pulled into the apartment complex which was pretty predictable. Teddy was almost never home spending almost all her time at Cara Cara, her workplace. She was an "actress" as she called it but I preferred "adult entertainer" even though she hated it when I said that. Teddy had been working at Cara Cara for the past two years secretly since my parents were never allowed to know. I had found out through a friend when he texted me and asked since when was I doing porn. I knew I wasn't taking off my clothes for the camera but my lovely sister, who of course looked just like me, must be. I was sworn to secrecy and I decided to keep her secret knowing how shit would erupt if our parents found out. As long as she never told me about her day at work I was cool with it. We both needed to make money and if she wanted to do it her way than I couldn't stop her.
I opened the front door and walked right to the junk drawer in the kitchen looking for the menu for the Chinese restaurant. I noticed a note on the counter and picked it up. I'm out with Juice. We're going to the Lava Lounge. Meet us at 9 if you want to come. Hope to see you – Teddy
I rolled my eyes as I crumped up the note and threw it in the trash can. I might have approved of Teddy's choice of employment but I did not approve of her boyfriend. Juice was a member of the Sons of Anarchy, the motorcycle club that had slowly ruined the town of Charming. Teddy had met him while working at Cara Cara since the club owned part of it and they just hit it off. He was always around the apartment but I tried not to show any interest in him. Teddy hated that I didn't approve of Juice but I just couldn't get myself too. He was everything that Teddy should steer clear of. She deserved better but I guess in a lot of aspects Teddy deserved a type of boyfriend that was on the same level of her degrading job. She always tries to tell me to see him as she sees him but all I see is a guy with a Mohawk and tribal tattoos on his head.
The phone rang suddenly and walked over to it and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Lincoln, hey, what are you doing?"
"Hey Mom, nothing. I just got home from work. What are you doing?"
"I'm waiting for your father to get home from a meeting so we can go out to eat. Do you want to join us?"
"No, I'm okay. What kind of meeting?"
"Oh ya know…" And then there was that other thing. My dad was the lawyer and trusted and loyal friend of the Sons of Anarchy. He knew everything. Well almost everything since he still hadn't found out that Teddy was working for Cara Cara.
"Right," I replied. "Well I was just about to order myself some food. So I better get going."
"Well come visit soon, I haven't seen you in a while. You shouldn't always be alone, Lincoln."
"I'm not always alone." I could just see the look my mother was probably giving me.
"You know I don't believe that."
"What if I like being alone?"
"Then I feel sorry for you."
"Thanks Mom."
"Seriously Lincoln, you're a beautiful young woman. Any man would be lucky to have you. You just have stop holding yourself back. I'm sure Teddy could introduce you to someone."
"Not sure I'd be interested in anyone Teddy brings home for me," I said with a chuckle.
My mom laughed too. "Yeah, I mean, I never thought she'd end up with Juice either but how can you stop love?"
"That's true, but I have to go. I'll talk to you soon."
"You better, I love you."
"I love you too," I responded before hanging up the phone and placing it back in its holder.
After calling in my order, I went to the bathroom to take a long shower. I hated how even after I shower I still could smell the diner all over me. Maybe that was the reason I never wanted to date anyone…Because I always smelt like pickles and ketchup, even though Teddy swears I never smelt like pickles and ketchup. I brushed my hair and put on some comfy pajamas just as there was a knock on the front door.
I was able to eat my Chinese food in peace until there was another unwanted knock on the front door. I groaned as I got up from the couch and looked through the peephole. I thought about not answering but if she had seen my car she knew I was here. Plus there was the good fact that I was always here.
I opened the door and stared at Hayley Morrow, my long lost best friend. We hadn't spoken in a few days, both of us doing our own thing. It was random times like this when Hayley needed to talk to someone did she come wandering to the apartment where she cried on my shoulder or brought pot for us to smoke since her landlord had yelled at her too many times for the smell.
"What up bitch?" She asked.
"What the hell do you want?"
"I'm here to kidnap you."
I stared at her. "You are here to do what?"
"Kidnap you, because you are the most un-fun and boring person I have ever met."
"I'm not inviting you."
"I don't need to be invited in," she replied as she pushed past me and into the living room. "As cute as those PJ's look on you, you need to change."
"I'm not going anywhere Hayley."
Hayley turned around and gave me one of her looks. I had met Hayley back in high school and we clicked pretty quickly. Her father is Clay Morrow, the current president of SAMCRO and one of the founding members. Her mother Gemma, is a real hard ass and crack downs on Hayley for anything. Gemma always had good intentions though. But anyone could see that she was just preparing her daughter for the life that lied ahead for her. SAMCRO was going to be Hayley's life whether or not she became an old lady.
"Everyone is going to the Lava Lounge!"
"I don't care what everyone else is doing."
"This is why you have no friends."
"Then why are you here?"
"That's a good fucking question," she said as she plopped down on the couch picking up my carton of sweet and sour chicken. "I'll wait while you get ready."
I sighed realizing I had no real way out of this one. Hayley had a way of getting what she wanted. Maybe it was because I didn't feel like hearing her talk all night long which forced me into my bedroom where I picked out an outfit to wear to the Lava Lounge. I had been there a few times and gotten pretty shit faced there on my twenty-first birthday with Teddy. The Lava Lounge brought nothing but memories of emptiness. Every time I had been there I had become too wasted to remember a thing.
I walked out into the living room and Hayley looked up at me. "You look so hot."
"It's nothing." I looked down at my outfit. I was wearing a top that fell to my midsection, tight blue jeans, and boots. It wasn't something I would normally wear but every outfit I would even think to wear would have been vetoed out by Hayley.
"We need to get you laid tonight."
"Is that a joke?"
"Seriously, when was the last time you had sex?"
"I don't think that's any of your business."
Hayley jumped off from the couch and pulled out lipstick from her back pocket. It was a pretty pink, which was an odd color for Hayley considering all the black she wore, and she placed it on my lips.
"Lipstick always makes things better."
"Thanks for the tip."
She smiled at her finished work and popped a bubble from the gum in her mouth. "Let's head out."
The Lava Lounge was extremely dark and smelt like smoke. This was a very typical atmosphere as Hayley and I walked in at around ten o'clock. The bar was in the middle with tables surrounding the outside. There was a dance floor toward the front which was surprisingly heavily occupied. Hayley pulled me toward one of the oval tables in the corner where I could see Teddy and Juice as well as other members of SAMCRO.
"Oh my God!" Teddy shouted and jumped up from Juice's lap. "You're fucking here!"
She threw her arms around me and I could smell a mix of vodka and vanilla on her. "Don't sound too surprised."
She pulled back and looked me up and down. "Jesus, what are you wearing? Is this really you, Linc? Or am I staring at myself?"
I rolled my eyes. "Good one, Teddy."
She smiled and kissed my cheek. "Come on, let's get you a drink." She turned around and shouted toward Juice, "I'm getting drinks. You want?"
Juice nodded as we headed towards the bar. The bartender, Ryan, who had been working here for years, walked right up to us. Teddy put in our order without even asking me what I wanted. It wasn't quite a surprise for me though, Teddy was seven minutes older and therefore thought she controlled me. I tried not to make too much of a stink about it because Teddy could get pretty nasty when you fight with her.
"How'd Hayley get you here?" Teddy asked over the loud music.
I could barely hear myself think. "It wasn't too hard. I just gave up and came."
"You made a good choice, it's nice to see you out."
I smiled at Teddy as Ryan handed us our drinks. I took a sip of mine. Teddy had gotten me straight up vodka. She was insane and trying to kill me. I thought about leaving it at a random table while we walked back but I didn't want to be rude. Teddy was only trying.
I took a seat at the table next to Hayley who was casually talking to Tig, a member of the club. Tig had gotten in Hayley's pants a few times before Clay ended that pretty quickly. Hayley was devastated but she has been secretly hooking up with one of the guys from Cara Cara for the past month. I was disgusted when she told me considering I knew the guy probably had an STD. But she had firmly stated, "No way. Luann makes them all get tested. He is so good at oral." And in my head I'm like Of course he is. He's a porn star.
"It's good to see you out tonight Lincoln." I glanced over at Juice and smiled slightly.
"Yeah, I guess it's good to be out."
"Cheers," he said and lifted up his glass. I picked up my glass and clinked it with his. I took a small sip and it burned the entire way down. I could kill Teddy.
The music seemed to only get louder and louder as I felt my mind wandering. I kept up conversation with Hayley and Tig and finished my glass of vodka and went back up with Hayley for a soda instead. I wanted to kill my buzz before it got out of control. The Lava Lounge was not winning tonight.
On our way back to the table it was then I noticed a particular blonde sitting in what was once my seat. I could feel my stomach churn and I became lightheaded. Hayley and I reached the table and she was able to sit right back down. Every seat was taken and I felt like the odd one out.
"Oh my, I'll move," Teddy said before getting up from her seat and plopping down on Juice's lap.
I faked a smile as I sat down. I tried to ignore his presence but it only grew more and more. Suddenly, he moved closer to me. He leaned toward me as his lips brushed my ear.
"You can't ignore me forever."
"I'll try my hardest."
Jax chuckled. "Come on Lincoln, give in to me."
"Every time I do you always run," I stated and wrapped my arms around myself feeling like I was setting some sort of ground between Jax and me.
"Not on purpose, darlin'."
I finally took it upon myself to look over at him. "You really think I believe that?"
"It's been years Lincoln."
"And I still can't seem to forget it," I replied as I stood up and walked right on out of there. I tried to catch my breath as I stood outside the Lava Lounge and realized it had won again.
Well, well, well, what do you guys think? Pretty excited for this story.
