One Lane Highway
(An H2O: Just Add Water Story)
story inspired by and dedicated to cbrennan0203 on
CHAPTER ONE: Café Quarrel
Monday morning; at the café with Rikki, Cleo, and Lewis
"Hey, Lewis! Hi, Rikki! Come join me!" said Cleo, waving toward her friends. "Okay," Lewis agreed, sitting down with her. Zane, the devilishly handsome "friend" of the group, walked into the café, drawing eyes from everyone, even his sworn enemy, Lewis.
Lewis diverted his attention, trying to not make his attraction obvious, especially to himself. He wasn't gay, and he had never, ever been. He had been raised in an extremely Catholic household, making his love even more forbidden. Nobody could know about his hidden feelings. Zane, wearing his signature, all-leather jacket, looked like an angel in Lewis's eyes. Or maybe - more fitting to his character - a devil.
"I see you all are still hanging out together," Zane sneered, "I thought one of you would've perhaps gained some common sense in the past few years."
As the girls were repulsed by his remarks, Lewis continued to look away, trying to conceal his emotions. He secretly liked all the snide comments that Zane always made. Something about his rugged edge always got to him.
"What? Not even a word back? I thought we were better friends than that. Especially you, Lewis - no defense for either of your little girlfriends?"
Lewis blushed - half in shock of Zane talking to him, half in embarrassment - for they all knew that Rikki and Cleo were not at all his girlfriends. Gaining as much confidence he could at the moment, he stood up to Zane, both literally and figuratively. When he was fully standing, his face was so close to Zane's that they could feel each other's breathing. "They're not my girlfriends, Zane," he squeaked.
For less than a second, Zane broke his bad-boy facade. It was short enough for the girls to remain unaware, but long enough for Lewis to notice. For a short moment in time, Zane felt vulnerable. Zane didn't know how to respond, so he didn't. He walked away, even if it meant admitting losing the argument, and bought a smoothie for himself. Lewis may not have put up much of a fight, but it was enough for Zane. Nobody dared to challenge him.
Cleo saw Zane's weakness, and she had to point it out. "What just happened there?" she wondered, hoping Rikki or Lewis could have possibly known. Rikki, casually snarky, explained that "whatever it was, he had it coming," and continued until Lewis put a stop to her bullying.
"Ladies, ladies, as much as I hate Zane, I don't think we need to say he deserves anything, right? He looked different, and - I don't know - maybe he's changing." His words weren't a question, but somehow, they begged for an answer.
"Lewis, are you feeling okay?" Rikki joked to try to relieve some of the tension. "You don't have to defend him, lol."
"No," he choked. "I mean, yes, I'm alright, but like, I think he's having a hard time right now. I heard he and his girlfriend broke up, but no one knows why. I just think we should try to be nicer to him, even behind his back." Lewis's efforts to reconcile with Zane were obvious, but to everyone except to whom they mattered. Zane was off, chatting with some blonde at the café's counter.
"Or maybe he's moving on," Cleo added. One last joke couldn't hurt, right? "I don't know, Lewis. We can try, but he has always been some type of jerk. I don't have any idea of what you think would be able to change that."
Lewis was frustrated. He wanted to give Zane the benefit of the doubt, but deep down, he knew Cleo was right. Although Lewis had been able to imagine his soft side, he was beginning to have his doubts that it even existed.
After a couple of minutes of different conversation, Cheo's phone buzzed with news. She and Rikki had to go over to Emma's house to watch her brother. "Sorry to leave you, Lewis," she apologized, grabbing Rikki's arm and pulling her out of the door. "See you later!"
Lewis sat, alone, for a while, sipping on his wheatgrass smoothie, occasionally letting his eyes wander over to Zane at the counter. Nearing the end of his drink, he almost choked on a sip as Zane suddenly was hovering over his shoulder, demanding Lewis's attention without any words at all. "Lewis," he said. "I didn't appreciate how you made a fool of me in front of the girls earlier." Either Lewis was too frightened to respond, or he felt silence was appropriate, for he just stared into Zane's eyes without any movement, almost like a statue.
While Lewis was thinking of a response, his thoughts were thankfully interrupted by Zane. Lewis was expecting some form of manly outburst as Zane had typically produced, but instead, Zane simply sat next to Lewis with his head in his hands.
Lewis was taken aback. "I-I'm sorry," he stated in an almost questioning tone.
"Don't be." Zane paused, presumably just for a breath. "I mean, I've always been worse than you've ever been. Don't apologize. But- I've got to go. Now. So, goodbye." His farewell seemed to leave more questions than it had answers, but Lewis knew he wasn't going to get much better from him, especially after how he had embarrassed him in front of Cleo and Rikki.
"Unforgivable," Lewis whispered to himself. "He's never going to see you as you see him. Not after that."
Lewis contemplated going after him, he was only at the door. He could turn it all around, just like this was a movie. He played it over in his head and he smiled to himself. If only. He watched Zane take his last steps out of the café, knowing deep down that he would never have the courage to tell him the truth about his feelings.
CHAPTER 2: Text Talk
Tuesday morning, on the phone with Cleo and Lewis
Lewis held the phone in his hand, shaking. His palms were sweaty, knees weak, and arms heavy. This was it: he had to tell Cleo he was gay. She was the most important person in his life. Finally, he sent the text that would change everything...
Lewis: hey, can I come over? Lol
Cleo: ya sure lol, c u l8r
CHAPTER 3: Losing Yourself
About twenty minutes later, at Cleo's house with Cleo and Lewis
Cleo opened the door after hearing two crisp, welcoming knocks. "Hey Lewis!" she greeted. "I'm just cooking my lunch right now, come in! Do you want some of my mom's famous spaghetti?" Her tone seemed welcoming, but Lewis wasn't certain. He was nervous, but on the surface, he looked calm and ready for whatever would come next.
Lewis walked in, holding some type of note card, filled with hardly legible scrawlings. When he noticed Cleo's staring, though, he quickly hid it inside his pocket, taking care in the certainty of its concealment. Attempting to start a conversation with Lewis, Cleo explained, "So, Lewis, what brings you over here? Are you-"
She was interrupted by the timer on her stove, reminding her to finish cooking her lunch. "Sorry, Lewis! I'll be right back, I just have to finish my pasta and then we'll be able to talk." An awkward start to a puzzling lunch. As she left the room, Lewis pulled out his card again, looking back and forth, back and forth over each line. While he rehearsed each word in his head, Cleo walked back in the room, sooner than expected.
"C-Cleo! You're, uh, back. So soon?" he stuttered. He dropped the card and became noticeably unhinged. "Well, the reason, that, uh, I asked to come over, was, that, uhh-" His words were making less sense with each one that passed through his lips. Cleo was frightened. "Lewis, are you alright? I mean, you never talk like this." Lewis was too flustered to comprehend her words, and he just tried to focus on the words he had written earlier. He was suddenly forgetting what he wrote down on his card. It was so close to him, but the reality of telling Cleo what she needed to know was so far, and he didn't think he could ever reach it. When he opened his mouth, no words came out. He was obviously choking, but Cleo didn't know what to say either. He snapped back to reality, feeling gravity pull him back down to Earth. He won't give up that easily.
His thoughts were able to convince him into telling the truth. In his mind, he repeated:
Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted - in one moment - would you capture it? Or just let it slip?
CHAPTER 4: The News
Immediately after, still at the house with Cleo and Lewis
"Cleo...I'm in love with Zane lol," Lewis chuckled awkwardly, in order to ease the tension. "I have been for a while. I wasn't sure how to tell you, so I figured it would be best if I just said it. I know that you've had feelings for me, and I wish I could say I felt that for you too. Just know that I do want the best for you lol. I hope this doesn't change things between us."
Cleo seemed to be looking through Lewis. Her eyes glossed over as she shed a single tear.
"I'm so sorry…" he trailed off, and his words got softer the more he renounced who he was. Who he was. Cleo's lack of response and lack of acceptance broke Lewis more than anything else ever had.
"I-I need you to go, Lewis," she begged. "Please, just go."
He left the house with little confidence left.
'I thought she loved me. I thought we were in this together. I thought she was there for me,' he thought. Walking home, he contemplated the possibilities of the two of them ever going back to the way things were before. He realized that if he left her, he might never get her back. He ran back to her house and knocked on the door, harder than he had before. "Cleo?" he shouted. "Hey, Cleo! Please answer the door - we need to talk!" Hearing no response, he checked to see if she had locked the door after he had left. She hadn't. He walked in and searched for his uncertain friend.
"Cleo?" he called, again, as he searched through her house. Where could she be? Finally, he reached her bathroom, on the second floor of the house. He knocked on the door. "Cleo. Are you alright? Just hurry up in there so we can talk about this. I love you, you know that, right?"
His words were in vain. After ten minutes of silence from Cleo and the lonely bathroom, he picked the lock of the door, needing to know whether or not she was alright. When he opened the door, he saw her: lying, cold and pale, on her tile floor. In her hand were pills, so many, so, so many pills. But not nearly as many as she had taken. He reached down toward her neck, trying not to get too many tears on her clothes, searching for a pulse of any sort. Finding no signs of life, he called the police, begging for someone to save her. Had he done this? Was it his fault? What would happen next?
The uncertainty of the next few hours, days, weeks, or years, pressed on Lewis's heart and dug in like a knife. A knife would've been less painful than what he was going through. Cleo was his best friend - why would she do this? His thoughts were rushing and only forced to a stop by the equal rushing of police officers into the house and up the stairs. The medics grabbed her body, and that was the last Lewis would see of his "girlfriend" until the next week. Until her funeral. And that was the last of Cleo.
CHAPTER 5: Oi...
The next week, at the JuiceNet Cafe, with Emma, Lewis, Zane, Rikki, and Cleo's family
It was a dark and dreary day in Australia, contrasting to the normal day: bright skies, laugher, and the always present-yet undaunting-danger of being killed by various spiders. It was the day of Cleo's funeral, and the JuiceNet Cafe was covered in pictures of her, even though they looked nothing like her decaying, lifeless corpse.
"Oi."
Zane broke the silence. He was holding a Cranberry Booster in his right hand, and a memorial pamphlet in his left. Stumbling to find his words-and stumbling in real life-he spilled his juice all over the pamphlet, covering Cleo's bright and cheery face with blood-red stains.
Everyone looked at him-Emma, Rikki, and Lewis glaring at his eyes until he changed his clumsiness with a somewhat demure attitude.
"We were all in this together," Emma said, as if she had even been included in this story thus far. She pressed on: "I can't believe she would leave us like this. We were the three mermaids. We were sisters."
As everyone ignored Emma, Wilfred handed out drinks for a toast. The girls' favorite drinks were filling the room, surrounding them completely: Banana Beatbox, Wheatgrass Smoothies, and Mango Lassis. Each person reached for a glass and promptly raised it, in honor of Cleo and her magical life. As the plastic juice cups clinked in the air, Zane's drink spilled over the side, completely drenching Cleo's lifeless body and casket.
Zane realized his mistake, and the girls and Lewis opened their mouths in complete shock.
"Close the casket!" Lewis yelled.
"Hurry up, Zane!" shouted Rikki.
"You idiot," said Emma.
As the casket slammed shut, Zane could hear the magical sounds of her transformation; Cleo was once again a mermaid, even after death. Cleo's family shoved Zane, and questioned why he closed the lid.
"Oi," Zane started to speak, but he was interrupted.
"It was too hard for us to handle. We felt a closed casket service would be easier. We miss her too much."
Zane's face dropped - Lewis had stood up for him? Even after he had ruined the funeral and disgraced Cleo for a second time? Was there something between them?
Lewis whispered into Zane's ear:
"We need to get rid of the body."
CHAPTER 6: Playdate With Ronnie ;)
That same day, at the marine park, with Zane and Lewis, alone
The silence was broken.
"I can't believe you actually burned the body, lol," spoke Zane.
"This is what she would've wanted," Lewis said, as he began to sprinkle the remains of Cleo's ashes into the water of Ronnie's exhibit. The subtle whoosh of Cleo's final transformation rang through Zane and Lewis's ears. Lewis shed a single tear, that dripped quietly into the water next to Ronnie.
I can't look up. He stared deeply into the blue water, his eyes focused on the scales, silently falling to the bottom of the pool. He could see the reflection of the sunset on the water's surface.
Standing in silence, Zane turned his lead, looking over to Lewis. He saw Lewis's true
state, and grew increasingly more concerned with every flowing tear.
"Hey," he said, in a soft but comforting tone. Zane reached his hand up to Lewis's face and brushed away a tear, forcing him to break his gaze into the water. Zane's hand lingered contently, tracing the outline of Lewis's lips slowly.
Their eyes met and couldn't break away. Lewis looked at Zane, his face glowing with brilliant yellow and orange from the sunset, reflecting off of the silent water. The wind grew stronger, blowing Zane's jet black hair to the other side of his face. His eyes were uncovered, and they sparkled with all the beauty of the universe. The glowing brown color put Lewis deep into a trance; a spell casted on him, if only to make his body tremble.
After what seemed like a million years, Zane broke eye contact, only to wrap his leather jacket tightly around Lewis's shoulders, pulling him slightly closer. Lewis was covered in goosebumps, despite being warm inside Zane's heavy jacket. Lewis swallowed audibly. Zane tilted his head slightly. "What's wrong?" he said, in a soft, low voice. Despite his questioning, he continued, slowly moving toward Lewis.
The world was spinning around Lewis; everything began to blur. He was just now beginning to process things. His eyes started to fog up, he couldn't anything except Zane's face, his head was pounding, his heart was racing, his blood pressure was rising. Everything in the world seemed meaningless except him. His glimmering hair, his eyes pooling up, his soft lips and perfectly-shaped mouth, his thick leather jacket on his arms - every single thing about him.
His thoughts were interrupted by Zane's smooth voice in his ears, his angelic voice, dragging him down to Earth.
Or perhaps, up to Heaven.
"Lewis…" Zane moaned.
He couldn't remember anything except that moment. Every issue, every insecurity, melted away with the touch of his lips. There was nothing else in the world but them.
Suddenly every bad thing that had happened in the past few weeks had dissolved with his single touch; his skin almost melting under the pressure of Zane's hand on his arm.
They couldn't break away from their kiss; a moment so pure and magical, Lewis felt as if no other second of his life mattered whatsoever. An eternity passed before Lewis was brought back to reality.
Zane pulled away, and stared deeply into his eyes, still keeping his hand lingering on his waist. Lewis could still feel Zane's soft breath on his face.
"Z-Zane," he stuttered, physically shaking, alongside his words.
"Lewis?"
"I know why-"
The silence was unbearable.
"What? What's wrong?"
"I know w-why Cl-cleo, uh, killed herself."
The sun passed the horizon line, and Zane's eyes no longer shimmered. Their dark brown seemed like a deep black, unfamiliar and uncertain.
"You-what?" he asked.
Lewis didn't know how to respond. What should he say? What had just happened between them? Would this ruin everything?
CHAPTER 7: Louie Wowie
Where we left off, at the marine park with Zane and Lewis
Lewis' heart was being torn in half. He didn't want to hide the truth from Zane, but he was afraid to scare him off. Slowly but surely the tears came back. But this time, Zane was too shocked to comfort him like before.
Lewis knew what he had to do. He couldn't start his relationship off on a lie.
"I didn't mean to, I promise." Lewis's words shattered the silence, and he pressed on. Zane's eyes grew wide with concern.
"I just meant to let her know, that - you know - I'm-"
"You're what?" Zane asked, edging him on. He had hoped that Lewis would clarify, and things would soon make sense. A chilled wind passed over him, and he shivered without his jacket.
"I-I'm.. I'm-"
"Gay?"
Lewis' frame stiffened, but after a second he broke. He fell into Zane's arms, sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder. Zane had a slightly confused expression but comforted him all the same.
Zane rubbed small circles along Lewis' back and softly shushed in his ear. After a few minutes, Lewis' crying ceased. He pulled away and looked Zane directly in the eye. His expression was much more serious than it had previously been. He had to tell him, it was now or never. Lewis knew that he would be lucky if Zane even wanted to talk to him after his breakdown.
To his surprise Zane stayed, feet planted to the ground with both hands on Lewis' shoulders.
"It's okay…" Zane trailed off, reassuringly. "Why did she-?"
His words were slow and rugged, but he tried to make Lewis as comfortable as possible.
"I think- I think that she was in love with me. She had been since we dated back in season one!"
Zane interrupted.
"I know the feeling," he said, boldly. Hearing this, Lewis stopped dead in his tracks. "Don't worry, she didn't deserve you anyway," he continued, gruff and low in pitch.
"I can't believe you've liked me for that long. I-"
Zane interrupted Lewis once again.
"But you can't let anyone find out about this. It would ruin me…"
Zane looked off, deeply into the distance. The dark sky felt as desolate as this moment felt for Lewis, and his heart broke with Zane's final sentence. Disappointed in what he thought was perhaps love, Lewis turned away from Zane, beginning to walk as far away as he knew how to. Zane grabbed his arm forcefully, pulling him back in.
"They can't find out that I do want to be with you, Lewis."
Merely centimeters away from his face - because this is Australia and they use the metric system - Zane spoke words that would change Lewis's life forever:
"I-"
He stuttered for the first time since this story began.
"I love you, Louie-Wowie."
What the hell did he just call me? Lewis thought to himself deeply, contemplating their relationship.
Lewis ignored the nickname, and managed to choke out his response:
"I love you too, Zane."
The moment felt right, and magical, as if they both were mermaids themselves, and Cleo's scales covered the water beautifully, like rose petals.
"To keep this a secret-" He paused. "-will be difficult. But it's worth it - for you. I think the best option for us is to go someplace."
Lewis was clearly confused. "'Go someplace?'" he asked, hoping Zane would clarify.
"Mako Island. Let's run away. Just you and me."
The option sounded appealing. No Cleo, no Emma, no Rikki, no one but Zane. Him and Zane. He knew what his answer was.
"Let's go," he said, with no hesitation in his voice or his mind.
CHAPTER 8: Bucket Hat.
That night, at Lewis's house (even though we've never seen it), with Zane and Lewis (and a hat)
"Thanks for letting me stop by my house to pick up my bucket hat. I don't think I could've survived on the island without it. Haven't you read The Lord of the Flies?" Lewis explained, as if it even mattered at all.
"No problem, Louie Wowie. I love you and your bucket hat completely," Zane responded, with a sincerity probably no one would expect from a bad boy such as him.
Seriously, what was that nickname? It didn't even rhyme.
Once again ignoring the poor choice of pet name, Lewis went inside his house to fetch his bucket hat. Quickly returning, he pulled his bucket hat over his long, weird hairstyle, and winked at Zane. He loved him too.
While inside, along with grabbing his bucket hat, he also managed to find enough food for a picnic, and a soft blanket for their time at Mako.
"Are you ready?" Zane asked with excitement.
"Oi, am I ever!"
"Okie dokie, hold on to your bucket hat because we're taking my Zodiac to Mako."
When they got to the Zodiac, Zane, of course, was driving. Lewis sat next to Zane, mostly frightened of how fast he was going, but with one hand on his bucket hat and the other on Zane's thigh, he felt almost alright. Zane did some bad boy tricks to hopefully impress Lewis, and although he wouldn't let him see, he actually was.
Being clever, Zane stole Lewis's bucket hat from under his hand and placed it on the top of his own, perfect hair.
"Zane, give my bucket hat back! You're going to lose my bucket hat!" Lewis cried.
"What? You want this?" He waved Lewis's bucket hat dangerously over the water.
"Stop that! Give me my bucket hat back, and pay attention to steering this Zodiac!"
Finally stealing his bucket hat back, Lewis placed it back on his head.
The night's stars glimmered deeply amongst their black canvas, and as they reflected off the deep blue water, Zane's eyes, no longer covered by the bucket hat's shadow, caught their light and sparkled once again.
CHAPTER 9: A Breakfast Picnic
The next morning, at Mako Island, with Zane and Lewis
The light reflecting off the water sparkled as Lewis's sleepy eyes eased open. He didn't want to move off of Zane's strong, yet gentle chest; it was a safe haven. It was home. Zane was sleeping gently on their deep red blanket, his face peaceful and not burdened at all by their choice to run away from their old life. His eyes opened quickly and fell onto Lewis's longing face.
"Oi. Good morning, gorgeous," he greeted. "Did you sleep well?"
Words couldn't begin to describe how beautifully he had slept. The comfort Zane had given him through each second of the empty night left him unparallelled in satisfaction.
"Of course, Zane," he said, staring deeply into his lover's eyes.
Standing up, Lewis tried to gather himself in a professional way, but somehow, Zane saw through his strong facade. Zane's arm reached up and clung tightly to Lewis's shirt, and pulled him quickly, down to the ground. Lewis's body was caught by Zane's, and their faces were merely centimeters away from touching. Each breath on each other's skin was demanding, and they were drawn into a passionate embrace of each other.
"Louie Wowie," Zane muttered, trying to acknowledge the moment. "You-you take my breath away." As if that were an invitation, Lewis pressed into Zane, kissing him as if he never would stop. Even though Zane's kiss was intensely passionate, Lewis couldn't help but cringe slightly at the name. He was starting to warm up to it a little bit. After all, how could he be upset at anything Zane has to say?
Breaking away from the heat of the moment, Lewis tried, once more, to stand up, and get down to the real business of the island.
"Come on, Zane. Stop lying around! We still have to set up this picnic!"
A picnic was laid out in front of the boys, and with a fantastic spread of fruits and treats, it looked like a feast in the dewy morning light. A breakfast picnic, perfect for two lovers.
Although the fruit was sweet, the only thing sweeter was spending time away from the world with Zane. So much had happened within that past few days: Cleo's death, the burning of the body, coming out as gay, and getting the man of his dreams. Finally, Lewis was able to stare out at ocean, take a deep breath, and have a nice breakfast picnic with his boyfriend.
The time he had spent with Zane had been better than he had ever imagined. The boys weren't sure how much longer they would stay on Mako, or if they were ever going to go home. All they knew was that at that moment, all they needed was each other.
CHAPTER 10: Crafty Girls
Four days later, still at Mako, with Zane and Lewis
Even though the last few days had been wonderful, they were running out of food and water, and they had to leave. On the boat, Zane, Lewis, and the bucket hat were making their way back home.
"I'm going to miss this," said Lewis, who was trying to hold on to their last moments in solitude. Lewis knew that their relationship would have to be hidden from Zane's father, and he knew it could only be truly real on Mako Island. But there, it was real, and it was beautiful. Lewis felt more authentic than ever before, only because of Zane.
"I'm going to miss this too, Louie Wowie. These have been the best six days of my life. You honestly mean everything to me. I can't believe-"
Zane was interrupted by Lewis's silent crying in the back of his Zodiac. Could it really be over? All of this - their whole relationship - their whole love - gone?
"Don't cry, Lewis! Why are you sad?" he asked, trying to cheer his boyfriend up as quickly as possible.
"It's just-"
He stuttered his words.
"I just know this is going to be over between us as soon as we're back home. This has been so good. And I-I love you, Zane. You've completed me! And I don't know how to go back. I feel as if I've only just met you, but together, we're everything. Now, as soon as we're back with Rikki, Emma, and Cleo's wet ashes, we're going to go back to how we were before. Hidden. And lying. That's not how I want to live my life."
As soon as he finished, Zane's eyes went dull, and their sparkle, even in the sunlight, was lost.
"I don't think-"
He tried to continue, but he understood Lewis's words. And his crying. It would soon be over.
Within minutes, the Zodiac pulled into the marina, swarming with people. There were flashing lights, and it was busier than it had ever been before.
"Omg, what do you think happened? Lol," Lewis asked, breaking the boat's silence.
"I'm not sure. Let's get out, and try to pass through without anyone noticing us."
As they were walking, around a million eyes followed their every move, and their plan of undetection was a complete failure.
"Hey, you!" a voice called from one side.
"You two, stop!" another yelled.
The shouting was unfamiliar, but the boys directly complied, as soon as they saw who was shouting. Police officers surrounded them in seconds. They were frightened.
"Is everything okay?" Zane questioned, wondering what was really going on here.
"No. Are you Zane Bennett and Lewis McCartney? We've been looking for you," said the officer.
"Oh, yeah, that's us, but we've been alright. We weren't kidnapped or anything, we were just camping at Mako Island," Lewis explained.
"We don't care if you were kidnapped or not. We're investigating the murder of Cleo Sertori."
A unanimous "what?" broke the air, and Zane and Lewis mirrored each other in a state of total confusion.
"Her-"
"Her murder?" the two boys asked.
"This investigation has been going on for three days, and you-Lewis-are the only suspect."
"I'm-what?" Lewis was visibly about to cry.
"We found a note, proving that you caused Cleo's death. Do you have anything to say about that?"
"I don't know. I didn't know there was a note. She left a note?" Lewis was making himself look more guilty with each word he managed out.
"Here it is. Isn't it sick? You're a monster, Lewis."
The life was lost in Zane's perfect face, and Lewis was trying not to throw up on the note.
It read:
Lewis,
I'm sorry I could never be enough for you. But this, you can't blame on me. Finally, something is all your fault.
The note was scrawled lazily on a piece of notebook paper, still managing to uphold Cleo's Crafty Girls font handwriting. There were stains from where her tears had fallen on the page.
There were no words left for speaking for Lewis. There was no saving him.
"Lol, isn't that just 100% incriminating? You really did a number on her, Lewis. A number, like, idk, 25 to life?"
The joke made Zane laugh, but he shouldn't have.
Lewis stared at the ground, unable to process what was happening. From the note to the insensitive joke made by the police officer, nothing seemed to make sense.
How had he not known there was a note? Had he really hurt her this badly?
Almost completely unaware of what was going on, Lewis didn't notice the police officer about to put him in handcuffs. With the crowd starting to close around him and Zane, he felt a powerful tug on his arm. He looked over to see Zane with terror in his eyes.
"Run."
CHAPTER 11: His Lover
At the pier, with Lewis and Zane, and a whole bunch of cops
Zane didn't let go of his arm, even while they pushed their way through the massive crowd. The cops tried to chase them, but the couple quickly ditched their tailing. Lewis was visibly crying, and Zane didn't know how to stop it.
"Lewis, look at me," Zane started, but could not get his lover's attention.
"Oi," Zane continued, slapping Lewis in the face in order to stop his obnoxious crying.
"I promise, I will never let anything bad happen to you. You're not guilty; Cleo killed herself," Zane said, trying to convince him that it would all be okay.
"I'm sorry I'm so dramatic, lol. Thank you so much," his lover replied.
"Anything for you, Louie Wowie. You're my soulmate."
Still, Lewis couldn't comprehend the nickname. It didn't even rhyme.
"But," Zane interrupted. "We have to go to my dad's mansion in order to fuel my Zodiac. I have a plan, but we need to see him first. My father, I mean."
Zane choked. It seemed like he was loathing seeing his father again. What would he do? Would he support them? It didn't matter. Zane had a plan. As his lover contemplated their journey, Zane started to hotwire a nearby motorcycle.
"Z-Zane? What are you doing?"
"Nothing, babes. Don't worry about it."
Zane's bad boy persona was coming out again. Maybe it was the weight of his thoughts.
"Hop on, toots," Zane called. His lover immediately joined him on the rump of the hog.
Lewis wrapped his arms around his lover, holding on for dear life as they soared down the only highway in Australia.
"Hold onto your bucket hat, Louie Wowie! We're going for a wild ride."
The very thought chilled Lewis to his bones, and the nickname didn't help at all, either. But he stayed on the hog for his lover. He would do anything for his lover. He was his lover.
As they pulled up to the mansion, which covered the majority of the continent of Australia, the boys feared what would happen next.
Zane walked up to the door, wondering if his father was even home. With six different cars in the driveway, he never knew whether his father had even left at all. Opening the door, he saw a gloomy figure hanging over him.
"Oi," the figure boomed.
"I didn't think you'd have the guts to show your face here. The police told me about the two of your… uh…. 'relationship.' And let it be clear that I do not support this."
The figure was Mr. Bennett, and he was clearly disapproving of his son's lover.
"I never thought, that my son would be an Oklahomo. You're a failure, Zane, and I never want to see you here again. Why did you even come back?"
Zane wondered where his father had even gotten this nickname from, as they lived in Australia. Although confusing and seemingly random, his father's words hurt. Nevertheless, Zane was on a mission to rescue his lover. Nothing would hold him back.
"I need some fuel for my Zodiac, and then I'll be out of here. You'll never have to see my homosexual face again, daddy."
Lewis stood shocked as his lover confronted his one true fear: his father.
"Fine," Mr. Bennett agreed. "Take your fuel, and take your Zodiac, and take your lover, and take off!"
With the fuel in his hand and his lover by his side, Zane felt content for once in his life. He had never needed his father - except for his money - and now, he could start a new life with his lover. Although happy, Zane's paradise was spoiled as, through the window, an angry mob was gathering in support for the arrest of his lover.
"Not today, losers," Zane shouted into the wind. No one but his lover heard him.
CHAPTER 12: Zanie Wanie
Back at the pier, with Lewis and Zane, and a stolen hog
"Lewis, I can't bring you along. It's too risky; there's police everywhere, and we literally just stole someone's motorcycle earlier today. We'll both get arrested. You need to stay here, and I'll bring the Zodiac around, and everything will be fine," Zane said.
"Okay," Lewis said submissively. "But take this with you," he continued. Pulling his bucket hat off his head, Lewis sacrificed one of his loves for his other. He trusted Zane with all of his heart, and with all of his bucket hat. Zane smiled reluctantly, but he accepted the hat anyways, as it was a reminder of his lover.
"Lewis, don't worry I'm gonna see you again."
"Zane, we been knew. See ya later, babes."
Lewis was changing, and Zane liked it. Zane walked away, but he turned to blow a final kiss to his beloved Louie Wowie. Lewis shuttered, and melted like butter. He loved him. Everything was destined to work out, he just knew it.
Lewis waited at the motorcycle for thirty minutes before becoming wildly confused. Zane didn't tell him where to meet. So, uh, where was Zane going?
After a while, Lewis figured it out. Zane was going to their special spot, where they had their first kiss. The marine park!
Lewis ran from the marina to the marine park in around 17 minutes and 23 seconds. He was out of breath, and he was missing his bucket hat dearly, but it was all worth it. He waited with Ronnie, looking for his lover, and listening for the beautiful sound of his Zodiac.
All of a sudden, Lewis heard a loud hum, which sounded like "hrrrrrrrrrrrrr" on the water. Zane came surfing into Ronnie's enclosure on his Zodiac, and he couldn't stop in time to not rit Ronnie. The dolphin let out a sad squeak as if to say one final "oi" to Zane.
"Oopsie doopsie," Zane exclaimed. "Must've forgotten about that silly little thing. He'll see Cleo soon. Anyways-"
"Zane! I've missed you! I was worried you wouldn't make it back, and I didn't know where to meet, and-"
Zane interrupted him because Lewis had interrupted him first.
"Don't you trust me, Lewis? I thought you were better than that. :("
Somehow he said the :( in real life, which didn't make sense to Lewis at all.
"Of course I do, lol. You're my everything. Anyways, I hate to change the topic, but-uhh-where are we planning on going?" Lewis asked.
"I stole some money from ol' pops, and I know where we'll go. We're gonna sail to a lawless land, where the cops won't care about us. We're going to the continent of Florida."
As he said this, everything made sense, and Lewis climbed next to Zane on his Zodiac.
"You know, I used to be scared of this thing. But with you - together - I'm not scared anymore. We used to be enemies, and now we're not. W-we're lovers. You complete me, and I can't believe you've changed me like this," Lewis explained. Suddenly, all of the thoughts Lewis had been trying to figure out in the past few days turned into answers. He no longer felt the need to cry. His reality had been solved.
"Oi, I've almost forgotten! Here's your bucket hat back. I don't need it anymore, now that I have you."
Lewis was touched, and with his bucket hat back on his head, he felt warm and safe. His bucket hat was his armor, the Zodiac his steed, and Zane, his white knight.
As they began to cruise out of the marine park, the sun glimmered quietly on the rushing water. The sun was setting just as it had on their first night together. They were simply two Lovesick Boys, and their journey was only beginning.
Sailing on the sunset, Zane whispered a solemn message to his lover:
"I love you, Louie Wowie."
Finally, Lewis saw the nickname without any flaws, just as he saw Zane. The moment was perfect, and the words came to him. In a moment of intimacy, Lewis meant every word he said:
"I love you, Zanie Wanie."
The End
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