Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.

When Love Speaks

By Lola Presents

Chapter 8

Not long after sharing their breakfast with Lana, the sun broke over the horizon, and the house came alive with noise. People began jockeying for position in the line to the restroom, arguments over articles of clothing surfaced, and the scent of the father's cooking wafted up from the floor below.

Today was Lola's and Lana's thirteenth birthday, and their father had promised a celebratory bash at Gus's Games and Grub. The twins were beside themselves with excitement. All their family and friends would be there, including some of their sibling's friends.

If Lola and Lincoln had not spent so much time talking while they ate, they would have been the first for the shower. As it was, they were last in line. Lincoln didn't mind, though. He stood behind Lola, whom he insisted go first so that he could admire her.

The line shrunk as the minutes passed, and it was Lola's turn soon. Her morning routine began once she stepped into the bathroom, and she only had ten minutes to finish everything. Tinkle, shower, shampoo, condition, dry off, get dressed, and pin her hair up. And with only a minute to spare, she got an idea.

Lola knew Lincoln was waiting for his turn outside the door and that he was the last of them. Grinning, she used some of Lori's lipstick to leave a message on the shower stall wall. Lola then replaced the lipstick into its case and left.

"All yours, love," she said, skipping to her room to blow dry and style her hair.

Ten minutes hardly seemed like enough time to get everything done. Yet, it had been the routine for years. Ten minutes. Use warm water, not hot. Lincoln had the schedule down to a tee. Going last had its privileges, though. Not only could he take a bit longer, as nobody was waiting, but he could also turn up the heat.

Lincoln reached into the basin, turned on the water, adjusted the temperature to his liking, and then used the toilet. Testing the water with his hand, it felt right, and he pulled the shower plunger. Finally disrobing, he parted the curtain and stepped into the tub.

Upon the wall was what appeared to be blood.

"No, wait," he murmured curiously. "That isn't blood."

Lincoln rubbed his eyes clear of the liquid cascading around his face and stepped from the stream to read it more clearly.

"It may be my birthday, but you'll get your present later!" it read.

Suddenly, the soothing shower wasn't as comforting. Quickly, Lincoln produced some shampoo from the waiting bottle and doused the washcloth with it. He scrubbed for nearly five minutes before the incriminating message disappeared. Another two minutes involved wringing the cloth clean.

Running short on time, Lincoln now had reason to hurry. He surmised the water would grow cold soon and had no desire to experience that. Hurriedly, Lincoln ran through his routine and combed his hair. Leaving the restroom, he returned to his room, wrapped in a towel, to select fresh clothes.

On Lincoln's way there, Luan exited her room at precisely the wrong moment.

"Augh!" cried Luan in her doll's voice. "It's hideous!" she continued, making Mr. Coconuts throw his eyes over her eyes. "Watch where you're going! There are women present!"

Chuckling, Lincoln mostly ignored Luan and her weirdness. The fact that she continued to carry around a dummy at her age was a little unsettling. At least she didn't carry it around in public anymore.

After dressing himself, Lincoln made his way to the kitchen, and no sooner than he appeared, his mother made an announcement.

"Is everybody ready?" she inquired. "We had to book a morning slot at Gus's. They didn't want our party to interfere with their busier times."

A little surprised at the seeming spontaneity of it, though still excited, resounding approval came from those huddled in the small room.

"You bet!" yelled Lana, who was hoping to challenge some cute boy at the dancing game.

"Well, alright, then," said Mr. Loud. "Everyone to the van!"

Grabbing handbags and other things, the Loud family scuttled out to the family vehicle like lemmings off a cliff. Unfortunately, Lynn managed to take a seat between Lola and Lincoln.

"Hey guys," she cheered. "This is going to be fun!"

"Family parties always are," replied Lincoln, somewhat angrily.

"Who peed in your cornflakes, Stincoln?" his sporty sister spat.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," he said, hoping to end the conversation.

He may have pressed the issue, though he was aware they'd be in public. Maybe it was for the best that he didn't. The reality of his relationship with his sister slowly dawned on him. There were always going to be places and situations where they wouldn't be able to express themselves. Just thinking about it made his chest cramp.

Lola also seemed a little distracted, though not entirely troubled. Perhaps, she was too young to grasp the total weight of their decision. Or maybe, she was ignoring it, hoping to make the best of it. Either way, the stress was getting to him, and he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

Lola was too excited to be bothered at that moment, for it was her birthday. She was finally a teen, and many doors were about to open for her. There were new places she could go to, view higher-rated movies, and finally begin competing at the teen level.

Wait.

Lola's recent decision to quit came rushing back, dampening her mood. Did she genuinely want to stop doing what she loved for her brother's sake? Part of her was unquestioningly committed to the idea. However, another was against it.

Finally, they arrived at the restaurant and piled out of the van. Grabbing Lincoln's hand as they disembarked, Lola skipped along merrily beside him until they reached the door. That's when Lincoln shook loose. Lola looked at him questioningly.

"Sorry, love," he whispered. "We're in public. Someone we know might see us."

Frowning, Lola conceded.

"Yeah, you're right," she said before passing through the door Lincoln held open.

As they entered, bright, flashing lights covered the room. Pop music was heavy on the ears, and a banner that read, "Happy 13th, Lola and Lana!" was hung over the gaming floor.

"The Louds, I presume?" Gus inquired, greeting the group.

"Yes," replied Rita, pulling out their registration receipt. "We have a reservation."

"Indeed, you do!" Gus acknowledged. You have the entire floor for two hours. Get your tokens at the counter, and we'll run a tab for any food you purchase. You can pay when you leave."

"Well, what are you waiting for, kids?" exclaimed their father. "Go, have some fun!"

Nothing else needed saying. The children, young and old, filtered out among the games.

Soon, guests began arriving in singles and groups. Clyde was the first to appear, followed a moment later by Bobby and Lorianne. Haiku and Sam came through the door together, though it was merely a coincidence. Benny, Chaz, and a few other people rounded out the party.

Games got played, food eaten, and merriment had by all. For the majority of an hour, everyone enjoyed themselves to the fullest. Eventually, the time came, and Mrs. Loud whistled between her teeth.

"May I have everyone's attention, please?" she belted. "If you'll all gather around, it's time to sing, serve the cake, and open presents."

Several long tables stood before them, rearranged to accommodate them all. Obediently, they each took the seat nearest them, leaving the ones by the cake free for the twins. Lincoln, already sitting near the end, was separated from Lola by three chairs.

On Rita's cue, they all began singing. Lola's and Lana's faces turned a thousand shades of red, and they scrunched their shoulders in embarrassment. Lincoln noticed Lola's reaction, and it confused him. Never had he seen her shy from or react negatively to attention. However, now was not the time, and he made a mental note to question her about it later.

When the song concluded, the twins drew in big puffs of air and extinguished the candles on the cake. Cheering erupted from around the room, and Mr. Loud began sectioning off the birthday cake into equally sized pieces.

"Happy birthday, girls," their fathers said, placing the first two slices on his daughter's plates.

The siblings descended upon the snacks like flies to a trash can. There were several sodas, various bags of chips, and two different ice cream flavors. Little by little, as the party advanced, the offerings disappeared until hardly anything was left.

"Alright!" declared Mrs. Loud eventually. "Time for presents!"

Lola received many beautiful gifts. Some were store-bought, others were hand-made, but it didn't make any difference. Each conveyed the thought that her siblings and friends had put thought into their choices.

Perhaps, her favorite gift so far was a framed snapshot of her and Lincoln that Lori had given her. Or maybe it was the booklet of prank-free-day passes that Luan offered. Finally, she read the label on the last present.

"From Lincoln," followed by some hearts doodled on it.

Eagerly, she tore the paper from the container and opened it. Inside was the tiara she'd recently won. She looked at Lincoln, bewildered.

"I don't understand," she admitted.

Lincoln leaned in and began explaining.

"You left that on the vanity at the pageant. I'm surprised you never noticed it was missing. You don't know what I had to endure to get that back, either." Lincoln smiled broadly at his sister. "It seems you've forgotten your dreams, and I wanted to remind you. Happy birthday, Lola," he said happily.

Tears began welling up in Lola's ducts, and the gates opened before she could even dash over to Lincoln to hug him. "I love you, Lincoln!" she cried. "You are, literally, the best," she exclaimed, borrowing one of Lori's favorite words.

Lincoln accepted the hug and returned it dutifully but kept it to a comfortable length so as not to raise suspicion. Lola, sensing his hesitation, receded, still blushing.

Lincoln, packed to the brim with sweets, and exhausted from excitement, kissed the top of Lola's head and wandered off. After all, it seemed he wouldn't get much time alone with his love. He wanted to spend all day with her, doing whatever came to mind. Of course, his parents probably foresaw that and planned a public party with that in mind.

Lincoln leaned against the concession bar, arms folded, and watched the others return to the games and dancing. He was confident that at least half of them would vomit before the day was over. He bet that Lana would go first, followed by Luan, who was too thin for the sweets she put away.

Soon, his thoughts were interrupted by a boy around Lola's age.

"Excuse me, but you're Lola's brother, correct?" inquired the young man.

Lincoln stared at the boy. The youngster had a pleasant face, perhaps too friendly, and neatly styled blonde hair. The thing that took Lincoln by surprise most was that the boy was present at all.

"Yes, I am," responded Lincoln. "My name is Lincoln. What's yours?"

"Hi there, Lincoln," stated the lad. "I'm Winston, an old friend of Lola's. Say, you wouldn't happen to know if she's seeing anyone, would you?"

Lincoln tried to remain calm. Yet, his eyes blinked several times of their own accord.

"Uh," he stammered. "Well, you see… Yes, she is."

"Oh," replied Winston sourly. "Can you tell me who it is, at least? I'd like to know my competition."

Lincoln scratched his head before deciding how to answer. That is if he didn't punch the fellow post-haste. With a tight-lipped grin, Lincoln tried to handle the situation civilly.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but I can't. Maybe you should ask her yourself."

"Well, thank you anyway," replied Winston, shaking Lincoln's hand before heading in Lola's direction.

Disturbing thoughts rolled around in the Loud boy's brain, ranging from dismemberment to outright death. Of course, he would never do that. Still, it was satisfying thinking about it.

When Winston approached, Lola was busy playing Alien Attack, moving the old joystick around like a pro. Coughing to get her attention, he announced himself.

"Ehem, Lola?" he opened. The sudden noise distracted her, and her ship got destroyed by enemy fire. The words "Game Over" appeared on-screen.

"Ugh!" declared Lola as she turned to see who had interrupted her. "That was my last ship! You should've known better than…" Her words trailed off at the sight of the young man before her. "Winston?" she muttered.

"Yes," he replied. "It is I, Winston. I have it on good authority that you are seeing someone. Is this true?"

Lola glanced around nervously. She hadn't seen Winston in a very long time, so his appearance took her off guard. He also used to be her crush before she gave up and fell in love with Lincoln.

"Uh, yeah," Lola stammered, going blank.

"H-how are you? I mean, why, how are you here?" Lola struggled. "It's a private party."

"I offered Gus a fifty to let me in," Winston explained proudly. "Here, I wanted to give you this," he said, handing her a small wrapped gift.

Hesitantly, she accepted it and sat in the nearest booth.

"Go on, open it," prodded the young man.

Slowly, Lola unwrapped her present and peered into the box. Nestled within the filler was an ornately decorated binder. Cautiously, Lola picked it up and began leafing through the pages. The book held a copy of nearly every snapshot of them together.

"I thought you might like these," Winston said. "It details our time together."

"But, Winston…" said Lola, confused and growing more concerned by the moment. "We were never together."

"Please, Lola," Winston pleaded, placing his hand upon hers. "Don't be like that. I understand you're with someone, but I know I could do much better for you. Please, say you'll be mine."

The time between his statement and her reaction seemed to last for an eternity. However, both knew that only a second had passed. Starkly, Lola pulled her hand from under his and dropped the binder back into the box.

Standing with an oddly empty look, she gave him her answer.

"No," she said flatly, remembering the things he'd put her through when she was younger. "I'm sorry, but the answer is no. Now, please leave."

She started to walk away, but the boy caught her by the wrist, arresting her retreat.

"At least tell me who he is. You owe me that much," Winston pleaded, banking on her competitive nature. "I need to know who I lost to."

Jerking her arms from his grip, she began yelling.

"I said no! I don't owe you anything. Not, get out of here!" she screamed.

The room went quiet, save for the music and beeping of the games. Everyone's eyes were on the boy hiding his emotions well. Coming to a stand, Winston headed for the restaurant door, followed closely by Mr. Loud, who locked the door behind him.

"Alright, everyone," announced Mrs. Loud once the commotion died. "Party's over. Time to clean up."

Once the tables were cleared of trash, and the leftovers packed, Lincoln and Clyde carried everything to the van. Next, they hauled out Lola's and Lana's stash of presents, this time not forgetting her tiara. Soon, everything was ready, and party-goers stood outside the building, milling about and saying final farewells.

"What was that all about, buddy?" Clyde asked as he closed the van's side door.

"It's complicated, Clyde. That fellow desires Lola, but she's dating someone. He wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Really? Lola's dating now?" Lincoln's friend questioned. "Uh, does that mean Lana…"

Lincoln chuckled and looked toward his long-time friend.

"Go for it," Lincoln said, nodding in Lana's direction.

Five minutes later, everybody had dispersed, driving off in whatever vehicle they had arrived. Ten minutes later, the Louds were back home, and the siblings went their different ways.

The remainder of the day passed by quickly. Lunch and dinner came and went. The Loud siblings watched television, read books, and whatever else came to mind. Several hours later, Lana came running out of her bedroom, screaming.

"I have a date! I have a date!" the girl yelped, uncharacteristically giddy.

As if it were something their siblings had been waiting years for, they all rushed out of their rooms, with no regard to whether their hair was in curlers or not, and began jumping around Lana. Together, they squealed with joy. Even Lincoln, who was not known for such behavior, joined in.

"Who is it? Who is it?" asked Leni excitedly.

"Yeah, tell us!" demanded Lynn.

"It's Clyde!" declared Lana.

"Clyde?" repeated Lori. "I hope he knows what he's doing. You're likely to break him in half. Still, we're happy for you."

Lola then pulled her twin into their room, saying goodnight in the process, and closed the door. Lola had a million questions. As for Lincoln, he watched his remaining sisters recede into their rooms before heading to his own.

Lincoln changed into his pajamas and lay in bed, covering himself.

"I wonder what Lola meant by getting my present later?" he wondered as he drifted off to sleep.