I opened my eyes. Ow. Nevermind, I don't really need to see. Closed them
again. Wait, where was I? Not my bed, not my room. I sat up. Ow. Not
another hangover. Keith was gonna kill me. Keith!
I looked at my watch. 6:55. Shit! I had that meeting for homecoming nominee.
I shook Brooke. "Brooke! I need to go! I have to go to school."
I opened a bunch of doors, trying to find a bathroom. I found a bedroom where Nathan was crashed on his back with one hand on the floor. He stirred when I opened the door. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm trying to find a bathroom."
"This isn't it, moron."
"Yeah think?" I said sarcastically, "Look, I have to be at school in 5 minutes, where's a bathroom?"
"What time is it?" he asked groggily.
"6:55. I have to go early for this homecoming thing."
"Shit! That's today?"
"Yeah. Don't tell me you're in it too."
He got up and went to the bathroom without responding.
"Where's another bathroom?"
Nathan pointed down the hall.
"Thanks." I muttered out of habit.
We met again outside when he was starting his car. I began walking toward school.
"Get in," he called out the window.
"I don't need a ride from you."
"We're already late, just get in the damn car."
I got in.
"Why are you giving me a ride?"
"I figure if we both walk in late I'll be in less trouble."
"Always ulterior motives for you."
"What? You expected more?"
"No."
We started on the homecoming floats during the meeting. We hand glued all the little tissue paper things to trailers. I fall asleep in math and this is my punishment? Slave labor with Nathan? Evil. Pure evil.
I ran home during lunch. Sophomores aren't allowed off campus for lunch, so I had to sneak past the security guard. It was easier than they make it sound at the assemblys where they warn us not to do crap like that.
I took a quick shower and changed my clothes. I reeked. I grabbed a pop tart, scribbled a note to Keith and ran back to school.
"Keith, sorry sorry sorry. I'm still alive. Don't worry about me. Sorry. ~Luke"
When school let out, I debated on whether or not to go to the shop. The second I walked in, I knew Keith would have my ass, but if I let him worry until he got home, he would have my ass then. Lose-lose situation. By going straight home, I would kill myself with the suspense of how Keith was going to kill me. Plus, there would be no witnesses. I decided to go to the shop.
I decided on the "nothings wrong" approach. Big mistake. I don't think any approach would have worked, but there you have it.
"Lucas!"
The slipping by unnoticed was out. I looked at Keith. His eyes were filled with rage. He was pissed. Oh shit.
He was with a customer. That bought me 3 extra minutes. "You sit," he told me, pointing to a chair outside his office. "I'll deal with you in a minute."
Oh shit. This was turning out to be a truly oh shit day.
"You're car will be ready in," he looked at the clock. "2 hours. My nephew here," he gestured at me, "is going to fix it."
I smiled sarcastically.
The man left. No, wait, he was supposed to be my witness. Come back.
Keith inputted the customer's data into the computer and then turned slowly toward me.
I looked away.
"Lucas," he warned.
I looked at him.
"Where the hell were you? Midnight does not mean that you just don't show up. No call or anything."
"Keith I'm sorry."
"You know what, Luke; I've almost had enough with your apologies."
I studied the floor. God, this was not easy. I let my uncle down, again.
"So let me guess. You went to this party,"
I nodded.
"And then you got wasted. So you decided not to come home because you didn't want me to know you got wasted. Is that right?"
"No, Keith, it wasn't like that."
"What was it like then, enlighten me."
"Keith." I said sadly.
"No really, Lucas, I want to know what happened. I go out on a limb for you and let you go to a party and you promised me you would not drink."
"I didn't promise."
"Dammit, Lucas! You told me you were not going to drink. If I can't trust you, we have a big problem."
"You can trust me!"
"Not if you stay out all night without telling me."
"You knew where I was!"
"No, no I didn't. Where were you?"
"Nevermind."
"No, really, where were you. I want to know."
"Nathan's beach house."
"Oh. That explains a lot. You were out drinking Nathan."
"Something like that. Are you saying you never tried to out drink Dan?"
"No, I didn't because if I had, my dad would have kicked my ass."
"Well then it's good I don't have a dad."
"You have me. Your ass is grounded."
"And I'm sure you loved your father so much when he did that to you," I said rudely.
"I don't care if you love me right now. You messed up. You're getting punished."
"Fine."
"Fine?"
"Yeah, fine. I'm sorry your father was a condescending bastard, but at least I have you." I said it so rude. It was low, even for me, and I had said some pretty shitty stuff to Keith in my time.
"Lucas." He warned.
"What?! What Keith?" I was shouting now.
There was a cough at the doorway. A new customer.
Keith and I were still glaring at each other.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." He said.
"No, sorry you had to see that. It's just...family issues."
"I have a teenager, no need to apologize." He smiled.
Right, like all parents of teenagers have some kind of bond over how bad their kids are. Keith wasn't even my parent, what right did he have to be in that club?
"We will continue this later," Keith told me in a threatening voice. He handed me a wrench. "Go fix the blue truck."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I don't know. It's making noises."
"What kind of noises?"
"I don't know, Lucas, go drive it and find out."
He tossed me the keys.
"Two miles, Luke. That's all you can put on it. Find the noise and come back."
"Sure," I said dully.
"Lucas!"
"Yes, Captain, two miles, got it," I saluted him.
Keith sighed and turned to help the customer.
I took the blue truck to see what kind of noise it was making. Great, now what was I going to tell Keith? I really did regret drinking last night, but if I would have come home plastered, I would already be dead. At least this way, Keith had time to cool off.
I listened for a noise but heard nothing. I kept driving hoping to hear something, I just happened to drive past school and see Brooke walking across the parking lot. Not intentional, I swear. Okay, maybe slightly intentional.
I honked. Brooke's eyes lit up and she ran to the truck.
"Where did this come from, cutie?"
"I'm listening for a noise. Want to help me listen?"
She got the passenger seat and kissed me. The parking lot was empty and the car felt warm against the cold November air. We forgot about the sound. She unbuttoned my shirt and started to take it off and I stopped her.
"Wait, no, I need to go back to the shop."
"Why? No, stay with me."
"Brooke, I need to go. I'll call later."
She looked sad, but let my shirt go and got out of the truck.
I watched her walk back to her car while I buttoned my shirt back up. I let her go, I should get a medal for that. Unfortunately, Keith did not feel the same way.
"Where the hell were you?" He yelled when I walked into the shop.
"I was listening for the sound," I told him, which was not a complete lie. Not the complete truth either, but there you have it, "Like you told me to do..." I hoped it would jog his memory.
"That was half an hour ago!" I looked at my watch. Oh shit, it was half an hour ago. "You didn't put more than two miles on the car, did you?"
"No, two miles, that's it."
"Good. Get to work."
That was easy. Too easy. I was suspicious, but I got the right tools and got to work on the truck.
"By the way, Luke, your buttons are off." He gestured toward my shirt, grinning with one side of his mouth.
I blushed.
"Two miles, huh? That girl of yours lives that close?"
"What makes you think I saw her?"
"Other than the shirt? You look guilty. You can't pull of guilty."
"Sorry." I started to apologize.
"Don't, you're already grounded. Sorry only goes so far."
"Look, Keith. Let me use one more sorry. I'm sorry about last night. When I told you I wasn't going to drink, I really wasn't planning on it. It just sort of...happened. Nathan was being an ass, as usual, and I couldn't let him."
"You can beat Nathan at basketball, you can beat him at school and grades, but drinking more than he does doesn't make you anything better."
"I know. I just-"
"Yeah, Luke. I know."
We worked in silence until blue truck man came to get his truck, and we closed the shop.
***
6:00am. My alarm clock was screaming for me to wake up. I groaned and hit the snooze button. Ten minutes later it was screaming again. Snooze. One last time, I promised myself. Ten minutes later I was about to hit snooze when Keith shouted sleepily, "For God's sake Lucas, get up!"
I complied, my towel from the afternoon before was wet on the floor. I missed Mom. We were going to run out of towels if she didn't come home. God forbid I hang my towel after I use it.
I made an omelet the way Mom makes them, but it wasn't the same. Keith didn't seem to mind. He came out of his room rubbing his eyes, wearing a robe. "Why are you up so damn early, kid?"
"I'm on the homecoming court. Want an omelet?"
"You're one of the underclassmen they sucker into being slaves for the seniors the week before homecoming?"
"Two weeks, yeah. Want one?" I gestured toward the skillet slowly turning my raw egg into breakfast.
"Sure. What did you do to earn such a torture?"
"I kind of fell asleep in math class and they nominated me." I took out more eggs for Keith's omelet. "Why are you awake so damn early?"
"Don't say damn, Luke. This kid I'm living with is the noisiest son of a bitch I've ever met." He grinned.
"Do you want the omelet? Cause I can think of a better way to use this egg." I pretended like I was going to throw it at him.
"Nice try. Can I have ham?"
"Sure," I handed it to him. "Cut it up."
"You sure are bossy little bastard in the mornings, Luke."
"You sure are a potty mouth in the mornings, Keith."
"Anything for my favorite nephew," Keith grinned.
"Speaking of nephews, guess who else is on the homecoming court?"
"No." He shook his head.
"Oh yes, and he is so pleasant in the early mornings."
"Man, sorry, Luke."
"Why is he such a jackass?"
"Because he grew up with Dan. That's like growing up with my dad."
"So how did you turn up normal?"
"I had no basketball talent. He left me alone. Completely alone. I would be seriously screwed up if it weren't for my mom." He nodded in my direction. "Much like you."
"One omelet ready." I tossed it and landed it in the plate.
Keith was impressed.
"How did you learn that?"
"Mom taught me. She's a chef. I know a thing or two."
"You've been keeping this from me?"
I shrugged. "You never asked."
"That's it, you're cooking all the food from now on."
"That," I said, "That is why I didn't tell you that I can cook."
Keith laughed. "Well, you owe me, so you still have to cook."
"Why do I owe you?"
"You made me stay up all night waiting for you to come home last night. No call..."
"Alright, alright. I said I was sorry. I apologized and I regret it and I'm not going to do it again. What more do you want?"
"I want you to cook from now on."
"Is that a suggestion or a command?"
"Command. You can start with dinner."
"Dammit, I shouldn't have said anything."
"Really, Luke, you need to stop swearing."
I scoffed. "Look who's talking. If either of us needs to stop swearing, it's you. Let's see, since you woke up you called me a little bastard, a son of a bitch and said damn I'm sure at least once."
"Alright. I'll stop, too. Your mother is going to have a shit fit if you're talking like me when she gets back."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah. It starts now."
I ate quickly and got ready for school.
"So you're coming to the shop after school, right?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Okay, you are coming to the shop after school, Lucas." He tried to sound parental.
"Yeah, okay, Keith."
I looked at my watch. 6:55. Shit! I had that meeting for homecoming nominee.
I shook Brooke. "Brooke! I need to go! I have to go to school."
I opened a bunch of doors, trying to find a bathroom. I found a bedroom where Nathan was crashed on his back with one hand on the floor. He stirred when I opened the door. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm trying to find a bathroom."
"This isn't it, moron."
"Yeah think?" I said sarcastically, "Look, I have to be at school in 5 minutes, where's a bathroom?"
"What time is it?" he asked groggily.
"6:55. I have to go early for this homecoming thing."
"Shit! That's today?"
"Yeah. Don't tell me you're in it too."
He got up and went to the bathroom without responding.
"Where's another bathroom?"
Nathan pointed down the hall.
"Thanks." I muttered out of habit.
We met again outside when he was starting his car. I began walking toward school.
"Get in," he called out the window.
"I don't need a ride from you."
"We're already late, just get in the damn car."
I got in.
"Why are you giving me a ride?"
"I figure if we both walk in late I'll be in less trouble."
"Always ulterior motives for you."
"What? You expected more?"
"No."
We started on the homecoming floats during the meeting. We hand glued all the little tissue paper things to trailers. I fall asleep in math and this is my punishment? Slave labor with Nathan? Evil. Pure evil.
I ran home during lunch. Sophomores aren't allowed off campus for lunch, so I had to sneak past the security guard. It was easier than they make it sound at the assemblys where they warn us not to do crap like that.
I took a quick shower and changed my clothes. I reeked. I grabbed a pop tart, scribbled a note to Keith and ran back to school.
"Keith, sorry sorry sorry. I'm still alive. Don't worry about me. Sorry. ~Luke"
When school let out, I debated on whether or not to go to the shop. The second I walked in, I knew Keith would have my ass, but if I let him worry until he got home, he would have my ass then. Lose-lose situation. By going straight home, I would kill myself with the suspense of how Keith was going to kill me. Plus, there would be no witnesses. I decided to go to the shop.
I decided on the "nothings wrong" approach. Big mistake. I don't think any approach would have worked, but there you have it.
"Lucas!"
The slipping by unnoticed was out. I looked at Keith. His eyes were filled with rage. He was pissed. Oh shit.
He was with a customer. That bought me 3 extra minutes. "You sit," he told me, pointing to a chair outside his office. "I'll deal with you in a minute."
Oh shit. This was turning out to be a truly oh shit day.
"You're car will be ready in," he looked at the clock. "2 hours. My nephew here," he gestured at me, "is going to fix it."
I smiled sarcastically.
The man left. No, wait, he was supposed to be my witness. Come back.
Keith inputted the customer's data into the computer and then turned slowly toward me.
I looked away.
"Lucas," he warned.
I looked at him.
"Where the hell were you? Midnight does not mean that you just don't show up. No call or anything."
"Keith I'm sorry."
"You know what, Luke; I've almost had enough with your apologies."
I studied the floor. God, this was not easy. I let my uncle down, again.
"So let me guess. You went to this party,"
I nodded.
"And then you got wasted. So you decided not to come home because you didn't want me to know you got wasted. Is that right?"
"No, Keith, it wasn't like that."
"What was it like then, enlighten me."
"Keith." I said sadly.
"No really, Lucas, I want to know what happened. I go out on a limb for you and let you go to a party and you promised me you would not drink."
"I didn't promise."
"Dammit, Lucas! You told me you were not going to drink. If I can't trust you, we have a big problem."
"You can trust me!"
"Not if you stay out all night without telling me."
"You knew where I was!"
"No, no I didn't. Where were you?"
"Nevermind."
"No, really, where were you. I want to know."
"Nathan's beach house."
"Oh. That explains a lot. You were out drinking Nathan."
"Something like that. Are you saying you never tried to out drink Dan?"
"No, I didn't because if I had, my dad would have kicked my ass."
"Well then it's good I don't have a dad."
"You have me. Your ass is grounded."
"And I'm sure you loved your father so much when he did that to you," I said rudely.
"I don't care if you love me right now. You messed up. You're getting punished."
"Fine."
"Fine?"
"Yeah, fine. I'm sorry your father was a condescending bastard, but at least I have you." I said it so rude. It was low, even for me, and I had said some pretty shitty stuff to Keith in my time.
"Lucas." He warned.
"What?! What Keith?" I was shouting now.
There was a cough at the doorway. A new customer.
Keith and I were still glaring at each other.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." He said.
"No, sorry you had to see that. It's just...family issues."
"I have a teenager, no need to apologize." He smiled.
Right, like all parents of teenagers have some kind of bond over how bad their kids are. Keith wasn't even my parent, what right did he have to be in that club?
"We will continue this later," Keith told me in a threatening voice. He handed me a wrench. "Go fix the blue truck."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I don't know. It's making noises."
"What kind of noises?"
"I don't know, Lucas, go drive it and find out."
He tossed me the keys.
"Two miles, Luke. That's all you can put on it. Find the noise and come back."
"Sure," I said dully.
"Lucas!"
"Yes, Captain, two miles, got it," I saluted him.
Keith sighed and turned to help the customer.
I took the blue truck to see what kind of noise it was making. Great, now what was I going to tell Keith? I really did regret drinking last night, but if I would have come home plastered, I would already be dead. At least this way, Keith had time to cool off.
I listened for a noise but heard nothing. I kept driving hoping to hear something, I just happened to drive past school and see Brooke walking across the parking lot. Not intentional, I swear. Okay, maybe slightly intentional.
I honked. Brooke's eyes lit up and she ran to the truck.
"Where did this come from, cutie?"
"I'm listening for a noise. Want to help me listen?"
She got the passenger seat and kissed me. The parking lot was empty and the car felt warm against the cold November air. We forgot about the sound. She unbuttoned my shirt and started to take it off and I stopped her.
"Wait, no, I need to go back to the shop."
"Why? No, stay with me."
"Brooke, I need to go. I'll call later."
She looked sad, but let my shirt go and got out of the truck.
I watched her walk back to her car while I buttoned my shirt back up. I let her go, I should get a medal for that. Unfortunately, Keith did not feel the same way.
"Where the hell were you?" He yelled when I walked into the shop.
"I was listening for the sound," I told him, which was not a complete lie. Not the complete truth either, but there you have it, "Like you told me to do..." I hoped it would jog his memory.
"That was half an hour ago!" I looked at my watch. Oh shit, it was half an hour ago. "You didn't put more than two miles on the car, did you?"
"No, two miles, that's it."
"Good. Get to work."
That was easy. Too easy. I was suspicious, but I got the right tools and got to work on the truck.
"By the way, Luke, your buttons are off." He gestured toward my shirt, grinning with one side of his mouth.
I blushed.
"Two miles, huh? That girl of yours lives that close?"
"What makes you think I saw her?"
"Other than the shirt? You look guilty. You can't pull of guilty."
"Sorry." I started to apologize.
"Don't, you're already grounded. Sorry only goes so far."
"Look, Keith. Let me use one more sorry. I'm sorry about last night. When I told you I wasn't going to drink, I really wasn't planning on it. It just sort of...happened. Nathan was being an ass, as usual, and I couldn't let him."
"You can beat Nathan at basketball, you can beat him at school and grades, but drinking more than he does doesn't make you anything better."
"I know. I just-"
"Yeah, Luke. I know."
We worked in silence until blue truck man came to get his truck, and we closed the shop.
***
6:00am. My alarm clock was screaming for me to wake up. I groaned and hit the snooze button. Ten minutes later it was screaming again. Snooze. One last time, I promised myself. Ten minutes later I was about to hit snooze when Keith shouted sleepily, "For God's sake Lucas, get up!"
I complied, my towel from the afternoon before was wet on the floor. I missed Mom. We were going to run out of towels if she didn't come home. God forbid I hang my towel after I use it.
I made an omelet the way Mom makes them, but it wasn't the same. Keith didn't seem to mind. He came out of his room rubbing his eyes, wearing a robe. "Why are you up so damn early, kid?"
"I'm on the homecoming court. Want an omelet?"
"You're one of the underclassmen they sucker into being slaves for the seniors the week before homecoming?"
"Two weeks, yeah. Want one?" I gestured toward the skillet slowly turning my raw egg into breakfast.
"Sure. What did you do to earn such a torture?"
"I kind of fell asleep in math class and they nominated me." I took out more eggs for Keith's omelet. "Why are you awake so damn early?"
"Don't say damn, Luke. This kid I'm living with is the noisiest son of a bitch I've ever met." He grinned.
"Do you want the omelet? Cause I can think of a better way to use this egg." I pretended like I was going to throw it at him.
"Nice try. Can I have ham?"
"Sure," I handed it to him. "Cut it up."
"You sure are bossy little bastard in the mornings, Luke."
"You sure are a potty mouth in the mornings, Keith."
"Anything for my favorite nephew," Keith grinned.
"Speaking of nephews, guess who else is on the homecoming court?"
"No." He shook his head.
"Oh yes, and he is so pleasant in the early mornings."
"Man, sorry, Luke."
"Why is he such a jackass?"
"Because he grew up with Dan. That's like growing up with my dad."
"So how did you turn up normal?"
"I had no basketball talent. He left me alone. Completely alone. I would be seriously screwed up if it weren't for my mom." He nodded in my direction. "Much like you."
"One omelet ready." I tossed it and landed it in the plate.
Keith was impressed.
"How did you learn that?"
"Mom taught me. She's a chef. I know a thing or two."
"You've been keeping this from me?"
I shrugged. "You never asked."
"That's it, you're cooking all the food from now on."
"That," I said, "That is why I didn't tell you that I can cook."
Keith laughed. "Well, you owe me, so you still have to cook."
"Why do I owe you?"
"You made me stay up all night waiting for you to come home last night. No call..."
"Alright, alright. I said I was sorry. I apologized and I regret it and I'm not going to do it again. What more do you want?"
"I want you to cook from now on."
"Is that a suggestion or a command?"
"Command. You can start with dinner."
"Dammit, I shouldn't have said anything."
"Really, Luke, you need to stop swearing."
I scoffed. "Look who's talking. If either of us needs to stop swearing, it's you. Let's see, since you woke up you called me a little bastard, a son of a bitch and said damn I'm sure at least once."
"Alright. I'll stop, too. Your mother is going to have a shit fit if you're talking like me when she gets back."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah. It starts now."
I ate quickly and got ready for school.
"So you're coming to the shop after school, right?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Okay, you are coming to the shop after school, Lucas." He tried to sound parental.
"Yeah, okay, Keith."