We walked to café, me standing between my father and Lucas, holding both their hands like the first day we'd met. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I broke the comfortable silence between us, "This is so, so... perfect," I said contently, "this feels perfect." I looked up at my daddy and he smiled and kissed my forehead. "I love you," he mumbled through the kiss. I looked over to Lucas, "Your turn." I flashed him a toothy grin and I waited for him to kiss my forehead, too. When he didn't, I lifted my hand that was holding his to carefully tuck my hair behind my ear before I dropped our hands again, "Lucas?" He just kept chuckling beside me. "Daddy! Lucas won't kiss me!" I choked out stubbornly, complaining like a child. "Which is precisely why, Chicken, he's still allowed in our house," my father joked. I let out a disgruntled sigh and looked at the sidewalk ahead of us. Lucas sensed my pouting and took his free hand and placed it on the side of my head closest to my father pulling me in for a wet forehead kiss. "Gross!" I laughed, wiping away the glistening slobber with the back of my hand, then drying my hand on the bottom of Lucas' shirt. "That's what you get," he grinned at me and daddy joined in with laughter.
We walked in the door of the café, "Hey Lucas, why don't you take me to the back so I can say 'hi' to Karen, and Chicken," he turned towards me, "grab us a table?" "Yep," I nodded my head bluntly once and stocked off to find an open table for three. Lucas and my father disappeared behind the counter just as Meagan and Kristin, the captain of our squad, came into the café. I could feel my heart beat faster. I hid my face a bit hoping they wouldn't see me. "Peyton?" I heard Meagan say, "Hey, Peyton! I'd know those curls anywhere," Kristin finished. Was she supposed to be funny? I laughed uncomfortably. "Hey, do you know if Lucas is around?" The words caught in my throat. "Uh, I, um, you know, I'm not sure," the last word dragging out. I started itching the length of my neck and tugging on the collar of my shirt. Just then we heard my father and Lucas laughing behind the counter, where they were now standing with Karen. The three of us looking over at them. "Who's that guy?" Meagan wondered aloud. Daddy looked over at me and smiled before turning back to his conversation with Karen. "Peyton, who's that guy," Meagan pointedly repeated. I heard Brooke from the doorway who was distracted looking for something in her purse, "Hey Meagan, Kristin! Thanks so much for meeting me here, my car was--Peyton?" She finally looked up and saw me, "We tried calling you... what are you doing here?" "I, uh..." "Brooke? Brooke Davis! Get over here!" "Papa Peyton! When'd you get in town?" She looked at me, lifted her shoulders once, then ran behind the counter to hug my father. I could see Meagan's eyes narrow catching my lie from earlier when I said I didn't know if Lucas was around. I was trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.
Lucas walked out from behind the counter with two glasses of water leaving my father, Brooke and Karen chatting. He set the water down, taking his seat next to me. "Hey, Meagan." I couldn't distinguish his tone. "Lucas," she smiled sweetly, "what are you guys up to?" I definitely caught Meagan's tone. "Peyt...ton," I shot him a glance, unsure of my own feelings about him not feeling comfortable about using my nickname in front of Meagan, "here, was just profusely apologizing for making me feel alienated, lonely and unwelcomed the other night." My brow creased, "You seriously felt that way?" It came out more stagnant and heavy than I had intended. "Well, what'd you expect, Peyton?" Kristin snapped, answering before Lucas could. "I have to go to the bathroom," I said without emotion. I got up, walked past the girls and quietly shut the door to the bathroom in the back of the café. I couldn't tell if Lucas was just making up an excuse for being at the café with me or if he really felt that way.
I had taken a few deep breaths before I heard a gentle knock on the door, "Um, there's someone in here." "It's me." I unlocked the door and Lucas slid in, relocking it behind him. "Well, I had to ask Meagan out for Friday night, but she left the café a few minutes ago." There is was again, that sinking feeling. "Oh... Wait, how long have I been in here?" He shrugged. "Listen, it wasn't really that bad." I knew he was referring to what he said earlier about the night at the party. "I'm sorry." "For what?" He stroked my hairline studying my face. "All sorts of things," I exhaled dejectedly. My chest heaved and Lucas wrapped his arms around me. I didn't know where my tears were coming from. "For being so mean these past few years." His hands made small circles on my back. "I wasn't exactly nice to you either. And, anyway, we'd still be friends if it weren't for me." "No," I looked up at him, "we grew apart mutually. It's not your fault. I helped." I buried my face in his chest again. I could feel a couple of Lucas' fingers on my skin in the space between the top of my jeans and the bottom of my shirt. I jumped back and quickly wiped my eyes. "I'm fine now, let's go eat dinner." It came out as all one word and I quickly exited the bathroom, with Lucas following leisurely behind.
"Hey, there're my kids. What took you guys so long?" My face was still red, so I knew he didn't expect me to answer his question. "I'm starving!" I shook all emotions and decided to just be happy because my father was home.
The three of us walked in our front door, "Well, you two," daddy placed his hands over his stomach, drawing in his breath, "I'm going to bed. It's been a long day for all of us. See you two in the morning?" We nodded and said goodnight making our way up the stairs.
"So, Meagan. You like her?" We laid in under the covers, with only a candle flickering on my nightstand. "What's not to like, I guess." "Don't sound so excited that you have a date with the most popular girl in school," I half teased. He shifted, "God, what's with this heat?" "It's still summer, Lucas," I decided to go along with his change of subject. Annoyed, he threw back the covers and bunched them up at the foot of the bed. I looked at him strangely. "Oh sorry, did you want those?" "Nooo," I stretched out the word suspiciously. "OK, here's the thing," he started, "I'm afraid." "Of what?" He gave me a dumbfounded look like I should know what he was talking about. "Meagan! Duh." I laughed out loud, "What! What's there to be afraid of?" "Seriously, this heat." He sat up taking off his shirt. "Aren't you hot?" "Lucas, focus. What are you afraid of?" He dramatically laid back down. "Well, she's probably been with... It's just... OK, I've been unpopular for a long time now and, well, it's not like girls have been knocking down my door trying to get a date with me..." "So, what are you saying?" I got up and walked into my closest, "Keep talking, I just need to change." "I'm just saying... well, she's going to have expectations..." I walked back out in a loose fitting silk and lace detailed tank top and sprawled back out on the bed. "Can you define expectations?" "Peyt, I've never... there are certain things," he emphasized, "that I've missed out on by not being popular." "Wha—oh," I immediately understood, "You mean you've never," I shook my head 'no' only to have him do the same in response, "had sex," I finished. "Well, maybe she won't want to?" He looked at me; we both knew that it was a lie. Meagan had a reputation. "You have to start somewhere, Lucas." "But with the most popular girl in school? What happens if I... well, what if everything... what if I can't..." he couldn't bring himself to finish his thoughts, so he said flatly, "What if she's disappointed? She'll tell everyone." "Maybe she won't?" Again, a lie we both recognized. I was beginning to feel his annoyance towards the heat. "I need to buy an air conditioner," I punctuated with a grunt, moving around to try and get more comfortable. My arm grazed Lucas' and I instantly retracted it. "Sorry." It was too hot to be touching another warm body. "How many times have you..." I looked at him knowing what he was asking. "Lucas," I hesitated. "Please, I need to know. She's probably slept with at least double the amount of guys you have." I started laughing. "What?" he asked in a lazy panic. "You're so cute when you're worried," I babied him. "You're so cute when you're worried," he repeated in a mocking tone, "Peyt, this is serious. I don't think I can go out with her. No, I can't. I won't. I'll just call her and tell her something has come up." "You mean you're afraid something won't come up?" I laughed, "Or will prematurely come up?" Lucas glared at me, "Real funny, Peyt. I'm glad you find this so amusing." He turned on his side with his back facing me, "I'm going to sleep."