The Differences Between Us
AN: Hello everyone it's me! And I'm back in The Life You Deserve universe! It has taken so long for me to really write anything. I was suffering writer's block and then writing what I thought people wanted rather than what I wanted to write. But my guy reminded me to write what I felt like, and so this story that had been in my head for a long time has finally come to life :-) I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1: Ashamed
Summer 1987
The room was quiet except for the occasional scratch of pen against paper as Lucas worked on his English literature paper, his forehead resting in the palm of his left hand while he narrowed his eyes and tried to think of a good start to his next paragraph.
He sighed heavily knowing that this class was kicking his ass and maybe it was time to accept the help offered by El who was exceeding in the subject and had a real passion for it. Lucas's educational passion was numbers, figures and things that made logical sense. Not something that required this amount of imagination or such an in-depth thought process.
He reached for his soda can, gulping down the sugary drink and shaking his shoulders as if hoping it would loosen the writer's block plaguing him as he attempted once again to start his new paragraph.
For a while he was able to work, away from the distraction that was Erica who was at a friend's house probably talking about boys and make up, or whatever 12 year old girls did. It wasn't until the familiar creaks and pounds outside of Lucas's window began did he look up from his paper, a smiling already curving his lips as his heart squeezed with exhilaration.
He was just standing up when dark red hair appeared at the window and he bashfully smiled at his girlfriend as her face propped up into view, her pale cheeks slightly pink from the exertion of scaling the side of his house.
Lucas carefully opened the window, thankful that his bedroom was facing the woods and not the prying neighbours on the other side.
"Good evening stalker," Max grinned, her smile causing Lucas's own smile to extend to the point of his cheeks aching.
He looked at her intently, amusement playing in his eyes as he bit into his lower lip and held out his hands to help her up into the bedroom. "I think you climbing up the side of my house and getting in through my window makes you more of a stalker than me, right?"
"You love it."
"I know."
Lucas carefully tugged Max into the room and she hoisted herself over the window frame, well-rehearsed on where to put her feet after years of doing this same trip into her boyfriend's bedroom.
"Is Erica home?" Max asked the moment she landed on her feet, brushing a few stray leaves off her light blue jeans. Lucas would be lying if he said his eyes didn't follow her hands, his gaze lingering on her lean legs for a moment. He gulped and looked back up at his girlfriend who was smirking at him playfully. He blushed remembering how quick to the mark Max was - she didn't miss anything.
"Um no, Erica is at Daisy's house. Or is it Deana?" Lucas asked puzzled, scratching the back of his head. One of these days he would listen to his sister's ramblings about her posse.
"I think you mean Dana," Max replied with a playful eye roll as she bounced on the end of Lucas bed, kicking off her converses and scooting herself up to the headboard. "And your parents? Where are they?"
"Still at work," Lucas replied quickly, his heart jumping into his throat with excitement as he saw the meaning in Max's blue eyes. She beckoned him forward with her finger, a teasing smile on her lips.
"Neil's working and mom thinks I'm at El's. So...I believe we have a bit of alone time at last," Max said with a knowing grin as she pulled off her jacket.
"Yeah," Lucas whispered breathlessly, his eyes fixated on his beautiful girlfriend, heat racing to the surface of his skin. It wasn't like this was the first time they had done anything sexual, but between an annoying little sister, religious parents and a stepfather whose views Max tried to hide from Lucas, they rarely found moments like these. Unless it was in the back of their cars, and while that was always fun, it felt like at all times they were having to hide away. Like their relationship was something to be frowned upon.
And while Lucas tried to ignore the way people would look at him and Max, stunned and sometimes disgusted expressions on worn faces at the interracial couple, he couldn't pretend it didn't bother him. And when he truly was alone at night, staring in the dark at his ceiling, his thoughts open to be explored, he worried about what life he was giving Max. What ridicule she was getting because of him. And what if they were going to have children in the future? Would they experience the same racism from single minded people who couldn't see past the colour of someone's skin?
"What are you waiting for?" Max huffed, her chest heaving a frustrated sigh as Lucas blinked and looked back at her, shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts.
"Sorry," he exhaled, crawling onto the bed and allowing a smile filled with happiness at the beautiful girl in front of him, with the sparkling blue eyes and mischievous smile who was waiting for him. Who wanted him. Through the turbulence of his conflicted thoughts, he could never question her love. Even if they didn't say it every day like Mike and El seemed to do, he could see her feelings as clear as day in the brightness of her eyes and in the quickening pace of his heart.
"Come here stalker," Max whispered as she pushed forward, her slightly cold hands cupping Lucas's face as she brought it eagerly to her own, their lips finding each other almost immediately.
A hum of relief escaped Max's throat and Lucas found himself smiling against her soft lips before angling his head and deepening the kiss. Their breathing was heavy and their tongues hot as Max leaned back against the pillows, bringing Lucas down with her, her legs wrapping around his waist as his firm chest pushed down on her own.
Her hands travelled down his back, his muscles jumping at her touch before she grabbed a fistful of his sweater and pulled it up. Lucas leaned back to pull the material free from his upper body and it landed somewhere on his bedroom floor. His attention was immediately brought back to Max, lust in her eyes as her hands slid up his bare abs, across his chest and then wrapped around his neck pulling him back down to her waiting lips.
Their kisses were becoming more urgent, their breaths wavering and pounding hearts filled with desire as Lucas's hand slid under Max's shirt, heat building in his stomach as he felt her soft skin against his rough hand.
Her fingers hurried to join him and within seconds her shirt had joined his sweater on the floor. Lucas pulled back enough to look down at his girlfriend. Her chest heaving in a black bra and her pale skin toned and beautiful. She was beautiful. Lucas's blown pupils met with Max's and she smiled slightly, a vulnerability in her gaze that she only ever displayed when they were like this, stripping down and exposing their true selves to one another.
Lucas leaned back down, propping himself up on his elbows but allowing himself to get closer to Max, nudging her freckled nose with his while his heart felt like it was expanding at the cute little cringe his girlfriend made.
"I love you," he whispered, his eyes dancing over Max's face before meeting her stunning eyes.
She sighed softly, a grin twitching on her lips and a pretty blush creeping onto her cheeks as she brushed her fingers across Lucas's jawline. "And I love you," she said in a tone so precious to him, because only he got to see this side of her.
Not even El would ever be able to see this Max. It was a side to his girlfriend that was rare, a side where she held up no walls and didn't hide behind sarcasm or humour. It reminded Lucas of the night on top of the bus. They had barely known each other, but it had been a poignant moment of honesty and he would never forget it.
Their lips crashed together, their breaths unsteady and warm as they mingled, their mouths working as one, every touch sending electricity down their bodies. Max's fingers moved up and down Lucas's muscular back, her finger tips digging into his skin slightly, causing a shudder from him and for goose bumps to rise on his skin.
His palm moved down Max's bare stomach, her skin so incredibly soft to touch as his fingers trailed to the button of her jeans, fumbling to undo it while keeping their lips tightly locked together. Lucas felt almost lightheaded as their tongues stroked one another, the sensation making him feel heady andtoo warm for the summer evening.
Max's hands were wandering too, her fingers dragging slowly up his thigh and moving further up, making Lucas exhale a sharp breath and close his eyes, as her touch eased some of the intense pressure he was feeling, but at the same time only fuelled the fire in the pit of his stomach.
Through the intoxication that plagued his mind like a fog, he heard the distant side of a car, it grew louder and louder, enough to make Max pull away from his lips. They both froze, their breathing uneven, their lips slightly swollen and their eyes dazed. The unmistakable sound of the rickety garage door opening brought Lucas back to reality, crashing down from his lust and need for Max.
"Shit," Lucas whispered in a panic, jumping away from Max and lifting his heavy body off the bed, his hands already yanking at his now restricted shorts as he tried to rearrange them in the same moment he grabbed his shirt off the bedroom floor and threw Max's to her.
She caught it, a disgruntled look on her face, her red hair a mess around her head as she watched Lucas hurry to put on his clothes. Her fist tightened around her shirt, but she didn't put it on just yet.
"My mom is going to ground me if she finds you in my room," Lucas mumbled to himself as he hurried to lock the bedroom door for good measure.
Max blinked, her blue eyes narrowing, her sexual frustration etching into the tightness of her jaw as she finally put on her shirt. "Don't worry," she said quietly, her voice oddly tense. "I'll just go down the drain pipe, your mommy will never need to know."
"Max," Lucas warned, his brow lowering.
"No don't worry about it," Max huffed as she buttoned her jeans back up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, tying her converses. "I wouldn't want her knowing about the dirty little secret in your room - "
Lucas froze for a moment, Max's words hitting him as if she had slapped him across the face. "How could you call yourself that?" he asked stunned, annoyance starting to bubble up inside of him. "My parents have known we've been dating for three years! Mom keeps asking to invite you to dinner Max, you know this!"
A short and frustrated noise that could barely constitute as a laugh left Max's throat as she shook her head and walked towards the window. "Well she'll be disappointed then." She lifted the window pane, her whole body tense and almost shaking while Lucas stood in confusion feeling the anger bubble over.
He couldn't count the amount of times that his parents had asked for Max to come over for dinner. They had met her of course, but only really when the whole party was together. She never liked to be the centre of attention and always came up with excuses to skip any one to one time with the Sinclair's, unless it was Lucas or Erica alone.
An insecurity that had seeped into Lucas's mind many years earlier, started to creep through the cracks, his mind fogging once more, but not from desire, from complete and utter frustration at the situation. "Well at least my parents know about us! Your parents don't. Are...are you ashamed of me or something? Is it because I'm black?"
Max already had her legs out of the window, ready to jump when Lucas's words hit her, and she froze. She turned to look at him almost in slow motion, and from the widening of her sharp blue eyes and her gaping mouth, Lucas knew he had said the wrong thing. He could see a complexity of emotions building up inside of her, she looked like she was about to snap, her blue eyes getting unusually misty.
"Of course I'm not ashamed of you!" she practically shouted, Lucas not even flinching at the idea that his mom might hear. "How could you ever think that?!" She closed her eyes, taking a shuddering breath before opening her wet lashes once more and staring straight at Lucas.
"I'm ashamed of them."
Lucas blinked in confusion, his brow etched as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Lucas honey? Are you okay up there?!" called the voice of Jada Sinclair, the side door to the garage closing as she clearly entered the family home.
Lucas didn't say anything, staring straight back at Max, trying to understand what she meant and why the words had affected her this badly. But his chance was gone. For now at least.
There was movement on the stairs and Max's gaze flickered away from Lucas as she looked down at the ground beyond the window ledge. "Don't worry, I'll let myself out. Wouldn't want to get you in trouble," she muttered before disappearing out of view, leaving Lucas stood in confusion, his mother's knocking finally breaking him out of the reverie that Max had left within him.
The moment Max's converses pressed into the yellow starched grass, she was moving, her head a flurry of frustration and regret as she slipped into the tree line and moved further down the street to where she had parked her car, her beautiful mustang, a gift off her dad when she got her driver's permit.
Max's only destination was home, to get under her comforter and stay there. That was the one thought in her mind as she pulled on her seat belt and started the engine. Her knuckles turned white from her grip on the steering wheel as she pulled away from the curb and continued down Maple street, her speed increasing as her mind replayed the things she had said to Lucas.
She frowned, not wanting to be reminded of where she might have gone wrong, idly reaching for the radio, finding a station. Max sighed in relief when Bon Jovi's powerful voice filled the quiet night. The sun was an orange glow on the horizon, the sky a beautiful artwork of indigo, dark inky blue with a streak of pink splashed across it.
"Oh there's nowhere to run. No one can save me, the damage is done! Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name..."
Max's gaze flickered momentarily from the road to glare at the radio, sharply turning to another station and sighing in relief when Whitney Houston began to play.
"Falling in love is so bittersweet. This love is strong, why do I feel weak? If he loves me, if he loves me not…"
Max scowled, her lips pursed as she once more turned to another station that was still on a commercial break, needing something, anything that wouldn't make her think of Lucas or how she was such a terrible girlfriend. He deserved better, she knew that, probably the whole of Hawkins High knew that.
"You with the sad eyes. Don't be discouraged, oh I realise it's hard to take courage. In a world full of people you can lose sight of it all. And the darkness inside you can make you feel so small…"
Max's exhaled a sharp breath, her nostrils flaring as she accepted her fate. "Damn you Cyndi," she muttered, slowing down as she got closer to the end of the road.
"But I see your true colours shining through. I see your true colours and that's why I love you. So don't be afraid to let them show your true colours. True colours are beautiful like a rainbow."
Her fingers moved to the indicator, autopilot wanting to flick the switch left, but a courage building inside of her to flick the black switch right and manoeuvre the car to where she knew she would be able to get some true and honest advice.
The wheels of the Mustang crunched across the gravel drive as Max finally pulled up in front of the Byers/Hopper's residence. She killed the engine and watched as the headlights dimmed back down, giving her a moment to take a deep breath and get out of the car.
Max wasn't surprised when the front door opened before she had reached the top step, she wasn't exactly a quiet visitor between the rumble of the mustang and her heavy footsteps.
"Good evening Maxine," came the gruff and teasing voice of the Chief from where he stood waiting for her, leaning against the doorframe, his large arms crossed in a casual manner.
Max knew he was baiting her with her full name, it was almost a running routine, if not a ritual between them to tease and taunt one another before Max would part ways to go and hang out with her best friend.
But tonight wasn't the night. "Evening Chief," Max tried to say as casually as she could, barely meeting Hopper's kind eyes as she slipped past him and walked straight into the living area. "Where's my girl?"
Hopper watched Max for a moment, his lined brow creasing further in confusion at the red head's lack of a come back at getting called the name he knew she despised. He closed the door and cleared his throat, trying to pretend he didn't notice the uneasiness surrounding Max.
"She's in her room, working hard on that English lit paper. Doesn't want to be disturbed," Hopper grunted as he walked towards the kitchen where Joyce was walking out of, holding a bowl of chips which she passed to her husband with a smile.
"Hi Max honey," Joyce called, no surprise at all in her face at the teenager's arrival. After all, Max was a frequent guest at the Hopper/Byers home.
"Hi Joyce," she smiled politely. Her ears pricked, and she heard the distant sound of music playing from El's bedroom. Loud music, El needing to actually work on an English Literature paper and not be disturbed? Yeah Joyce and Hopper might be naive, but Max certainly wasn't.
She tried desperately to clear the smirk on her face, arranging her face to one of innocence. "Well I'll see if El wouldn't mind a visitor. You know, she probably needs a break from all that studying."
Before Hopper could do more than open his mouth to respond, Max was skipping down the corridor, trying desperately to hide her sniggering. She stopped in front of El's door, her grin widening mischievously and knocked loudly, pressing her ear to the dark wood in amusement.
The distant sound of panicked whispering could be heard, then a lot of ruffling, movement, something being knocked over, was it a lamp?
"Um, o-one second!" El called, Max laughing already.
"Max is that you?!" El shouted in response.
"Yep," Max replied, looking over her shoulder towards the living room with a smirk and adding for good measure, "just here to see if you need a hand with that English Literature paper!"
There was more whispers and a groan of frustration before the door was unlocked and a dishevelled El appeared. Her hazel eyes wide and her hair frazzled as she grabbed Max by the hand and pulled her into the bedroom, quickly closing and locking the door behind her.
Max was already giggling even before she saw Mike sat on the end of the bed, his hair ridiculously messy, his lips swollen and pink as he feebly waved a hand in greeting to her. Max crossed her arms, a shit eating grin on her lips as she looked between the blushing couple. "Studying huh?"
The music was still playing, the vinyl half way through Berlin "Take My Breath Away".
"Uh, you two are such a cliché, you that right?" Max mumbled before walking further into the room and collapsing into El's pink bean bag chair.
"What are you doing here Max?" Mike asked, clearly disgruntled as he remained seated on El's bed, a pillow held tightly in his lap.
"Hey, I don't need your permission to come and visit my best friend Wheeler," Max replied, narrowing her eyes playfully at Mike who rolled his.
"Honestly, how the hell does the Chief even fall for this shit?" Max laughed indicating to El and Mike, and their creased clothing and ruffled looks.
"I think he just likes to pretend it isn't happening," El responded, shrugging her dainty shoulders as she joined Mike on the bed, taking his hand, their fingers immediately entwining in that instant way they always did. Max never understood how they could be so incredibly in sync.
There was silence between the teenagers for a moment, the powerful ballad still going as Max played with a stray thread on the seam of her shirt. It took a while for her to realise that Mike and El were both staring at her, waiting for her to off load what was clearly on her mind.
"What?" the redhead asked in feigned confusion.
El laughed gently, shaking her head. "Max. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," Max mumbled in response, her blue eyes never leaving the loose seam, already regretting wanting advice about the stupid situation she had gotten herself into.
Mike scoffed, "something's clearly wrong Max. You may as well just tell us."
Max sighed a heavy breath and looked plainly at her best friends, insecurity seeping into her blue gaze. "Me and Lucas had a fight…" she eventually muttered, immediately looking away from El and Mike.
"You guys always fight!" Mike laughed being shushed by El who looked nervously at her bedroom door before turning her hazel kind eyes onto her best friend.
"What was it about?"
Max's teeth sunk into her bottom lip, nibbling the skin slightly as she hesitantly looked back up and met El's eyes. Those eyes were caring, already sympathetic and Max knew she could trust them with her life. And so the words poured out, everything that had happened, while Mike and El stayed quiet, frowning slightly as they listened.
"My question is, why haven't you had dinner with the Sinclair's?" Mike asked in confusion. "It's not like they haven't met you before…"
"Yes, but not like this," Max stressed, her voice pained as she ran her fingers through her hair. "They're religious. I don't even believe in God. It's like I already know I'm not good enough for Lucas, do I really need them to confirm it for me? I just feel so stupid."
"You are not stupid," El commented, her eyes narrowed. "Believe me, I would know."
Max rolled her eyes but before she could do more than open her mouth to retort, Mike cut her off. "Max if they really didn't like you, they would have asked Lucas to break up with you a long time ago. They know you're his girlfriend and they clearly accept that. You are perfect for Lucas and he loves you. And they want to get to know you better, so let them." He stated, surprising both Max and El.
"What?" Mike asked after looking suspiciously between his girlfriend and friend.
El simply smiled, her eyes sparkling and a soft sigh of happiness escaping her lips as she snuggled closer to Mike, her head resting on his shoulder. "You're so sweet," she cooed making her boyfriend grin and blush.
"No you," he smirked, nuzzling her curly hair with his nose.
El giggled and went to reply when Max cut in, "oh my god guys! Can we just deal with my problem first?! Then I'll let you two get back to being nauseatingly fluffy!"
The couple grinned, but except for looking almost smug, nothing really changed in the way they snuggled or looked at each other with the biggest heart eyes Max had ever witnessed. Her stomach turned, and she shuddered, bringing herself back to the reason she needed some advice.
"Okay so say I have dinner with Lucas's parents and it actually goes well and stuff. What do I do about my parents?"
Anyone else outside of the party would have questioned Max's statement, but El and Mike understood her meaning immediately. Billy was long gone, but his father Neil? Yeah, he was still around and without his son to verbally abuse he seemed to be even more wicked to Max's mom. She had never understood how her mother would stay with a man like that. She deserved someone to love her, truly love her and protect her against all harm. Not be the one to inflict that harm.
It made Max's heart pang as she thought about Lucas. Of how protective he was, loyal, determined, strong and the most wonderful of men. How could she subject him to her parents? How could she bring him around blatant racists who saw Lucas and his family as second-class citizens? How could Max stand there and call those people her family.
"I mean, do you have to introduce him to them?" Mike asked nervously, running a hand through his messy hair, concern written all over his face. It was clear that he wanted to protect his best friend from racism just as much as Max did.
She dipped her head and sighed heavily, "he thinks I'm ashamed of him…" The words ripped through her heart like a knife. Max sniffed a breath of indignation through her nose and smiled sadly as she looked back up at Mike and El. "How could I ever be ashamed of him? Of the colour of his skin or his heritage? He's the best person. I love him."
"Then you should tell your parents the truth," El said, her words quiet but certain. Mike and Max both looked at her in surprise.
"One of the things I don't understand about this world is racism. I don't understand how a skin tone can make someone more superior to the other. I know you want to protect Lucas, but you shouldn't have to hide him away. I can be there when you tell them, if anything happens you know I have your back - "
"El no - "
"No Mike," El said turning to her boyfriend who had spoken up. She shook her head at him and a determined expression rose on her face. "I'm not having Lucas or Max in danger. And if it results in violence on Neil's part, then I want to make sure I'm there."
"Oh El," Max sighed looking between her courageous best friend and the nervous expression on Mike's face. "You can't fight all of our battles for us. Sometimes…" she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Sometimes we have to be strong too and stick up for what is right. Lucas should never have to feel ashamed. I will tell them, soon."
"I hate that word," El shuddered making Max laugh gently in confusion as Mike put his arm around his girlfriend giving her a comforting squeeze.
"Okay well, I promise I will tell them."
"Better," El relented, a relieved smile on her face.
Max sighed and looked between the couple. "So...what do I do next then?"
Mike and El glanced at each other, both of them smiling as they worked up a plan merely through thoughts alone. Max never understood how they managed to do that, have a connection so close it almost looked like they were reading each other's minds.
Whatever they had discussed had Max sitting on El's bed fifteen minutes later, Mike and El either side of her, encouraging her on as she nervously dialled Lucas's bedroom telephone number.
It was quickly picked up by her boyfriend who clearly recognised the number. "El! I'm so glad you called, listen Max and I had a fight. I know we always fight but this was different. I was really harsh, and I said things I didn't mean and - "
"Stalker?"
"Max?!"
Max bit into her lower lip trying to contain her smile, but unable to stop the racing of her heart at hearing Lucas's voice. "Yeah...um, it's me." She lifted her head and looked between Mike and El who both nodded their heads in unison, which only caused her to roll her eyes with how sickly sweet they were. Max closed her eyes and exhaled a long breath. "Listen, I'm sorry for being stupid."
"I'm sorry too," Lucas urged, the pain in his voice so evident that it made Max's chest feel tight.
Her eyes met with El's and she watched as her best friend gave her a nod of approval. "And...if you want to ask your parents if the offer of dinner is still available, then I'd like to take it."
"Really?" Lucas asked in surprise, a slight scepticism in his voice.
"Yes stalker," Max replied, rolling her eyes in amused frustration. "Just get them to choose a date and a time and I will be there, okay?"
"Yeah," Lucas smiled, his voice breathy and excited. "That's um, yeah that's totally tubular."
A laugh escaped Max's chest before she could reign it in and she shook her head in exasperation. "You realise that still no one says that?"
"Yeah, yeah," Lucas teased. His light and airy voice making the tightness in Max's chest immediately drift away. He was back to his happy and calm self, and that fact was more comforting than anything else.
"Well I best go stalker and let Mike and El get back to studying," Max teased earning a shove from Mike and a laugh from El.
"Yeah sure studying," Lucas goaded down the phone making Max grin ear to ear. A warmth was filling her chest and colour seeping into her cheeks. He made her so happy and it was moments like this, when the rest of the world seemed to just fall away, and it was only the two of them.
"I'll call you when I get home stalker," Max said quietly, cupping the end of the phone around her palm. "I love you."
"Oooh!" Mike teased, earning a kick to the shin from the disgruntled redhead.
"Yeah I'm guessing Mike paid for that one," Lucas chuckled before clearing his throat. "But I love you too Max. So much and I know we can get through anything."
Max couldn't help her smile, she knew she was bordering on Mike and El territory here, but it was practically contagious. "We can stalker, I promise. Speak to you later."
"Speak to you later babe."
Max disconnected the call and heaved a sigh, trying to avoid her friends' eyes for a moment as she grinned to herself, her heart finally happy again. She sat back up, a determination flickering in her blue eyes as she looked between the couple.
"What will I need to do for this dinner?"
"Dress up," El immediately replied, a flicker of excitement in her eyes at the opportunity of giving Max a makeover.
"And bring dessert over or something," Mike shrugged, scooting up the bed and leaning against the headboard.
"Dressing up and dessert, got you," Max nodded in agreement, her mind alive with all sorts of thoughts over what she would wear and how she would act in front of the Sinclair's.
"Wheeler?" Max asked as an afterthought when something occurred to her. "I've really got to make a dessert?"
"I mean, it would be kind of a good way to break the ice. That's what my mom does anyway."
"Oh, okay…cool." Max nodded. "So, what exactly will Karen be baking for me to pass off as my own creation?"
Mike and El laughed, Max grinning slightly, trying not to let the nerves or doubts get to her as she listened to the power couple recite their own tales of "meet the parents". Throughout she kept one thing in mind, that Max Mayfield loved Lucas Sinclair and neither racism or religion was going to keep them apart.
AN: Thank you so much for reading :-) Pretty please let me know what you thought of this first chapter, it would mean the world to me to get some feedback. We definitely don't get paid for our time on these stories, so a review would be like a payment ;-) I'm being too cheeky now, so I'm off! Haha