A.N This is a long overdue chapter 3! Enjoy and review! Warning: Under aged drinking/drunkenness in this chapter.

Chapter 3: a drunken man tells no lie

Rachel

"They're just so sickeningly cute." Rachel said.

"Rachel, they're not a couple. Stop obsessing." Juniper laughed.

"But they're so close. Annabeth, look at them." Rachel said pointing. "That's how you and Percy were when you were best friends, was it not?"

"I don't care." Annabeth groaned.

"Just because Percy hates Lyric, doesn't mean you have to." Juniper said.

"Percy doesn't hate Lyric, they're just really competitive. And I don't hate her either, she's actually my friend." Annabeth said.

"Well, Lyric hates Percy. They're always trying to outdo each other." Juniper laughed.

"You guys are losing focus." Rachel said. She pointed at over where Leo and Lyric were standing. They were at Lyric's locker, where she proceeded to dump books into his hands. He was laughing at something she said. She reached to take the books but he offered to hold them for her.

"Did you guys see that?!" I said.

"Yes!" Juniper laughed. "He's carrying her books, what's your point?"

"My point is they have a thing for each other!" I said. "And my predictions are never wrong. They just need a little push."

"You're scaring me." Annabeth said.

"Good."

Leo

"I turn the music up

I got my records on

I shut the world outside until the lights come on

Maybe the streets alight

Maybe the trees are gone

I feel my heart start beating to my favorite song." Lyric sang as she strummed her guitar. "You know that one?"

"Every teardrop is a waterfall." I said.

"Who's the band?" She said with a smirk.

"That's easy, it's Coldplay." I snorted. "Your favorite."

"Ugh, Valdez you know too much." She laughed.

"You act like you don't know everything about me."

"Cause I don't!" She said, putting her guitar down. "Well, I know the important stuff."

"When's my birthday?" I said. She blinked and looked down to her guitar. "You don't know, do you?"

"I know it's near mine." She said.

"Your right, except for the 4 months between them."

She groaned. "I'm a terrible friend."

"Your not any more worse then you already you were." I laughed as I took out my phone. I instantly frowned when I saw the text.

"What is it?" Lyric asked.

"Invite to Drew's party she has every year before the first football game."

"The one where she invites all the football players and tries to get them to go out with her?" Lyric said.

I snorted. "That's the one."

"You should go." She said.

My eyes went wide. "Your serious." I said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"That I am."

"But you hate Drew."

"Don't go for Drew!" She hit me in my arm. "Go for your friends on the team with you because it's our last year of high school."

"Did you want to go?" I asked.

"Fuck no!" She laughed. "Plus I have to talk to my dad tonight."

"I can't just go alone." I said.

"Take Rachel. You know I don't do parties, Valdez."

"Why would I take Rachel?"

"Because I don't trust any other girl around you." She said.

I stared at her. Did she just…?

She cleared her throat. "And you obviously can't find a date in 4 hours."

"What makes you think that?"

She just looked at me and scoffed.

"Now, What's that supposed to mean?"

"Every girl is practically scared to date you."

"Why do you think that is?" I said, sarcastically.

"Because of me." She laughed. "I mean, they act like I'm a mean Pit bull and I marked you as my territory."

"You are pretty threatening."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are." I laughed. "You practically growled at Kayla."

"She was asking stupid questions."

"Asking what someone's doing when you walk up to them is perfectly acceptable."

"But you were obviously writing. I would've been perfectly fine if she asked what you were writing but she didn't."

"Face it, you don't want me to anyone because they would distract me from you."

"More like I'd distract you from them." She laughed.

"What do you mean by that."

"Alright, you've dated a girl for 6 months and at 4 am your having a moment or a breakdown. Who'd you phone first?" She said, as if she already knew the answer.

I grimaced. "You."

"Precisely." She said. "How would you feel if your girlfriend had a boy that she trusted more than you."

"I wouldn't really have a problem."

"Well, it's different for girls. We're all a bunch of possessive shits." Lyric laughed. "That's why were all in such a rush to get married."

"And you?" I say. She looks at me, questioningly. "Do you… Do you want to get married?"

She raises an eyebrow. "You proposing, Valdez?"

I blushed and coughed. "I didn't—"

"Calm down, I knew what you meant." She laughed. "I mean, it's every little girl's dream to get married someday but I don't really mind. I can imagine myself married, but I can also imagine myself alone and still be perfectly happy."

"So, you don't want a family?"

"Never said that." She said. "But there's different definitions of family. I could easily get a bunch of dogs." She stood. "Alright, that's enough serious talk. You've got to go get ready."

"What do you mean?"

"Ugh, Please don't go to the party like that." She ran upstairs. "Call Rachel." She called out before disappearing.

Lyric

"How was your date?" I said, as my dad walked into the living room.

He looked startled. "What?"

"Don't bother lying. You're wearing your good suit. And you wouldn't just wear that for school." I said, crossing my legs. "So, how was it."

"It was nice." He said.

"But it's the 5th date surely it was more then nice." I said.

"I feel like your implying more than your saying."

"That's because I am, father." I laughed. "And when am I going to meet this mysterious woman?"

"Tomorrow, I invited her and her son over."

"She has a son?"

"Yes."

"How old is he?"

"Your age."

"UGH! I have to socialize?"

"I know, you're a human and you have to interact with other humans?! Your life is so hard."

"Your sarcasm is not needed." I said. "Does this mean I have to cook?"

"No, I'll cook."

"Meaning, You'll try to cook. Burn it. And then I'll cook or order take-out."

"Don't make me send you to bed." He laughed.

"Don't bother. I'm going to bed anyway." I said, yawning. "Night, Mr. Blowfis."

Dad sighed and laughed. "Night, Lyric."

XXX

I was woken up by a bang and a giggle.

I turned and looked at my alarm clock. 3:30? Who's in my house at 3:30 AM? I grabbed my lacrosse stick and headed out my door.

I immediately bumped into Leo.

"Oomph!" I said. "Leo! What the actual fuck!"

"Lyric? Hey!" He said, staggering toward me. "How's my very special girl?" He placed an arm around me and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Ugh! Leo, are you drunk?"

"Like a skunk." He giggled.

"Ok, let's just get you in my room before you wake my dad."

"Whoa! I don't think I'm ready for this phase in our relationship." He said.

"What?!" I said. "Shut up." I said, pushing him in the room.

I sat him on my bed. "I'm going to get you some food to sober you up a little, ok?" I said. He just nodded dumbly.

"Why are you here, Valdez?" I said, handing him some crackers.

"Rachel dropped me off at my house but I had to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"I lo—" He began to gag.

"Oh shit!" I said, handing him a bin, which he promptly vomited into. He handed me the bin back. I made a face and proceeded to take it to the bathroom.

"Here just lay down. On your side." I said, pushing him over to his side. "I'll go sleep in the living room." I said, turning to the door.

"No!" He said, grabbing my hand. "Stay here with me? Please?" I groaned and slid under the covers with him. Leo moved and wrapped his arms around me and continued to snuggle into my side.

"I'm immediately regretting letting you go to that party." I said. "I swear if you vomit in my hair, I will kick your ass in the morning hangover or not." I said, trying not to melt in his arms. God, I thought I would be over this crush by now but Christ, he's really warm.

Valdez laughed. "You know why I like you so much, Lyric."

"No, but I have a feeling your going to tell me."

"You remind me of my mom." My eyes widened when he said that. I knew how important Valdez's mom was to him. "She was so free and she could always make me laugh. She was the most important person in my life." He sighed. "Now she's dead and it's my fault. That's why I'm so scared of letting you in too much because now I'm starting to care so much for you that your going to leave me too."

I lied there in shock. "I'm not going anywhere, Valdez." I finally said. "And your mom's death is not your fault."

"I couldn't save her." I felt tears on the back of my neck. I turned around.

"You listen to me, Valdez. You were ten! The firefighters found you and couldn't find your mom and that's not your fault. My mom died giving birth to me and though I don't like it there was nothing I could do, I was a baby!" I sighed. "I asked my dad about it and he said though mom was the love of his life and he couldn't imagine life without her back then, now he can't imagine life without me. And frankly, if that hadn't happened, you wouldn't have met me. And if your mom was still alive, though that would be fantastic, I wouldn't have met you. And goddamn it, I need you." I said. As soon as the words leave my mouth, I forget them. But that got him, he wrapped his arms tighter around me and buried his face in my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I've got you, Valdez." I said. "I'm not going anywhere."