Thanks for reading and reviewing, and sorry for the lack of updating. School is taking over my life.
"Okay, I'm off." Lucas said, walking into the kitchen Saturday morning.
"No time for breakfast?" Deb asked.
"My mom wants to talk to me about something." Lucas said, picking up Nathan's glass of juice and taking a sip.
He made a face when he tasted vodka in it.
"Something wrong?" Deb asked.
Lucas glanced at Nathan who widened his eyes at him.
"Uh no…I just don't really like pulp." Lucas lied.
"That'll teach you to take my juice." Nathan said swiftly, taking the glass back from Lucas and downing the rest of it.
"See ya." Lucas said to Dan and Deb.
"Bye." Dan said.
"Don't forget your suit next week." Deb said.
"Right."
Lucas went to his room and got his backpack.
Deb had bought him some new clothes, so he didn't really need an extra bag between houses anymore.
"Lucas." Nathan said, following him.
"Nice screwdriver you made back there." Lucas said.
"Look, it's not that bad, I was just…bored."
"You're very weird." Lucas laughed.
"I know."
"Just keep it in check." Lucas said pointedly.
"I will. I promise."
"Alright. See you Monday. You're coming back to school right?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
They pounded fists and Lucas went to Karen's.
"Mom I'm home." He called out, opening the door.
He surveyed the room, taking in all the boxes strewn across the floor.
"Hey Lucas." Andy said, entering the room.
"What the…"
"Your mom hasn't told you." Andy said.
"She wanted to talk in person, where is-"
"Oh good you're here." Karen said.
"Yeah, and uh…" Lucas pointed to all the boxes.
"We're moving into Andy's house!" Karen said excitedly.
"What?"
"His house is beautiful Lucas, and there's tons of room, it will be great."
"I know...it's just that I grew up here." Lucas said sadly.
"Oh I know honey, but it will be great. We're going to start a new life, together."
"Yeah." Lucas said after a moment.
"You don't seem happy. I promise you, it will be great." Andy said.
"Sure, it's just a lot to process."
"Of course." Karen said.
"So um, when is moving day?"
"Two weeks from now."
"Wow, that soon?"
"Yes. Then we can put the finishing touches on the wedding plans and we'll be set." Karen said.
"Fantastic." Lucas muttered under his breath.
That next Friday, Lucas waited outside the school for Nathan. There was no game that night, because of the Basketball Appreciation Party the next day.
"There you are." Lucas said as Nathan approached.
"Sorry."
"How was your first week back?"
"I owe you big. I'm a lot less behind than I thought I was."
"That's good."
"Alright let's go." Nathan said.
They got home and were removing their backpacks to toss on the floor of the foyer, when Deb called out to them.
"Don't you two dare. Take them upstairs."
"That was freaky." Lucas laughed.
"She knows everything, man."
"So Lucas, your mom told me about moving into Andy's house." Deb said at dinner that night.
"Yeah." Lucas said sullenly.
"And Luke can't stop talking about how excited he is." Nathan said sarcastically.
"This whole thing is weird." Lucas said.
"Does your mom know it is?" Dan asked.
"Um, well I tried to tell her that I didn't really want to move out of the house I grew up in, but she and Andy were just kind of raving about how great it will be, and how we'll all be a new family."
"It's better than wanting to move to New Zealand." Dan pointed out.
"True, I just didn't want to completely separate from my childhood house, my mom's house, it's our house."
"It must be hard." Deb said sympathetically.
"Kind of. It will be good though." Lucas said half-heartedly.
"Yeah." Deb agreed.
"May I be excused?"
"Alright. Plans with Brooke?"
"Yeah, just to get coffee. I told you this afternoon I thought."
"Oh that's right. Remember, midnight. I don't want you to be sluggish for the party."
"Okay."
"Can I be excused too? I want to talk to Tim." Nathan asked.
"Yes you may." Deb said.
"Sup Nate?" Tim answered his cell phone.
"Hey. I have a favor to ask."
"Sure."
"Is your brother still friends with that guy who works at the pharmacy?"
"Yeah…"
"Great. I need some painkillers. Can you have them by tomorrow?"
"Yeah, he's meeting with him tonight actually. Why do you need these?"
"For my knee, Tim." Nathan said impatiently.
"Oh. Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, it won't be like with the amphetamines."
"Alright…"
"Trust me, Tim. Alright? See you tomorrow."
"Bye."
"Yo Luke." Nathan called as he got to the bottom of the stairs the next day.
"Yeah?"
"Help me with this, will you?" Nathan said, indicating the untied tie around his neck.
"Sure." Lucas said, tying it.
"Thanks."
"No problem. What time is it?" He asked as the doorbell rang.
"Time to be good hosts. Go finish getting ready." Dan said, striding towards the door.
Dan opened the door to find Karen standing there.
"Hello Karen." Dan said, surprised to see her there.
"Dan." Karen said stiffly.
"Luke!" Dan called.
Karen waited in silence.
"Lucas!" Dan called.
There was a thud, laughter and then shushing upstairs.
"Did you call me?" Lucas said after a moment.
"Yeah. Your mom's here."
"Oh!"
Lucas came back downstairs..
"What were you two doing?"
"Spider in the bathroom."
Despite herself, Karen chuckled at her son's fear of spiders.
"Alright then." Dan said.
"Hi mom."
"Hi Lucas."
"Deb's in the kitchen with the caterers if you want to say hello." Dan said.
"Alright. Excuse me." Karen said.
"I invited her because she's still friends with Deb, and she supports the team and all..." Lucas said.
"It's fine. As long as little Andy didn't come."
"Nope. I'm sure he's home packing up everything for tomorrow." Lucas sighed.
Dan smiled and put his arm across Lucas' shoulders.
"It will be fine."
"Hopefully."
"By the way, I do not want a repeat discovery of you and a girl in the bedroom like last year." Dan whispered in his ear.
"Gotcha." Lucas said.
"…my lovely wife for setting up this party. Look at this, please. But Raven team spirit also includes the parents and the local businesses, whose financial support make this team great." Dan said to the smiling crowd.
Dan looked at Lucas, who raised his eyebrows.
"And the coaching staff." Dan said quickly.
Lucas smiled.
"Tonight's for you. Enjoy." Dan finished, and the guests applauded.
"I think that's the first time in 4 years he's mentioned Whitey." Nathan said, sipping his drink.
"What've you got there?"
"Beer."
"Nate." Lucas sighed.
"Luke." Nathan imitated.
"What's up with all the drinking?"
"Nothing. It's a party. Don't worry, I'm keeping it under control." Nathan said, patting Lucas on the back.
"About ready to get back in the game?" Whitey asked, approaching the brothers.
"Hell yes."
"Better get your ass into the weight room as soon as that cast comes off."
"Oh come on coach, you know I'm still good. I can pick up Lucas." Nathan laughed.
"Yes and nobody wants a repeat of the ocean incident."
"What are you two bickering about?" Whitey asked.
"Nathan, being the graceful guy that he is, decides to grab me and trips halfway into the ocean, sending us both into freezing cold water." Lucas said.
Whitey chuckled.
"You two are idiots."
"Thank you." Nathan said.
Lucas laughed.
"I'll be right back. Refill." Nathan said.
"So how are you doing, Lucas?" Whitey asked.
"Um…fine." Lucas said uncomfortably. As much as he liked Whitey, they hadn't spoken much since he quit.
"The team isn't the same without you."
"I'm sorry I only just started coming back to games."
"Don't worry about it."
"Coach, do you think I could talk to Lucas for a minute?" Tim asked as he approached.
"Sure." Whitey said.
"Where's Nathan?"
"Refilling his beer. He better be careful about sneaking alcohol at this thing."
"Yeah," Tim said, "Especially since he's probably gonna be popping those painkillers later."
"Tim, Nathan and I stopped needing painkillers over a month ago." Lucas rolled his eyes.
"He just bought some off my brother." Tim said in confusion.
"What?"
"He has a connection at the pharmacy, I thought you knew."
"Why the hell would I know about Nathan abusing prescription drugs?" Lucas hissed.
"I'm sorry man, I just thought it was Dan being a hardass about the whole basketball thing. You know, no pain, no gain."
"He should've stopped taking those."
"Well he apparently didn't."
"What the hell Tim…" Lucas said in frustration.
"I'm really sorry. What are you going to do?"
"Talk to him about it. Dammit, he's probably completely hooked on them now." Lucas ran his fingers through his hair.
"Be careful man, he'll be in extreme denial."
"Why do you know so much about this?"
"Hi, my brother is a drug dealer. I've learned the signs of addiction. It's just that I haven't really been around Nathan much lately…"
"But I have…I can't believe I missed it."
Lucas waited patiently for the party to end, faking smiles and pleasantries with the guests. All of his friends knew something was on his mind, except for Nathan who had been indulging in booze and conversation with the cheerleaders.
As soon as the last guest left, Lucas ran upstairs and opened his medicine cabinet. He saw his HCM medication, a bottle of aspirin, and a razor. But no bottle of painkillers.
Overcome with dread, he went into Nathan's room, which was still empty.
He opened up Nathan's bedside table drawer, and went through the contents.
When he didn't find anything, he dropped to the floor and looked under the bed, but didn't have enough time to really look.
"What are you doing?" Nathan said, walking into his bedroom.
Oh that's right. CLIFFHANGER!
Teeeheeeheee.
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