Lincoln
It's August 8th, 2016 and school starts again in two days. I'm NOT looking forward to it at all. It's just a distraction that keeps me away from work and my family. Lacy had just started to learn how to crawl, and it was exciting but scary! We had to keep every bit of attention on her so that she wouldn't end up where she wasn't supposed to be, like the stairs or the bathroom. On top of that, Life in the loud house wasn't a safe one! NOTHING here is baby proofed AT ALL! And although we try our best to keep her in our room, she finds her way to sneak out! She's a very sneaky and playful one alright! I love her so much though! As she grows more into her features, I see more of me and Lynn in her! She has her green eyes and hair. She has my smile and nose. When she laughs really hard, her eyes shut and her nose crinkles like Lynn! I can't wait to see how she grows some more! But as she does, I know she can count on me! I would do anything for her! I will protect her from everything that comes her way! I will not let her feel the abandonment I felt as a kid with my parents!
I wake up at 6 am and drag myself into the shower. Showers always wake me up. As I enter my room again, drying my hair with the towel, I look over my small family and smile. Lynn was on her stomach fast asleep, softly snoring, her arms crossed above her and her head resting upon them. Lacy laid on her back, breathing rapidly in her crib. I love them so much! I don't want to leave! I just want to snuggle back into bed with her and hold her close! But alas, I cannot. I must go to the hell hole they call school.
I walk out of the bus and am surrounded by musty crusty dusty moldy teenagers, all looking for their friends. I just pass through, in my own little world. I find myself blurring it all out until I walk straight into Sky.
"UMPH! Lincoln! Watch where you are going bro!" she exasperated.
"Sorry, Sky! Was kinda zoned out there."
"I see that! You ready for this school year?" She asked me.
"About as ready as I'll ever be!" I responded wearily.
My first class was World History with Ms. Carson, a grumpy old woman who was known for her harsh grading. Great. Just what I need to start the day with.
My next class was chem, then creative writing, then English, lunch, algebra 2, art then finally film Analogy 2. It wasn't gonna be the same without Lynn being there though.
As lunch came around, I felt a tap on my shoulder and nearly toppled my whole tray and everything over. I turned around to see Clyde beaming, both hands gripping either side of his tray.
"Hey, Lincoln! Can we sit together?!" He bubbled like a kindergartener to their favorite playmate. I roll my eyes at this.
"Clyde, I already told you! I don't think you're gonna like who I have become!" I groan, turning and walking away. He runs behind though to catch up.
"But! I said I have changed! I am a more open-minded man now! Throw it at me! I won't care!"
I blankly stared at him and let out an agitated sigh.
"Okay. Yeah. Whatever you say." I mumble, continuing to walk my original path, him following me all giddy. I really don't understand why he felt so obligated to be my friend again. I sit at a table together with Sky, Starlla, and David. He sits by me. They look at me confused. "This is Clyde. Clyde, the peoples" I introduce blandly.
"Hi! Nice to meet you guys!" he chirped. His cheerfulness made me want to vomit!
"Hey! Im sky, this is my sister Starlla, and that's—"
"David. Pleasure to meet you." He spoke. "Are you new here?"
"Ha! No! I've attended school with Lincoln since kindergarten! We used to be BEST FRIENDS!" He cheesed, pulling me into a side hug that I quickly avoided.
"Oh, I can tell!" Sky snickered, looking and poking at her food.
"What my sister meant to say was, we had no idea since we have never seen you guys together," Starlla rolled her eyes.
"Well… time had gotten the best of us and we split ways at one point," He started, his arm reaching behind his neck with a nervous chuckle. I gave him a side-eye. Yeah, okay sure. That's why. "But I am trying to rekindle things, hoping we can be friends again!"
"Did this 'split' just so happen to be around… 8th gradish?" David asked, thinking and quickly flipping his hand back and forth.
"Yeah… why?" Clyde asked. David was on to him- I can tell. I smiled, internally laughing, and looked down after his eyes met mine, brows raised in 'shock'.
"Just wondering. That's when lots of friends split you know`" he hummed.
"Yeah… well anyways, how long have you all been friends?"
"Few months, but we're tight!" Sky perked.
"Like this!" Jen approached from behind Clyde and I with her fingers crossed together. "Move stinky!" She said, having David move a seat down, allowing her to sit.
"Clyde, this is Jen. Jen, Clyde."
"Hey~" She hummed, wiggling her fingers, waving hi. This made Clyde go red a bit. Jen had no intention of flirting- that's just her. She did it for the fun of it and as I can tell, Clyde was still his old self and fell victim to any source of female engagement.
They sat making small talk to Clyde and each other as I quietly stayed to myself, occasionally talking to David. Mostly, I just wanted Clyde to leave already! That and I wanted to go home to see Lynn again.
"Lynn, being Lynn of course, couldn't resist, and challenged us to the most intense Mario cart race you've ever seen that night! Wait, you know Lynn, right?" Jen asked, breaking character from her story.
"Lincoln's sister? Uh, Yeah. I didn't realize you guys did though…"
"What?! Yeah! Lynn is a part of this group! I mean granted; she doesn't go to school anymore due to having L—"
"HAVING LOADS OF SPORTING EVENTS! YEAH! She decided to sacrifice and work on school from home so that she could remain completely free for her extracurriculars! That Lynn, am I right?!" I chime in, cutting her off. She looks at me, thinking 'Dude! What the heck?!' but I give her a look and she settles down some. Let's just hope she understood what that look meant.
"Ha! Yeah! Always on the go that Lynn!" Clyde laughed on.
After Lunch, we went our separate ways, but I ran to catch up with Jen.
"Dude. Clyde doesn't know about Lacy. Let's keep it that way!" I hush yell.
"He doesn't? I thought everyone did…or at least had SOME idea that she was pregnant."
"No, he doesn't. He stopped being my friend because… of something changing in my life. He isn't very adaptable to change or anything different. This would COMPLETELY blow him out of the water! For the sake of Lynn, don't tell anyone. Especially not him."
"Wait so if you guys had a bad end to your friendship, why was he sitting with us today?"
"I don't know man! He won't leave me alone! He keeps begging me to take him back as a friend, claiming he was wrong before and that he has changed. I'm just a different person than I was back when we were friends, and honestly, I don't want him back in my life. Hurt me once, fool on you. Hurt me twice, fool on me. I'm not putting myself in a situation where I am most likely gonna get hurt in. Let's just hope he eventually gets bored and stops persisting!"
"Why don't you just tell him that you don't want him to keep hanging out with you?" She questioned.
"I have tried to indicate it but I'm not gonna just flat out say it! That's rude and—"
"What? You don't wanna hurt his feelings? Didn't you say he had hurt yours though in the past? So, what's the big deal? Unless you still empathize with him and do miss his friendship." She pointed out. I looked at the floor and thought for a moment.
"It's not that. He and I were best friends since kindergarten. He was like a brother to me. And even if he didn't see it that way, I don't want to hurt him just because he hurt me. I am not a petty person like that!"
"Unless it's Lori?" She joked.
"HA! Yeah! Unless it's Lori! That's different!" I laughed.
"Did you know he actually used to have the biggest crush on Lori when we were growing up? I honestly wonder what he saw in her!" I chuckled.
"Hey, toxic attracts toxic. Even at that young age. Red flag!" She rolled her eyes, walking on. I then waved and headed to my next class.
I'm sitting in my last period when I get a text from her. It feels like I've been pulled back into my perfect reality seeing her message, taking me out of the daze I've been in at school.
Lynn 3: when will you be home? We miss you! [image attached]
There's a picture of my two girls hugging each other, smiling. I can't help but to smile back! They are just so beautiful and adorable! Now I REALLY can't wait to get home!
Lincoln: Aw! I miss you guys more than ever! I need to escape this hell hole! I got an hour left to go though
Lynn 3: that's too long. Be home now
Lincoln: I wish my love. I wish…
Lynn 3: idk how I'm gonna do this for another 9 months! you need to hurry up and graduate bro
Lincoln: I'm trying my best to! Then we'll be off! Just the three of us! Far far away from them all!
Lynn 3: That day can't come soon enough!
I put my phone down and sigh. It feels as though it's all one million years away. I know it'll be worth it though!
When I reach my front door, I'm practically jumping up and down, barely able to put the key in. I just want to see them already! I don't care how many of Lacy's diapers I have to change! I just want them.
I walk up to our room and I see them napping in our bed. I throw off my backpack, my shoes, and my pants, and jump right behind her, sliding her closer. She moves a bit under my touch and then tightens my grip on her. She wears a sleepy sleepy smile on her face, eyes still closed. I take a deep breath in and take in her scent. Her warmth. Her touch. I'm finally home.