Chapter 9 I See, A Bad Moon Rising

Back to the present day, Girl Jordan sat at the table, her arm resting there, supporting her slumped head. She stared at the worn surface, her thoughts far away. The news about Lincoln and Christina's clandestine moments had hit her hard, but she remained outwardly calm.

She spoke with a resigned lightness, "Christina, you've always been one to push the boundaries. And here I was, foolishly convinced I had won Lincoln's heart all to myself."

Christina's eyes were wet with unshed tears, and she shook her head vehemently. "Jordan, that's only part of it. The truth is, he cared deeply for both of us. And in the end, he still chose you over me. This love triangle, it wasn't something any of us could control. Sadly, we ended up hurting each other out of pure ignorance.

Jordan looked up, her eyes meeting Christina's. "Yeah, we all made mistakes," she admitted. "It's all making sense now—the way you framed him, his need to keep everything under wraps, and my own retaliation. It's clear now why everything fell apart."

Despite Christina's understanding of her actions, the realization was still a blow she couldn't bear. With tears starting to roll down her cheeks, she broke out, "Remember how he looked at us? He cried in front of everyone, and we just stood there."

Girl Jordan echoed her sentiment. Her head still cradled in her hand as she sobbed quietly. "I can never forgive myself. . . He needed me and all I did was watch."

Christina reached out, clasping Jordan's hands firmly, offering a sense of comfort. "Jordan, it's crucial you understand why I acted the way I did. You were the one who managed to unmask him, and I believe you'll do the same for his voice."

Girl Jordan sniffled softly, composing herself before nodding. "Right, Right. I believe it's best if we all share our viewpoint starting from here on out. The more we know the better."

Without hesitation, Lynn Jr. cleared her throat with a decisive "Ahem." "I've got no objections, but I think it's important you hear what went down right after Christina left. My mom wasn't too thrilled with how everything played out," she began.

The memory was as vivid as if it had just happened. Christina could still hear Mrs. Loud's harsh words ringing in her ears as Lynn began to recount the events leading to her departure.

Lori, stood confidently near the edge of her dresser, tapped her pristine white high heel on the wooden surface, commanding attention like a gavel. "Alright, it's settled," she declared. "We'll have a word with him once his girlfriend is gone. Until then, let's just stay out of their way and handle our own business."

With two sharp taps of her heel, Lori concluded their impromptu meeting. The sisters dispersed, but Lynn lingered, her gaze fixed on her brother's closed door. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and turned to see Lucy, who shook her head slightly. "Best not to eavesdrop," Lucy advised in her usual monotone.

Reluctantly, Lynn nodded and joined her sisters in various activities, though her mind remained on Lincoln. From behind the door, they could still hear his agitated murmurs. Time seemed to crawl, but after about thirty minutes, the noise subsided. The once tense and frantic conversation dwindled to calm, subdued voices before fading into an almost calm silence.

Believing Lincoln had finally settled down, the girls resumed their activities, relieved that their brother seemed to have found some peace. Eventually, their parents arrived home. "Kids, come help with the groceries!" Lynn Sr. called out. "The sooner we get everything inside, the sooner I can start cooking."

The children hurried to the car, turning the task into one of their usual friendly competitions. As they gathered the bags, Lynn Sr. looked around and asked, "Where's Lincoln? He's usually the first one here, jumping over everyone to reach the car."

Passing by with grocery bags in each arm, Leni replied, "Oh, he's totes in his room with his new girlfriend. There was, like, a lot of drama while you were gone, and now they're, like, talking it out."

"Girlfriend?" Lynn Sr. repeated, his eyebrow arching in surprise. He was surprised by the news. Considering everything Lincoln had been through—losing his best friend and battling a deep funk—this was unexpected. But the thought of him having a girlfriend, well, that was a ray of sunshine he hadn't anticipated. He felt a sudden urge to meet the girl who had managed to lift his son's spirits.

"Hey, Leni, how long have they been in there?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "It'd be great if she could stay for dinner. Might do Lincoln some good."

"Oh, she got here about an hour ago. Having her stay for dinner sounds like a great idea. We can totally get to know her," Leni replied.

Rita walked through the living room door, catching bits of their conversation. "Leni, did I hear correctly? We have a guest tonight?"

Leni waved her hand nonchalantly. "Oh, yeah! I was just telling Dad that Lincoln has a girlfriend. They're, like, both in his room right now.

Rita, showing evident concern, asked, "Is the door open?"

"No, not really," Leni replied with a small shrug. "Lincoln was pretty mad at us, and with everything going on, we thought it was best to leave them alone to sort things out."

Without wasting another second, Rita started marching upstairs, but Lynn Sr. quickly stepped in, gently grabbing her arm. "Hold on, honey. We don't want to just barge in. You heard Leni, Lincoln's already on edge. Maybe we should give them some space."

"Lynn, I get that," Rita countered, her voice tinged with worry, "but what if they're doing more than just talking?"

He scoffs, "Pfft, Seriously? Our son is way too innocent to care about the bird and the bees. A couple months ago, I found him rummaging through our closet, hunting for rubber bands. Instead, he stumbled upon my old... *clears throat* collection. He took one look, made a face like he'd seen a ghost, and tossed them aside like they were radioactive. And when I sat him down for 'the talk,' he bolted, hands over his ears, shouting 'La La La La' all the way to his room."

Rita shook her head, not convinced. "It doesn't matter Lynn. Kids are curious by nature. One thing can lead to another, and before you know it, boom, grandkids. . . Now, I'm not going to debate this any further. They can talk as long as the door stays open."

Seeing his wife being reasonable, Lynn Sr. conceded, "Fine, but try to be level headed." Rita just rolled her eyes, ignoring his statement. They headed upstairs, initially met with silence. As they approached Lincoln's room, a faint, wet clicking sound reached their ears, reminiscent of stirring macaroni and cheese. Rita knocked gently, "Lincoln?" No response. She knocked again, louder this time, "Lincoln?" Still nothing.

Her patience waning, Rita's ears perked up at the sound of moaning and laughter. She distinctly heard someone murmur, "Hmmm, Lincoln." Alarmed, she exchanged a worried glance with Lynn Sr.

Without any hesitation, they barge right in only to catch his son in such a lewd position. There he was, with no shirt, on his knees, leaning upright. To their shock, they were so caught in the moment, they didn't even notice their presence. The girl's eyes were half lidded, too dazed to focus on them. Her legs were spread apart with Lincoln in the middle of them. Slowly, Lincoln was sliding her skirt to see what lies underneath as if he was savoring the moment.

The parents had seen enough. With every bit of authority and outrage they could muster, they bellowed, "LINCOLN!" The force of their voices stopped the scene in its tracks. Lincoln whirled around, his eyes wide with fear, swallowing hard as the reality of being caught sank in. He quickly dismounted from the redhead and settled into a sitting position on the bed. His hands fidgeted between his legs, his head slumped in an unmistakable gesture of submission. His girlfriend, equally shaken, followed pursuit.

Lincoln's thumbs twiddled nervously, and with a sheepish sound, he murmured, "Mom, Dad, how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." Rita said, "What on Earth you were thinking Lincoln!? Getting into fights and now trying to have sex. It's a miracle we walked in when we did." She pauses, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Did you ever think of the ramifications if your younger sisters came in instead?"

Rita's booming voice echoed through the house, summoning the sisters upstairs. They arrived to find Lincoln shirtless, sitting next to a visibly embarrassed Christina. The sisters exchanged shocked glances as they pieced together what transpired. Meanwhile, Rita continued her interrogation. "Answer me, Lincoln!"

Struggling for words, he finally responded, "Uh, we just got caught up in the moment, Mom. I mean, is it wrong to make love to someone you care about?" He glanced at Christina and squeezed her hand, their fingers interlocking. They shared a brief, tender smile, momentarily lost in their own world.

Rita's eye twitched in anger at being ignored the second time. "Are you kidding me!?" she roared. "Step away from my son right now!"

The two quickly separated, moving to opposite ends of the bed. Rita's attention shifted to Christina. "Listen here, young lady," she said sternly. "I don't care who you are, but you're just as much trouble as he is. Maybe it's time we had a chat with your parents to straighten things out."

That made Christina respond, "No, please! You can't!" she pleaded. "My dad can't find out about this. He's already dealing with so much. Please, reconsider."

"It would be irresponsible of me not to inform them. Now, is there any way to contact your parents?" Christina remained silent, causing Rita to intensify her response. "Fine, if you won't tell me, then I'll have to handle this myself. Lincoln, you're grounded for an additional two months. On top of that, you'll have extra chores around the house and some community service for good measure."

Lincoln's jaw dropped. "Two months? Haven't I suffered enough?"

Lynn Sr. gently tapped his wife's shoulder. "Honey, isn't two months a bit extreme? Maybe we should step back and rethink this."

"No!" Rita replied firmly. "If they want to act like adults, they should be treated like adults."

Seeing the look of desperation on Lincoln's face, Christina knew she had to step in. She stood up, steadying her voice. "Alright, I'll tell you! Just promise you'll be lenient with Lincoln." With that, she pulled out her cellphone and scrolled through her contacts. "Here's my father's number. Just give him a call."

Rita took the phone, quickly dialing the number. She waited, but it went to voicemail. With a sigh, she asked, "He's not answering. Is there any other way to reach your mother?"

"No, sorry, there isn't. My mom and dad are no longer together."

Rita clicked her tongue. "Tsk, figures. That explains a lot about your behavior."

Clearly offended, Christina snapback, "Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"

The two now lock eyes, staring daggers at each other's souls. "You heard me," Rita said coldly. "Your mother is nothing but a horny slut."

Christina's lips curled into a smirk as she retorted, "Oh really? Well, if that's true, it's not hard to see where Lincoln gets his adventurous streak. After all, you do have eleven kids, don't you?"

The tension in the room was palpable, making the rest of the family uneasy. They could do nothing but watch, knowing the situation was spiraling towards disaster. Rita, tired of the back-and-forth, narrowed her eyes and decided it was time to put an end to it.

"Oooo, you got a mouth on you girl." she stated calmly. "But I can see right through you, and I know what upbringing you had. If I knew any better, you're a daddy's girl, but your mother. . . your mother was a gold digger. And you know what I think kid? I bet she was out there having fun with another man, possibly a family friend? And it didn't take long for poor daddy to find out who she really was. And now you're here, following in her footsteps." Rita concluded, smirking back at the child.

There was no comeback Christina could muster; Mrs. Loud harsh assessment of her life hit too close to home. Her eyes reddened as tears began to well up, and her mouth quivered uncontrollably.

Suddenly, Christina let out a choked sob, and the floodgates opened. She cried so hard that her voice broke, and all that came out were ragged, spasm gasps. Her emotions overwhelmed her, and she could no longer hold back the tears.

With a desperate push, she shoved Rita aside and bolted for the door, her scream echoing through the house. Still on her high horse, Rita adds a final comment to her retreating figure. "And stay out!"

With a self-satisfied "Hmph," Rita crossed her arms, convinced she was justified. Yet, as she glanced at her daughters, she noticed their expressions painted a different picture. Sadness and hurt etched across their expressions, a strong protest against her actions.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the wall, startling everyone. Rita spun around to see Lincoln, his face flushed with anger, standing amidst the remains of his shattered toy robot. "I can't believe you would say such a thing! You have the galls to yell at a little girl and bring up her family issues! You're a MONSTER!"

Rita's face softened, but she knew it was too late to undo her mistake. She reached out to Lincoln, her voice gentle. "Lincoln, sweetie..."

But Lincoln recoiled, swatting her hand away. "Don't touch me!" he snapped. "Just like Luna, you don't understand. But they do. Jordan was there when I got bullied. She knows how to make me feel better when I'm down. And Christina—she gets me. Today, she confided about her past, and it showed me we're a lot alike. And what did you do? You went and humiliated her!"

Her mother cooed in response. "Oh, Lincoln, sweetheart, why didn't you tell us? We knew you were having a hard time, but we had no idea it was this bad."

"That's because none of you listen! Have you ever wondered why I don't open up? I'm the only boy in a house full of girls. Whenever I try to share my feelings, I'm called a wimp. You all expect me to just toughen up and act like a man. You all say you want me to be vulnerable, but how can I? You've never given me the chance."

Lincoln took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "When I grow up, I know exactly what kind of woman I want to marry. I'll just look at my mom and sisters and make sure she's nothing like them."

Without another word, he shoved his parents out of the room and slammed the door in Rita's face. The harshness of his words left his sisters frozen, the emotional impact cutting deep. As Lori stood there, she realized she hadn't been the most intuitive when it came to Lincoln. More often than not, when he sought her out, she'd brush him off, claiming she was busy or on the phone with Bobby. The sting of her own words—calling him a twerp and kicking him out of her room—resonated in her mind.

Luna, with her fiery dedication to music, often found herself blinded to the more compassionate side of things. She tended to get lost in her melodies, missing the bigger picture and remaining ignorant of the emotions swirling around her. Her intense focus on her music made her oblivious to Lincoln's struggles, an epiphany that now hit her hard.

Luan, with her perpetual pranks and jokes, rarely took anything seriously. Her constant laughter and antics meant that she often came across as apathetic, especially when emotions were involved. She had dismissed Lincoln's attempts to open up, turning serious moments into punchlines, not realizing the pain she was inflicting.

Lynn, the most boyish of the sisters, felt a heavy weight settle in her chest. When Lincoln had spoken the truth, she knew a lot of his frustration was directed at her. She couldn't blame him—she often roughhoused with him, called him a loser, and made countless jokes about his masculinity. She felt tears welling up, understanding her contribution for Lincoln to be heard only to fall on deaf ears.

As for the other sisters, they shared in the collective hurt, each masking their emotions their own way. Soon after, Lynn Sr. signaled everyone to disperse, determined to give Lincoln some space. He busied himself with preparing dinner, trying to keep his mind occupied. However, when it was time to eat, the usual lively chatter was missing, replaced only by the sound of silverware clinking against porcelain plates.

After dinner, the parents turned to the dishes, hoping the mundane task would distract them. Lynn Sr. noticed the sadness etched on Rita's face as she mechanically dried the plates while he rinsed and handed them over. The rhythmic motions provided little comfort. He leaned in closer and whispered, "Rita, please talk to me. I know you're disappointed in how things turned out with Lincoln, but he needs us now more than ever."

Rita took out Christina's cell phone and opened the text messages between Christina and her mother. There were several messages from her mom, most of them short and pleading: "I miss you" or "Please pick up."

"Lynn," she began. "Lincoln was right, I am a monster. I push away any companionship he may have left. And what's worse, we've neglected our only son for God knows how long. Are we terrible parents?"

Lynn Sr. tried his best to console her. "Maybe so? Having 11 kids isn't easy, and it's just us two trying to handle it all. We thought we could keep track of everything, but we missed the mark. It's time we shift our approach. We need to sit down with the girls and talk. They need to understand how to treat Lincoln—not just as another boy, but as a part of our family."

"You don't have to," Lori said as she entered the room with the rest of the sisters. "Mom, Dad, I want to let you know that I had no idea Lincoln was capable of such actions. It just shows how little I know about him." she admitted, frowning at the thought. But that doesn't excuse me for being irresponsible. So, I'm asking you, please punish me instead of Lincoln."

Leni stepped forward, "No, punish me. I always ask him for favors."

Lola chimed in next. "Ground me instead! I'm always tattling on him, even when he's innocent."

Lucy added, "No, it should be me. I should've been punished a while back. I was the one who clogged the toilet. Lincoln only took the blame because I was too scared of being laughed at."

Lisa spoke up, "No, discipline me. I can handle it."

Lana said, "Punish me instead. I deserve it."

One by one, each sister stepped forward, begging to take Lincoln's place, their voices overlapping by the need to be heard. All except for Lynn Jr., who stood apart, her focus solely on her little brother. She carefully approached his door, balancing a plate of mac and cheese bites in one hand and knocking with the other. "Lincoln, it's me, Lynn. Can I come in? I brought your favorite, mac and cheese bites," she called softly."

With a weak whisper, Lincoln said, "Come in." Surprised by his response, Lynn Jr. entered the room, finding him face down in his pillow. She placed the plate on his dresser and said, "I didn't expect you to answer. Thought you'd just ignore me."

Lincoln's voice was muffled by the pillow as he replied, "Why bother, you'll just barge in anyway. Like always."

Lynn Jr. rubbed the back of her head, a bit sheepish. "Yeah, I probably deserved that. I deserve a lot worse." She sat beside him, gently placing a hand on his back. "But you know what? I don't deserve you."

That caught Lincoln's attention. He turned around and sat next to Lynn Jr., "Go on..." he said, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

Lynn Jr. couldn't help but laugh, "Hey, what gives, I thought you were mad at us. Why the sudden change in heart?"

He took a deep sigh and explained, "I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at any of you. I'm mad at myself." Lynn raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Ever since second grade, I've always been treated differently. Whether it's because of my white hair or my buck teeth, I've always felt like a freak."

"To counter it, I put in all this effort to show everyone that I'm more than just how I look, and for a while, it worked. . . . But it didn't last. When most of the girls started liking my personality, the boys just found another reason to dislike me. That's what I don't get, Lynn. They hate me just for being myself. Can you even believe that?"

The smile he had, gradually disappeared. "I always put on a brave face, acting like none of it mattered. But deep down, it gnawed at me—it was my biggest insecurity. So when I found out Clyde hated me, it rocked me to my core. It made me question everything. If my best friend could turn on me so easily, what was stopping Jordan or Christina from doing the same? And the thought that haunted me the most: what if my own sisters ended up hating me?

With wide eyes, Lynn Jr. grew incredibly worried."Lincoln, don't ever think for a second that we'd hate you. I promise, we all care about you deeply. I know being the only boy in the house might feel like a curse, but it's one of the reasons why we love you so much."

"I know Lynn, it's just... when you're constantly hearing people despise you just for existing, it wears you down. I try telling myself it's not true, but then I come home and even my own family throws jabs at me. Because of that, a part of me starts to believe it, so can you really blame me?"

Lynn Jr. took a minute to process Lincoln's words, beginning to see his perspective. "Actually, I do. . . When you mentioned marrying someone who isn't like us, it really hit home for me. I know what it's like to be singled out for not fitting in. I get teased at school for not being the most feminine girl, and yeah, it gets to me sometimes. But I have you and Dad to remind me that I'm loved for who I am."

"Until now," Lynn Jr. said, firmly holding his hand for reassurance. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry. I should've known better than to put you down, and I promise I'll be better from now on."

"Wow, Lynn. I didn't know my opinion mattered so much to you."

"Seriously," Lynn Jr. shot back. "I feel so strongly about this because I wish I could find someone with your qualities." Lincoln's face reddened; her words caught him off guard. "I get why those girls like you—they see what I see. Someone who's kind, caring, funny, and tough as nails. If Clyde or anyone else can't see that, then it's their loss."

A small smile spread across Lincoln's face as he leaned against Lynn Jr.'s shoulder, a sense of relief settling over him. "Thanks, Lynn. I needed that." It was comforting to know that his sisters were still by his side. He couldn't help but wonder if the qualities he admired in his sisters were similar to those he sought in the girls he liked.

Despite the touching moment, Lincoln's mind drifted back to the unresolved issues with Jordan and Christina. The weight of the love triangle weighed heavily on him, clouding his thoughts. Lifting his head from Lynn Jr.'s shoulder, he looked at her with a mixture of concern and sincerity.

"Hey Lynn, with everything that's happened, I'm still in a tough spot. How am I supposed to choose between them?"

She gently patted his hand she was holding. "I know this sounds counterintuitive, but my advice is to just be yourself."

Lincoln rolled his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Gee, thanks."

"I mean it, Linc. You've proven time and time again that following your gut instinct leads you to the right answer. I believe in you; you just need to believe in yourself."

Her eyes held an honest truth that cut through his remaining self-doubt. The faith she had in him was the nudge he needed to move forward. "Alright, Lynn. For you, I'll try."

"Good. . . Now that's out of the way, you square with everybody?"

"Yeah, we're all square." he confirmed. Lynn Jr. gave a confident nod and started to leave, but Lincoln called after her. "Hey, Lynn, hold up." She turned back to him. "I know it's kind of weird, but could you stay with me tonight? With everything going on, I really don't want to be alone."

Lynn smirked and said, "Sure thing, Lincoln. Just make sure to face the other way this time. Last time, you were spooning me and poking me with Linky Jr."

"Ah, gross! Why'd you have to say that? I'm already self-conscious enough about my body," Lincoln groaned, throwing a pillow at Lynn Jr. "Nevermind, I think I'll be fine on my own."

"Too late, I'm your roommate tonight, " Lynn Jr. teased, catching the pillow with a grin.

She pounced on him, playfully wrestling him to the ground. Lincoln squirmed, trying to get free. "Sweet Home Alabama" She sang.

"Lynn, cut it out! Seriously, stop!" Lincoln pleaded, trying to wriggle free.

Lynn Jr. just laughed, holding him down. "Nope, you're stuck with me! Afraid I will take your virginit-ay!"

Lincoln let out a high-pitched scream that could rival a little girl's as he turned onto his stomach, desperately trying to crawl away from Lynn's playful assault."Aaaaiiiiii!" But she grinned evilly, grabbing the top of his pants and dragging him back, revealing his buttocks as he struggled to escape.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family were outside Lincoln's door, hearing him cry in agony. With a slight concern, Lynn Sr. said, "Should we intervene?"

But Lori replied, "No, no. I think Lynn deserves a little roughhousing shenanigan. Besides, we no longer need to talk to Lincoln."

As the day ended, The Loud House found a measure of reconciliation, though not to their brother's liking. At the same time, two heartbroken girls laid in their beds, grappling with the aftermath the Louds had unleashed.

In her dimly lit room, Christina hugged her plushie tightly, crying herself to sleep. While Girl Jordan lay motionless on her bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The words Luna mentioned reverberated in her mind, each one a stinging reminder of her perceived selfishness. "Am I really being inconsiderate? I am just a friend after all." she muttered, a storm of doubt clouding her judgement.

She turned to her side, pulling her blanket up to her chin as if seeking solace in its warmth. Her mind conjured an image of Lincoln holding Christina tightly, a sight that twisted her somber face to pure anger. Girl Jordan said with heavy resentment and retribution, "I was wrong about you Lincoln. Just you wait, I'll make sure you regret everything."