Torn Between Two Enemies

Chapter 8

Lucas finds Penny waiting for him in front of his truck. Yeah, not good, he sighs. That’s the thing about virgins, they cling. Unless, they have other agenda, like Kate. After Kate, Lucas had s*x with several other girls, he’s been lucky that none of them were virgins. Until Penny. Lucas hopes that Penny doesn’t plan to change him. People in school think that he’s a bad boy now. Kind of like Chris, but from a different part of town.

“Hey, Pen,” he says with a lazy grin, “sup?”

Penny smiles. Well, that’s good. At least she doesn’t giggle. She looks like she’s in a mission and wants to talk. She also looks like she can handle whatever the result of the talk will be. Well, one can hope, right? “Hey, Lucas,” she says. “Can we talk?”

“Sure,” Lucas says. “I don’t have a lot of time, though. I have somewhere to go.”

Wow. What a jerk.

“This won’t take long,” Penny says, determined to sound and look unaffected. “Let me just start then. Anyways, I’m sure you know that Jessica wants us to be together. She’s my best friend and I know you and Mark are close.”

“Yeah,” Lucas cuts her. In his heart he adds, not only Jessica. You too want us to be together. He doesn’t say that, though. Instead he says, “The thing is, I don’t date.”

“I kinda sense that,” Penny says. “Look, I know after what happened between us things can get uncomfortable. You might not wanna hang out with Mark when I’m around. Let me just talk to Jessica and make her understand. As for you and me, I still hope we can be friends.”

“Cool,” Lucas says. “I can do that. I don’t hang out with girls, unless… you know, right? I guess what I’m saying is, even for just ‘being friends’ we shouldn’t even force it.”

“What do you mean? Force it?” Penny asks, trying hard not to get angry.

“Look, Penny,” Lucas says. “I feel like you have a crush on me. I may be wrong, and if I’m wrong, I’m sorry, okay? Exactly what kind of friendships are we talking about here? Friends with benefit or no strings attached things? Because they make movies about those kinda friendships, you know, right? In the end, those people always end up in a relationship. Is that what you’re hoping for?”

What a jerk. Penny slaps him hard before running away, crying.

***

Kate smiles while reading a text from Logan, remembering her future brother-in-law with fondness. She closes her book. No point studying now, so she decides to reminisce instead.

Kate came right after school, when Logan called to invite her to have a celebration dinner with the Jenkins. She said yes, telling him how excited she was for him. There was only going to be the four of them, Logan didn’t invite the grandparents. They didn’t know the depth of the relationship that the Jenkins had with the Conrad girl. At some point, Lucas’ grandparents had seen Kate at the Jenkins, but that was a long time ago. They were only ten. Since then, they kept everything in the down low.

Nobody was in the house when Kate arrived, but she knew where the Jenkins kept their house key so she came in. Besides, nobody in Alpequa locked their house anyway. Kate came bearing gift complete with the gift box and everything. Bruce called, telling her that he was still working and wouldn’t be home until at least six. He asked Kate to order food for them and told her where he put the money. Even Logan was not home yet, he was still out with his friends. And as for Lucas, Kate wouldn’t know where he could be. He hadn’t called to tell her.

Kate then got to work. She played Bruce’s music, the only music they listened in the house–the British invasion. It didn’t matter, Logan, Lucas, and Kate grew up with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Hollies, and the Who. Bruce was very authoritative in that regards and left very little room for discussion. The boys only listened to other types of music in the confined of their own rooms.

When Lucas came home, he knew that Kate was in the house. The music was on. She was nowhere to be found so Lucas went to the basement where he found her doing laundry. Lucas didn’t know what to do. He wanted to continue hating Kate, but the girl had loyalty. Maybe not to him, but to his family. Lucas decided to put aside his own feelings and heartbreaks. Today, was for Logan.

“Hey, princess,” he said. “What are you doing?”

Kate looked up to see him sitting on the stairs. He was smiling at her but he looked weary and a bit distant. Kate never acknowledged him in school, so of course, he was distant. The last time Kate was in the house, she didn’t see him at all even though she slept in his bed. The way he greeted her, he didn’t sound like he was angry.

“Hey, you,” she said, trying hard to make her voice sound cheery. “What do you think I’m doing? Logan will need clean laundry to bring to Indiana.”

“Right,” Lucas said. “Are you doing all laundry or just Logan’s?”

“Why would I do just Logan’s?” Kate answered his question with another question. “Get down here and help me.”

“Okay, princess,” he said, standing up and walking towards Kate.

“Why did Logan choose Notre Dame?” Kate asked. “I was kind of hoping he chose USC or Texas. Indiana is…”

Lucas chuckled. “It’s a good school,” he answered. “Besides, I think that’s what he’s looking for right now. He’s not interested in the big city scenes, doesn’t wanna deal with the distraction that comes with it. He told me that he wants to focus on school, football, and casual dates. He said he wants to try to be a professional. I think he can, though. He’s that good.”

Kate nodded. “He’s the best,” she agreed wholeheartedly. She loved Logan and was proud of him. “If that’s the case then ND is the best choice. It’ll be perfect for him. I just, I just don’t think I wanna go to Indiana.”

“For what?” Lucas asked.

Kate widened her eyes. “Are you kidding?” she asked, sounded exasperated. “To visit, of course. I’d love to visit him at USC, Southern California here I come, but Indiana?”

Lucas laughed, taking some clothes to help her fold. “If I visit him, do you wanna come with me?” he asked. “We can have our own road trip, princess.”

His offer was so nice and genuine Kate couldn’t help but smile. “I’d like that,” she said. “How many hours do you think it takes?”

“Ten hours Logan said,” Lucas answered. “Perfect for road trip. We can stay for a night at a motel. Try good diners along the way.”

Now that got Kate excited. When it came to food, she wasn’t a snob. She’d spent a lot of times eating with the Jenkins. She enjoyed good hearty American style food. “Ugh, we should check it out for sure,” she said. “Like whatever in that Food Network.”

“Right,” Lucas agreed. “Maybe next year in the summer?”

Kate bobbed her head. “Next year,” she said. “I need to order food now. Tell me what you want.”

“Italian,” Lucas answered. “Don’t forget the antipasto and dessert. Also, please don’t forget to ask for extra bread.”

Kate laughed. “Yes, sir,” she answers with a mock salute.

Logan came home not long after, then the food arrived. Less than half an hour after, Bruce got home. They then sat together in the dining room where Kate made a point of fussing over everything and everybody. Telling everybody what to do and what to get and where to sit and everybody followed every instruction she bellow. Always like that, something never changed.

Then Bruce talked, this didn’t happen very often, but that time he made a point to do so. He told Logan how proud he was of him, how much he loved him, loved both his children, correction three of his children. Kate might only be his future daughter-in-law but he loved her just the same. Bruce then wished Logan the best, with everything: school, football, the scholarship, and girls. And most of all, just be happy, be young, while at the same time, also be a responsible adult.

So beautiful. The dinner was so beautiful Kate couldn’t stop crying. She then hugged Logan and gave him his present. That made Logan kind of cry a little. He opened the wrapper and found a Rolex, that shocked everybody.

“Oh, princess,” Logan said, still couldn’t believe his eyes. “I can’t take this.”

That confused Kate, she felt dejected. “But why not?”

“This is way too expensive, princess.”

“Nonsense!” Kate huffed; her eyes gleaming. “Of course, you can. Besides, look at the back, I have it engraved for you.”

Logan stared at Kate. Receiving the gift would make Kate happy, but a Rolex was still a Rolex, Logan stole a glance at his dad. Bruce gave him a little nod; he would deal with the Conrads about it. If he had to buy it from them, he would. At the moment, they had Kate’s sweet little heart to guard. Bruce loved her so much; he’d die before he broke her heart.

Logan turned the watch, there was something inscribed there. It said, ‘To Logan, our quarterback, you got this, with love always, Kate’. Now Logan stopped pretending, he came to her and hugged her tight. “Kate,” he said. “I love you, princess. Don’t ever leave us, okay, princess?”

Kate looked at him funny. “Leave, where, Logan?” she asked, confused. “Why would I do that? I love you.”

Logan didn’t answer her, he just gave her a smile while looking at Lucas at the same time. “You and Lucas,” he started. “Am I really going to be your brother-in-law?”

The question made both Kate and Lucas blush. But Bruce laughed. “Hey now,” he said, trying to make light of the situation. “They’re young still. This is what I always know, though. Kate has always been my daughter and your sister. Nothing will ever change that.”

“Agreed,” Logan said. To Kate, he said, “I’m leaving early in the morning. You’re staying the night, right?”

“But why?” Kate asked.

“You have to make me breakfast,” Logan answer. “And make sure I’m all packed.”

Kate smiled. “Oh,” she said. “Of course, I will. It’s my job.”

Lucas gave Logan an evil eye. Right, where would she sleep now? He then looked at his dad who smirked but looked away. Great!

But Kate looked so happy, Lucas had no heart to burst her bubble. She excused herself to call her butler since both her parents were out of the country. When she was back, she started bellowing instructions again, telling everybody to clean the table and put the dishes inside the dishwasher. They then went to the living room to watch tv where Bruce parked himself in his arm chair while his children slouched in the couch with their feet on top of the coffee table.

At ten, Bruce ushered them all upstairs. He kissed Kate good night and watched them all walk to Logan’s bedroom before going to his own. Kate then helped Logan put away his clothes into his luggage while Lucas just watched the activities from his brother’s bed. They reminisced the whole time, it was nice but downhearted at the same time. It was hard to imagine that Logan would no longer be sleeping in that very room from then on. Well, he’d be back every holiday, but it still seemed like such a milestone. He was an adult now. One day, soon, Logan would get himself a real job and a wife. This thing seemed so surreal.

Kate cried again.

“That’s it,” Logan said before hugging her for a thousand times that night. “Please stop crying, princess. I can’t handle it anymore; you’re breaking my heart. You both need to leave now.” With that, he gently pushed Kate out of his room. “Good night, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? You too, Lucas. Go!”

Lucas jumped out of Logan’s bed and reached for Kate’s hand. This was going to be awkward but both his dad and his brother didn’t care. Kate and Lucas had slept in his bed since they were kids, they were not kids anymore, though. They somehow forgot about that minor detail.

“Good night you two,” Logan said again. He winked then continued, “Luke, you got condoms, right? I don’t wanna be an uncle, yet.”

“Har, har,” Lucas pretended to laugh.

“No, really,” Logan said before throwing a box towards him. “Catch.”

Lucas caught the box. “Thanks, big bro,” he said although he didn’t know what to do with it. He’d put it back in Logan’s room later, he supposed. His eyes met Kate’s. They both were trying to read each other’s mind. Yeah, awkward, alright.

Now they both looked at the box of condoms in his hand then laughed out loud. “Take the bed,” Lucas said to her with a smile. “I’ll go downstairs and sleep on the couch.”

“No,” Kate said. “Don’t do that.”

Lucas shrugged. “The couch is pretty comfortable,” he said. “Really princess, it’s cool.” With that, he turned around and started to head downstairs.

Kate sighed. She just came back from her summer vacation in Europe where she just lost her virginity to a prince. Not. But they hadn’t started school yet, summer was not over. She hadn’t told the story to her posse. So, they could have s*x. She needed to lose her virginity now that she was sixteen. But how could she ask Lucas that. What if he didn’t want to? Although, who was she kidding, of course he wanted to. He was a teenager with hormone. But then even if he wanted to, what would she tell her friends? She couldn’t tell them that she lost her virginity to Lucas, could she? Oh, imagine that! Lucas who?

Nah, her original plan was better. Stick with the prince.

That was last year, though, last summer.

Now she’s with Seth although they might break up soon, perhaps even before the summer. Seth is going to Dartmouth and Kate will spend the summer with her parents in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. But not yet. She has one week for herself before joining her parents in Australia. One freakin week. Somehow, a road trip to Indiana sounds exciting. With Lucas.

Kate sighs again. Thinking about Lucas hurts sometimes. She knows that she has no right to feel hurt or jealous, but she does. After their ‘love making’ Lucas changed. He has a different persona now. Before, he used to just take the back seat of everything. He was aloof and kept to himself. Lucas was smart and handsome, but he cared more about being invisible. So much so that he was successful in doing so. Nobody paid attention to him. He didn’t join any extracurricular activities, even sports. He went to class and went home after. Sometimes, he hung out with some of the boys from the same social circle with him. That’s pretty much it.

But now, Lucas is a heartbreaker. Just like Chris. They are both man whores. They sleep around a lot; it seems like they’re making it into a competition now. Lucas is now a bad boy. Just like Chris. Lucas doesn’t date, though. Unlike Chris who still does, although it doesn’t last very long. Now Lucas, Kate never hears about him having a girlfriend at all. It’s one and done.

Can they? Can they now take a road trip to Indiana together? Just the two of them?

***