Torn Between Two Enemies

Chapter 9

Lucas comes home to find Kate and his dad in front of the television watching the news. Kate, really, she comes and goes whenever she wants.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asks, his words were harsh.

“Hey,” Bruce yells at him. “That’s not how you talk to my daughter-in-law.”

“It’s ten, dad,” Lucas says, defending himself. “She’s not supposed to be here this late.”

“She’s staying the night,” Bruce answers. “Now that we’re on the subject, please bring her luggage upstairs to your room, or Logan’s. I don’t care either way.”

Lucas looks at the area that Bruce are pointing, his eyes squint. “Is she running away?” he says, motioning to two big luggage beside the armchair.

Bruce and Kate laugh. “No, silly,” Kate says. “You and I are going on a road trip.”

“We are?”

“Yes, you promised me that last year, remember? We’re visiting Logan.”

Oh, damn!

“That was last year,” Lucas says.

Bruce laughs and waves his argument off. “What?” he asks in a mocking tone. “Like you’re suddenly busy now?”

“Dad,” Lucas groans. “Stay out of this, okay?”

Bruce groans as well but stands up. “I’m going to bed now,” he says. “You two, work out your differences, okay? You promised her a road trip, then keep that promise. I don’t raise my sons to be chicken shits. You hear me?”

Lucas nods but doesn’t say anything.

That makes Bruce laugh a little. He comes to Kate and hugs her. “Good night, princess,” he says. “Listen, I love you both, but I’m not planning to be a grandpa soon. So, condoms, always, okay?”

Lucas blushes. Strangely, Kate doesn’t, though. She smiles in a rather shy mannerism, but she doesn’t blush. Lucas groans, she’s getting way too comfortable with his dad and his brother.

“Good night, dad,” she says. She watches Bruce climbing up the stairs before sitting in the couch again. She looks at Lucas and says, “Seth and I broke up two days ago.”

Lucas gives her a look that says he doesn’t care. He hopes that she buys it, because he himself doesn’t. “So?”

“So, we can go on that road trip.”

“You guys broke up so we can take the road trip?”

Now Kate giggles, that statement has some truth to it but she doesn’t want Lucas to know that. “Of course, not,” she says. “Seth is going to Dartmouth and doesn’t believe in LDR. I just remembered about the road trip yesterday.”

“Ah,” Lucas hums, then parks his butt beside Kate’s. They’re both just sitting like that, feet on the coffee table, eyes on the tv although not really watching it. “I just found out, not that long ago.” He says after a while.

“Found out what?” Kate asks, confused.

“The reason Hannah and Logan broke up,” Lucas answers. “There was another boy, but Logan never told me that it was Chris.”

Kate doesn’t say anything. “He probably didn’t know,” she says in a soft voice.

“Oh, that’s right,” Lucas said. “Logan told me that you’re the one who told him about her betrayal. What do you mean, he didn’t know?”

“I don’t remember mentioning the name of the person Hannah was cheating with,” Kate says. “It was bad enough for him to know that Hannah was cheating, but with a boy two years his junior? I didn’t have the heart to tell him that.”

“That guy,” Lucas says. “I fuckin hate him.”

“I know,” Kate says, moving closer to him, moulding her body to his. “I hate him too.”

Lucas reaches for her, like always, before he hated her. Hell, he’s never really hated her, ever. No matter how hard she’s hurt him. “Don’t fall for that guy, okay?” he says.

Kate looks up to meet his eyes. “Fall for the guy that hurt my brother-in-law?” she asks. “You know I love Logan with all my heart. No, I wouldn’t dream of it. Ever.”

“He was chasing you the whole junior year,” Lucas points out. “Before you chose Seth.”

“Now I’m glad I chose Seth,” Kate says.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Lucas smiles at Kate, she smiles back. “Thank you, princess,” he says in her ear.

“For what?”

“For what you do for Logan,” Lucas answers. “It means a lot, not only to him, but to me too. It… it shows you care, somehow.”

“But I always care, Luke,” Kate says. “I always do.”

Lucas smiles again. “I know, princess,” he says. “I know you do. Wanna go to bed now?”

Kate nods. “You need to bring my luggage upstairs,” she says.

Lucas chuckles. “Two luggage, really?” he says, then surrenders. “Fine. My room or Logan’s.”

Ah, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Kate’s face reddens. “I don’t know,” she says, her voice is soft. “Are we sharing a room when we’re doing the road trip?”

Lucas chuckles again. “Do you really wanna go on a road trip, princess?” he asks.

Kate bobs her head. “Yes,” she says, her face is still red. “I’ll have to go to Australia in a week. Which means, I have a week to do this. Unless, unless you have other plan.”

Lucas shakes his head. There’s no point pretending anymore. Even if he had other plans, which he doesn’t, he’d gladly ditch them for his princess. “No,” he says. “I don’t.”

Kate smiles. Her smile is beautiful. But then again, for Lucas, her smile is always beautiful. “Well, then,” she says. “We should share a room. It’s cheaper.”

Kate may come from one of the richest families in Alpequa, but when it comes to the Jenkins, she’s always considerate. She never flaunts her money. She lets the Jenkins pay for every meal she’s had with them. In return, she does their house chores. “Who pays for the room and gas?” Lucas asks.

“Your dad,” Kate answers. “He says he’ll transfer some money to your account for the trip.”

Lucas arches an eyebrow. “Oh, he will, will he?”

Kate laughs, not even a little embarrassed asking for money from Lucas’ dad. “We’ll use my car,” she says. “It’s newer than your truck. I’ll pay for meal and snacks.”

“Sounds fair,” Lucas says. Kate’s Mercedes is pretty new. Her parents bought it brand new for her sixteenth birthday last year. Lucas’ truck, however, while also bought last year, was used. And not a Mercedes. “Let’s bring it to the mechanic tomorrow first, okay? We’ll go the day after. How does that sound?”

Kate jumps up and down. “Perfect,” she says. “Let’s go to bed now.”

Now Lucas smirks. “Are we sharing a bed, princess?”

The question makes Kate blush. She didn’t blush when Bruce teased them earlier, but she blushes now. “I don’t see why not,” she answers with a shrug, pretending not to care much. “If we’re going to share a bed the whole time during the road trip, might as well.”

Lucas grins, but nods. “Take my backpack,” he says. “I’ll bring your luggage upstairs.”

Kate nods. “You’ll bring my car to the mechanic tomorrow,” she says while walking upstairs. “I’ll do your laundry and pack your bag.”

“Okay, how long are we going, anyways?” Lucas asks.

“About three to five days,” Kate answers. “We’ll have to plan where to go and places to see. It’s gonna be fun.”

Lucas smiles. It will. At last, the road trip where he can just be alone and free with his princess. No more unnecessary pretence because nobody’s from Alpequa will be there to watch them. Kate can be herself; she doesn’t have to worry about her friends finding out that she knows Lucas and the Jenkins. That she’s spent a lot of nights sleeping at the Jenkins’s residence. That once upon a time she made Lucas Jenkins promise to marry her.

Those are the secrets that Kate doesn’t want anybody from Alpequa in general, and their high school friends in particular to know. And Lucas, Lucas will do anything in his power to help her keep that for as long as she wants them hidden.

Because she is his princess.

The princess is now sitting in the center of his bed when he arrives with both of her luggage. She’s smiling to him so he smiles back. “These are heavy,” he says. “Are you sure you need two luggage for a five-day’s trip.”

Kate laughs. “You’re right. We can rearrange tomorrow, plenty of time.”

Lucas winks. “Right,” he says. “What are we gonna do then, now?”

Kate laughs again. “Close the door,” she says with a sweet smile. “You have the condoms, right? Dad doesn’t wanna be a grandpa, yet.”

***