Lucas was sitting at Poppy’s alone. It had became a habit of his, to sit there alone and wallow in self pity. He was doing the same thing he did every time; scrolling through the pictures of his phone until he got to the ones he had taken with Ransley.
Kissing pictures, cute pictures, funny pictures… Just all kinds of pictures that made Lucas’s heart beat faster and ache in pain. He stopped at one picture and opened it. It was taken in Poppy’s, at the very seat he was now sitting on. The picture was simple selfie where Lucas was looking at the camera and Ransley was kissing his cheek. It was disgustingly cute, really.
“That one was always my favourite”, said a voice behind his ear. Lucas startled and his heart skipped a beat. He turned his head and saw Ransley looking at him. The man circled around the table and sit on the opposite side of the table, facing Lucas.
“How are you?” Ransley asked casually, putting his hands on the table and intertwining his fingers.
Lucas looked around, a trace of panic in his voice as he said, “You shouldn’t be here, Ransley.”
“I came to see you”, Ransley said. “Do you miss me?”
“Don’t do this to me”, Lucas whispered, shaking his head. “Please, leave me alone.”
“Do you really want that?” Ransley asked, leaning closer.
Lucas leaned away and turned his gaze on his lap.
“Don’t ask me that”, he said weakly and got up. “I need to go.”
“Lucas...”
“I need to go”, Lucas said again, his voice a bit stronger and turned to leave but said before he went, “Next time you come near me, I will tell Ramsey.”
Then he walked out, leaving Ransley sit alone by the table. He speed-walked out of the Poppy’s and basically ran to Ronald’s home while checking the time. He knocked on the door and Ronald opened it.
“Hi, are you ready?” Lucas asked out of breath.
“Yes. Why are you panting? Did you run here?” Ronald asked.
“Yes.”
“Is everything okay?” Ronald asked worriedly.
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” Lucas lied, smiling a big fat fake smile and Ronald bought it. He shrugged at Lucas and said that he had to say goodbye to his mother before they could leave.
While Ronald went back inside to say goodbye to his mother, Lucas waited outside, staring at his shoes. He felt confused and bad for lying at his best friend. He wasn’t even sure why had lied exactly. He had just blurted it out and now it was too late to take it back.
“Let’s go”, Ronald said as he came back.
Lucas lifted his head up and forced out a smile at Ronald. “Sure.”
They took a bus to the movie theatre because the weather was getting pretty cold already. Ronald spotted Farrah standing in front of the movie theatre and waved his hand.
He and Farrah were now official. They were in a relationship which was Ronald’s first and Farrah’s… well, God only knows, she had been alive for 600 years after all. Ronald and Farrah hugged and kissed and Lucas looked around, trying not to feel awkward and like he was completely third wheeling.
“Hi, Lucas”, Farrah said after she finally managed to stop snogging with Ronald. “How are you?”
“I’m great, thanks”, Lucas replied automatically.
“I’m glad”, she said and smiled her glamorous smile.
They got inside the movie theatre, bought tickets and then sat in their seats. The movie was pretty average and Farrah insisted they would stay watching the credits roll. Lucas wanted to go to sleep already but he knew that wouldn’t happen because it was Friday evening and Ronald’s mum was going to go to her friend’s place for the weekend while Mr. Quinn had a business trip so Ronald was alone at home and had invited Lucas to stay with him for the weekend.
Lucas had agreed.
Why, someone might ask. Lucas didn’t know, maybe he had had a temporary disorder or something but he had said yes nevertheless. Lucas felt like he was the most horrible person in the planet for not being happy about going to his best friend’s house when the parents were away.
When they finally walked out of the movie theatre, Lucas once again stared at his shoes awkwardly while Ronald and Farrah kissed goodbye. She cycled away and Ronald looked after her, all dreamy and stuff.
“You’re drooling”, Lucas muttered.
“’Am not!” Ronald said and grinned. “Sorry that we were all up your face. It can’t be easy when–“
“Let’s not go down on that road”, Lucas said quickly.
Ronald understood that Lucas didn’t want to talk about his ex-boyfriend and it was fine, kind of. Truth to be said, Ronald was worried about Lucas. He thought that Lucas had lost his spark and looked all furtively and kind of depressed. He didn’t laugh as much as he used to, nor did he smile. He was always on his phone or inside his own mind and Ronald didn’t know what to do to make him feel better. He thought Lucas should talk about his feeling with someone, that would make him feel better. Or that’s what Ronald at least hoped for.
They took a bus back to Ronald’s home and got inside the empty house. His parents had left. Ronald sighed in relief and sunk down on the couch.
“Freedom!” he sighed. “What do you want to do?”
“Video games?” Lucas suggested, shrugging.
Ronald could tell he didn’t really want to play video games but he appreciated Lucas’s effort. So, Ronald nodded and got up. They walked inside his room and Ronald turned on his Playstation and let Lucas pick the game. He ended up choosing Assassin’s Creed II so Ronald put it inside the game console and then they sat in his bed and played.
Ronald had only one joypad so they took turns. Whenever other fucked up, it was other’s turn to try to do the mission. It was fun and Lucas laughed and smiled more than what he had done in days. Ronald was glad to see that.
They ate a lot of junk food, especially Ronald who didn’t seem to get full no matter how much he ate.
“Your appetite has grown so much”, Lucas commented. “You eat like a horse.”
“Well I’m basically eating for two now”, Ronald said. They were silent for a split second before breaking into a noisy laugh. Lucas laughed so hard he fell from the bed and Ronald was sure he was going to pee himself.
“Oh, my God, it wasn’t even that funny”, Lucas said from the floor.
“I know right?” Ronald laughed.
“It was actually really fucking stupid”, Lucas chuckled happily.
When they calmed down, Ronald had to get up and go to the bathroom. Lucas climbed back on Ronald’s bed and checked his brand new phone he had got from his parents after losing the other one. He had one new message from an unknown number.
It said ‘Can we meet? When you are ready to talk… -R’.
Lucas heart missed a beat and his mood went form happy to horrified and stressed in a blink of an eye. He quickly turned his phone off when Ronald came back before he would see the message. He couldn’t believe Ransley had had the nerves to send him a text message. Or no, he could.
“Everything alright? You look like you saw a ghost”, Ronald said.
Lucas forced out a timid laugh and nodded.
“Oh yes, everything’s alright”, he said. “No reason to worry.”
Lucas fake smiled his way through the Friday evening and then he slept long to the day and continued fake sleeping as long as he could even after he woke up, just so that he wouldn’t have to face Ronald. He was afraid Ronald would see right through him and know that he was hiding something, even though Ronald was about as good to read other people’s feelings as a teaspoon.
“Get your lazy ass up!” Ronald yelled from the kitchen. “I made us pancakes for breakfast!”
Lucas groaned and opened his eyes. He couldn’t fake sleep any longer. He just had to find the old, cheerful and sarcastic Lucas somewhere deep inside of him and force him out.
Lucas walked into the kitchen and sat by the table. Ronald put a plate full of pancakes in front of him and said, “Enjoy your meal, Sir.”
“Thanks”, Lucas chuckled, amused by Ronald’s ridiculousness.
They ate in peace and then they did their homework and for the rest of the day they watched Netflix and ate candy and chips and everything they could find from the house. Lucas and Ronald were both sure they had gained at least ten kilos just during that day.
Ronald was first to fall asleep that night. Lucas couldn’t sleep, he kept rereading the text message he had received from Ransley over and over again and thinking about what he should do. Eventually he decided to make his decision later and he fell asleep too after rolling around for hours.
Kissing pictures, cute pictures, funny pictures… Just all kinds of pictures that made Lucas’s heart beat faster and ache in pain. He stopped at one picture and opened it. It was taken in Poppy’s, at the very seat he was now sitting on. The picture was simple selfie where Lucas was looking at the camera and Ransley was kissing his cheek. It was disgustingly cute, really.
“That one was always my favourite”, said a voice behind his ear. Lucas startled and his heart skipped a beat. He turned his head and saw Ransley looking at him. The man circled around the table and sit on the opposite side of the table, facing Lucas.
“How are you?” Ransley asked casually, putting his hands on the table and intertwining his fingers.
Lucas looked around, a trace of panic in his voice as he said, “You shouldn’t be here, Ransley.”
“I came to see you”, Ransley said. “Do you miss me?”
“Don’t do this to me”, Lucas whispered, shaking his head. “Please, leave me alone.”
“Do you really want that?” Ransley asked, leaning closer.
Lucas leaned away and turned his gaze on his lap.
“Don’t ask me that”, he said weakly and got up. “I need to go.”
“Lucas...”
“I need to go”, Lucas said again, his voice a bit stronger and turned to leave but said before he went, “Next time you come near me, I will tell Ramsey.”
Then he walked out, leaving Ransley sit alone by the table. He speed-walked out of the Poppy’s and basically ran to Ronald’s home while checking the time. He knocked on the door and Ronald opened it.
“Hi, are you ready?” Lucas asked out of breath.
“Yes. Why are you panting? Did you run here?” Ronald asked.
“Yes.”
“Is everything okay?” Ronald asked worriedly.
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” Lucas lied, smiling a big fat fake smile and Ronald bought it. He shrugged at Lucas and said that he had to say goodbye to his mother before they could leave.
While Ronald went back inside to say goodbye to his mother, Lucas waited outside, staring at his shoes. He felt confused and bad for lying at his best friend. He wasn’t even sure why had lied exactly. He had just blurted it out and now it was too late to take it back.
“Let’s go”, Ronald said as he came back.
Lucas lifted his head up and forced out a smile at Ronald. “Sure.”
They took a bus to the movie theatre because the weather was getting pretty cold already. Ronald spotted Farrah standing in front of the movie theatre and waved his hand.
He and Farrah were now official. They were in a relationship which was Ronald’s first and Farrah’s… well, God only knows, she had been alive for 600 years after all. Ronald and Farrah hugged and kissed and Lucas looked around, trying not to feel awkward and like he was completely third wheeling.
“Hi, Lucas”, Farrah said after she finally managed to stop snogging with Ronald. “How are you?”
“I’m great, thanks”, Lucas replied automatically.
“I’m glad”, she said and smiled her glamorous smile.
They got inside the movie theatre, bought tickets and then sat in their seats. The movie was pretty average and Farrah insisted they would stay watching the credits roll. Lucas wanted to go to sleep already but he knew that wouldn’t happen because it was Friday evening and Ronald’s mum was going to go to her friend’s place for the weekend while Mr. Quinn had a business trip so Ronald was alone at home and had invited Lucas to stay with him for the weekend.
Lucas had agreed.
Why, someone might ask. Lucas didn’t know, maybe he had had a temporary disorder or something but he had said yes nevertheless. Lucas felt like he was the most horrible person in the planet for not being happy about going to his best friend’s house when the parents were away.
When they finally walked out of the movie theatre, Lucas once again stared at his shoes awkwardly while Ronald and Farrah kissed goodbye. She cycled away and Ronald looked after her, all dreamy and stuff.
“You’re drooling”, Lucas muttered.
“’Am not!” Ronald said and grinned. “Sorry that we were all up your face. It can’t be easy when–“
“Let’s not go down on that road”, Lucas said quickly.
Ronald understood that Lucas didn’t want to talk about his ex-boyfriend and it was fine, kind of. Truth to be said, Ronald was worried about Lucas. He thought that Lucas had lost his spark and looked all furtively and kind of depressed. He didn’t laugh as much as he used to, nor did he smile. He was always on his phone or inside his own mind and Ronald didn’t know what to do to make him feel better. He thought Lucas should talk about his feeling with someone, that would make him feel better. Or that’s what Ronald at least hoped for.
They took a bus back to Ronald’s home and got inside the empty house. His parents had left. Ronald sighed in relief and sunk down on the couch.
“Freedom!” he sighed. “What do you want to do?”
“Video games?” Lucas suggested, shrugging.
Ronald could tell he didn’t really want to play video games but he appreciated Lucas’s effort. So, Ronald nodded and got up. They walked inside his room and Ronald turned on his Playstation and let Lucas pick the game. He ended up choosing Assassin’s Creed II so Ronald put it inside the game console and then they sat in his bed and played.
Ronald had only one joypad so they took turns. Whenever other fucked up, it was other’s turn to try to do the mission. It was fun and Lucas laughed and smiled more than what he had done in days. Ronald was glad to see that.
They ate a lot of junk food, especially Ronald who didn’t seem to get full no matter how much he ate.
“Your appetite has grown so much”, Lucas commented. “You eat like a horse.”
“Well I’m basically eating for two now”, Ronald said. They were silent for a split second before breaking into a noisy laugh. Lucas laughed so hard he fell from the bed and Ronald was sure he was going to pee himself.
“Oh, my God, it wasn’t even that funny”, Lucas said from the floor.
“I know right?” Ronald laughed.
“It was actually really fucking stupid”, Lucas chuckled happily.
When they calmed down, Ronald had to get up and go to the bathroom. Lucas climbed back on Ronald’s bed and checked his brand new phone he had got from his parents after losing the other one. He had one new message from an unknown number.
It said ‘Can we meet? When you are ready to talk… -R’.
Lucas heart missed a beat and his mood went form happy to horrified and stressed in a blink of an eye. He quickly turned his phone off when Ronald came back before he would see the message. He couldn’t believe Ransley had had the nerves to send him a text message. Or no, he could.
“Everything alright? You look like you saw a ghost”, Ronald said.
Lucas forced out a timid laugh and nodded.
“Oh yes, everything’s alright”, he said. “No reason to worry.”
Lucas fake smiled his way through the Friday evening and then he slept long to the day and continued fake sleeping as long as he could even after he woke up, just so that he wouldn’t have to face Ronald. He was afraid Ronald would see right through him and know that he was hiding something, even though Ronald was about as good to read other people’s feelings as a teaspoon.
“Get your lazy ass up!” Ronald yelled from the kitchen. “I made us pancakes for breakfast!”
Lucas groaned and opened his eyes. He couldn’t fake sleep any longer. He just had to find the old, cheerful and sarcastic Lucas somewhere deep inside of him and force him out.
Lucas walked into the kitchen and sat by the table. Ronald put a plate full of pancakes in front of him and said, “Enjoy your meal, Sir.”
“Thanks”, Lucas chuckled, amused by Ronald’s ridiculousness.
They ate in peace and then they did their homework and for the rest of the day they watched Netflix and ate candy and chips and everything they could find from the house. Lucas and Ronald were both sure they had gained at least ten kilos just during that day.
Ronald was first to fall asleep that night. Lucas couldn’t sleep, he kept rereading the text message he had received from Ransley over and over again and thinking about what he should do. Eventually he decided to make his decision later and he fell asleep too after rolling around for hours.
