Are You Afraid?

Chapter Three: The First One

I stop walking and Jare notices after a few steps. He looks over at the table and see's Lucas standing there talking to my dad like they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for awhile. Which was sort of true. Al smiles and laughs at a joke Lucas cracks, and it reminds me of old times when Lucas would be at our house all day pretty much. I watch him, taking him in better than at the Coffee house.

His shirt is black like all waiters here, but I can see muscles underneath. His shoulders are wide as if he was holding more on his shoulders than what everyone thought, and I wonder how long they've been that wide since they were never that wide when we were friends. His arms aren't big like someone who spends all their time in the gym, but they've filled out some so they're not sticks coming out of a scrawny body. He wears black slacks that don't hug his legs like jeans would.

I look at the back of his head, and he kinda straightens up as if feeling someone watching him. He turns his head slowly, meeting my eyes. He looks at Jare and nods in a typical guy greeting, then looks back at me. I don't look away and feel like we're kids again having a staring contest. Neither of us blink nor look away. Jare breaks my eye contact though when he kinda steps in front of me. I blink and look over at my dad and Al to see them looking at me with worried expressions.

"What you doing here dude?" Jare asks.

"I work here, and when I saw Mr. Newlun sitting here with Al I figured I'd say hi since I haven't seen them for awhile." Lucas says.

"Well we're leaving now, so better get back to work." Lucas nods, looking back at me over Jare's shoulder.

"See you in Chemistry Sophie." He looks back at Al and dad. "Nice to see you again Mr. Newlun, see you later Al." Al gives a very manly nod, and my father smiles at Lucas.

"Anytime you wanna stop by, don't be a stranger." I glare at my dad, but he doesn't notice.

"Yes sir." Lucas says, walking away without another glance. My father notices then that I'm glaring at him.

"What?" He asks.

"Nothing. Let's go." I say, turning around and walking out of the restaurant.

«^-^»

"Hey, Lucas?" I ask quietly while staring up at the stars while laying on my back in the grass.

"Yeah, Soph?" He asks, mimicking me on the grass.

"We'll always be friends, right?" I chew my lip, tilting my head back to look at him since we were laying so our heads were against each other.

"Of course we will." He rolls on his stomach and looks at me.

"Promise?" I ask, lifting my pinkie towards him which he meets with his own.

"Promise." He smiles down at me, about to say something else. "Who else will save you from the monsters?"

"Lucas..." I run up the stairs to his porch and knock on the door. Thirteen year old Lucas opens the main door, but keeps the screen door shut and locked, looking at me as if he doesn't know who I am. I feel tears push against my eyes. "Lucas, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" I feel a tear slide down my face. "I'm your best friend! You promised me we'd always be best friends!" I start yelling at him.

"Sophie you need to go." His voice is cold and I wince.

"But Lucas-"

"Go."

"B-but who's going to protect me from the monsters..." I whisper, trying to grab onto something else he promised me.

"Monsters aren't real." Then he closes the door.