Five Years of Fame [COMPLETE]

44. Fourth of July Weekend

Summer, Year 4, Month 7

Noah couldn't stand just waiting around at the bottom of Reeve's front steps. Of course Lucas was running late. He had graduated with the Naval Academy top of his class and been serving in the Navy ever since, yet, somehow, he was still horrible with time.

Noah searched every face that passed. The street was busier than usual, an extra flood of tourists having rushed to the city to celebrate the birth of the nation from where it had all started. Lucas stood out in his brilliant white uniform and Noah caught sight of him long enough before Lucas spotted him to witness, first hand, Lucas's never-ending charisma. The uniform helped but Lucas still smiled and nodded at everyone he made eye contact with. The women stopped and watched him move on, hampering the flow of pedestrian traffic along the sidewalk.

"You're late."

"Well, hello to you too!"

Lucas was already laughing and Noah fought a smile as his oldest friend pulled him in for a violent burly hug. They had been the same height since they were twelve but Lucas had bulked up in the last few years whereas Noah as stayed as skinny as ever.

"It's good to see you, man!"

Noah was now the sole focus of Lucas's enthusiasm and found himself blinded by his sparkling white teeth that gleamed against his dark skin.

"You too, dude."

"I'm even more excited to finally meet this girl of yours! It's only been a whole year."

Noah's nerves were back. Lucas's natural excitement was only so infectious.

"About that, listen, dude-"

"Don't cancel on my now, Noah! I can't wait a second longer. All you talk about is Olivia this and Olivia that. I want to meet her. So ready or not-"

Lucas started up the stairs but Noah was quick to grab him by the arm and keep him from approaching the door. His gut was twisting with guilt as well as apprehension.

"Lucas, listen. I'm serious."

Finally his friend seemed to notice Noah's drawn in eyebrows and wringing hands.

"Do you remember when you used to come visit me at school in New York?"

Lucas crossed his arm and narrowed his eyes, inspecting Noah from head to toe, trying to deduce exactly where this trip down memory was taking them.

"Yeah. Why?"

"And you would try to get me to go out to the bar with you to hit on girls because you said I worked too hard?"

"And you were hella lonely and still hung up on that psycho trip from high school. Yeah, I remember. Noah, was is this about?"

"Do you remember what you told me? What you told me to tell girls so they would talk to me?"

"I don't know, man. No. It was a long time ago and look! You've finally stopped working long enough to have a girlfriend. What does this have to do with anything?"

"You told me the only thing I had going for me was the fact that we grew up in the same city as Reeve Keller and could pretend to be old friends of hers."

Lucas let out a loud laugh, even bending over and clutching his stomach.

"Man, that is harsh! But kind of true. I remember it worked!"

"Yeah. Once. Just, remember that okay? And don't get too mad at me."

"Why would I get mad at you?"