FRIENDS LIKE YOU! lucas mendoza

CHAPTER ONE

"He was trembling." Dave corrected her.

"But he's always trembling." Katie chuckles. "I mean, it's like, get a sweater, dude." She took a seat at the table across from where Sammi is sitting, and Alexa sat between them.

The door in the kitchen opens and Jennifer and Jack walks in. "We wanted to be here when Lucas left for college." Jennifer said, closing the door after Jack walked in. She grins. "And for fancy 'first day of school' breakfast." The grin fell when she only saw toast. "I just see toast."

"Lori and I are going to brunch." Dave explains with a smile on his face. "We've been married twenty years today."

"Oh, that's beautiful." Jennifer smiles at him. "So just toast and cold cereal then?" The smile fell and Dave offered her the toast he just got done buttering. Jennifer took it off the plate, handing it to Jack.

"Honey," Lori said to her son. "I put some extra underpants in your suitcase next to your night light and soft blankie." Sammi looked over at the stairs when Lori walks down with Lucas, who carried his bags for college. Sammi hated that she admitted she was going to miss him even though he's only to be an hour away.

"Oh, you look so handsome." Lori smiles at her son and he smiled back at her. "I also left you a note that I wrote you when you were seven years old about how much I was gonna miss you when you went off to college." She explains. Sammi chuckles lightly when she says, "I used a quote from 'Hollaback Girl'. Just ignore that."

Lucas shrugs. "I'm only gonna be an hour away."

Lori puts her hands on Lucas' shoulders, shaking him gently. "This whole thing is bananas. B-a-n-a-n-a-s." Lori looked back at Dave, who now stood behind her with a nervous smile. Lucas looked at his mom weirdly.

"Honey, are you sure you don't want us to drive you?" Lori asks, looking back at her son. "I mean, we can set up your dorm, help you meet new friends." She wraps an arm around his shoulders, speaking in a nervous tone. "Make sure they know the Heimlich. You never been a strong chewer."

"I'm in college now." Lucas chuckles and Lori takes her arm off of him. Lucas shakes his head. "I don't need my mommy."

"Here's your snack bag to go." Lori handed him a small zip lock bag of snacks.

Lucas takes the bag, grinning when he saw what was inside. "Ooh, Go-Gurts!"

Sammi couldn't help the smile that formed on her face as she shakes her head, thinking that Lucas was a five-year-old at heart. She gets up from the table, moving to stand between Dave and Alexa as Katie, Jennifer, and Jack joined them.

"Well," Lucas looks at each of them, his eyes landing on Sammi. Sammi sent him a sad smile and he returned the smile. He looked at everyone. "I'm off."

He hugs his parents and then Alexa who told him not to mess up. He replied with 'I'll try not to' and then moved over to hug Sammi. Their hug lasted longer than it probably should've and whether they wanted to admit it or not neither of them wanted to let go. They didn't let go until Alexa cleared her throat to get their attention. They quickly let go of each other, both chuckling awkwardly.

Sammi playfully punches his shoulder. "Good luck."

Lucas smiles at her. "Thanks."

After he hugged Jack, Jack went to go stand by his mom again, looking at Lucas. "It's gonna be weird being the only guy around here."

Dave looks at him with offense. "Seriously?"

Lucas shakes his head, looking at Jack with a smile. "You got this, Jack, but maybe don't wear a bathrobe to school."