Opposites attract

Sleepover

Lucas' POV
"I'm home!" My mom sang walking through the front door. I looked away from the screen I had been staring at for the past hour to smile at her, "How was the interview?" I asked fiddling with the controller.

"I think it went amazingly! They went as far as showing me around! They don't usually do that for interviews" she went into the kitchen and began banging around the pots and pans, "pasta?"

"Yeah sure" I said, "did they ask about your history?" "Not too much, I mean they asked about my background, apparently I look exotic" she laughed. "So they don't actually know about what happened?" I asked pausing my game.

"I mean...well no, but they really liked me. I don't think they'll mind" she said. She didn't sound too sure herself which wasn't a good sign. My mom was the biggest optimist if I ever knew one, she thought every interview was great and she was alway certain she'd get the job.

I got up and went into the kitchen, "mom I think it's something you should've mentioned".
"That my ex husband was a psychopath? Who says that during interviews Lucas?" She sighed pulling the fridge door open. She grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured herself almost an entire glass.

"Well...no one. But you could've explained it all better than one google search could" I argued, "also wine at this time of the night?"
"It's 8:30, I think it's an appropriate time".
"Ok" I shrugged, "but you know what's not ok?"
"That I didn't tell them my whole life story?" She guessed. "Exactly" I nodded, "you should've explained mom".
"Lucas, I've got this ok. I know what I'm doing, revealing the darkest parts of my life isn't the best way to get a job".

"Ok well" I was cut off by a quiet knock on the door. "It's the interviewers, they're coming to tell you they know" I teased walking out of the kitchen. "They'll never know! They love me" mom called. I smiled and shook my head before unlocking and opening the door.

The person standing on the other side was the last person I expected to see at my house at 8:30pm on a Monday.
Blakely was an absolute mess. She had a backpack on, her eyes were puffy and her nose was red. She'd clearly been crying. She was still wearing my hoodie and her hair still looked the same as it had at school.

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, I just had nowhere else to go" she began to cry as she attempted to explain what was going on, "I've been driving around for the past hour trying to figure out where to go. I just can't be at home, I hate being there without my mom, and Emma doesn't know and-and I can't use her for a place to stay if I don't explain the truth and I- I I just...I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go".

"Hey, it's alright" I said pulling her towards me. I wrapped my arms around her tightly and she slowly hugged me back. I couldn't hear her, but I could tell she was crying. Her breath was shaky and I could feel the wetness from her cheeks on my shoulder.

"Lucas who is it?" My mom walked out of the kitchen to see what was going on.
"Aw, Blakely sweetie" she cooed rushing over. I was surprised she still remembered Blakely. She probably hadn't seen her in about 7 years.

"I'm sorry" she apologized for the millionth time pulling away from me slightly to look at my mom, "I can leave, I'm just being stupid" she wiped her eyes quickly and stepped away from me. "Nonsense honey, come in" my mom opened her arms out to Blakely.

"Thank you Ms Everett" Blakely walked in and hugged my mom.
"I'll go make some warm drinks, Lucas don't be mean while I'm gone" she looked at me pointedly before scurrying off to the kitchen.
Blakely looked at me and shrugged helplessly, "who knew perfect Blakely could be such a mess" she forced a thin smile.

Seeing her like that reminded me of the first time I'd seen her cry. In the library after she saw me at my job. The way I'd talked to her that day made me feel physically sick. Seeing her look so helpless and fragile made me wonder how anyone could've ever been mean to her, especially when she was like this.