Life Under the Hood

Chapter 14

"Lucy, welcome, sweetheart. Come in." Jennifer embraces me, ushering me in the house.

"Thank you so much. It smells amazing." I smile, complimenting Jennifer's cooking.

A loud roar of voices rises from the kitchen, grabbing Jennifer's attention. She turns back to me long enough to send me a grateful thank you, then begins heading back towards the kitchen.

"Make yourself at home, darling. The kids are in the living room." She calls, disappearing behind the kitchen entrance and creating another loud stir.

I giggle, shifting the things in my arms before heading quietly towards the living room. I make it to the entrance, instantly greeted by multiple teenagers as they sit and enjoy each other's company.

"Oh, you made it." Dina says, jumping up and walking my direction upon noticing me in the doorway. Antonio follows closely behind her.

Antonio takes the things in my hands, setting them gently in an empty chair as Dina hugs me. Afterwards, he gives me a hug, then both of them pull me off towards the couch they had been sitting on.

"Lucy, I think you know almost everyone here." Dina motions to the various people littered around the room. I scan over them, recognizing most of the faces.

"Almost everyone. There's a few new faces." I note.

"Yes, Lucy, this is Luke McClair, his step sister, Kit Thompson, and Kit's sister, Valerie. Luke, Kit, Valerie, this is Lucy." Dina points towards three of the people I have yet to meet.

Kit stares at me with intense blue eyes. She looks frightened but also in awe. I extend a kind smile towards her, and she returns it with her own small smile. Then, I notice Valerie. She's younger than her sister by about three or four years. She too sports intense blue eyes, which stare at me with warmth and awe. Finally, I make it to Luke. He sits lazily in a chair, smiling arrogantly at me. He winks at me as his cocky smile grows. He's older than both his step-sisters.

"They just moved to Gotham from Maine. Luke and Valerie go to school with us at Gotham Academy, and Valerie just started at Gotham Middle." Dina continues.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I say.

"Believe me, the pleasure is all our's." Luke smirks.

"Their dad works with mine, so he invited them over to make new friends." Dina whispers. I nod.

"And, Lucy, I don't think you've been properly introduced to Autumn and Cameron." Antonio captures my attention as he points to two teenage girls, both with chestnut hair and soft green eyes.

They sit beside Francine, Kitty, and Daisy, sizing me up and wearing the same poisonous glare Francine gave me for years. I feel my palms begin to sweat as I make eye contact them with them. Vague memories from two years ago begin to resurface, and I shake my head to clear them from my mind.

"Nice to meet you." I say kindly.

"A pleasure." The older one, Autumn, huffs.

I focus my attention on the other people in the room, greeting Bailey, Jasper, Julie, and Sierra with quick hugs and small laughs. Then, I embrace Issac, Miles, and Carlos, joking with them. I exchange soft hello's with old classmates, chatting quickly about life before settling back with Dina and Antonio on the couch. We sit, talking of nothing but the few events we have missed in each other's lives over the last couple of days. As I talk, it takes everything in me not to rest my hands anywhere near my stomach and divulge my secret too early. I can't help but smile at them, amused that they don't know I'm pregnant yet.