"Lucas Sinclair!" I screech, kicking my legs and arms around desperately, "If you don't put me down right now—"
"Put you down?" Lucas laughs wildly, "If you want!"
Lucas launches me out of his grasp, and straight into the water below.
"LUCAS YOU'RE DEA—" My head plunges under the water, the joy-filled screaming and laughing from everyone else at the community pool dies out, until I push my self back up to the surface.
Lucas was grinning down at me, a smug look on his face. I scowl at him, climbing out of the water, "You asshole."
He shrugs, as I squeeze out my dripping hair, "You told me to put you down, you can't be mad."
"Oh, shut up," I wave the boy off, causing his grin to grow larger, "I told you I didn't want to go in the water."
"What's the point of going to the pool if you're not going in the water?" Lucas counters, crossing his arms.
I roll my eyes, turning around and walking to our stuff so I could grab a towel, "Stop pestering me, Lucas."
I snatch a towel from my backpack, wrapping it around myself and sitting on a sun chair, Lucas sitting next to me, "Sorry, Lizzie. Sorry that I am trying to actually have fun and enjoy summer vacation," I whack him in the arm, and he whines, "What? Is this about Mike? That's why you're in a bad mood, isn't it? If you would have just listened to me and talked to him—"
"Can we not talk about this right now?" I sigh, tugging the towel tighter around myself. Over the past few months, I had been trying to build up the courage to ask Mike out. After the kiss we shared at the dance, we never really discussed our feelings, or even a relationship, because we were both too scared. I regret not saying anything because, now, Mike is over me. He has a girlfriend.
Lucas wraps his arm around me, patting my shoulder, "It's okay, Lizzie. You'll get over him soon."
I give Lucas a tight smile, nodding my head, "Yeah, yeah."
Hopefully.
|
"Come on, you idiot! We're gonna be late." I scold Lucas as we ride up to the new mall, Starcourt.
It was the new craze. A huge mall had been built in Hawkins not too long ago, and it was basically the new hangout spot since we don't really go to Mike's anymore, due to his new girlfriend.
"Says the one that took a 30 minute shower!" Lucas bites back as we slow down next to our friends, who were waiting in front of the mall for us.
"Look who finally decided to show up." Max rolls her eyes, Will standing patiently beside her.
"We're not even late." Lucas sticks out his tongue at his girlfriend, making her cringe.
"Yeah, just because we weren't here at the same time as you doesn't mean we're late." I push my bike into the bike rack, and Max shakes her head.
"Whatever, Mike's still not here yet." She points out.
"Probably still with Isabel." Lucas comments, quickly glancing at me to see my reaction to the girls name. None. If I pretend not to care, eventually I just won't. At least, that's what I can tell myself.
Around 10 minutes later, the boy finally arrives.
"You're late." Lucas crosses his arms across his chest.
"Sorry!" Mike exclaims, putting away his bike.
"Again!" Lucas adds.
"We're gonna miss the opening!" Will complains, and I nod along.
"Yeah, if you guys keep whining about it. Let's go!" Mike ushers, leading the way inside.
"'If you guys keep whining about it.' Nyeh-nyeh-nyeh," Lucas mocks like a child, and I send an odd look his way. He flashes me a smile as Mike pushes him inside, "Let me guess. You were busy."
Lucas puckers his lips, imitating a kiss, causing my stomach to turn a bit. Mike has a girlfriend, I need to get over it.
"Oh, yeah, real mature, Lucas." Mike sarcastically responds.
"'Oh, Izzy, I wish we could make out forever and never hang out with any of our friends.'" Lucas imitates, causing Will to stifle his laugh.
"What do you mean 'our friends?' You guys don't even like her!" Mike exclaims, turning to all of us with his arms in the air, "I mean, come on. Why not? You don't have any reasons."
"She called Dustin's turtle ugly." Lucas says.
"It was a joke." Mike defends.
"He cried about it for three days." Max shrugs.
"She accused Lucas of cheating on Max with me." I mumble just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mike quickly spins around, frowning, "Well...you guys are pretty close."
Anger bubbles up inside of me, "What the hell, Mike?"
Max furrows her eyebrows slightly, I could tell she was a little angry.
"Okay, guys. Let's just drop it, alright?" Lucas swings his arm onto Maxes shoulder, "Nobody could ever replace my girlfriend."
"Yeah," Mike nods, and I don't notice the glance he gives me, "Me too."
We rush down the escalator, shoving through people and apologizing until we finally get to the bottom.
Mike bumps into a group of girls, "Watch it!"
"Yeah!" A familiar voice joins in. I look over to see Erica, Lucas' sister, sitting on the side of the fountain with her group of other 10 year old girls, "Watch it, nerd!"
"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Lucas remarks.
"Isn't it time you died?" Erica retorts.
"Psycho."
"Butthead!"
"Mall rat!"
"Fart face!"
Max and I share a look, as Lucas blows a raspberry to his sister.
Max then rolls her eyes, grabbing Lucas' arm and tugging him away, as I laugh.
I enter the ice cream store, Scoops Ahoy, with the rest of the crew, and Mike immediately starts ringing the bell as we step up to the cash register where Steve's co-worker, Robin, was standing.
I like Robin. She was funny, pretty, and always seemed un-interested. She was really cool, and I think she liked me as well. Sometimes when I went to Scoops with Lucas, Will, or Max, we would have a conversation.
The ringing of the bell started to piss me off, so I ripped it away from Mike.
Robin sighed, exclaiming, "Hey, dingus, your children are here!"
The sliding window behind Robin opens, and Steve looks at us exasperatingly, "Again? Seriously?"
He lets us sneak through the back of the parlor, since the back hallway of Scoops Ahoy connected to the Movie theater, meaning we could get in for free.
"I swear, if anybody hears about this—" Steve starts.
"We're dead!" We all chorus, repeating what Steve had said to us basically every time he ever let us through.
We sneak into the theater room, finding our seats. Will takes out the drinks and snacks he brought from his backpack, as the movie begins.
Not even a minute into the movie, the projector shuts off, leaving us in the dark.
Everyone in the crowd starts to voice their complaints, this lasting only a few minutes, though, because it soon turns back on.
Everybody starts to clap and cheer, which was annoying because I couldn't hear the movie.
Will's elbow accidentally pokes me in the face, and I look over to see his face was full of fear, and his hand rested on the back of his neck.
"Hey, Will," I whisper, and he seems to jump back to reality, letting out a light gasp, "You okay, buddy?"
"Oh. Yeah." Will tells me with a small smile.
"You sure?" Mike intervenes.
Will turns his head to Mike, "Of course."
I pat Will's shoulder as we settle back into the movie.