Chapter 22
***
We're just going to pretend like that never happened.
What never happened?
Exactly.
After a wonderful pep talk in the bathroom mirror, I square my shoulders and strut out to meet Lucas.
Lucas, who looks disheveled. Like a plucked chicken.
It's funny.
I'm funny.
"Ready to go?" I smile at him. Without waiting, I walk past him and head for the exit. These heels make me feel so sassy. I like the sound of power as they hit the parking lot floor. It's like, I'm in a music video.
Something grabs my wrist. It's Lucas.
Lucas has nice hands. It makes me smile.
He's saying something. He seems angry. He's so hot when he's angry.
Look at that frustration dripping off his face. Like liquid gold. No. Like honey.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" He exclaims. Wow, he's really losing it.
"I'm a bear." I wink at him.
He shakes his head. He still hasn't let go of my wrist. He's walking us to a far far away place. His car.
"Aw, thank you." I grin when he opens the car door for me. Such a nice guy. Lucas.
He huffs and puffs when he gets inside. Starting the car, he turns his head and backs out. What a sight. What a man.
"Bravo." I tell him.
He scowls at me, mumbles something about how awesome I am. Probably.
We get on the road. He's probably dropping me off. Wow what an evening. He met my dad.
"Did you like my dad?" I ask him.
His head whips to me like I just confessed that I'm a chicken. Total disbelief.
"Are you serious? Dude you had like three - or four - shots of sake!"
"Are you worried?" I smile, leaning back in my seat. Very comfortable. "Is this car expensive?"
"Layla, do you remember what you did two minutes ago?"
"In the bathroom? Yes, but that's really disgusting of you to ask."
"The fuck- oh my God. What you said to your dad and I, you little drunk doofus."
The nickname makes me giggle. I am a little drunk doofus. He gets me.
"Oh, you mean the whole daddy thing? Yeah, I remember." I tell him, looking ahead at the cars.
"Do you understand how awkward it was after you left? Or is this incomprehensible on planet Layla?"
"You wish you were an inhabitant of planet Layla. Yeah. Stick that flag in the crevices of my land. Grow trees and prosper. Let the trees bear fruits. Bring animals. Two of each."
"What the flying fuck. Did you take something else? Are you on drugs?"
"I could be on drugs. But no, this is just me. I'm socially awkward, yet full of amazing thoughts."
I get tired of looking at the road, so I turn my attention to something more pleasant.
This pleasant sight is a delight. That's a repetitive sentence. But it's worth it.
So anyway, imagine if instead of one Lucas, we had two of him. Two Lucases.
I'd probably die. Or they'd kill each other. But, you never know until you know.
He's staring at me in a really pissed off way. "Yes? Did you say something?" I ask.
He is fuming. I put my hand over my heart. "I'm so sorry. I was thinking of something very important and didn't hear a word you said."
Lucas turns his gorgeous face back at the road, chanting. "She's drunk, she's drunk, she's drunk she's dru-"
"I am not that drunk." I comfort him. "I can read you a book right now. Give me an equation."
"What's six times six?"
"Thirty-six."
"Eight times seven."
"Ok, I wouldn't even know that if I was sober."
"Layla." He growls, forearms flexing. "You make me want to drive this car into a wall. Just shut up."
"So we can live together in the afterlife?"
"No, so you can join your cousin Satan and leave me alone."
"Aw, you think I'm devilish?"
"In the worst kind of way."
"Don't lie to yourself, Lucas. You love it."
He rubs his face aggressively. It makes me frown. Poor face.
"Anyway, you seem really upset. So I sincerely want to apologize for making you uncomfortable. I shouldn't have said what I said." I offer, waving a white flag.
He gives me a skeptical look. I try to keep a straight face to assure him. He looks back at the road. Probably a good idea. We don't want to die tonight.
"I'm sorry." I repeat. Guilt is starting to creep in with him being so silent and me not having any distractions. It's like a tornado of fear and shame and worthlessness. Spinning and expanding from my chest, spreading through my body.
I gulp, closing my eyes. Taking deep breaths, fidgeting with my hands. My spine aches. Abdomen nauseous. Head feels like it's wrapped in a tight band.
"Are you going to throw up?" I hear Lucas ask.
I shake my head. Actually I just want to sleep. Alone. I want to be alone. Just like I'm meant to be.
"Then what is it?" He continues.
"Nothing, Lucas. I'm just having dirty thoughts about you."
"A-are you serious?"
Since when did Lucas become so easy to fluster? I keep winning today.
"I'm imagining two of you. Two tall Lucases. One is like a bad boy. All black. Leather jacket. Kinky smile. Then, then we got the sweet boy next door who needs to be exploited. Then, one fine evening, when I'm in a silky robe and my toenails are freshly painted, Lucases knock on the door. No, they barge in! They break the door down. Then... then they take their shirts off and go into battle. Fighting who's going to get me first. There will be blood. There will be grunts. I will cheer. I will cry. Tears of joy and hotness. Then when the two of you are on the floor, about to die, I will get up and slowly sway my hips to the bedroom, then look over my shoulder and say... 'I'll take the two of you.'"
Silence.
I open my eyes to check.
His mouth is parted. Eyes a little wide. He turns his head back at the traffic, tearing his hand through his hair.
"By the way, when I become your boss. I want you to forget about all this. Think of it as once in a lifetime opportunity to see the real Layla before I go back to being my bitch self."
"You're not a bitch." He says quietly.
It makes my heart swell that he thinks I'm not a bitch. "Thank you. But honestly, I am. I mean, look at what just happened. And here I am joking about it. I'm a monster."
"I know that." He looks at me and rolls his eyes. "But you're not a bitch. You are just... lost a little."
"And you are very nice."
His lips pull up wryly, he shakes his head. I want to see him smile bigger.
"You and Lucas number two are both very nice."
Yay, it worked. He's smirking now. "And you are so drunk."
"On you guys."
He bites his lip, smiling. "Man, am I going to torture you about this later. I can't wait."
"Torture me, baby."
He laughs. It's a mixture of disbelief and amusement. And I'm so there for it.
"I think I'm really lucky to feel this comfortable around you, Lucas." I smile, closing my eyes again. "Thank you... for letting me."
He chuckles softly, voice smooth and husky. "You're welcome."
~A/N~
I wasn't going to write until Monday, but fucking Layla would not get out of my head! Alright, have a great weekend everyone. Vote for Layla to recover from this hangover <3