Recap:
The guys were finally able to tell Naomi about the Lost Boys and, in turn, she was able to find a way to begin the search for who the Lost Boys really are in connection to the fallen boss gang the Three Musketeers were able to end their reign, the Royal Bloods.
Previously, after a girls' night out with Lynn and Brennan, Naomi accidentally saw Lynn throwing up on purpose, a characterization of bulimia, when trying to grab her jacket she left at Lynn's room. It's been awkward since then but Naomi had promised to go to Lynn's to get her jacket back.
And the last time we've seen Dominic, it was alongside Naomi and Jordan. Even though he offered them a car ride while Bennett and Declan were gone doing gang business, Jordan confronted him with his background research which fell short. This led to the whole Jordan episode of him threatening Naomi's safety in telling Dominic about his status in the Three Musketeers.
And that's what you missed on GLEE!
~
I took a deep breath.
Just as I raised my hand to ring the doorbell, the door suddenly opened.
"Sorry," Lynn said sheepishly. "You were standing in front of the door for a while. I wanted you to get your thoughts together but you were taking your sweet time."
"Well I'm glad I snapped myself out of it or I would've gotten a cold standing out here," I said with a smile.
"Probably because you left your jacket here," Lynn said. "Now don't just stand there. Come inside."
I went into Lynn's house and took a seat on the couch. I felt like I was sweating bullets of how awkward I was probably making it. I told myself that I was only there to get my jacket. I'll make some small talk and quickly leave. I didn't like that plan, but I didn't know what else I can do to fix this. For now. My thoughts were interrupted when my jacket was thrown at my face.
"Oh no!" Lynn exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I was aiming for your lap! I swear!"
I burst out laughing. "Either you're telling the truth or you're trying to assassinate me." I took a whiff of my jacket. "Thanks for washing my jacket by the way. Hopefully, it wasn't too much trouble."
"Darn, that was exactly how I was going to get you too," Lynn said with a click of her tongue. "With those lavender-scented cotton fibers, I would have gotten away with it too."
Our laughter died down and an uncomfortable silence filled up the room instead.
As I rose up from the couch and began to put on my jacket, I told her, "It's getting pretty late, I should get-"
"Don't... leave..." Lynn said quietly. "I... know what you saw. And I don't want that to end this between us. That it was me who have ended this."
It was then I finally saw it in Lynn's eyes. I was so obsessed with my own guilt that I didn't consider Lynn's own thoughts.
I slowly sat back down. "No Lynn," I assured her. "It was my own fault."
She snorted. "You weren't the one who made those awesome cookies." Lynn stared down at her hands. "I'm a mess..."
Before I could interject, she continued.
"And I took it upon myself to clean up my own messes." She let out a sigh. "It's hard starting a new school."
"Yeah, I know..."
Lynn looked up upon hearing that I understand her own experiences, then she shifted her gaze back to her hands. "You feel like all eyes are on you."
Those words shifted to another experience. Something that ended recently but its damage still burns against me.
"But you can't stare back at them," I muttered.
"Every word is judged."
"Every action is torn apart."
"You want to fit in."
"You'll do anything to fit in."
"You have to fit in," we both said together.
The silence hung in the air until Lynn broke it with a huge sigh of relief.
"I was really worried that our friendship went down the... toilet." She paused, perhaps horrified by her poor choice of wording but we both laughed nonetheless.
"Can we hug?" Lynn asked before smirking. "As proof that you're okay with this? With me?"
I laughed at how she had to ask me that. "Of course, silly."
Just as we pulled each other into a big bear hug, the front door abruptly opened.
The woman, whom I assumed was Lynn's mother, dropped the groceries on the ground.
Lynn pushed me away at the sight of her parents.
"Don't overreact," Lynn warned her parents.
"Lillian," her mother began softly. "How dare you bring your lifestyle into our own home."
"You can't call it a lifestyle mom," Lynn said through gritted teeth. "I told you to stop calling it a that!"
"Why do you have to keep bringing these people into our own home?" Her father demanded as Lynn grabbed my jacket, put it in my hands and started leading me out of the house. "I thought we were in agreement that you'll stop it."
"I'm not doing this on purpose!" She retorted. "And she's just my friend! We weren't doing anything!"
"Yeah and she's just one of your many friends," her mother accused. "I'm just thankful we arrived here before anything else happened."
"We weren't going to do anything!" Lynn shouted as we reached the front door. She turned to me with pleading eyes, her eyes were fiery with both embarrassment and anger.
"I'm so sorry Naomi," she said quietly. "But please, don't blame yourself."
She closed the door right behind me and their argument started again, growing louder.
Too late.
-
I closed my school locker shut. Then, I closed my eyes and sighed.
"What do you want?"
"Relax, Lorraine," Raymond said with a smirk, leaning against the lockers beside me. "I just wanted to talk. Just smile and pretend you're having a good conversation with me."
"Isn't that always?" I asked thoughtfully.
"Cute," he snarked.
"I'm not in the mood, Raymond."
"Are you saying there are times when you are?" I could hear the smile in his voice.
"How long were you standing in that position?" I asked, looking up and down at his figure seeing it was visibly shaking slightly. "And finding that not-so-natural position?"
Raymond shifted his stance, perhaps to something more comfortable, frowning. "That doesn't matter."
I leaned my back against my own locker, watching the students pass by.
"You've been hanging out with him a lot," I observed.
"Yeah," Raymond said quietly. "It's like the time never affected him."
"How lucky..."
"He said that he was glad we're still good friends," Raymond said. "I just wanted to keep that up for him. Unless you want him to believe otherwise."
I didn't say anything.
"We never got to really talk about what happened between us. When you stopped getting-"
"Don't," I said. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh," he muttered, taking a moment. "Wrong time and place?"
"Wrong everything," I snapped. "There's nothing to talk about anymore. You're bringing up unwanted memories." I have enough in my mind as is.
He wore a pained expression. Though it looked more frustrated than anything.
"Don't give me that look. I know what you want to say, but I don't want to hear it. At this point, it's an insult." I shook my head. "Believe me, Raymond. There are times when I want to watch the world burn."
Raymond turned and stared at me.
"But that just means I should burn with it," I said quietly.
"Why are you pretending everything is okay with him?" He huffed. "Unlike with those three?"
"Because it's different with him. Dominic can actually figure it out," I muttered before glancing at him. "And I could ask the same thing with you. Only, what I'm really surprised about is-"
"Why I'm working with you on this?" Raymond let out a soft laugh. "Because I have just as much to lose."
"Mutually assured destruction," I mused.
"From the Cold War right?" Dominic said as he approached us. "I did pretty well in the AP US History test," he said proudly.
"Take care of that ego of yours," Raymond said with a snort. "You're with someone who probably set the curve."
"You?" Dominic and I accused in unison.
"What? No. Of course not." He tsked. "Nevermind."
"Anyway, I've been looking for you. Good thing I tried to look for Naomi instead. You guys never seem to stray too far from each other."
"As if," Raymond said. "Though now that I think of it, why aren't those other guys with you?"
"Believe it or not, we're not conjoined to the hip. They don't have to be with me everywhere I go."
"It sure feels like that all the time," Dominic huffed. "Trying to keep me away from you," he cooed as he leaned on my shoulder, reminding me of our height difference.
"So what did you want from me?" Raymond asked,
"I want you to actually do your work," Dominic said, playfully punching Raymond's shoulder. "We have that literature project and you haven't done your share of the research."
"You don't know that," Raymond defended. "I have already done plenty of-"
"What are the reference requirements?"
"Well, they're obviously... something... "
"Who's the author?"
"Her name-"
"His," Dominic corrected. "Do you even know what the prompt is?"
"I'm gonna go now," Raymond said quietly, his head hung in defeat. "I'll go hit the library. For once..."
As we watched Raymond melt into the crowd, Dominic sighed. "I didn't have the heart to tell him that there's no point in going to the library if he doesn't know what he has to do in the first place. But it serves him right."
"I thought the due date isn't until a month from now. Why the rush?"
Dominic just grinned at me, making me understand his thoughts.
"Y'know, the last time I saw you was when I gave you and Jordan a ride," Dominic said wistfully. "How was that for you?"
I winced at the memory. A lot has happened since then.
"He was out of line," I told him. "I'd like to apologize on his behalf."
"I'll take it," Dominic said with a shrug. "I'm afraid what he would do if I'd make him apologize to me in person. Not that I'm that petty though."
"Well..." I said in sing-song, giving him a thoughtful look at what he did to his project partner.
"That was one time," Dominic said with a laugh. "If anything, I feel flattered. He sees me as a threat." He laughed evilly, posing in a mocking way.
I laughed with him. "You're ridiculous. Anyway, I have to go to my next class."
But then I paused. I don't know what led me to say this, as if a parting warning, but I told him, "Any other person would be terrified to be in your position." I've seen it firsthand.
"Regardless of the stories that may surround those three," Dominic told me. "They're still human."
Those words seem to hit me until something actually hit me. Standing in a bustling hallway was bound to create trouble when some guy bumped into me.
"Watch it, Lorraine," he growled at me.
No, please. Not here. Not now.
"Sorry, it was my fault," I stammered out, smiling at him.
Just take my apology and leave.
He tsked. "Whatever. If I were you, I'll keep sticking with those guys and-"
"And what?" Declan asked calmly, appearing next to him.
The guy froze and looked away. "N-Nothing."
"Then keep walking."
He quickly melted into the crowd as fast as he came from it. Declan gave a sideways glance at Dominic who witnessed the whole scene. I was worried that he'll start something. But instead, Declan took my books to carry them for me and motioned his head telling me we should go. With that, we walked away from Dominic.
Only I had to turn back to see Dominic still watching us.
Still watching me.
Happy New Year!
A lot has happened this year. Though, not so much for my writing progress for this book. Admittedly, I felt rusty writing and it took a while being able to pick up speed when writing this chapter. There weren't a lot of updates but know that school always comes first. However, I hope to be more mindful in my writing and do better next year.
I would also like to add that I'm an ally of the LGBTQ community. I hope I did not offend anyone as I know that everyone's experience is different. As I was a survivor of bullying, I can make my works based on my own feelings and experiences and therefore have it represent the bullied community, but I cannot do the same in Lynn's subplot as I can only sympathize, not empathize, and it cannot be a representation of the LGBTQ community but a contribution. I love Lynn and I hope to keep an eye out on her my Cuberteers (ha ha, how can a name be so cute and so lame at the same time.)
Also, I'm so excited about what's to come! A lot of spicy things are waiting for you! I hope your hearts can take it!
Have a great year! May your blessings come or continue at 2019 and beyond! Be happy, healthy and awesome!
Love,
Rubix