Lucien
The announcer calls my father to the stage and he excuses himself from the table. I don't know what kind of act he was putting up tonight, but he was sure as hell selling the cake.
I absentmindedly intertwined Amara and I's hands together, caressing the skin for her comfort. I was over obsessive tonight. Mainly because there were a lot of properly well dressed suitors that could just as easily catch her eye and take her away from me. She was so astonishing under the bright chandelier light that beamed over us. Her dark hair graciously fell down her back, her creamy skin glowed and the dress she wore fitted perfectly, the fabric hugging her curvy body. Even with her cancer, she was undeniably the most beautiful human I have ever met, internally and externally.
Gosh the things I want to do to her, but I had to refrain herself myself from being uncontrollable. She would be th-
"Lucien?" my father's voice pulled me out of my train of thoughts. Everyone had caught me staring at her, she did too, only blushed and looked down.
"Lucien," he calls again. I flick my eyes to where he stood on stage. He motions for me to join him and I flaunt to the stage, adjusting my sleeves as I wanted them.
"As most of you may know my son, Lucien, wasn't the easiest on his feet, even when he was a baby. Some would say that he was mischievous. I would agree," he comments, making everyone laugh.
"But I loved him no matter the troubles that occurred while he was growing up. I still do, no matter what," he smiles proudly as if he accomplished something tonight. I on the other hand; it was so hard for me to not embarrass him in front of all of his work colleagues and Amara. I kept hoping that I could've made eye contact with Amara, knowing that I was going to lose my cool one way or the other.
"Tonight we also celebrate a great good fortune. And her name is Adelyn, the absolute love of my life, and frankly, she saved my life. I'm suddenly blessed by a new bride, a new beginning and not one but two brilliant sons, Lucien and Lucas. I remember an earlier time....-"
Pathetic.
This 'amazing dad in the world' act will go on forever I suppose. Not caring about the shit that was coming out of his mouth, I gaze over to Amara who was already looking, smiling at me. I instantly change moods, letting my eyes rest on her for a bit.
"-Adelyn and I are getting married in a couple weeks." Wait what?
I glare at my father in disbelief. I wish I could slap that fucking grin off his hard face. He was unbelievable. I couldn't even look at him. Such a big disgrace. I felt an arm on my shoulder. I turn hastily, almost knocking the person down, only to see that it was Lucas' mother, smiling widely next to her pathetic son.
I slowly stepped away from them and turn my back to everyone, running to the big glass doors, away from it all. I held my head in my hands and paced the lawn furiously.
"Lu?" her little voice called out to me. I wipe my face with the back of my hands and bring them away, only to realise that I was crying. I was tough, but my mother was my biggest weakness which often brought my delicate side out. I couldn't even imagine what's going to happen from here on now and I don't want to be a part of their 'perfect' family, knowing damn well that they only want to include me because they have no choice.
Her face falls at the sight of my state and walks over briskly to embrace me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling my head in. I squeeze her tightly and that was it.
I let it all out. The vexation, the pain, the sorrow, the agony, the thoughts of me losing the first woman I accepted into my horrid life. Something that I was holding in for years, I let it all out.
I was angry at ma Père since the day he left us. Yet, the sole reason why I walked out on his announcement to marry Adelyn is because ma Mère is sick.....slowly giving up on a hospital bed....and he's out here getting married to another woman? Where is the care after all that he has put her through?
"Let it out baby, let it out," she coos, her voice comforting and my body relaxes.
"That's not the man I grew up with," I point in the direction we once came from, my hands shaking as I did. "My father was a filthy drunk, only cared for himself. What do you think my mother and I were to him? Dogs. You expect me to believe those snarky comments coming out his mouth now?" I lament and screw up my face.
"At least he's trying Lucien," she says, straining her voice, "people change."
"Clearly," I snort. She deadpans and pass her palms on my cheeks to wipe away the salty tears.
"It still doesn't change what happened."
"Take your time, I'm right here for you," she inquires.
I'm glad I met her. She was all I needed and opening up to her was going to push her away.
Eventually.
I step away from her and sigh, intertwining our fingers together and pulling her away from all the excitement. We were with silence, the only noise were the crickets chirping to each other as we walked down the rocky pavement into the moonlit night.
"What happened? Was it bad?" she asks, lightly rocking our intertwined hands back and forth.
"One night, my father, in his usual drunk state, came home to my mother and I,12am the next morning. My head rest across my mother's lap while she bore the pain in her eyes burning, just to wait on my disgrace of a father. I couldn't wake that late, my body was trained to go to bed at a certain time. All I heard was voices raising and next thing I knew....I was flung against the carpet floor and that woke me. I was seven at the time. When I opened my eyes....my father was on top of my mother, his large hands wrapped around her fragile neck, she was gasping so much for air. She was struggling to speak, but I understood what she was saying. "Courir! Lucien. Courir! Run! Lucien. Run!" The only thought that crossed my mind was to save her. I tried as best as a seven year old could've done, but I too shared into the beating. Then.....she came the next day. My father sat outside in the driveway, sitting on the hood of his car while she spat profanities to my mother's face and I cowardly hid behind her weak legs, too afraid....too small to speak my mind." I stopped myself from going further into the agenda.
"The beloved Damien King," I sneer and shake my head. Amara was quiet, something I was used to, but sometimes her absence from certain things frightens me.
"I knew I was going to make you become distant," I say quietly.
She stops in her tracks and glare at me. "Don't ever say a thing like that, you here me Lucien? Nothing you say or do will make me distance myself from you. I wanted to know you, to adore and grow to love the real you, everything about you. I've grown closer to you is what I'm trying to say," she confesses, looking up at me. Under the moonlight I swear I saw starry specks in her eyes.
I was so in love with her.
I only smile, making her return the action. She embraces me softly and I hug back, lifting her in my arms and twirling her around. She squeals and I grow fond of the sound. We laugh together as we noticed how tangled I made her within the chord of the tubes. I helped her to re-adjust them.
"Do you want to go home?" we ask simultaneously. She giggles and nods. Briskly walking back, she informs me that she couldn't leave Sylvia since she came with her and I tell her that my cousin will take care of her.
"Hey, where did you go?" Lucas calls out to us and I groan, flicking the nerd off with a glare.
"You promise you'll play nice," Amara says in a voice only for me to hear. I roll my eyes and fake a smile. "Just went to take a walk."
"I don't suppose you recall any of those passages you wrote son? J'aimerais bien en entendre un (I would love to hear one from French)," my father joins us, placing his hand on my shoulder.
I snap my neck to the hand and kept my menacing glare there. "Don't play your fucking nice card tonight father because you know in hell that you're far away from nice," I spat.
"I would love to dance with your amazing son, Mr. King," Amara interrupts with a small smile and pull me behind her to the center of the room, the others clearing way for us to move about. She spun around and sling the tank over a shoulder. I instantly pull her into my chest, resting my hands on her waist and pull her closer.
"Thank you," I say. She arches her neck. "For?"
"Saving me whenever I need a saviour."
She gives my jaw a little kiss and dug her fingers into my hair. But I wanted more. Pulling her face up to forcefully attach our lips together, she tightens her arms around my neck to steady herself and gives me the access I wanted. We were having a full make out session in front of hundreds of people. What can I say? We were in love and I wasn't in the pleasure of denying it.
We pull away together and rest our foreheads against each other, breathing heavily. I adjust the tubes to her nose and we sigh simultaneously, in happiness.
"I lo-" I go to say but a voice interrupts me.
"Clarissa! What a pleasant surprise!"
I flick my head to the direction of the voice and widen my eyes. What the hell is she doing here?
***
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