Lies

“Lucas? Are we bothering you?” Ms. Taylor asked, looking over the tops of her bug-eyed glasses. With the way she stared at Lucas, it was obvious he was about to get in trouble. She paced the length of her desk, and started moving down the aisle towards Lucas. She had more grace than anyone should ever have while on drugs. The quick, methodical click of her heels would have put sweat on anyone else’s hands, but not Lucas. Lucas had something over her. She stopped in front of him, but he paid no attention to her. His gaze remained on the images blooming from the end of his pencil on the homework he should have done.

She may once have been beautiful, but that would have been before she started using coke every week. Her voice was raspy, her skin was pulled taut across prominent cheekbones, and her nose looked wrong. Her nose was misshapen like it had been broken and was now withdrawing into her face. Her eyes were windows into an empty depth, and they appeared too large for her face.

“Bothering me? Nope.”

“Well, I see your homework isn’t done. Again.”

“Yup. Your eyes are perfect, Ms. Taylor.” She sighed and walked back to the front of the room with her back to the students. Her hands shook, and she looked wobbly. On the board were examples of ‘exemplar thesis statements’ from Hamlet. Beside that was a clock that didn’t seem to move. Time was a funny thing. Minutes may feel like hours, and hours may feel like minutes, but it was constant just the same. In Ms. Taylor’s class, seconds felt like a lifetime. At least, that’s how it felt to Lucas Duff. It was only the first week of school, and he was already done. Done with everything. It was a fine afternoon in Portland, Maine, but, apart from the weather, nothing was fine.

“Well then. Who can tell me another example of an exemplary thesis statement for Hamlet?” Several hands went into the air. “Lucas? Why don’t you tell the class since you’ve been paying attention.” His hand was not one that had been in the air. Lucas closed his eyes and counted to ten.

“Ms. Taylor. If I felt inclined to answer your question, my hand would have been in the air. There are countless other students you could have asked.”

Lucas could feel eyes on him and turned to see, and immediately faced forward. It was Cristal. The girl who had tutored him for this very class, and the girl that caused the breakup between him and his ex, Gina.

“I’m glad to see the tutoring worked,” Cristal whispered.

Lucas looked over at her with a blank stare and grabbed his bag. “Mmm.”

Ms. Taylor took this opportunity to embarrass him in front of the class further. “Good, you’re leaving? Go to the office where Principal Bremer can deal with you. And tuck your shirt in. This is a school.”

“Whatever.”

Lucas swung his backpack onto one shoulder and left the classroom without a word. The halls were spotless and perfect, but all he saw were flaws… and his ex, Gina. He tried to stop and turn around without her noticing, but he wasn’t so lucky.

“Lucas?” He let out a harsh exhale. He slowed and came to a stop. He towered above her. With him standing, his head was almost even with the lockers. He leaned on the locker and met her brown gaze. Her curls were tight ringlets against her dark skin, and her eyes met his with both curiosity and pain. “Principal’s office again?” Lucas nodded and shrugged. They basked in an awkward silence that was only achieved by a messy break-up.

“Why do you get kicked out of class so much? It’s only the first week of school… and I know you know your material.”

Her tone turned bitter at that last part. Lucas had taken tutoring from Cristal, and Gina had taken that shit personally. Apparently, it was common knowledge that you’re supposed to take tutoring from your girlfriend and you’re not allowed to engage in activities with other girls, no matter how innocent they may be. Gina was too insecure for a relationship. Nothing would have ever happened with Cristal.

“We’re not together anymore, Gina. You can stop pretending to care.”

“I do care, Luke! I want to know why you look so—so done with life.”

“Robert.”

Lucas looked at her. Understanding bloomed in her eyes, and her expression changed. There were things she knew that the general public did not know about him. It was not limited to his studying habits. Those were some of the perks to being in a relationship with someone. You knew everything about them. It was also a major con.

“Again? Luke, you said you were fine.”

“I am fine.”

“You said he was off in Seattle.”

“He was. And now he’s back. I’m fine.”

“Fuck off, Luke. I know when you’re lying.”

“I have to go.”

Lucas pushed off the locker with more force than intended, and he stormed in the direction of the Devil’s office. His footsteps were quiet. That’s how he’d been raised. ‘Don’t be loud on your feet, boy. Keep your chin up. Bow down to no one. You owe them nothing.’

The secretary knew him well, and when she saw him, she rolled her eyes and canted her head in the direction of the office. He flipped her off and knocked on the principal’s door. Principal Bremer.

“Come in.”

Lucas popped his head around the door, and Principal Bremer’s smile slid right off her face. “Lucas. I don’t know how to help you anymore.” Lucas’s body sunk into the chair opposing the principal and refused to speak or make eye contact. “How should I help you? How would you deal with this situation?” She leaned back in her chair and regarded Lucas with frustration.

“I have no goals. Or a future.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because it’s true.”

“Do you want to graduate?”

“What’s the point?”

“Lucas…” Lucas knew where this was going. Before she came to incorrect assumption, Lucas jumped in.

“I’m not depressed. That’s not the issue.”

“Well, if you don’t see the point in graduating, why are you still in school?”

Lucas paused because that was a very good question indeed. He knew the answer deep down, but it was a pipe dream. It would never happen. He could never have a normal life, and any classes he took wouldn’t matter when he was looped into a life of crime. “I don’t know.”

“Well, you better figure it out soon because teachers are losing patience. We understand your situation, and that you’ve had… shall we say ‘not very good luck’. However, that excuse can only go so far. I am the only thing keeping you in school at this point, Lucas. I want to see you succeed, I do, but you’re making it very hard on me here. Go home, and think it over. If you’re not going to take this more serious, you cannot stay at this school. You require a certain GPA, and you don’t have the grades or attendance anymore. Why don’t you tutor with Ms. Acker again? She was helping you so much.”

No.

“She caused more problems than she was worth.” Bremer looked at Lucas with pity. The whole school knew about the messy break-up he and Gina had over the summer. It was impossible not to know.

“That may be so, but education is crucial for the rest of your life to make a living.”

“No it’s not.”

Principal Bremer’s head jerked back, and her eyes widened as if she’d never heard anyone say that before. Lucas coughed and realized he’d said that out loud.

“It’s not crucial. There are things you can do to make a living that don’t require an education.” Like drug dealing and other illicit things.

“Would you like to work at a restaurant or a fast food joint for the rest of your life, Lucas? I don’t want that for you. I can see you in business. I can see you succeeding in art. I can see you with a future! Why are you not seeing the same thing I am? Why do you not see a future for yourself?”

“Because you’re not me.”

She sighed and looked down at her desk where she had Lucas’s papers. “Is that your decision then?”

“I guess so.”

She hesitated to pick up her pen, but when she did, she scribbled a note on a page and looked up at him. “In that case, you’re going to have to pack your things by the end of the day. If you ever change your mind…”

“I won’t.”

“Then goodbye, Lucas. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

It wasn’t likely.

Excusing himself, Lucas walked down the vacant halls and through to the parking lot. Stuffing his hands inside his pockets, he threw his bag back on the ground and sat on a picnic table, alone. Sighing, Lucas pulled out a cigarette. After lighting it up, he took a drag and put the lighter into his back pocket. He grabbed his backpack and rummaged through it to make sure he had the order. Someone cleared their throat behind him, and Lucas saw Ms. Taylor with her hands on her hips.

“Well, well, well,” Lucas leered and leaned back on the picnic table. He regarded her with total ease. Taking another drag out of his cigarette, he grabbed it with his thumb and index finger and rolled it between nimble fingers. He brought a leg up and propped his arm on it.

“Just give me my stuff, Lucas,” she snapped, digging around her purse for her wallet.

“Ah, that’ll be $100, please.”

Lucas tossed the nondescript package filled coke in her direction. He shrugged his shoulders before hopping down from his perch on the picnic table. She ordered an eight ball of coke once every week or so. She clearly had a problem. Without words, she gave Lucas the wad of cash, and he sat there feeling smug. This place was out of the cameras’ reach, and no one except smokers were ever found here. This was going to be his last interaction with this place for the rest of his life. Lucas shot a tight smile in her direction and pulled his shades over his eyes as the sun beamed in his face. Lucas watched her slink back into the school. He played with his car keys with an absent mind and heavy hands.

Getting into his car, he drove away with the undeniable feeling of regret.

Lucas found himself in his bathroom staring at his reflection. His hair was dark brown, and when he met his own gaze, the eyes that stared back at him were dead. It had taken him no more than five minutes to pack his shit up and leave the school. That had made it easy, but it was a little depressing too. He hadn’t made a mark in the school; he wondered if people would even realize he was gone. He wasn’t in any clubs or sports, and he didn’t attend classes as it was. He didn’t have friends, and his love life was non-existent. He didn’t have much going for him. And now, he had nothing to come home to. It was not a loving home, to put it nicely.

“Lucas!”

Lucas breathed in deeply, held it, and then let it out. A shaking hand swept unruly dark hair back away from his forehead and flopped back into place like it always did. Robert was home.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Come downstairs.” Lucas’s hands curled around the edge of the sink, and his knuckles turned white. “Now!” Lucas flicked the switch to turn the light off in his bathroom and took his sweet ass time going down each of the steps leading into the front entrance.

His adoptive father stood on the mat at the doorway and slowly took off each of his shoes. Robert then placed his dress shoes in line with the ten other identical pairs and looked up at Lucas. Robert stood and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I got a call today, Lucas.” Lucas stood in silence at the last step. “I did not like what I heard.”

“What did you hear, Sir?”

“Do not speak. I got a call from the principal today. Lovely woman. However, she said you dropped out of school today. Explain. Now.”

Lucas swallowed. “I dropped out because she said I was close to being kicked out anyway. My grades and attendance weren’t good enough to stay in the school, and she said that had to change, or I would be formally kicked out.”

“And you decided it was best to get to that result prematurely?”

“Sir, I thought it would be best for me to drop out.”

“Because?”

“Well, because I could then keep my focus where it matters: on the business. Right now, my time is being split between two things, school and the business, and I can do better.”

Robert smiled, but it wasn’t a warm smile. “Well, Lucas, I have to say… that is a far better excuse than I was hoping for. While your reasoning is commendable, I’m afraid you should have consulted me first. Give me your belt.” Lucas shook, and his hands fumbled with the metal prong; he pulled the belt loose from the loops and held it out in front of him.

“Bring it to me.”

Lucas shuffled forward, and stopped in front of Robert. Robert was wearing rings. The blow came out of nowhere, and pain bloomed in his cheek. He closed his eyes and returned to an upright position. Lucas did not move after that. Another came, this time on his lip. He tasted blood and his teeth ached, but still Lucas did not make a sound. Next was his stomach, and Lucas let out a grunt, but when he stood up once more, his head was higher than it ever had been before. Robert pulled out a blade and flicked it open. Lucas glared at Robert and said nothing.

“You should be respectful to me, Boy. I took you in after your brother died and gave you a home. This is how you repay me?”

“Fuck you.”

Perhaps Lucas shouldn’t have said that, but Lucas couldn’t help it with his blood boiling in his veins. The mention of Lucas’s brother was enough to stir something inside him that made Lucas want to fight back. It wasn’t that Lucas didn’t want to fight back before, but the consequences were usually steep. He was willing to pay for it now. Robert’s nostrils flared, and he kicked Lucas in the chest causing Lucas to crash to the floor. Lucas’s head hit the hardwood with a terrible thump.

“What did you say to me?”

“I said, ‘Fuck you’.”

The world went black.

“Lucas? You asshole. We were supposed to hang out today!”

Lucas moaned and felt a sharp pain in his leg. Clenching his teeth, he tried to move, but his hands and ankles were bound with something. Moaning in pain, he closed his eyes in defeat.

“Lucas? Holy shit; what the fuck?” Lucas looked up, his vision blurring. The pain was getting unbearable. He felt an abrupt sting blossom on his cheek, and Lucas gurgled because of blood building in his throat. He gagged before tilting his head to the side and letting it drip down his cheek. Aiden’s voice drifted in and out of focus. Lifting a set of keys, Lucas’s best friend stooped in front of him and let Lucas’s hands and feet free.

“Lucas! You have a fucking knife in your leg! Come on; let’s go back to my house. When we’re there, you’re going to explain to me how you got into this little situation.” Wincing, Lucas ground his teeth in determination and tried to stand up. “Whoa. You should let me help you.”

“No.” Lucas steeled himself, but then he fell back with a piteous moan. Looking down at his leg, he inhaled sharply, disbelieving of the gruesome sight before him. The handle of the steak knife stood tall, protruding from his thigh.

“Hey, okay. I’m going to have to carry you, aren’t I? I should give you a painkiller first. I’ll be back in a second.” Lucas’s body was pulsing in pain. It could have been seconds since Aiden had left, or it could have been hours. Time was sketchy.

“Here, take these.” Aiden’s hand was in front of Lucas’s face, and Lucas had the urge to slap it until he saw that Aiden had painkillers in his hand. Snatching them up, Lucas placed the pretty pink pills on his tongue and swallowed them without water.

“Are these legal?” Lucas found himself asking.

Aiden shrugged. “Um, yeah … in Mexico, I think.”

“Carry me,” Lucas said, winded.

“Yup, that’s why I’m here. This is obviously why I was put on this earth: so I could carry your fat ass around.” Aiden mumbled some choice words under his breath. “Ready?” Aiden waited for no answer as he hoisted Lucas up, careful not to disturb Lucas’s leg. Lucas hissed through his teeth in pain as Aiden moved him.

As Aiden carried Lucas out the double doors of the house, cold air whipped his body as they stepped outside. Lucas’s body erupted into shivers.

“Ugh…” Aiden stilled. Lucas’s head lolled to the side, and he felt drool and blood drip down his chin.

“Real sexy, Lucas.”

“Yup,” Lucas replied, not knowing what he was saying. “Pretty, pretty, pink pills.” He was delirious. “These pills make you tired …”

Aiden’s face was stony and he was chewing on his lip. “Okay, just … shut up. We’ll figure this out.” Aiden was talking more to himself than to Lucas, but Lucas didn’t care and tuned Aiden out. His body throbbed, but the pain was dwindling away.

“Aiden?”

Lucas passed out cold.