Chapter Eight

***LUCAS POV***

"Not even if its about your parents?"
 

I stare at him in Horror.

 
"M-M-My parents?" I stutter out, my voice barely a whisper. I see an evil grin spread across his face and my guard instantly goes up. "What about my parents? They're in jail." I snap,  my fear turning to anger. He just shakes his head and sighs.
 

"Honestly Lucas I'm surprised at you. How long have we been out of high school?" He says talking to me like he was talking to a small child. I think back.
 

"Four Years..... S**T!" I've been out of high school for four years. My mother was only sentenced for four years. She was getting out this year. "My mother." I hiss. Arnold nods.
 

"You know my father is friends with one of the O.Cs who work there. He told my father your mother is getting out this month, actually this week to be exact. And your father. H-"

"What about my father? He still has three years in that hell." I snap, my fear spilling back into my voice. My father was a horrible man, he had abused me since I was seven years old up until I was seventeen and finally broke my silence, thanks to Rolland helping me. Arnold shakes his head and actually has the decency to look sad.

"You father is getting out on good behavior. This week as well." He says quietly and everything in me freezes. My father? getting out?

"THIS WEEK!?" I shout, my voice high with hysteria. Arnold nods, a guilty look on his face.

***ARNOLD POV***

I watch as fear creeps into Lucas's face, guilt kicks me. I had been his best friend and I didn't stop his abuse. He thought I didn't know But I did. IT was slightly obvious when you knew Lucas as well as I did. I never said anything because I knew Lucas didn't want me to, he just wanted to sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't exist. But I was wrong, I wish I had done something about it. I wish I had told someone. Then maybe I wouldn't have lost my friend and he wouldn't have had to suffer. That's why I was warning him now. Maybe if I warn him now I could get my friend back. Maybe that B***h Jeremi wouldn't take him from me anymore. Lucas shoves a hand through his hair as he lets out a shaky breath. He turns to walk away but I grab his arm.

"Listen lets get out of here. You need to take your mind off of this." I say, mentally cringing when I hear the desperation in my voice. I was Arnold F*****g Gordon! I don't Beg! But here I was begging my high school best friend to hang out with me like a clingy girlfriend. Lucas yanks his arm from my grasp and my hand falls back to my side.

"Thanks for the warning But I need to be with my family." He says and heads toward the house.

"There was a time when you considered me like family!" I shout and I see him wince, but he says nothing. Just runs to the house and slams the door shut. "B*****d" I mutter and turn to walk back to the old hotel where I had been staying for the past few weeks.

***LUCAS POV***

"There was a time when you considered me like family!" He shouts behind me and I cant help the Cringe. It was true. Arnold had been like a brother to me, a safe haven to run to when my life was a living hell. And here I was abandoning him. But I say nothing to the jab and run back to the house. Jeremi Looks up from the couch and frowns when she sees me.

"Baby what's wrong? What did he say?" She asks with concern pausing her show and coming over to me. I stand in front of the door, my body shaking with fear. Ohgodohgodohgod My father was getting out of prison? How? Why wasn't I notified? "Luc what's wrong? you're scaring me?" She says coming over and slipping her arms around my waist. I open my arms and wrap them around her tightly as she steps into them. "You're shaking." She says quietly, kissing my chest trying to make me feel better.

"My F-Father." I whisper and feel her tense up. She looks up at me with a confused look. I peer down at her, wishing I could just sink into her brown eyes. "He's getting out this week" I shudder and my arms tighten around her. Her eyes widen with fear before anger flashes through them.

"But he has Three more years left! how is that possible?" She cries.

"He's getting out early for good behavior. My mother is getting out this week too. Its been four years." I choke out. She gasps.

"Oh Lucas." She whispers and just hugs me tightly. I cling to her, feeling tears rising in my eyes.

"What do I do." I whisper feeling like a small child again. She hugs me even tighter. 

"You stay with us." She says looking up at me. "You stay with your friends, your True family. We will all be here for you. You turn to us when you need to ok?" She says. I look down at her and bend down to kiss her deeply. I loved this women in my arms. She meant everything to me, her and Regan both.

"I love you." I whisper against her lips and feel her smile.

"I love you too." She says breaking the kiss. I pout at her making her laugh. "OH My goodness that has to be the cutest thing ever!" She giggles. She untangles herself from my arms and I pout deeper. She takes my hand and tugs me toward the bathroom. "Lets take a shower. Regan is asleep so we have maybe a few hours to ourselves." She says, her voice dipping seductively. And for the first time in about an hour I smirk, eagerly following her to the bathroom.

"Oh What fun It is to Take... A shower with my Gal." I sing, using the jingle bell tune. Jeremi throws her head back and laughs a rich warm laugh. I give her a goofy grin and shut the door as she slips her hands around my waist. Oh Yeah.....

*******

Laying on my back,I stare up at my ceiling later that night Unable to sleep. Jeremi shifts in her sleep and snuggles closer to me, her naked body wiggling against me under the blanket. I look over at her and taking a hand from behind my head I pull the blanket up, covering her bare shoulder. She sighs in content in her sleep making me smile and bend down to kiss her soft lips. Gently and slowly I get out of bed, bending down to grab my boxers and slipping them on as well as a shirt and some jeans. Grabbing my phone off the bedside table I slip out of my room and toward Regan's to check on her. opening her door I peer in to see her sleeping peacefully in her sleep, an occasional Twitch making her feet or arms jerk. I smile as I slip inside to go to her. Putting my hands on the railings I lean down, the railing biting into my stomach.

"Daddy loves you baby girl." I whisper before placing a kiss on her forehead. Thankfully she doesn't stir. I leave her room and take my phone out of my Pocket, dialing a number I had committed to memory long ago.

"Hello?" Comes a sleepy voice.

"Arnold where you at?" I say grabbing my keys and slipping out of the house toward my car.

"Old Hotel."

"Good I'll be there in a few. Have the stuff ready." I say and hang up without saying goodbye. I jump into my car and in a few minutes am racing toward the hotel. A few more minutes later I park my car next to Arnold truck and jump out. Walking the familiar path to the second floor. I Step onto it and am greeted by a low glow from a camping lantern. I squint and see Arnold's form sitting on the couch, shot glasses lining the coffee table. A smirk spreads on my face. "Hey Man." I say making my way over to him. He looks up and smiles, his white teeth glowing creepily in the lanterns light.

"Hey, I got the good stuff." He says pointing to the shot glasses, and a small mirror. My Face Breaks out into a wide grin. I hadn't touched that stuff in almost three years. My nose itches with anticipation. I saunter over to him and he moves over on the couch so I can sit with him.  I look at the table and smile when I see that he had given us each four shots to start with, Red code mountain dew already set up for the chaser. He picks one up and I follow his lead, clinking it against his before downing it, the burn scorching my throat making me cough.

"Whiskey? You put whiskey in a shot glass? Man you're crazy." I choke out still coughing. Arnold just laughs and points to the other three glasses in front of me.

"They're all different. Tequila, vodka, whiskey, and a mix of all three. I figured it would be a fun game to play. Which is which." He says his smile glowing again. I shrug.

"Works for me. Hey give me the other goods. I say holding my hand out for the mirror. He just laughs and hands me the mirror and a rolled up dollar bill. For the rest of the night we do line after line, shot after shot, until my memory goes blank as I get worse.

*** JEREMI POV***

The sound of crying wakes me up and I groan, knowing it was my turn. I roll over to curl up to Lucas, knowing that Regan needed to cry her way back to sleep this time. I open my eyes in surprise when I feel the empty bed next to me. I sit up, keeping the blanket around me.

"Lucas?" I call softly. When I don't hear him I stand up, quickly throwing on a nightgown and leaving the room. Maybe he's in Regan's room. I make my way to her room and slip in, shocked when I don't see my fiancée in there. Regan spots me and lets out a sob ,reaching out to me. I go to her. "Hey silly girl what's wrong?" I whisper picking her up. I sniff and wrinkle my nose, alright maybe she didn't need to cry herself to sleep this time. I bring her over to the changing table and quickly change her diaper, rocking her back to sleep then placing her back in the crib. Where was Lucas? I leave the room once I'm sure she's asleep and go into the living room. "Lucas you in here?" I call. Still nothing. I go to the kitchen but still Nothing. Maybe he went outside to smoke a cigarette? He did that when he was extremely stressed. He smoked like a maybe two packs a year. I go to the sliding glass doors and peer outside, not seeing his figure or the red glow of a cigarette. Hmmmm Where was he. My eyes Widen. "Oh Lucas you wouldn't." I say into the night and quickly go to the living room window. Peering out a groan when I don't see his car.  "Lucas why?" I say, tears spilling from my eyes.

I knew where he had gone. He had gone to Arnold. I rush to our room and quickly grab my phone. I knew Arnolds number sadly. I punch in the number and put the phone to my ear waiting as it rings.

***ARNOLD POV***

"What the F**k do YOU want?" I snap as I see Jeremi's number flash across my screen.

"Is Lucas there with you?" She says and I can hear the concern in her voice. Why the hell would she be concerned? She didn't really care for Lucas! All she cared about was having him Babysit her Mistake. The B***h should have just gotten rid of the parasite before it was born!  I look over at Lucas who was passed out, snoring softly, one arm flung over his face to block out light, the other off the couch hitting the floor. I shake my head even though I know she cant see me. "ARNOLD! Is Lucas with you?" She says growing impatient. I growl as my anger courses.

"Don't you snap at me B***h! And even if he was with me I wouldn't tell you. Now F**k Off!" I snap and end the call, slamming the phone down. Lucas stirs and removes his arm from his face, peering at me.

"Wa dat jurminy?" He slurs making Jeremi's name sound like Jur-ma-knee. I shake my head.

"Nawh it was my friend Carlos's ex girlfriend. She's clingy and a total B***h I say grabbing two beers from my cooler and handing one to Him. He thanks me and takes it, grabbing the bottle opener and popping his top. He takes a deep chug off of it before wiping his mouth and smiling at me.

"I'm tolty wasted. crash here." He says his words slurred and his English broken. It takes everything in me not to bust out laughing. I just nod and shrug.

"Yeah man no problem just move over I'll sleep on the other end." I say and nudge his feet so I can sit down. I finish my beer and then toss it, watching as it hurtles through the air and smashes against the closest wall. Lucas laughs and follows my lead, his not even coming close to the wall and smashing against the ground. He pouts.

"Wat the fluck! Gimmie more. I'll Make it." He says holding out his hand for another one, his words slurring and messing up the word Ffuck. I just laugh and hand him one of the already empty beers. There were plenty of them. He throws five, all of them missing and his pout grows deeper. "WHAT THE FLUCK!" He shouts, his anger boiling. I laugh and spot the empty vodka bottle.

"Here this has more weight you might reach it." I say handing him the bottle he takes it from me and throws it with all his drunken strength, letting out a victorious cry when it smashes against the wall in a loud crash. I clap. "Brava Brava Magnifico!" I say slipping into a horrible Italian accent. He gives me his Cheshire grin and bows before leaning back.

"Tired." He states and within minutes he is snoring again. I laugh.

"Night man." I whisper, settling into the other side of the couch and passing out, A smile on my face. I got my friend back. And I was going to make sure it STAYED that way.