Chapter 48 | Skateboarding

Isabella:

Lucas surprisingly goes back to his own house after Mia drops us off, claiming his parents have plans to go out into town today which means his house would be empty.

I push away the flash of disappointment that shoots through me as a I watch his figure retreat into his own house after I quickly head inside and pass him his bag that he had bought over yesterday.

For the remainder of the day, I find myself bored out of my mind. My home is significantly quieter without Lucas' bustling presence and it's the most quiet it's been all week.

I decide to watch some Netflix and even read a little on my old Kindle that I had found after unpacking mere months ago and that's how I spend the rest of my day until it hits 9 o clock and I decide to get an early night in.

As I clamber into bed, I'm expecting to fall asleep straight away but unfortunately that does not happen.

My mind isn't particularly swirling with thoughts to keep me awake but I still don't seem to be tired either so after restlessly rolling around for what feels like hours, I reach for my phone on my night stand.

My phone is dry as per usual, just a couple of messages from our group chat where Dylan was crying about how he felt left out today that we all went to lunch together whilst he had been stuck at his little cousins house but that's where the messages end. I scroll on instagram and tiktok for a while, watch people snapchat stories waiting for that drowsiness to hit but it still doesn't come.

With an frustrated sigh I chuck my phone down on the bed beside me. I hadn't shut my curtains properly so there is a sliver of light coming through the window, indicating that Lucas is still awake.

Should I message him?

But message him with what exactly? We don't exactly text back and forth regularly.

Sometimes he sends me instagram memes and tiktoks but his humour is dead so they're never funny and that's about it.

My phone pings with a notification, snapping me out of my thoughts and I blindly look for it amongst my blankets.

When I have the phone in my hand and the screen lights up, I have to blink twice to check if I'm seeing things.

It's a message from Lucas. Damn, can the guy hear my thoughts or something?

Not caring about waiting for the text to marinate before replying, I click the on the notification immediately.

***

Unknown number

Lucas: Hey are you awake?
My parents have come home rip

Me: Yeah, I'm awake

Lucas: Good, you wanna
go on an adventure? ;)

Me: Sure

Lucas: Huh?

Lucas: Is this autocorrect
or am I reading this wrong?
You actually said yes???????

Me: Yes, I can't sleep

Lucas: Aw Belly, you're warming
up to me! That is so sweet :)

Me: Okay, I'm changing my mind

Lucas: NONONO I'm just kidding,
meet me outside by my car in 5

***

I tug on a hoodie over my pyjamas and throw on my vans before creeping across the landing and down the stairs, careful not to wake up my mom or grandmother. My mom has work tomorrow and my grandmother just likes sleeping early so by this time they were both probably well into a deep slumber.

However, I'm still careful when shutting the front door closed, trying not to make too much noise just in case.

Once I've made it out of the house successfully, I tug on the sleeves of my jumper as I walk towards Lucas who is leaning against his car, his lean body illuminated by the dim street lamp.

I shiver at the cold, it's slightly chilly out and I regret not bringing a coat but it's too late now.

"Hey," he says with a smile as he watches me approach him. He lifts up from the car, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

"Hi," I reply back, my voice barely above a whisper, I tuck my chin into the neck of my hoodie trying to gain some warmth. "So what's this adventure you're on about?"

His grin broadens and he clicks his tongue. "Ahh that's still a surprise."

Opening the passenger side of the door for me, I sit inside. "It best not be something dodgy."

Lucas quirks an eyebrow. "Do you trust me?"

"No." I scrunch my face up into a grimace and he chuckles before shutting the car door and making his way to the drivers side.

"Well you're gonna have to trust me on this one, but I promise we're gonna have fun."

I simply nod as he puts his car in reverse and begins to drive.

"Mind if I play something?"

He nods. "Go ahead."

I plug my phone into the aux cord and begin swiping through my playlist. I decide on the slowed version of 'All the stars' by SZA and Kendrick Lamar because that screams late night road trip for me.

As the songs starts Lucas lets out a little gasp. "I love this song."

I take that as a sign to crank up the volume and start to sing along really loudly, not caring that I sound horrible. Lucas drums his fingers across the steering wheel on beat.

I roll down the windows slightly, despite the cold. I like how the wind whips against my skin and makes my hair fly in all directions as we're singing alone; it makes me feel like I'm in a music video.

As the neighbourhood whizzes past us in a blur of lights I lean against the seat and take in the moment. I turn to peer at Lucas, his wavy hair is flying around his head and his eyes are crinkled as he sings loudly, his face tainted pink and his cute little dimples popping out. My heart warms at the sight and I instantly screw my eyes shut.

Ew warm heart gross. I am not supposed to be catching feelings for this imbecile again.

Shaking off the fluttery feeling in my chest I focus on the road ahead of us, still humming along to the song. The time on the dashboard says it's just past 12 am but roads are pretty deserted except the occasional car whizzing past us.

"We're almost here," Lucas says and a couple of minutes later, Lucas parks his car and we both get out of the vehicle.

I swivel my head, taking in the surroundings of where he has brought us: we're parked on the side of a large deserted road and it's pretty dark that you can't see for miles ahead. I shiver as the cold courses through me.

Lucas crosses over from his side of the car and signals for me to follow him. We walk for about 30 seconds and once Lucas comes to a halt, I step out from behind him.

My eyes widen immediately as I'm taken back by the sight before me, all the oxygen gushing out of my body in absolute awe.

From where we're standing, we're overlooking what seems to be the city of Ohio. We must be on the outskirts of our town, on the road that separates Cleveland from Lakeside Township. What we're standing on seems to be this sort of long, higher levelled bit of land that sits on this sort of high point on the side of the main road. There is this little barrier thing going around the edge but if you stand close to the edge you could most definitely fall.

"Where did you find this place," I breathe, still taking in the gorgeous view. The sight really is spectacular, from afar you can see the tall, modern buildings of Cleveland and all the little lights belonging to all of the houses, schools and offices. When you look up, you're staring directly at the clear, night sky. Our town, although near such a bustling city, isn't quite that polluted, meaning you can see the sprinkle of stars in the sky and the full moon, shining proudly.

I turn to look at Lucas as he smiles wistfully, walking closer to the edge, I reach out and grip his arm in fear of him standing too close but he shakes his head and instead takes a seat on the cobbled ground.

"My grandad used to bring me here, uh, before he..."

He trails off and I furrow my eyebrows, watching as he runs a hand through his dark locks. "Before he what?"

"Uh before he died."

I freeze, taken back by his statement. "Grandpa Eddie?" I repeat, my heart constraining and my voice barley audible.

He nods his head solemnly, a sombre expression darkening his features.

"Oh my God Luke," I breathe, dropping down beside him and taking his cold hand in mine, squeezing comfortingly. "I'm so sorry."

I had only met his granddad a handful of times but I distinctly remember how much Lucas had adored him, he would always talk highly of his gramps and looked up to him so much.

Just like how I was close with my grandmother, that was how Lucas was with Eddie. After his parents had started up the wedding planning business when he was 9, his grandfather had been the one who looked after Lucas when they were away. As it was just the beginning, the Miller's weren't away as frequent as the are now but I remember several summers where Lucas had been missing from our tree house rendezvous because he had been on the other side of town staying with his pops.

His eyes stay trained on my hand enveloping his. "He actually passed right after you left for London," he continues. "That's actually why I wasn't in contact with you after you went, after he passed I was so upset."

Lucas shakes his head, a grim expression replacing his sombre one as he scoffs. "My dad didn't even seem that affected by his own fathers death because straight the funeral my parents flew out for another wedding, leaving me alone. They hired a nanny to look after me but it just wasn't the same. I just missed him so much and after things got better I didn't know how to reach out so I just...left it I guess."

"Hey," my face softens into pity as I stare at his side profile. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, I remember how much you cared for him."

He nods and I see hurt and grief flaring on his eyes. I squeeze his hand again.

Sudden guilt floods through me. All this time I had held a grudge on him for not reaching out to me and my heart squeezes at the thought of how selfish I had been, being pissed at him when he had been going through the death of the most important person in his life alone.

How did I not know about this? I must've not being paying attention if abuela or the girls brought it up in our face time calls. God that makes me feel even shittier.

"I come here sometimes when I'm missing him, especially during this time of year as last week was his death anniversary. Being here just reminds me of all the times he would bring me here and talk and the view is stunning."

I nod. "It is beautiful."

He glances sideward to look at me and pauses for a beat. "It really is." From my peripheral vision I see his lips quirk into a small smile.

After this, we sit in comfortable silence for a while, just watching the view.

My head somehow ends up leaning against his shoulder and Lucas somehow ends up with his left arm wrapped around me, tugging me to his side. He still keeps his right hand intertwined with mine however, rubbing lazy circles on my hand with his thumb. His body is like my own personal radiator, keeping me warm from the biting cold.

In this moment I realise something has shifted in the air between Lucas and I.

Ever since yesterday night, something has changed but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is. It definitely has to do something with seeing a more vulnerable side of Lucas yesterday and today also. I've finally seen a side to him where his persona isn't all cocky and conceited and this somewhat softens the grudge I've held against him. I think maybe, as bad as it sounds, seeing him hurt makes me feel better for all the hurt he caused me.

I banish away that thought immediately however, because I hate how shitty it makes me feel.

After a few minuets of sitting like this, a thought pops into my head. I turn my head to gaze at Lucas, finally breaking the silence. "Why did you bring me here if this is yours and your grandfathers spot? It seems special."

He shrugs his shoulders, before turning his head to meet my gaze. "I don't know, I just wanted to show you," he admits. "But that's not the only reason why I brought you here."

I furrow my eyebrows. "It's not?"

"Nope." He gets up, pulling me along with him and strolls over to the trunk of his car and takes out...two skateboards. "I'm gonna teach you how to skate."

I blink slowly. "You've brought me here...to teach me how to skate?" I repeat, a little astounded. That's quite random.

When he sees the confusion drawn across my face, he flashes me a grin. "At home, I suddenly remembered how you wanted to learn to skate when you were younger."

"Oh wow." I tap my chin trying to recall the memory. I must've blurted it out or mentioned it once one time when we were young but I don't remember specifically telling him I wanted to learn. "How the hell did you remember that?"

Lucas shrugs with a sheepish expression on his face and pulls my arm to drag me down the empty road in which we had driven up on. He places the board on the ground and signals for me to get on.

I put one foot on the board and with the other I sort of push off to get the board rolling. I skate a couple centimetres and wobble, finding it hard to keep my balance. "Bloody hell, how do you do this."

"It's sort of easy when you get the hang of it," Lucas says, grabbing my shoulders to steady me.

He shows me how to glide my right foot across the ground to keep the skateboard moving and I manage to go a bit further the next time I try.

"See you're getting the hang of it!"

He gets on his own board and I watch in awe how effortlessly he glides across the street. He does a couple tricks which I squeak in glee at.

After attempting to 'skate' and not making any further progress except only moving a couple centimetres, Lucas comes back to where I'm standing.

"Sit on the board," he orders after seeing me huff about the fact I can't skate properly. "Let me try something."

I do as he says, tucking my knees up under my chin. He then signals for me to extend my arm which I do and he grabs a hold of my hand, his warm palm encasing mine. Although I had just held his hand only moments before, his touch now sends tingles down my spine.

Before I can even comprehend what is happening Lucas gets on his own board and begins skating, whizzing me along with him.

I squeal as we zip past the road, the wind lapping against my skin and hair.

He chuckles as I stare at him from behind. I have a nice view view of his back and his lovely ass. Even under the dim light of the moon, you can see his back muscles ripple through his thin t-shirt and the bicep in his arm that is pulling me along bulging and I stare hungrily. In fact I'm so into this daze that I don't realise that after a while we have stopped and Lucas has dropped my hand.

I blink away the daze and get up from the skate board clearing my throat. "I'm gonna try to do this again."

After a couple minutes of my failed attempt at 'skating' I walk further into the road and discover this sort of hilly/steep part of the street and I call Lucas over.

"Look what I found," I say when he joins me over. I sit on the skateboard and tuck my feet and legs onto it like I had done before and then I ask him to push me gently down the hill.

He does so and I giggle as I roll down the hill, those butterflies that you get when you're on a roller-coaster appearing in my stomach.

"You gotta try this," I say, coming back up, clutching the board before in my hand, my breathing laboured from screaming and climbing up the hill.

He raises his eyebrows. "I don't think I can get my legs onto this, I don't have weirdly short limbs like you."

I slap his arm lightly. "C'mon just try it, I promise it's fun."

He sits down on the board, struggling to tuck his legs up to fit on it properly. He looks stupid and I begin to laugh at him which earns me a glare but I continue snickering.

Before he is even sitting on the board properly, I give him a large shove and he goes rolling down the hill, screaming.

I bend over, clutching my stomach at his freakishly high pitched screaming and laugh even harder at his face as he walks up the hill.

He narrows his eyes. "You think this is funny?" He makes a grab of the board in my hand and holds it over his head so it's out of reach and I huff indignantly.

"Lucas stop."

He only smirks and looks down at me tauntingly, his eyes gleaming as he runs away from me, clutching both of the boards in his hands.

I cross my arms across my chest and trail after him. "I'm not chasing after you Luke."

He turns back around to face me and begins to walk backwards. "Then I guess you can't get the skateboard."

I stand in the middle of the road and look up at the sky taking a deep breath. "God this is like year 8 all over again." And with that I turn back to Lucas and charge after him.

His eyes widen before he takes of running in front me.

He laughs as I chase after him. If I'm to be honest, I could listen to his laugh for hours, it's so rich and deep and very contagious. Before I even realise what's happening, I'm laughing hysterically too.

I keep up with him and run in front, tugging hard and grasping one of the boards out his hands before making a run for it, screaming with delight.

I don't make it far before I feel two large hands wrap around my waist from behind.

As I struggle in his grasp he plucks the skateboard out of my arms and places it on the floor, along with the other one he had deserted, before throwing me over his shoulder.

I began both simultaneously shrieking and laughing in shock. I pummel at his back screaming 'put me down!' but he ignores my detests and continues walking.

I kick my legs and extend my hand, smacking his butt repeatedly, this butt spanking is finally what causes him to put me down. By this point we've reached his car so I'm leaning against the side of vehicle with Lucas in front, caging me in.

Lucas stares down at me, a silly smile playing on his lips and I mirror his expression, staring back up at him. His gorgeous green-brown eyes bore into mine, the brown more prominent in the dim light of the moon but the specks of green are there still, my breath hitches at our close proximity.

The swarm, no storm of butterflies invading my stomach makes me feel like I'm eight years old again.

If someone told 8 year old me that a couple years later Lucas would be standing this close to me, looking like he was about to kiss me; I would've laughed in their face.

As that thought enters my mind, I instantly freeze.

Just like that, the butterflies I was feeling in my stomach and the warm glow that was spread across my chest is replaced with a sense of panic.

Unwanted thoughts and self doubt come crawling back into my mind and I begin to think about how I'm probably enjoying this moment in a much more different way than Lucas is.

He was interested in someone as gorgeous Ivy, there is no way in hell he would want to kiss you. Why the hell would you think that?

The last time he had, somehow miraculously kissed you, he had been flat out drunk. Flat. Out. Drunk. That's the only scenario where he would be attracted to you. Mind foggy, eye sight blurry, barely standing, barely conscious.

You're clearly not his type at all so it's pretty pathetic that you're standing here with butterflies in your stomach and your heart beating rapidly when he isn't interested in you in any way possible, except maybe interested in being friends.

Yep, friends, because that's the only thing you're worth being to him.

I try to shake away those thoughts but they don't go away and I break the gaze, squirming in his grasp.

Taking a hint, he steps back and clears his throat. He goes back to collect his board and I close my eyes and drag a hand down my face frustratedly.

This is why I intended to keep my distance. This stupid infatuation is bound to cause me to get hurt again if I let my feelings develop any further.

"Um I think we should go back now," I say as he walks back, avoiding eye contact with him.

He nods and I get into the car, the thoughts still swirling around in my head.

***

The drive back home is quiet. I put on some music just to relive the tension and awkwardness in the car but it's still there.

After a couple minuets however Lucas puts the car in park on the side of the road.

"Why are we stopping?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

Ignoring me, he turns around to face me. "Are you okay?"

I furrow my eyebrows. "What? I'm fine."

He shakes his head, playing with the ring on his finger. "It's just earlier on...you just...zoned out and it was like something was on your mind."

I stare straight ahead. "I'm all good Lucas, I was just thinking of something, don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

I nod my head. "Yep."

Lucas lets out a sigh before taking the car out of park and continuing to drive. "You know if something was on your mind...you would tell me right?"

I snap my head back to him. His face is concentrated on the road in front of him but he looks...distressed. Nope, you're just reading into it.

"Er...I guess," I reply. "But why...why do you care if I do or don't?"

He cocks an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I not care? We're friends, of course I would want to know if something was bothering you." He turns to glance at me, a smirk on his face as he waits for me to probably roll my eyes and tell him that we're not friends but I continue staring ahead.

See he see's you just as a friend.

"I swear I'm good Lucas, don't worry about it."

He huffs, not looking quite convinced. "Okay if you say so."

After a while we reach our street and I begin to unbuckle my seatbelt but I stop and turn back to Lucas.

"Thanks for tonight," I begin. "Tonight was fun."

And I do mean that, as much as I deny liking having his presence around, hanging out with Lucas is always fun even when he's being annoying. Once I find it in my heart to forgive him and tell him why I act like the way I act around him, I'd like for us to be friends. Because that's clearly all you two will ever be, so eight year old Isabella crush mentality - keep a lid on it.

He smiles softly. "I had fun too."

We both get out the car and begin walking to our respective houses and just as I'm about to sneak in, I turn back to look at Lucas one last time. He must feel my gaze on him or something because he looks over his shoulder back at me too.

He gives me a little wave and I return the gesture and smile before heading inside and creeping up the stairs and into my room.

I lie face down onto my bed, groaning, my heart beating erratically and my head reeling with all kinds of thoughts.

━

AUTHORS NOTE:

So I wrote this chapter back in July when I had an infatuation with skater boys sjdjsdbhdj anyways it's Christmas today :o I would like to wish a merry Christmas to those celebrating! Hope you have a nice day, despite the unfortunate circumstances :(
Stay safe! - Love, Mai x