After dinner, Lucas and Liam were in the kitchen while the others were still in the dining room.
"Do you like Klaus?" Lucas asked, "His okay I guess." Lucas replied focusing on the dish he was washing. "What do you mean by that?" Lucas asked, "What I'm saying is that he is an okay guy but I don't see myself being friends with him." He replied looking at Liam straight in the eyes, "And why is that?" "Why would I be friends with a guy you like?" "What, are you jealous." Liam chuckled, "Ha, don't get full of yourself Liam. Why would I be Jealous of him, he has nothing compared to me. He stated, "And what is that?" Lucas smirked, "All I'm saying is that his a friend, and I'm a different kind of friend. He replied, "Are you claiming to be my boyfriend right now?" Liam asked as he sneaked behind him. "Ha, you're funny Liam. Get from behind me." He said turning around to face him.
As Lucas turned around to face Liam, he found himself inches away from Liam's face. Their eyes met, and there was a moment of tension between them. "You know, sometimes I wonder if you're just trying to provoke me," Liam said with a mischievous grin. "Oh please, like you don't enjoy the banter," Lucas retorted, a playful glint in his eyes.
Just then, the sound of laughter drifted in from the dining room, reminding them that they weren't alone in the house. Lucas cleared his throat and took a step back, breaking the proximity between them. "Let's not make a scene, shall we?" he said, resuming his task of washing dishes. Liam leaned against the counter, still watching Lucas with an amused expression.
"You're right, wouldn't want to give them anything to talk about," Liam agreed, his tone casual. "Besides, it's not like we're a couple." Lucas shot him a sideways glance, his lips curling into a half-smile.
"What are you guys doing?" Klaus suddenly walked in, "Oh nothing," Liam replied, Klaus looked over at Lucas who was looking at him, and looked back a Liam with a big smile. "Your friends are really fun!" Klaus said grabbing Liam's hand, "So you say." "You should bring me around more." He told him. "As you wish." Liam smiled as he gently stroked Klaus's hair behind his ear. "Thank you for bringing me today!" He rejoiced as he kissed Liam on the cheek. Lucas looked up a Liam shocked by what he had just seen.
Lucas couldn't believe his eyes as he witnessed Klaus planting a kiss on Liam's cheek. His heart sank, and he turned his attention back to the dishes, trying to hide the mix of surprise and disappointment that flooded his expression. He realized that the playful banter he had shared with Liam earlier might have had deeper implications than he had thought.
Liam chuckled softly at Klaus's affectionate gesture. "You're welcome, Klaus. I'm glad you're having a good time." He glanced over at Lucas, catching his eye for a moment before turning his attention back to Klaus.
Lucas couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that settled in his chest. He finished washing the dishes mechanically, his mind racing with thoughts he hadn't anticipated. "I'll have to leave now, Mr. Lee is outside." He said as he dried his hands on a towel, he stormed out of the kitchen into the dining room and straight outside.
Lucas stormed out of the kitchen and into the dining room, his emotions a whirlwind of confusion and hurt. He barely registered the surprised expressions on the faces of their friends as he pushed past them and out the door, heading outside to clear his head.
The cool evening air hit his face, momentarily easing the tension that had built up inside him. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure and sort through the mess of feelings he was experiencing. He paced back and forth in the yard, struggling to understand the wave of jealousy and disappointment that had taken over him.
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A few weeks later:
"MOM THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Evelyn shouted, "I don't know who you're shouting at but I know it's not me." Elizabeth told her, "I have told you so many times to get your act right and raise these grades but you don't want to listen. Since you want to be so hardheaded kiss your summer plans goodbye." She said as she got up and started walking upstairs. "But mom," Evelyn cried, "Don't mom me, I have warned you so many times but you didn't want to listen. First thing next week you will be tutored for the rest of the summer." She told him.
"Ahhh!" Evelyn screamed into the couch pillow.
Later that evening while they were having dinner Evelyn brought up the conversation she had with her mom in the afternoon.
"Dad can you tell Mom that it's unfair for her to cancel all my summer plans just because u failed some of my classes." She stated, "No matter how much I would love to say that you got that half brain of yours from your father but, even your father wasn't bad like you." Elizabeth told her, "I raised you better than this Evelyn, but now you think you're so grown to make your own decisions. I am your mother for god sake." She exclaimed. "Josh you better talk to your daughter because if I talk any longer you wouldn't like what I will say." She huffed as she got up from the dining table and went upstairs.
The tension at the dinner table hung heavily in the air as Evelyn's frustration simmered beneath the surface. She pushed her food around on her plate, lost in her thoughts, while her dad tried to engage in casual conversation to lighten the mood. After a few moments of silence, Evelyn finally let out a heavy sigh.
"Dad, I know I messed up, but canceling all my summer plans seems a bit extreme, don't you think?" she said, looking up at him with pleading eyes.
Josh let out a sympathetic sigh. "Evelyn, your mom is just really concerned about your grades. She wants the best for you, even if her approach seems a bit tough right now. Maybe if you show her that you're willing to put in the effort to improve, she might reconsider."
"But it's not like I'm failing everything," Evelyn protested. "I just need some time to catch up and focus on my weaker subjects. I had plans with my friends, and now it feels like everything's falling apart."
Her dad nodded. "I understand that, but sometimes life throws these challenges at us. Maybe this can be an opportunity for you to learn and grow. If you're determined to work hard and show your mom that you're taking this seriously, she might soften up."
Evelyn let out a frustrated groan, but her dad's words did manage to resonate with her.
Later in Josh's and Elizabeth's room, Elizabeth was tying up her hair in a bun as she sat next to her mirror. She was wearing her little night dress that revealed her developed baby bump. "Don't you think you're going too far on canceling her summer plans?" He asked as he took off his shirt, "Look Josh, sometimes you have to be strict with kids for them to learn something." "I wasn't raised disrespecting people, and I won't raise my daughter to be disrespectful and not listen to what's good for her." She stated.
She got up from the mirror and climbed into the bed. "Evelyn is my child and I have to raise her right, who knows what will happen if I don't discipline her at this age."
Josh sighed as he stroked her hair.
To be continued