By the time Natasha and the two returned home, Lucas and his foster mother were setting the table. The silent atmosphere made it difficult for her to breathe.
The sound of the door ringing, and the sounds of footsteps mixed with the sound of talking attracted Mrs. Hence. She gently pushed Lucas's shoulder, signaling to him that his adoptive father and adopted sister had returned. Lucas didn't say anything. He wiped his wet hands on his apron, then went out the door.
Natasha stood there, and behind her was the rumored boyfriend. Only now did he have the opportunity to see this guy clearly — a typical sports guy, with a solid body, tall and extremely trustworthy. But, in Lucas's eyes, William was like an unnamed threat that he couldn't let down his guard against. Is this guy really compatible with his sister? No way! Natasha is a simple girl and a bit silly. A guy like William, a guy with the appearance of a girl killer, really doesn't suit her at all.
Lucas didn't say anything. He took out his slippers, placed them in front of the door, and turned around to go inside. Natasha originally wanted to keep him. She wanted to ask him if he knew that she texted him or not. Yet, she couldn't do it. The hand stretched out, awkwardly stiff in the air. Just now, Lucas didn't look at her at all. He considered her as someone he didn't know and treated her coldly.
"So what do your parents do?"
During a family meal, everything seems so cozy. Mr. Hence looked at the boy sitting next to his daughter, frowned, and asked. When he picked up these two kids from school, he was extremely interested in William. With a father's acumen, Mr. Hence, one can clearly feel the love that William has for his daughter. It was the naive sentiment of first love. Beautiful but not really sturdy.
"My dad is a policeman. And my mother is a lawyer."
William also answered honestly. In response to him, there was an extremely satisfied nod from Mr. Hence. It seems that this guy's family is not that bad. At least, it complies with the requirements he set out. His daughter is a priceless gem, how can she casually let a strange guy make fun of her?
Natasha felt that the atmosphere had also become much calmer. She just breathed a sigh of relief, feeling lucky that everything was going in the right direction. But when she looked towards Lucas, her newly awakened mood was immediately doused with cold water. Lucas sat at the dining table, yet did not participate in their conversation. Just like in this family, he is an outsider.
"Lucas, I've heard a lot about you too."
William turned to talk to Lucas. Natasha once told him that if she wanted to convince her parents so that the two of them could love each other, she would have to convince her brother first. As long as Lucas agrees to let him date Natasha, her parents will definitely agree.
However, as soon as he encountered Lucas's sharp, knife-like eyes, William didn't dare to say anything anymore. What's with 'my brother is very approachable'? The only person close to Lucas is Natasha.
The more William looked into Lucas's eyes, the more strange he felt. Lucas' eyes looking at him were not like the eyes of a brother looking at his sister's lover. Those eyes look like they're looking at a love rival. An uncomfortable, wary look like a wild animal waiting for the opportunity to rush in and kill its prey.
Impossible! William shook his head. It was probably because he was too worried that he saw it wrong. Lucas and Natasha are brother and sister. There can't be that kind of love between the two of them. Surely he was worried too much, so he thought that the moon was made of green cheese.
The meal quickly ended in peace. Natasha nervously placed the bowl in the dishwasher, unable to stop looking outside. William was sitting in the living room with her father and mother, only she and Lucas were still in the kitchen clearing the table and preparing some fruit.
"You look so worried, don't you? Do you want to go out there and sit?"
Lucas spoke up. Until now, he had noticed that Natasha couldn't concentrate. Her attention was directed towards the boy sitting outside the living room. If that were the case, he wouldn't have kept her in the kitchen to do anything.
"Ah… No need! I can't leave you here alone, right?"
"I'm fine alone. I'm used to it."
He closed the dishwasher and spoke calmly. Natasha was stunned. She looked at his lonely back, a feeling of fear rising in her heart. He stood like that, making it impossible for her to see the expression on his face. That made Natasha feel even more scared. What does he mean?
Natasha wanted to ask again, but Lucas didn't give her that chance. He put the cut fruit on a plate, then took it out to the living room and sat down next to Mr. Hence silently.
Time passed so quickly, soon it was time for William to return home.
"Dad, Mom, let me see him off a bit."
Until now, Lucas had just talked to Natasha's boyfriend. He bent down to put on his shoes and pulled William away, much to the surprise of his parents, Natasha, and even William himself.
Two tall young men walked on a street covered with streetlights. The silent atmosphere made William feel suffocated. He didn't want this silence to continue, but he didn't know what to talk about with Lucas.
"Why do you like Natt?"
Suddenly, Lucas spoke, making William startled a bit. He looked up, his face half hidden from view, making him feel an invisible source of pressure. William took a deep breath, he clasped his hands together.
"Because she is so adorable."
"Lovely? How long have you and Natt been dating?"
"A week. But I've secretly liked her for a year now."
It's been that long? Lucas smiled coldly. He walked step by step towards William, cornering the young man at the foot of a nearby street light pole. William said he secretly liked Natasha for a year. So he must understand Natasha very well, right?
"So what does Natt like to eat? What does she not like to eat? She's allergic to this, did you know? What does she like to do in her free time, what kind of music does she like to listen to? Do you know those things? Isn't that right? So what qualifications do you have to become her boyfriend?"
William doesn't even know a bit about her preferences, so he dares to say out loud that he is her boyfriend. What a laugh! No one can understand her like him. There will never be anyone who can replace his position for Natasha.