New Love (29 page)

“Jade you and this little one are going to get through all this I promise,” Ryan told her.

The way he looked at her did not go unnoticed.
Lucas looked at Tessa and him back at her, she smiled softly, and he hugged her.

“Good morning Baby,” he
kissed her head.

“Good morning,” she
looked up at him.

~

When they got to the state line, Lucas pulled over and asked Tessa to drive. He wanted to read the letter Jade would be reading tomorrow at the sentencing.

Tessa checked to see if he was alright frequently.

She held his hand.

“Both hands
on the wheel, Baby,” he kissed it before she let go.

He finished and folded it up and put it in the envelope. He sat back and stared out the window. He could not believe this had happened. What a year, so much had gone on, his senior year was nothing like he expected. If not for Tessa and the fact that he had gotten to know his sisters and even his father better, he knew things would not be good. He would more than likely be sharing a room with his mother.

~

They pulled in and dropped Ryan and Phoebe off. Then they drove to the farm. Tessa pulled in, and
Lucas jumped out to help them carry their things in. When everything was in the house Tessa looked at him and hugged him. He hugged her and kissed her head.

They stood there for a long time.

“Tessa I’m going to take off for a while, okay?”

“Oh okay, do yo
u want me to come?”

“No, I’
m just going to do some stuff around my place.”

“Well
, I can help.”

“No
Tessa, I will call you later okay?” he walked out the door.

H
er phone chimed, and it was him

-home safe and sound …Love you,
Lucas

-okay, sorry if I was pushy
Lucas…Love Me

-Tessa I just needed a few minutes, you know big day tomorrow…Love you,
Lucas

-Just wish you’d let me help, see you later…Love Me

Tessa walked out of the bathroom, and Jade sat on the couch.

“Want to watch a movie?” she asked.

"I would love to," she flopped back on the couch.

~

The next day Lucas pulled in as Tessa was making breakfast. Her heart beat fast when he walked in. He was wearing a suit and he looked gorgeous, she didn’t know if she was mad at him or not, he didn’t text or call the rest of the night.

Lucas
walked in and grabbed her and kissed her, he stopped for a moment.

“God Tessa it’s good to see you, I missed you,” he kissed her harder and ran his hand down her back slowly. He pulled away and looked at her
darkened eyes. “I think you missed me too,” he smiled and kissed her again.

“Where were you, I was worried about you?” she asked after she composed herself.

“I was home Tessa.”

“Were you alone?”

“Of course I was,” Lucas scowled and stepped back.

She turned aro
und and made him a plate and sat it in front of him.

“I’m going to shower,” Tessa
walked out of the kitchen.

When she returned
Jade was reading the letter again. She rubbed her back and did the dishes.

Ryan walked in,
and Tessa looked at the clock, “I think it’s time to go.”

Jade stood and hugg
ed Lucas, “That was beautiful.”

“Tessa you don’t have t
o go,” Lucas said dismissively.

“Oh, I’
m sorry I just assumed,” Tessa felt a sharp pain in her chest.

“
I think she should,” Jade looked at Lucas

“I d
on’t have to.” Tessa tried acting as if it wasn’t a good deal.

Lucas
grabbed her hand, “Let’s go.”

“
Lucas can I read the letter?” she asked and rubbed his back.

He stiffened, “How ab
out you drive?”

~

The drive there was very quiet. She needed to keep it together. Today wasn’t about them, but she knew things between them were changing and she didn’t know why. They pulled in, and she went to park.

“There’s a spot closer Tessa, Jade shouldn’t have to walk all that way,”
Lucas snapped.

Tessa pulle
d up in front of the courthouse and smiled, “You guys can get out here I will park and meet you in there.”

She walked in, and they were sitting with Tommy’s family. She sat in the back. She listened to Jade’s letter and breathed slowly so that she wouldn’t cry.

Lucas was next.

“Hello I am
Lucas Links, Tommy, and I have been best friends since we were eight years old. I want you all to know about who Tommy was, or is. Tommy has always been the only person in this world who no matter what, would be there for me without judgment. He loved life, and he was an amazing man. He was kind and caring. He would always help anyone he thought needed it, even if they didn’t ask… he would offer. He went to church every week and even dragged me along from time to time. Tommy was an athlete and a good student, he had a beautiful life and a beautiful future planned. Tommy never drank and drove; in fact he was the one who took care of those who might.”

Lucas took a deep breath and his eyes darted to the bus driver, “
This man put every person at risk on that bus and on the road that night and statistics can prove that it was more than likely not his first offense.  Just the first time he got caught. What this man did to Tommy, his family, his friends, his girlfriend Jade, and his future family is irreversible. I beg you to understand the loss we all are dealing with. Jade wakes every night crying for him. I have a very hard time myself sleeping. I blame myself for his death; I was the one who wanted to go that night. Had we left earlier, or a few minutes later we would not be here right now. Had the car been just a little bit further ahead, it would have been me, and he still would have been here. The hell we go through every day, the hell we go through every night, we will go through for the rest of our lives without Tommy. He needs to pay and receive the strictest punishment allowed by law, and then let God do the rest. Thank you for your time.”

Tessa looked at him as he walked back towards them, his eyes were red. He briefly glanced at her and sat back down. The bus driver received the maximum sentence.
Tessa stood by the door and watched as Tommy’s family, Jade, and Lucas, cried and hugged. They walked towards Tessa, “I’ll go get the car,” she said softly.

Tessa pulled up, and they all got in. Jade sat in the front. The drive home was silent. Tessa looked in the mirror, and
Lucas had on sunglasses, his head was resting on his hand as he stared out the window. Tessa pulled in the farm and they all got out. She watched Lucas hug Jade and Ryan. He got in the SUV and left. Tessa walked into the bathroom and melted.

~

Jade asked if she could give her a ride to Tommy’s. Mrs. Lane had called and wanted her to come over and stay the night. Tessa dropped her off and drove home.

Phoebe was at the farm house with Alex. Tessa told them about the sentencing and that Jade was at Tommy’s for the night.

“Well where is Lucas?”  Phoebe asked, and Tessa started to cry.

She told her about the night before and about his letter. That he blames himself, and she was sure he blamed her. Phoebe hugged her, and Tessa decided to go for a run. She was gone about two hours and came home and checked her phone, he had texted her.

-I’m hanging out at home tonight see you soon…Lucas

She texted back

-I’
m sorry Lucas, please don’t shut me out…LOVE Me

-Not about you Tessa… get over it…Lucas

She took a shower and cried and decided to go to his house.

Tessa knocked on the door, and a guy she
didn’t know answered it. Tessa walked in, and there were a bunch of people there.  She searched for Lucas, and he was sitting on the couch with a couple girls and he was messed up. Tessa turned to walk away hoping he didn’t see her. She ran out and jumped in the Jeep, he followed her.

“Tessa what are you doin
g here?” Lucas asked pissed off.

“I’
m leaving, have a good time Lucas,” she said and started to put it in reverse he took the keys out and threw them into the yard.

“Get out now,” he hissed and opened the door grabbing her arm.

She yanked away from him and went to look for her keys. Lucas saw them and grabbed them.

“Give me my keys
, Lucas,” she said shaking and feeling tears filling her eyes.

“What did you expect when you came her
e Tessa?” he snapped.

“Not this,” sh
e grabbed for her keys fighting back the urge to cry.

He stormed towards the pool and threw them in
. “Not very warm in there Tessa, probably should wait until they float up.”

Tessa was so full of
emotions; she was hurt, confused, and very, very angry.

“Nothing to say Tessa?”

“Yeah keys don’t fucking float!”

She kicked off her shoes and jumped in after them, it was cold. She got out, everyone from inside stood by the pool.
Lucas stood by the stairs, and he extended his hand and she ignored it.

“Hey everyone this is Te
ssa, my girlfriend,” he laughed.

He grabbed her arm, and she yanked it away. He grabbed her around her waist and carried her towards the door.

“Let me go Lucas before I flip out,” she said in a low angry voice.

“Pleas
e excuse her she’s on the rag. Tessa gets a little bit cranky this time of the month,” he said, and everyone laughed.

She tried to hit him, and he grabbed her hand. He carried her up the stairs and walked into his room.

“You better get changed Baby, we have guests,” Lucas smiled as he took her keys.

“I’
m going home Lucas!”

“No way Tessa, my friends
need to meet you,” he shot daggers out of his eyes.

“
Lucas, please give me my keys,” she asked as a tear finally fell.

“No
Tessa, you came here, now you can stay. I might need you later,” he ran his fingers over her lips.

She bit him hard. He pulled his hand back as if he were going to slap her.

“Lucas what are you doing?” she cried.

“Don’
t fucking bite me again, got it?” he said and she ran into the bathroom and locked the door.

He banged on the do
or, “Open the door Tessa or I’ll break it DOWN.”

She believed he would. She unlocked it and walked out. He grabbed her and dragged her in the closet and threw clothes at her.

“Get changed,” he demanded.

“Leave the room,” she shot back at him.

“Not like I haven’t already seen it all!”

“
Get a good look because I can guarantee you won’t again! This is unacceptable Lucas, we are done!”

“Perfect, number fourteen has got to be down there somewhere,”
Lucas laughed.

He took her keys and phone with him when he left.

She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of another scene. She changed and lay down and cried herself to sleep.  She woke when he walked in; she tried to pretend she was asleep.

“I know you’r
e awake. If you try to leave, I’ll come get you and shit maybe you can add that to the list of tragedy left in the wake of Tessa the Terrible!”

“
I want to go home, give me my keys.”

“Nope,” he said. “I alre
ady texted your brother, he’s going to cover for you.”

“I want to go home.”

He went and showered and came out and threw on some boxers. He lay down next to her.

“A
nything to say, Tessa?”

“I already said what I wanted to say, and you’re too
fucked up to listen.”

He sat up and grabbed
her. She shook and shook. “Always the victim, huh?”

“Please, let me go.”

He lay down and pulled her next to him and held her, “No you’re where you wanted to be, you didn’t come here to go home Tessa.”

Lucas
fell asleep. She would wait until he was sound asleep before she left. Her shaking was out of anger-- she wasn’t afraid of him. Tessa fell asleep, and when she woke he was gone, it was two in the morning. She walked around the room trying to find her keys, and they weren’t there. She walked downstairs and into the kitchen to see if they were in there and they were not. Lucas was standing against the counter in his boxers with his arms crossed looking down. When he heard her he looked up and searched her face for a reaction.