Good Luck Charm (Completed)

Crime and Punishment

     Saturday rolled around unwanted as a bitter cold. Lucas knew he had to eventually tell his mother about his life, but he couldn't bring himself to look forward to an interaction he was certain would be painful as pulling teeth. On the positive the issue became something to worry about besides his performance in the upcoming game, which otherwise would have been driving him crazy.

     "Where are we going again?" Lucas' mother asked for the third time. They were going to a casual restaurant, and he outfit showed she had yet to conceptualize that fact. 

     "It's an Italian restaurant on Delaware Avenue." Lucas explained. "You like Italian, right?"

     "No."

     "Vinny, are you ready?" Lucas called. Vincent emerged from the room, earning a strange look from Lucas' mother. 

     "When did Vincent get here?"

     "Earlier this morning." Lucas explained. 

     "Of course he did." Ms. Marshall rolled her eyes. "He's coming?"

     "Yes." Lucas left no room for disagreement. "I need to be at the game early, so I'll drive you both back, then I'll leave and you guys can ride together?"

     "Doesn't Vincent have a car?" Ms. Marshall asked. 

     "No... his mom took the car. You can drive him, right? You rented a car at the airport?"

     "I suppose." Ms. Marshall said walking out the door.

    Vincent rode in the back of the car to the restaurant, staring out the window. He wasn't sure there was a good outcome for the day, all he could see were bitter consequences. The restaurant was one he'd never gone to, and wasn't all that excited to try, especially seeing how the huge damper would be placed on the night. 

     At the table, Lucas was able to sit next to Vincent, and he grasped his hand beneath the cover of a white table cloth. Cloaked in innocence as his mother complained about the service. 

     "You'd think that if we made a reservation, they'd have a seat set aside." She complained. 

     "We didn't have to wait very long." Vincent offered. 

     "I don't usually have to wait at all."

    "Have you booked a flight home yet?" 

    "No. I didn't think we reached a decision on my staying for the holidays." Ms. Marshall stubbornly inserted. Lucas knew she wouldn't want to stay once he told her about him and Vincent, but he figured he'd let her decide rather than attempting to fight with her. "Tell me Vincent, how did your exams go?"

     "Very well, Ma'am." Vincent smiled sweetly. "I'm sure glad to be done for the semester though."

      "And Lucas?" She asked.

     "They were fine."

     "Just fine?"

     "Yes."

     "Well... you know I don't know what to get, I haven't had Italian food in years." Ms. Marshall mused flipping through the menu. "What do you usually like?"

      "I... I need carbs for the game, so I'll probably get pasta." Lucas stated.

      "Oh, no pasta for me. I'm watching my figure. I suppose I'll just have to have a salad." She closed the menu with a sigh. "So Lucas, really no girls have caught your eye? I know back in my day, all the girls were obsessed with the star athletes."