Jack & Lucy

Jack

Thankfully, dinner goes by with little fanfare from the Halloway sisters. Lauren did make a comment about Lucy now eating dairy and informed me that Lucy used to be lactose intolerant. Apparently, Lucy is obsessed with cheesecake and refused to let her intolerance stop her from indulging. Lucy went red and from the hints I got from Lauren, I should be worried about Lucy being gassy later. 

I caught Lucy's signal as we helped her mother clear the table, so I quickly sat back down in my seat and asked Lauren if she had more embarrassing stories about Lucy. Marcus took a phone call and I was nervous to be left alone with the viper. 

"I actually do have something I could show you," Lauren says cryptically and then she shoves her chair out from the table. I realize this is Lucy's perfect opportunity to have her parents alone so I follow behind Lauren toward Lucy's room. 

"You're the only Jack in Lucy's life right?" Lauren asks and confused, I answer, "That I am aware of, yes." 

"Okay, then I think I have something for you." We continue down the hallway and I am surprised when she pushes into Lucy's room. She strides over to the wooden vanity and yanks a side drawer out. She slides out an envelope and then turns to face me. 

"I think this is for you," she says and then drops the envelope in my hand. I recognize Lucy's writing and look back to Lauren, "My name is on this. How did you get it?"

"I found it looking for bobby-pins this morning."

"If Lucy had this hidden away here, I am not sure I am supposed to have it," I tell her as I reluctantly look over the envelope. I am curious as to its contents and it's clear Lauren has already snooped inside. 

"I know Lucy thinks I am a monster, but I do care about her ya know," Lauren says with a tone I can't decipher.

"Yeah, you make that obvious," I joke back and she folds her slender arms over her chest. 

"She's not that easy to be around, to be honest."

"She's not?"

She scoffs, "My entire life revolved around Lucy's dance schedule you know. My parent's sole focus was getting her into Julliard. That school still haunts me and I didn't even go there." 

"I mean, Yale is pretty prestigious too."

"Yeah, but my parents were only able to brag about that after Lucy dropped out of Julliard. Our entire lives were dedicated to Lucy getting into that fucking school and she drops everything because of that fucking guy and her anxiety. I have valid reasons to still be mad at her."

"What guy?" I ask and then add, "And from the sounds of it, she had a hard time living up to your accomplishments too," I confess, wondering if Lucy is going to be mad I said that. 

"I only had to work harder so I wouldn't be forgotten. If Lucy had a competition the same day I had a piano recital, which one do you think my mom went to? If Lucy failed a class it was because dance was her focus. If I failed a class, it was because I didn't try hard enough. All those years of being ignored and pitted against amounts to that." She points toward Lucy's bookcase and then glares at all the dance achievements. "Hundreds of thousands of dollars, years and years of training and this is what my parents got. Two girls that can't stand the other."

"Lucy just says she doesn't live up to the standards you set. You make her feel like a failure," I tell her gently and Lauren lets out a maniacal laugh. 

"I am only the favorite now because Lucy isn't doing shit worth bragging about. If you knew us ten years ago, you'd think my parent's world revolved around Lucy."