it could be worse ~ lumax

a friend?

When Lucas got home that night, he couldn't help but hear the arguing from across the street. The arguing was more like yelling because he could hear it from his house. A front door was slammed and that alarmed him more than the yelling. 

His concern rose when he realized the commotion was coming from Max's house. From what he could see, Max's mom and her stepdad were arguing. Lucas wasn't close enough to make out their words, but it looked like a pretty heated argument. 

"Maybe, if you got up off your ass, then your car would work!" Susan yelled and drove away in her car. 

Lucas's eyes widened while witnessing the scene. When his dad was still alive, his parents never fought to that extreme. Now it seemed Matt was taking his anger out. He threw a bottle on the ground; it shattered into a million pieces. The teenager's eyebrows rose when Matt kicked the side of the house before going inside. Lucas decided to push the argument to the back of his memory and made his way inside. 

"Hey, Sweetie. How was your day?" Sue asked. 

"Not too bad. You off to work?" Lucas responded, kissing her on the cheek. 

"Yeah, I'll be back before you guys leave for school in the morning. Sophia is asleep, but if you could make sure Erica goes to bed at a reasonable time, that would be great." 

Lucas chuckles. "I can try, but she isn't much of a listener."

"I appreciate it," Sue smiles and leaves. 

Lucas makes his way to the kitchen to wash some of the dishes, that way, his mom won't have to do it when she gets home from work in the morning. 

"So, how long were you stalking the neighbors?" Erica asks as she waltzes down the stairs. 

"I wasn't," Lucas claims. 

Erica gives him a deadpan look in response. 

"Ok, I may have been eavesdropping, but if you knew I was watching them, then you must've been too." The glare Erica sent him proved that he was right. 

"Whatever. Their fights are so loud. I wasn't able to sleep the other night because of their screaming," Erica comments.

"Wait, you've heard them fight before?" 

"Well, yeah. How have you not?" Lucas can't recall a time he has heard from any of his neighbors. Then again, only recently has he begun to pay attention to the house across from his. There was no reason to until Max showed up. He hates to admit it, but there's something about her that makes him feel giddy inside. 

That one Facetime call made him concerned for her. Lucas has never been in that position before but finds great importance in trying to comfort others. That concern and wanting to provide comfort has only grown due to the argument he just witnessed. He decides to not ask Max any questions but to be there if she needs someone. 

El practically pulls Max to the lunch table at school the next day. 

"Jesus, El. Are you trying to pull my arm out of its socket?" Max complains.

"Not my fault! You didn't call me after your dinner last night!" El exclaims while Mike sits next to her. 

"Oh yeah. How'd that go?" Mike questions. 

"Come on give of the details from your date!" Mike raises his eyebrows at El's happiness. 

"Okay, first of all, it was not a date," Max clarifies. "And I just totally forgot to call you about it."

El rolls her eyes at her friend's obviousness.  "Whatever. How was it?"

"It was nice until Josh came along," El scrunched her eyebrows at the name.

"Josh? As in Josh Miller?" Mike asks with a look of disgust on his face. 

"What did he want?"

"He just came over and acted like we were best friends! I haven't talked to this guy since middle school, and he brings up the DNA project we did! So, Lucas thought I had a baby in middle school!" Max rants.

El tries to contain her laughter. "Lucas thought you had a baby in middle school?"

"Well, Josh was like "We had a kid together" so of course that's what he assumed until I explained the project." The redhead clarifies. 

"But other than Josh's annoying appearance it went well?" El smirks. 

"Stop." El only smirks more. "El, stop it!" Max laughs. "I'm serious. We're just friends."

The two friends stop bickering when Mike cheers. "Yes!"

Max and El look at him, his eyes glued to his phone. 

"Hey! What just happened?" Max pokes him.

"Oh, I'm hanging out with a friend tonight."

El and Max just eyed him knowing they were his only friends. 

"And who is this friend?" 

"I'm just reconnecting with an old basketball friend," Mike smiles. Max's gaze narrows in on him. 

"I swear to god if you do something stupid..." Max threatens.

"To be fair, I knew Lucas first!" 

"El!" Max complains hoping she'll stop him from hanging out with Lucas.

"He won't do anything bad. What are you guys doing tonight?" 

"Pretty sure I'm just going over to his house."

"Perfect! Max, I'm sleeping over!" El affirms. 

"Oh please do! Matt's kids are staying over, and I cannot be alone with three small children," Max loves the kids, but they are a lot sometimes. 

"That sounds horrendous," Mike comments. 

"Good thing we're going to end up hanging out with you and Lucas at his house," El claims. Max just gives her a look. "Oh come on! It'll be fun!"

"If it gets me away from those kids, then I guess I'm in," Max replies. 

"Yay! Mike text Lucas the plan!" 

Mike sighs. "Alright."

A smile appears on Lucas's face when he reads Mike's text. He was glad they were all going to hang out. Lucas hadn't seen Mike in years, and he'd get to spend time with Max. It worked out well; his mom would be working, and Erica would be going to another sleepover. The only one he would have to worry about is Sophia and with the events that transpired last time, he doesn't feel one ounce of concern. 

Since they were all hanging out, they could go out to dinner or something like that. Lucas was going to go to the store and grab some snacks after school, but he figured they would end up going somewhere. 

The plan was for Susan to pick El, Mike, and Max up from school, and then they would go over to Lucas's house around 5. Everyone was excited to hang out with each other, especially El. She needed Max and Lucas to get together soon. They both have way too much of a connection not to, and El knows if she doesn't push Max a little, then nothing will happen between them. 

I finally updated! My schedule has been kinda busy, but I've been procrastinating writing a little. I hope you guys liked this chapter! Feel free to vote and comment; I love reading the comments!