Meet The Carters {Under Reconstruction}

Can You Bring Me The Horizon

I stood behind Lincoln, staring across the room at Andre and his older brother, Charles. Both of them had cocoa colored skin that were hinted red, Andre out of embarrassment and Charles out of anger.

"I'm sorry, Charles. This was out of my hands, I didn't know that she did it." Kelly sat on the couch behind her brother, her face buried in her hands.

"Look, Lincoln. We were friends, we're cool. But please make sure you keep a better eye on your sister. I don't need that kind of image around my house. My grandma and mom would have a heart attack if they saw it. God doesn't appreciate it either. Nude is ment for intimacy. You would know that, Link, your pretty girlfriend here knows to save it for the bedroom." I could feel heat rush to my cheeks as I ducked my head behind Lincoln.

"Sure, man. I understand what you're saying. But they are kids. They don't know any better, Charles." Lincoln reasoned.

"So you think it's okay that my brother is going to see his friends in a couple days and will show them the picture of little Kelly Carter and how much of whore she is for sending him a nude? We were there, Link. We know what middle school and high school is like." Lincoln nodded in agreement, the grip on my hand tightening, probably so he wouldn't go off.

"Charles, I'm sorry that we had to meet again like this. I can promise you that it won't ever happen again." They talked for a few minutes longer before Kelly walked out of the room and Andre, Charles, and Lincoln headed toward the door.

"We should grab a beer sometime, man." Charles said, smacking Lincoln on the back.

"I'm not twenty-one yet, bro. Plus I'm not a huge fan of beer." Charles chuckled and nodded before disappearing into the darkness. Once he was gone, Lincoln shut the door and turned back to me.

"That went better then I thought it would." He whispered, closing the gap between us. He made sure the coast was clear before kissing me, a smiling stretching his face.

"Oh my god!" I flew away from Lincoln, my eyes darting to the hallway. Kendra stood in the middle of the hall, the blanket in her hands falling to the floor.

"Y. . . you guys are together? Oh my god! Oh my god!" She danced around the hall, giggling. I let my head fall against Lincoln's chest and shook my head, smiling.

"Kendra, please don't. . ."

"Don't what? You didn't want to tell us, did you?" The excitement fell from her face as she came to the realization.

"It's not like that, Kendra. I. . ."

"But you didn't want us to know, right?" She asked again, hurt crossing over her face.

"Kendra, we didn't want you to get your hopes up. We. . . we aren't sure about us yet." I gestured between me and Lincoln as she stared at us with dark, sad eyes.

"So that means you guys won't stay together? You won't stay here, Stella?"Lincoln crossed the room and ruffled Kendra's hair.

"Even if we were, Stella has school. She has to leave." She turned to look at me, tears in her green eyes. She ripped her arm from her brothers grip and glared at me.

"I can't believe you didn't trust me enough to tell me you were with Lincoln." Then she disappeared, leaving another sting in my heart to replace the one Kelly had made only a few hours ago.

***

"Do you know how much money Mom and Dad are giving you?" Lincoln asked from beside me, not looking up from his sketchbook.

"No. They just said it would be enough to get me through college." He looked up slowly, and I saw it, even if I wasn't supposed to. I saw the disappointment clear in his eyes.

"So you came here for the money? That's nice to know." He muttered to himself, shaking his head as he looked back down.

"Don't start, Lincoln. What did you expect? What did you think I came here for? To get attacked by eight kids that pretty much hated me the minute I walked through the door? I was supposed to spend my summer reading and. . ."

"And just being Stella Banks, right? The girl that never takes risks, that never does anything out of the ordinary because it might screw up her perfect life. Sorry my family was such a burden for you." I clenched my hand into a fist and glared at him.

"Don't you dare say that, Lincoln. Coming here was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love all the kids here, I. . . I wish I could say the same about you. This, Lincoln. This is why we don't work. Because every time I think we're okay, you go and snap. Kendra and Kelly already hate me and I'm pretty sure Jamie isn't my biggest fan right now. I don't need crap from you too." He dropped his sketch book on to the bed, anger flickering in his eyes like sparks.

"They don't hate you, Stella. They're teenage girls, they get mad and say things, then apologize for them after. What we did to Kelly was well deserved. And Kendra doesn't have to know every little detail about our love life." He moved closer, prying my fingers so my fist unclenched.

"Stella when I'm mad it's not because of you. It's because of my parents, because of the way they are. I hate that they have money, I hate that they try to shove it down my throat. I've tried to raise these kids the best I can without using our parents money for everything. But they still somehow managed to shove it in my brothers and sisters face. I. . . I just wish that it wasn't them giving you the money. I wish you would understand why I work for my money." I leaned back against his chest, sighing.

"I do understand, Lincoln. And I completely respect you for it. You're such a great guy, a great person. I. . . I can't even believe that the kids are scared of you." He buried his face against my neck, slowly kissing his way up to my ear.

"I guess I did something right then, huh?" I laughed, pulling away from him and turning to face him. He stared into my eyes, a smile slipping across his face.

"When I draw your eyes, I. . . I think of a misty night. A bank of fog over the bay. They're so beautiful. Unique. Just like you." I could feel heat creeping into my cheeks as I touched his.

"You eyes look like a stormy night, Lincoln. And sometimes when you get mad, like a lightning storm." He shut his eyes for a moment, bringing his hand up to lay over mine.

"Lincoln?" I whispered.

"Hmm?" His eyes were still shut.

"What is it that you want to be? An artist?" He shook his head, his lashes fluttering against his cheeks as he opened his eyes.

"I've always loved building things and drawing them. I kind of want to be an architect." I blinked in surprise, then nodded.

"Plus, I love the way that the horizon looks when I'm up high. It's. . . it's wonderful, I can't wait to show you some day." I laid back on his bed and after a moment he joined me, picking his sketchbook up and finishing whatever he was drawing.

"Lincoln, do you really think the kids will forgive me? How. . . how am I supposed to tell Steven and Angie that I'll be leaving soon? I do I tell them I can't stay forever?" Lincoln looked at his door in front of us, a shaky breath leaving his mouth.

"Well, Stella. I guess we are just going to have to figure that out when the time comes." I rolled over on to my side, facing the wall. I couldn't see the look on those kids faces, not after the look I saw on Kendra's face. They'd hate me, they wouldn't ever talk to me again.

"Everything I do is for them. No matter the cost." Lincoln had once said, watching the kids run around. I hadn't quite understood what he meant, not then. Now I did. He knew that sometimes the kids would hate him, that they would yell and fight and wish he never came home. But soon they would forget and they would forgive him. That's what siblings did, what the Carters did. And I hope that the kids can find it somewhere in there heart to forgive me.

***AN***

*Unedited*

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~ChasingMadness24