We Meet Again

Chapter Eighteen

So it has been two weeks since I have heard from Lincoln since he went away on a business trip. I thought when he went away we would at least talk every other day but I haven't heard anything. I didn't know if I should be upset or if I was allowed to be upset or not. I mean we weren't together officially. I checked my phone every day to see if I get a text from him but I never got anything.

I rolled out of bed and went to take a shower. I wasn't going to do anything today so I didn't get dressed up. Jordan and Raquel were out doing their own thing which I appreciated. I know it's a matter of time before they start dating.

I put on a long dark red t-shirt that Jordan left in my room and a pair of black spandex shorts. I pulled my hair up in a high pony and went downstairs to lay on the couch until Lucas comes over. We had planned for him to come over so we could just hang as friends. At first I wasn't sure if we should but then I just said what the hell. When I'm with him I just have fun and I am able to be myself without worrying if he will like me or not. Yes, he was a total douche in the beginning but he has changed and I can respect that.

Soon as I got comfortable on the couch the doorbell rang. "It's open," I yelled hoping it would be Lucas and not some weird stranger. "You know you really shouldn't just yell it'd open. What if I had been a serial killer or something?"

"Then I would've had to fight my ass off and hope you would come and save the day." He shook his head and closed the door and locking it. "I see you have made yourself comfortable."

"Took a while but I managed. What's in the bag?"

"Well I thought you might be hungry so I stopped and got some food."

"What you get?" he sat the bag down on the table in front of the couch. "I stopped at that pizzeria you like and got us two supreme calzones and I also made sure to get yours with extra marinara sauce and banana peppers."

"Are you serious?!" he shook his head and handed me the bag after taking his out. Soon as I got mine I bit into it and almost melted. I tried not to get this since it only went to my hips when I ate it but today I would make an exception. "Glad you like it."

"I don't like it, I fucking love it." He laughed and bit into his own sandwich. "So what do you have planned for today?" I shrugged trying to think of something. I really didn't have much experience in entertaining guest because no one ever came over or tried to so I was stumped. I bit my lip hard while I tried to think of something. When I looked at Lucas he was staring at me like he was in another place. I waited to see if he would snap out of it but he just kept staring. "Lucas?" he didn't even budge. "Lucas!" he jerked away and blinked a couple of times putting his sandwich down. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yea, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Things. Did you figure out something for us to do or do you just want to put in a movie or something?"

"We could play cards."

"Okay what we playing?" again I bit my lip but this time Lucas cleared his throat and got up. "Where you going?"

"To the bathroom. Where is it?"

"Up the stairs second door on the right." He nodded and took off. Something was definitely off with him today. I got up and went to get the cards so we could play. I had decided that we would play poker. I have never been good at the game but hopefully I could fake my way through enough to beat him.

When I got back he was sitting on the couch on his phone. "Do you ever put that thing down?"

"Only when I'm doing something more important."

"So I'm not important?" I fake pouted. "No, you are definitely important." We stared at each other he said that as if we were both trying to say something without saying it, but I just didn't know what. I eventually blinked away and sat down. "So I decided that we should play poker."

"Do you know how to play?"

"A little but don't worry I can still beat you," I said winking. He laughed and took the cards to set it up. He dealt out the cards and I looked at them not knowing what the hell I was looking even looking at. "You good?"

"Um yea." I was trying to make it seem like I had it all under control. We played and I had only won two hands and that was just on pure luck. "If you didn't know how to play, why did you pick this game?"

"Well I didn't think you would be this good. I thought I would fake my way through." He threw his head back and laughed out loud. "Hey it's not funny!" I threw a card at him hitting him in the head. "Okay, okay I'm sorry. But seriously I got a question."

"What is it?"

"What do you really want to do with your life? I know working for me isn't it." I sighed looking down.

"Well, I went to college and majored in business but once I got done I didn't know what to do next. Your job offer came along and I just took it out of safety."

"What do you like to do?"

"I love to bake, but I didn't think I could make a living off of just baking."

"Are you kidding me? People all around the world make a living off of just baking. If that's your passion you should pursue it. Life is too short to settle for second best."

"I know that but what if I fail. What if I try and I end up just making a fool of myself?"

"Then you get up and try again. When I first started out with my business there was a ton of banks that denied me. They told me I wouldn't be able to make it, but look at me now. I had my dreams and I didn't let the thought of failure stop me. If baking is your dream, you have to go for it." I had never thought about it like that before. I wanted to make my life count for something, I was just too scared to.

"Thanks. I needed that."

"No problem. Just know I will always be in your corner." I smiled

We played a little longer until the doorbell rang again. "You expecting someone else?" I shook my head no. I got up and went to see who it was. When I opened the door Lincoln was standing on the other side of it. "Lincoln what are you doing here? I thought you were out of town."

"I was but I got done early so I just decided to stop by." I looked back at Lucas and then back at Lincoln. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just I have company." He pulled in his brow and stepped around me to see. He stopped when he saw Lucas sitting on the couch. "What is he doing here?" Lucas stood up now in full on boss mode. They were just staring each other now.

"He came over to just hang out as friends. We were spending the day together."

"Is that so?" neither took their eyes off the other. "Yea that's so," Lucas said stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I wasn't speaking to you man," Lincoln stated back. "Honestly I don't give a damn man. But you know what I don't need to argue with you about anything." He picked up his jacket and came over to me. "I'm going to go. I had fun with you though, hopefully we can do this again sometime." He smiled then kissed me on my cheek then left. I just stood there trying to process everything.

"So when I leave you just start fucking another nigga?!" now I was out of it. I slowly walked over to him until we were face to face. "How dare you talk to me like that? How dare you bring your ass in my house and yell at me?! You didn't even bother to even fucking call me while you were gone!"

"So! That doesn't mean you get to start fucking other niggas!" he was puffing hard and getting in my face. "Listen to me and listen good Lincoln Alexander Charleston, I don't know who the hell you think you are talking to but you have one more time to imply I am a whore. Now Lucas and I are just friends and unlike you he actually gives a damn about my feelings. He knows how to pick up the damn phone or even knows how to text someone. You are on thin ice with me and before you say another word, you might want to really think hard before you say it." He stared at me still huffing and puffing out of control. He eventually just walked around me and left slamming the door behind him. I sighed walking to the door locking it. I turned my back to it and slid down to the floor. I wanted to cry for being so stupid but I couldn't, I wouldn't. Maybe me and him wasn't meant to be together after all.