Treat You Better

13.

I took off my shoes and flopped on the sofa in the den. The shop was empty today and there wasn't much to do so my boss had us cataloguing every damn book in the building.

"Rough day at work?" Lucas asked.

"Just tired." I responded curling up with a blanket and a pillow and closing my eyes.

"Aww baby girl." Tyler said sitting down next to me and stroking my hair.

"Hey, I was thinking, why don't we take a trip up to my parent's cabin in the woods for spring break?" Tyler asked.

"We haven't been to that cabin in years." Lucas responded.

"Is it just me or does this sound like the beginning of a horror movie?" I mumbled.

"Nope, I'm getting major horror movie vibes too." Ashley responded.

"Mom and dad want to go back there for spring break and they said we could all come with them." Tyler said.

"Sure, I'm down." Ashley smiled.

"Yeah sure I'll ask my parents." I replied. Honestly it sounded like fun, I have heard so many stories from when Tyler was a kid about this cabin. When Lucas went to college, three years ago, Tyler stopped going and just his parents vacationed there.

"How come you want to go back?" Ashley asked.

"Well Luke is back and we are all friends now, why not stay there." Tyler smiled. "It'll be for a week in March, there is a cute little town next to the woodland area, with a pier and we have a hot tub on the deck. It'll be fun."

"If you say so baby bro, although I can think of a few fun things to do in that hot tub." Lucas said, I'm assuming to Ashley.

"Gross." I mumbled, I could practically feel someone's glare- I don't know who's but know someone's glaring at me.

***

"For homework, I want you to write a two-thousand-word essay." I sighed and scribbled down the homework task on a post it note and stuck it to the book we have been working on in English class.

"Do you want to go get some coffee?" Ashley asked me as I packed away all my things.

"Yeah sure." We walked out of the school and jumped into Ashley's car, I texted my parents letting them know where I was going as she drove into town. I ordered my usual and a couple of cookies then sat down in a booth.

"So how's things going between you and Lucas?" I asked.

"Things are going great, I feel like he really likes me."

"Yeah?" I sipped on my coffee. "What makes you say that?"

"He told me why he came back." Ashley admitted.

"Oh my god, that's huge. Why did he come back?" I pried.

"He said that at college he felt lost, like he had lost himself. He didn't feel right there and that's why he wanted to come home." Ashley revealed, I smiled and nodded.

"Wow." I responded. "That's why he came back?" I asked.

"Yeah, he wants to get back to who he used to be." She answered. "I couldn't believe it when he told me, it means he trusts me. He has been telling everyone that he wanted to spend more time with his family and now I know the truth."

"Do his parents know? Does Tyler know?" I questioned further.

"Yeah, they have known this entire time, they're trying to protect him because he doesn't want people to know. I only told you because you're my best friend."

"Right and I appreciate that. I won't tell anyone Ash, I promise." I tore a piece of cookie off and chewed on it.

"We had sex." She blurted and I nearly choked on my cookie.

"You slept with him?" I had this giddy smile on my face that I couldn't really decipher.

"You really like him, don't you?"

"I do." She smiled and I knew she was serious, she really likes Lucas- I just hope he feels the same.

I walked into the kitchen of Tyler's house and poured myself a glass of lemonade from the fridge. Lucas was sitting at the counter eating an apple and reading one of his books.

"Hey." I greeted, he looked up and gave me a quick 'hi' before going back to reading his book.

"Where's Tyler?" I asked looking around the kitchen.

"He's chilling in his room." Lucas responded not looking up at me.

"So, Ashley told me what happened between you two." I sat down at the counter in front of him.

"She did?" He asked a little confused.

"Yeah." I said playing with my thumbs a little. "Why did you lie to her?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" He inquired and I could tell he was starting to get pissed.

"You told that you came back because you had 'lost yourself', that's complete bullshit why would you say that to her?" I knew that he had lied to her, the moment that she told me I just felt bad for her; she was so happy that he had confided in her and it was all crap.

"I didn't lie to her." Lucas stated.

"Yes, you did." I pestered.

"And what makes you say that?" Lucas gritted his teeth and turned to me.

"Tyler would've told me."

"Is that so?" Lucas stood up.

"Yeah, Tyler would have told me the moment I asked why you were back. But instead, he gets this look on his face like he's frustrated, he tells me to stop asking questions and he gets angry. I've never seen him like that- it's the same with your parents, there's this huge weight that's holding them down. So, don't you dare tell me that it was because you had 'lost yourself'."

"What do you want me to say?" Lucas said.

"The truth would be nice." I replied.

"It's none of your business." He spat.

"Ash was so happy, she thought you had really opened up to her, she loves that shit and it was all lies." I retorted. "She is my best friend Lucas, she really likes you and so help me if you hurt her-"

"I get it Riley, I'm not going to hurt her but you or her don't know won't kill them, right?" He remarked, I could tell her was referring to Tyler and what we weren't telling him.

"Oh my god!" Tyler ran into the kitchen and picked me up, spinning me around and kissing me hard.

"Hello to you too." I replied, exasperated, as he put me down.

"I have just won an award." He stated.

"What?" Lucas and I said unanimously.

"At school, I won the Einstein award." He said, bursting with excitement.

"For what?" I asked.

"Remember that paper I submitted before Christmas?" I nodded at his question. "Well it was so good, they are going to publish it. So, the school are going to give the award next Friday night. Along with other awards at city hall."

"I didn't even know our school did that." I stated.

"Me either but I guess I'm getting one." His face was alight with happiness and all I could think about was what Lucas has just said, I guess what Tyler doesn't know definitely won't hurt him.

●

A/N

Here is another chapter, I have a lot of spare time at the moment so I am going to dedicate a good amount of it to writing.

Thanks for the support.

~Jadey6688