The Son of a Preacher

Chapter eight: New discoveries *Edited*

Lucas,1984,Huntsville,Alabama

I was hoping that over the summer, those things would change. Instead, it seemed Caleb seemed to just get closer to his friends, and more distant towards me. The bruises his father gave him appeared less and less lately, but the boy I loved seemed to be morphing into someone else. No matter what I did, nothing seemed to change. It was like I was fighting a never-ending battle, not only with Caleb but with myself. My heart tells me to stay with him because I love him. My mind tells me to leave before it's too late. I try to listen to my mind, but my heart with its loud beats and flutters always seems to win.

I'm about to head out to our first upper-class man party, where I have the pleasure of watching Caleb trying to impress the older football players. I already have to watch him act fake with jocks from our grade, now I get to watch him do it but with older people who will expect more. I don't even want to go but Caleb said since I'm part of the team, I have to go. Especially since I'm one of the fastest, the older jocks already seemed impressed with me. If I didn't go, it would put a damper on "our reputation," what Caleb really means is that it would look suspicious.

" Lucas, Caleb is here for you!" My mamma shouts from the front door.

" I'm coming!" I shout back, running out of my room to the front of my small trailer.

When I get to the door, I see Caleb standing by his cheap almost broken down, Audi 5000. He spent his summer working on a farm, trying to save up for a car. This was the best he could do, but at least we didn't have to ride to school on our bikes or take the bus anymore. The farm work really helped him get even in more shape than before. His olive skin had developed a slight glow from the outdoors, he somehow got more attractive.

" Took you long enough." He says, with an attitude in his voice, keeping his face trained towards the ground.

" Sorry, I was just getting ready," I say trying to appease him.

" No, I'm sorry I just feel kind of stressed." He says guilty.

" It's your dad, isn't it?" I ask quietly while I close the door behind me.

" Yeah, he kind of got mad at my sister, for wanting to go to college in New York." He says and looks up at me but for the only second. It's enough time for me to catch a glance at the bruise around his eye. I take a step forward with my hand raised about to touch his face. I stop myself though, I'm too scared to do something so bold out in public.

" Come on, let's go to the party and I can drink the pain away." He says, finally looking up at me and he tries to grin, but with all the bruises on face, it comes out as a grimace.

" Yeah, because drinking sure helped your dad," I mutter bitterly under my breath.

" Are you coming or what?" He asks, either ignoring my comment, or maybe he stopped paying attention to me like he used too.

" Yeah, let's go be like all the other teenagers and drink our emotions into the dirt, instead of talking about them," I mutter sarcastically, but I still get in the car.

" Stop being a pisshead, for once in your life." He says with an eye roll, getting in the driver's seat.

" Yeah, I'm the one who's a pisshead," I mutter under my breath again.

We drive the rest of the way to Michael's house in silence, who's the quarterback of our football team. He's pretty attractive, but he's a bigger piss head than Jack. Jack's just a mindless follower but Michael's a manipulative leader, and Caleb wants to impress him. What worries me, is how far is Caleb willing to go, I know how badly he wants to fit in. This amazing boy is becoming something else, he's a Jack now, but he might become a Michael. The thing is even if he becomes Micheal, I will still be by his side. I guess while I wonder how far he'll go, I also wonder how far I'll go to keep him.