Twice The Trouble Book 2 of 2: Twice The Love

Chapter 64: Third Crack

Lucas

The first day of December fell on a Friday,and fortunately for me, I didn't have any work-related errands to tend to during the morning half of the day, so I was bestowed more bonding time with my girlfriend at her part-time job at the mall.

When Sophia saw me watching her straighten up her clothes--white visor, teal polo, black slacks (the standard uniform of Snack Attack employees--she gasped loudly.

"I'm so surprised to see you here!" she exclaimed, securing her long brown hair in a high ponytail held back by the green scrunchie I gave to her a long time ago.

I gave her a dry look. "Ya, I was the one driving."

Sophia's face broke into a big smile. "I can't remember. I was too busy staring at my boyfriend."

"Is that so?" I smirked at my beautiful girlfriend.

Stacy, Sophia's twin sister, exhaled heavily. "You two are disgusting."

I looked at my girlfriend. "What would you do if someone invited you to move into his apartment?"

Her brown eyes blinked repeatedly, her mouth agape. "Is this.. an actual.. invitation?" she sounded so disbelieving, I bristled a little. What was so wrong with my question?

"I was just asking," I said in a defensive tone.

Sophia looked at me for a long time. "Depending on the circumstances.. if I knew him long enough.. and if I get permission from my parents.. I would accept his proposal."

Stacy rushed over to her sister's side and hugged Sophia's arm while shooting daggers at me. "Hold your horses, Lucas De Los Reyes! Just because I let you woo my twin doesn't give you the right to whisk her away to your territory so suddenly!"

"I wasn't!" I denied, stomping my foot in vehemence. "I was only asking if--"

"Shut up!" Felicia erupted. "Just shut up, all of you!"

Stacy glared at her co-worker who eerily resembled her:long blonde hair and blue eyes. "What's your problem?" Stacy demanded.

"I hate noisy people," Felicia hissed, sending us all looks of contempt.

We chose to ignore her but kept our voices down a notch.

Sophia adjusted her oval, rimless eyeglasses, tucking the stems behind her ears, then she flashed a cool smile at me. "Will you have time to drop by the bakery? There's going to be a sample sale of new products and I can smuggle a couple for you."

"What time?" I asked, hoping I could make it.

She answered: "Seven pm," to which my shoulders sagged in dismay.

Sophia noticed the sadness in my brown eyes. "That's a no, I guess," she said, then summoned a faint smile onto her face. "If we run out of pastries, I'll bake more for us to share."

"I look forward to it," I told her with a boyish grin. "What do you usually do when I'm working?"

One corner of her lips twitched, and I knew she was fighting back a smirk. "I pick petals off flowers while I pine away for you."

"Seriously."

"Oh, you know. I'll settle into a routine. Whenever I eliminate all my schoolwork, I set up my laptop and.." she suddenly swallowed, an odd flicker passing through her brown eyes. "..and.. you know..write my story." She concentrated on tugging down the hem of her teal polo, deliberately avoiding eye-contact with me.

"Sophia.." I realized my mistake when I used her full name. She could tell that I was serious whenever I regarded her in that manner.

"What time will you be free later?" she asked, melting away any chance of my pelting her with questions. "Maybe we can have a late night snack? It's Saturday tomorrow, so it's fine."