Twice The Trouble Book 2 of 2: Twice The Love

Chapter 70: Teardrops

Sophia

I felt tears stinging my eyes, and before I could try to stop them from falling, they were already flowing down my cheeks.

Laurence looked alarmed. "I.. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," I sniffed, wiping at my eyes using my fingers. "Okay.. maybe it partly is.. but you didn't really.. do anything wrong." I struggled to conceal the doubt I felt towards Laurence after my boyfriend's terse warning. 'Just be careful' Lucas had said. What exactly had Laurence done in high school that made Lucas feel only hatred for him?

"Should I take you home?" asked Laurence, scratching his head.

"No." If I were in my bedroom, I would only sulk and drown in my misery. "Let's go get some ice cream then watch a movie. You did say you'd pay for everything, right?" I forced a smile at my companion.

We ended up watching two movies, both comedies, which cheered me up immensely. By five in the afternoon, Laurence and I ended up emptying four buckets of popcorn--he liked it buttered while I preferred mine coated in cheese.

After an hour of window shopping and snapping pictures, the two of us had dinner at a fancy restaurant which Laurence selected. Thankfully, there were other customers in college uniforms so we didn't feel too conscious of wearing ours.

Laurence gave me a ride home, and he dropped me off in front of my house at around 8pm. "Did you have fun?" he asked from inside his car.

I mimed for him to roll down his window because I was already standing outside. "I did," I answered with a sincere smile. "How about you?"

Laurence nodded, then he smirked. "Don't I get a kiss goodbye?"

"What?" I stared at him.

He looked away. "Forget it."

Friends can kiss each other on the cheek, right? I slowly bent down and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Laurence turned to glance at me, his gray eyes wide. "...Uh, bye, Sophia."

"Thanks for today," I told him before he drove away.

When I straightened up, my heart jolted in shock. Just as Laurence's gray car peeled out of the driveway, Lucas's new black mustang rolled in.

My hand fanned away the puffs of smoke that both cars where causing to fill the air with.

"Did he do anything to you?" asked Lucas once he climbed out of his car and urgently approached me. "Are you alright?" he cupped my cheeks and stared worriedly into my brown eyes.

"He didn't hurt me," I said, wrapping my fingers over his wrists and removing his hands from my face. "If that's what you're trying to insinuate." I frowned at my overprotective boyfriend.

Lucas examined my expression closely. "What did he say?"

"He told me he regrets what happened in the past," I said rather scathingly. "And that he wanted to apologize to you but he's afraid you still hate him." I squinted at Lucas. "You do, don't you?"

"Bullshit," Lucas spat, his brown eyes blazing with anger. "Everything he said, everything he did, back then and now---they're all bullshit."

"Stop cursing!" I hissed. "What exactly did Laurence do to make you despise him?" I crossed my arms defiantly. "Enlighten me, Lucas."

He let out a derisive scoff. "What, so you can take his side again?"

"I'm not taking sides!" I yelled, flailing my arms in the air. "But it wouldn't kill you to admit you could have handled the situation better! Owning up to your mistakes isn't a heinous crime."

"It's so easy for you talk big because you've had good friends and loving parents all your life!"

"Don't turn this on me," I said, my chest heaving in fury. "I'm only trying to help--"

"Who said I want your help?" he shouted. "I never asked for it in the first place!"

I felt another round of tears pooling in my eyes. "You can't keep living your life hating your parents, Lucas."

The first tear slid down my left cheek, followed by another. "I'm not helping you because I pity you, if that's what you're thinking.

And I'm not helping you because I'm forcing you to have what I never did--a whole and happy family composed of my biological parents--no, I'm trying to give you peace of mind.. you may not forgive your father for abusing your mother, and you may not find it in your heart to ever speak to your mom again for leaving you.. but is it so impossible to try and pick up the pieces of what's left of you?"

Without waiting for a reply, I turned on my heel and walked into my house.

In my bedroom, I felt relieved to be alone; Stacy was at Bryce's condo, having dinner with him.

I was laying on my green-colored bed, staring up at the ceiling and reevaluating my life choices when I felt my black phone vibrating underneath my soft pillow.

"Hello?" I faked a happy tone, knowing Stacy would worry too much over me if I made it too obvious how I honestly felt.

"Guess what, Sop?" trilled my sister. "I said yes!" she squealed. "I gave my yes to Bryce! We're a couple now!" A pause. "Hold on a second, Sop." She abruptly ended the call, and not one second later, my phone rang again, this time it was Bryce's elated voice that greeted me. "Sophia, she said yes! She's my girlfriend now!"

I chuckled into the receiver. "I'm really happy for you two," I said to Bryce.

"Your voice sounds raspy," he commented in confusion. "Have you been crying?"

Why oh why, Bryce?

As predicted, Stacy's voice boomed in the background. "WHAT? Sophia sounded hoarse?"

"Bryce, do not let her--" Beep Beep Beep. Too late. He hung up, then I cringed when the caller ID showed Stacy's smiling picture.

"Who made you cry?" Stacy demanded. "I'll kill them!"

"No one," I lied. "I was reading another Nicholas Sparks book, that's all."

"You're a terrible liar, Sophia Ann Pennington Sta. Ana."

"Was that really necessary?" Our real mother's maiden name was so long and snooty.

I overheard Bryce ask: "Wait.Your middle name is Pennington?"

"What about it?" huffed my twin sister.

"It's just very familiar somehow.." Bryce pondered.

"Yeah, well, I'm talking to Sophia so think about it in the corner."

Bryce's riposte was muffled. Then I heard footsteps stomping away.

"Nice one, Ace," I managed to joke. "First day as an official couple and you sent him off to wallow in his own thoughts."

"He'll survive." Stacy's voice turned serious. "Why were you really crying?"

"It's Lucas," I sobbed.

"I'm listening."

"Okay, but there's one more thing I haven't told you..."