The Unexpected Path

Chapter 1 - Lucas

4 months later...

I think I might fucking strangle the next person who blatantly stares at us. If I thought I was an impatient fuck before, it's nothing compared to what this summer did to me. These past few months have been the worst months of my life and it changed something in me, something I'm not sure I can ever undo.

I'm angry. All the fucking time. I've been getting into fights, I've completely isolated myself from what little friends I have, I've been fucking anything with a pussy and a pulse to tone down the fighting and that energy needs to go somewhere. I'm basically a goddamn mess and I have no intention of cleaning myself up. What good would it fucking do? It's not going to fix shit so I can't be fucking bothered to get my act together. Fuck everything. Fuck everything.

"C'mon," Dad says under his voice as he pulls out my suitcase, closing the trunk. "Hold your shit together a little longer. You can wait until we're out of here."

I resent him.

Months ago my father was my best friend. He's done some shit for me that has only stayed between us, shit that's saved my life. That all changed the second he was the person to destroy my life too. I know it's not his fault, not in his hands, but he was the one to break the news to me and that too, weeks after keeping it secret. I mean, what the fuck? And now he's forcing me to go back to school and finish my degree. A stupid fucking piece of paper I don't give two shits about. I fought him endlessly but in the end he raised the stakes, and threatened me with the one thing he knows about me that no one else knows. It was a low blow and I loathe him for it, especially because I'm back to this god-forsaken place that I fucking hated to begin with. He was the start of everything that went wrong in my life and I resent him for it.

"I'll do it myself," I mutter and jerk the handle out of his hands, pulling the suitcase away.

"This is what's best for you," He snaps. He's been losing patience with me as quickly as I've been losing patience with him. That's the thing about being a carbon copy son — when we get along it's fucking great but when we argue, we butt heads mercilessly. "You can't see it now but this is what you need."

"Fuck you," My lip curls. "I'm not a goddamn child. But I suppose that's what you think since you kept this secret, or since you blackmailed poor little Luc into doing what you want, because the truth is you don't know what the fuck you're doing. You can't fix this or control it so you're trying to control me. Feeling like a fucking superhero yet, Dad?"

His laugh is humourless and shocked all at once. Up until now my anger had its limits but now I've snapped. Clearly. "That was a low blow even for you. Be a dick to me all you want but if that's what it takes to hold this family together so be it."

"You can't hold us together anymore," I shake my head mockingly. "Haven't you heard? You're not God."

"That's enough, Lucas," He barks, his face contorting with anger and just a flicker of heartbreak. Christ. What am I doing? Even I know how fucked up it was of me to say that but my pride holds me firm and I glare instead of apologizing. "I'll be out of your fucking hair in two minutes. For the sake of appearance stop acting like an asshole and then you can hate me all you want."

I do hate him. And I hate that I hate him. Fucked up much? Yeah.

"Is that the last of it?" Mom steps out of the car and smiles over at me. It falters when she catches the expression on my face and her eyes flick between Dad and I. "Is everything okay?"

I briefly glance at Dad. His eyes are full of warning. I've crossed a lot of lines today but the one line I'm not allowed to cross is upsetting Mom. He'll raise hell on me if I do that. He loves the fuck out of her and he won't tolerate anybody making her upset, even his kids.