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9
Alexis
I met Lucas during my second year at University. One of my basic core requirements was Principles of Financial Accounting, and it was so mind-numbingly boring that I could practically feel my life force being sucked out of me by the professor’s droning voice.
I was hunched over a sketch of one of my latest designs, my pencil flying furiously over the paper when there was a tap on my shoulder. Straightening, I shot the professor a quick look, and seeing his back turned towards us, I chanced a quick glance over my shoulder and froze. The bluest eyes I had ever seen were staring at me from underneath messy hair the color of burnt umber. But it wasn’t his eyes that resembled a sunny, cloudless Miami sky, or how his hair was almost an afterthought, as if he knew he was sexy enough to not have to style it that made my breath hitch in my throat. It was the cocky smile playing on his lips—lips that looked like they were sculpted for kissing.
“What?” I whispered, feeling slightly embarrassed for staring at him for what felt like minutes. He was sexy enough that he didn’t need anyone stroking his ego further.
“What are you doing?” His voice was a little rough, a bit scratchy, and understanding dawned. He’d most probably rolled straight out of bed and hightailed it to class. A lot of students could relate to that.
“What?” I asked again, confused because wasn't it obvious? I was suffering through a class designed to suck all the joy out of students’ lives.
With his pen, he motioned to the pencil still clutched in my hand.
“Either you’re the world’s fastest note-taker who finds this class completely fascinating, or you’re doing something you’re not supposed to be doing.” The roughness in his voice, even while whispering, sent shivers down my back, and alarm bells started ringing in my head.
After that day, I seemed to notice him wherever I went. Walking through the quad, he’d be there; popping into the cafeteria, he’d be there. People always surrounded him. Males and females both seemed to be drawn to him. I could see the appeal. I mean, anyone with working eyes could see he was devastatingly handsome. But it was more than that. He exuded a kind of charisma that pulled people in, but it had a dual effect on me. It made me want to gravitate closer to him, but it also made me want to run. And most of the time, the running part won. If I saw him somewhere, I pretended I didn’t. I could feel his hot stare burning my back in class, but I pretended I was unaware. Until one day he made it impossible for me to pretend anymore.
“What are we, fourteen?” I whispered in exasperation when another note folded into a paper airplane landed on my desk.
“If you read the note, I’ll stop sending them,” he whispered back.
Pretending to be annoyed, I unfolded it, briefly admiring the straight lines. The note was brief and to the point.
“Let me take you to dinner.”
My heart gave a little lurch, but sanity won out and shaking my head, I crumpled it up. By then, I had found out that his name was Lucas, and the alarm bells that rang the first time I saw him were still ringing. In fact, every time I saw him, they just rang louder and louder.
The thing was, I didn’t do love. I did do relationships, but as soon as things got serious, I headed for the nearest exit sign. Years of watching the dysfunction that was my parent’s marriage had me shying away from anything that was more than surface deep. I would be the first to admit that I was jaded with all things love. If any guy that I was seeing showed an interest in something deeper than fun, I was out the door.
And Lucas, Lucas was dangerous. There was something about him that scared me; that made me think that with him I would be way over my head. It would be too easy to fall in love with him.
“It’s okay,” his whisper came from behind me. “I’ll just ask again tomorrow.”
Despite my better judgment, I sneaked a look at him over my shoulder, and that cocky grin of his was still firmly planted on his lips.
True to his word, he asked me the next day and the next, and every time he saw me after that, until one day, I gave in and said his group of friends could meet up with my group of friends for a beer. One meet-up became many until we finally went out for that date—alone. And like I knew I would, I fell for him, head over heels.
We had many miscommunications and arguments, but he was patient with me, always unwavering and steadfast, until any reservations I had were ground into fine dust, and I stopped running from him. He made me believe in love and that an us was possible.
Lucas was an only child. His grandparents had raised him after the death of his parents in a tragic car accident. Because we were basically inseparable at that stage, and Lucas showed no inclination to visit his grandparents in Boston during the holidays, he usually came home with me.
He worked his charm on Mom and Lillian, and as skeptical as especially Lillian was, it wasn’t long until he became a part of the family. Dad was a different story. Lucas, knowing my history, had no respect for Dad and wasn’t afraid to show him. It pissed Dad off to no end and whenever they were in each other’s presence, things were always tense.
After college, I got a job as a marketing coordinator while Lucas and his best friend, Eric, pursued their dream of opening an ad agency during the day.
At night, Lucas worked all kinds of jobs for extra cash, which included bartending, waiting tables, and at a McDonald's drive-thru. He wasn’t picky.
Things were rough, but we were determined to make it on our own without help from anybody.
We moved into a crummy little apartment with groaning pipes. It was one room with a separate bathroom. It was so small that the only furniture that could comfortably fit was our bed and a tiny, rickety round table with two chairs. A small counter against a wall served as our kitchen. All it had was a hotplate and a small avocado-green fridge, but that was all we needed. We had no couches and no TV, but we didn’t need them.
We’d lie in bed at night and dream about our future. Like clockwork at six in the morning, we’d be woken by groaning pipes when Stuart in the apartment above us had his morning shower. We were so full of dreams while we sat on our bed eating our dinner, which most nights consisted of noodles. We had no money, but we had hope, faith in ourselves, and our love and that was enough.
I was earning more than Lucas at that stage. It wasn’t much, and I didn’t mind because we were working towards our goal. Lucas was so unswerving in his drive and dedication to achieve his dream, and I admired his dedication, so I put my own dreams on hold. That was another thing I didn’t mind. I had unshakable faith that he would be successful, and once that happened, my turn would come.
And finally, it happened.
