Billionaire Happy After

Five

*********

The next two days passed surprisingly easily.

Though that was probably because I did not  run into any encounters with Christian Harvey and because Dad had worked late most days, so I didn't end up fighting with anyone at school or at home.

Then an announcement on Friday ruined it all.

"Could all seniors please make their way to Gym C for the Future Planning Program assembly," our scretary's voice crackled over the speaker.

Fuck, no.

Future Planning Program...

If that meant talking to Christian Harvey ...

Well there goes my good day.

Not that I had expected it to be all that great since I had planned to ask Mom and Dad about visiting Lucas today after school. Damon had said he could take me to see Lucas, and that he could even open up Lucas'  list of approved visitors so that I was included, but I still needed parental permission because I was under age.

I could've at least had a peaceful morning.

Maybe he won't be at school today, I hoped as I trailed behind my classmates on the way to the Gym.

That hope was crushed when I walked in to see him leaning against the wall on his phone.

"Find your partner!" An all too cheery girl in a bright orange Future Planning Program T-Shirt instructed me. Seriously, who's this excited about about other people going on road trips?

Oh, and we're supposed to find our partners.

Kill me.

I walked over to Christian and awkwardly stood beside him trying to avoid getting shoved by the overly excited girl on the other side o me. Christian glanced up, scowling immediately at the sight of me. "What do you want?"

"We're supposed to be with our partners," I told him.

His scowl deepened. "You're not my partner. I don't have one."

I blinked. "My packet said you were my partner."

"And mine said I didn't have one," he countered.

What the hell?

"They couldn't find me one because I signed up late," he explained.

"You weren't here last year?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I was here, I just didn't think I was going to be able to go."

I moved to stand beside him, leaning against the wall. "Why'd you change your mind?"

Christian turned to look at me, a skeptical expression marring his face. "Have you decided to be nice today or something?"

"No," I said. I was supposed to make him hate me. "I was just...Bored."

He gave me a sardonic smile. "Why don't you go bother someone else, sweetheart?"

Before I could respond, a guy in the bright orange Future Planning Program t-shirt at the front of the room, silenced the crowd. "Alright I hope you've all managed to find your partners by now," he called, his voice echoing through the gymnasium.

"We're just gonna go over some things since you'll be on your way Monday." He was cut off by a cheer going through the room. Wow, was going on a road trip really that exciting? I guess, maybe it was if it was with people you actually liked.

"For driving, you must show up Monday morning with your driver's license to sign out your RV. For accommodations, you can choose to find a hotel or sleep in the RV. For food, you're on your own. Make sure you get to each of your locations on time because attendance will be taken," he explained. "Any damages made on the RV will be charged directly to you, along with any tickets."

The principal stepped up to the mic. "We expect the best behavior on this trip. We're giving you a lot of freedom, so we expect you to be responsible."

The representative nodded. "Set up a driving schedule so no one's driving while tired or distracted."

"So," I started, leaning toward Jacen. "How do you want to do driving?"

He glanced at me. "You're still convinced we're partners?"

I shrugged. "My packet said we were."

"And mine said I was going alone," he replied.

"When did you get yours?" I asked.

"Beginning of August."

"I got mine last week," I told him even as I wondered if I should've been arguing him on this. It wouldn't be my fault if we went separately, or me, not at all. Except I wasn't sure if my deal with Damon would be null and void then since I wasn't going with Christian .

He hesitated. "I haven't checked my mail in a while," he admitted.

"So how do you want to do this?" I prompted.

He glanced at me. "Why don't we just stay out of each other's way?"

I blinked at him.

"I think we'd both be happier like that."

The first time my parents met Lucas definitely wasn't the time or way I had wanted them to meet him.

It was Christmas Eve and I had just barely managed to beg out of going to one of Dad's coworker's party by saying I was going to have a friend over. I had believed that Mom, Dad and My brother wouldn't be back until well after midnight since that was usually how long these kind of parties lasted so I had invited Lucas over.

We'd been dating for nearly five months now, but I hadn't found the courage to introduce him to my parents yet. I didn't mind that Lucas was working at the auto repairs shop instead of going to college or university, but I knew Mom and especially Dad wouldn't approve. They were already wary about the idea of my dating in the first place.

It was Mom calling out my name that stopped them from catching us completely naked

Somehow in the thirty seconds before they came up, Lucas managed to pull on his jeans and shirt, but I was jus grabbing a random shirt of my night stand and struggling to pull it over my head when they walked in.

Dad was furious. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded. His words were a little it slurred, but he definitely didn't sound as drunk as he usually was when came back from these parties.

I was f*****g screwed.

"I spilled something on my shirt," I lied quickly.

My elder brother stared at Lucas, probably wondering who he was. Lucas probably looked familiar to him since he was a year below Lucas and might've seen him in the halls. I was hoping He wouldn't place him, though, since Lucas being two years older than me definitely wouldn't win him any points with my parents.

Mom raised an eyebrow. She wasn't drunk at all, of course, she never drank at these things because Dad did and if she did as well we wouldn't have a driver for the way back. Her being completely sober would make this ten times as hard to pull off.

"It got caught," I continued, glibly. "So Lucas came up to help me."

"We must've walked in at the wrong moment then," Mom said. Thankfully, she sounded more amused than accusatory.

"We weren't doing anything," I protested. "We're just friends."

Lucas gave me an amused look, raising an eyebrow. Just from his expression I could guess what he would've said if he could speak. Really, Gigi? he'd have said. Do you get naked around all of your friends and let them run their hands over your body?

"What's your name?" Dad asked Luke

"Lucas ," he replied.

I watched recognition dawn my brother's eyes and stared at him intently, hoping he wouldn't say anything.

"Well Lucas," Dad said. "Why don't you get home? I'm sure your parents want to spend Christmas with their son."

His parents are dead, I almost blurted out. He doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas with except me.

I didn't though, since I knew Lucas wouldn't appreciate me spilling what he had only told me a couple hours earlier.

"Thank you for inviting me over, Gigi," Lucas said softly as he stood up. "Merry Christmas."

It almost worked.

He almost made it out.

But Abel in his haste to get out of Lucas' way ended up knocking into him instead, causing him to stumble, and a small foil packet to tumble out of his pocket.

Dad's eyes zoned in on it immediately.

I saw the exact moment he realized what it was, and turned his furious gaze to Lucas. "GET THE f**k OUT OF MY HOUSE!" he roared.

Lucas, seeming to know that this wasn't any way he could make this better except leaving, made the smart choice of dashing out of the room.

"That was Lucas Troop," Abel blurted out as soon as we heard the door slam downstairs.

Dad turned to look at him, a lot more sober than he had been when he stumbled into the room. "Do you know him?"

Abel glanced at me.

I stared back at him, hoping my wide-eyed gaze would tell him not to reveal to Dad that Lucas was two years older than me.

"Abel?" Dad prompted.

Crap.

Abel would definitely sell me out with that tone of voice.

The I will take away your phone, internet privileges, car, and anything else you hold dear if you don't talk right now voice.

"He was in the year above me," Abel admitted. "But I don't know him that well."

"Jesus Christ Georgia ," Mom said, turning back to look at me. "He's two years older than you."

I gulped. "So?"

"So?" Dad repeated. "You're still a minor. It's illegal!"

"We didn't do anything!" I protested.

Mom shook her head. "If we had come home just five minutes later..."

"I don't want you seeing him again," Dad told me.

"What? Why?" I demanded. "Two years isn't a big deal. You and Mom and four years apart."

"He's bad for you," he said.

"What?" I exclaimed. "You don't even know him."

Dad gave me a harsh look. "If he really was good for you, you would've introduced him to us earlier."

No.

Lucas was a good person. Just because I knew Mom and Dad wouldn't have approved of him, it didn't mean he was a bad person. They wouldn't have bothered to get to know him if I had introduced him to them, they would've been caught up on the fact that he didn't spend every day studying or go to some Ivy League university.

"Don't see him again Georgia," Dad said. "I mean it."

And with that, he stormed out.

Mom didn't say anything else as she followed him out, but the look she gave me said it all. She was disappointed in me.

Abel stayed behind, watching me. "Lucas Troop, Gigs really ? What the f**k?"

"Just leave me alone," I said. "I don't need your judgment too."

He sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I said leave me alone," I repeated.

Abel slammed the door behind him.

And of course, the next day, we did what my family did best.

Pretend it all never happened.

***************

Present..

When I walked into the kitchen, Mom was flipping through the pile of flyers that came with the newspaper like she usually did. I took a seat on the stool beside her.

"What are you doing?" I asked, grabbing a random paper from the stack. To my surprise, it was a sheet from the newspaper. More than that, it was the section with the job ads. Several were highlighted. "You're looking for a job?"

Mom had worked as an accountant before Abel was born, then a couple months after my birth, she had decided to quit and take care of us so we wouldn't have to hire a nanny and maid. Since then, it had only been Dad who worked.

Mom shrugged and took the paper back. "Abel has gone to university and you'll be gone next year. I have a lot more time now that you two are all grown up."

"I thought you said you and Dad would go on a giant vacation as soon as we were both out of the house," I pointed out.

She gave me a faint smile. "We'll see."

"So, I was wondering something," I started.

"Yes?"

"Would you let me see Lucas if I went with Damon Sandler ?" I asked in a rush.

She stared at me. "You still want to see Lucas ?"

I fidgeted, twisting my fingers together. "I want answers from him. I'm not gonna be able to get closure and move on any other way."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Georgia ," she replied softly.

"Damon approved." Okay, so maybe that was a little bit of a stretch since he had only agreed because of a deal, but still he was the one who offered it, so he couldn't be completely against it, right? "And you guys hired him to fix me."

"We didn't hire him to fix you," Mom said.

"Well, he thinks it'd help." Okay that, was really stretching it, but whatever. "He'd go with me."

"I'm surprised you're asking," she remarked.

"I need signed approval from you because I'm a minor," I admitted since I had no doubt that Mom probably knew that I had tried to go myself before.

"Give her the approval."

I jumped at the sound of Dad's voice.

Then his words, registered which surprised me even more.

I turned to stare at him. "What?"

He gave me a hard look. "Lucas is the kind of person who is poisonous to everyone around them. It'd be better for you to cut him out of your life."

"That doesn't explain why you're letting me go," I pointed out.

"But since you won't listen," he said. "And I have no doubt that if either your Mom or I tried to stop you, you'd find another way around it just to see him-"

He was right there.