017~ OF HOPE
1567 Words
Lucas
The underground car park was dimly lit as I parked my car in its designated spot. The echoes of my footsteps accompanied me as I approached the see-through door. My fingers met the cold metal of the code panel, and with a familiar combination, the soft beep granted me access.
Stepping into the elevator, I pressed the '4' button, leaning against the wall. I savoured the memory of Aria's flushed cheeks after our recent kiss, a wide grin slowly creeping across my face. There was something enticing about her persistent shyness, a trait that persisted regardless of how familiar our interactions became. My finger idly traced the path along my lips as the elevator began its ascent.
Very cute.
The satisfaction from the memory lingered, relishing the initiative she had taken. I had hoped she'd follow me home, but she skillfully slipped away when I turned my back. Chuckling, I realized there would be no escaping me this time.
I miss her already.
The elevator stopped at the fourth floor, and I stepped out, walking the familiar path to my flat. Arriving at the black door, I entered my code, the familiar clicking noise signalling access. The lights I the hallway responded to my presence, illuminating my path and dimming a I passed by.
My attention was diverted when I noticed the door to the balcony slightly ajar - an unusual sight. My mind raced through the limited access to my entry code, a secret known only to my brothers. Cole, currently away on a business trip; Theo, engrossed in a new movie project; and Jax, whom I had recently dropped off.
My brows furrowed as I approached cautiously. A surge of anger intensified with each step, fueled by the realization that only one person had the means to infiltrate my flat without reliance on my code.
As I approached the balcony, the scent of tobacco intensified. There she stood, donned in a black sleeveless dress, a cigarette held delicately between her fingers. With a casual flick, she moved a strand of her hair away from her face, turning to me with a smile that only fueled the growing annoyance within me. My jaw clenched, and simmering anger surged as I recognized the figure – my mother.
"My baby boy is back," she shrieked, lurching towards me.
The stench of alcohol enveloped her, and I gritted my teeth as I pushed her away gently, grabbing her arm.
"How the hell did you get my code?" I demanded, the anger in my voice cutting through the air.
She stood tall, a frown etched on her face, and playfully pouted her bright red lips. "What do you mean? Shouldn't I know everything about my son?" Her attempt to put the cigarette back in her mouth was swiftly halted as I slapped it away.
"That doesn't answer my question. How the hell did you get in?"
She scoffed, defiantly pushing me away. Running her fingers through her short black hair, she averted her gaze before turning back to me. "Can't you see I'm in a crappy mood right now? The last thing I want is for you to act like the piece of crap that you are," she hissed, shoved me aside, and walked into the room.
I tightened my grip on my fist, struggling to contain the surge of anger as I trailed her into the room, flipping on the lights in the sitting room. She lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, her head casually leaning against the cushions.
"Get up and leave this minute," I ordered, my voice cutting through the charged atmosphere.
"Why? Did you bring her home?" Her abrupt question shattered the stillness, and she sprang up, glancing around the sitting room with sudden intensity.
"Where the hell is that woman?" she screamed, her tone piercing the air as she attempted to storm out in pursuit of whoever she was referring to.
I seized her hand, yanking her back towards the sofa. A smirk played on her lips as she pulled out her purse, revealing a set of pictures she casually dropped onto the table. My gaze fixated on the photos, and a jolt of surprise surged through me as I picked them up.
There, captured in the images, were Aria and me outside the bar. My fingers tightened around the pictures, a realization sinking in that she had managed to tail me with someone new.
"What the f**k is this supposed to mean?" I demanded, my voice edged with frustration..
"The deal was that you could sleep with whoever you wanted as long as you were in a relationship with the woman I choose, Ruby." She began, rising from her seat, hands leisurely behind her back as she circled me.
"I never gave you permission to go around thinking you could have a relationship with a woman I didn't approve of."
"She's just someone I met at the bar, and I'm not continuing this fake relationship with Ruby. I thought I made myself clear the last time we met," I retorted.
"Oh, Lucas, you don't get to decide. Mom knows what's best for you, so just like always, listen to mommy," she said, her fingers brushing my jaw.
She strolled back to her purse, retrieving another picture. It captured a moment during the party, the place we reunited. My teeth gritted as I attempted to snatch it, but she deftly withdrew her hand before I could seize it.
"I was wandering why you spoke to me that way during Lunch. I didn't think a girl would come in between us." She laughed, walking towards me.
"I won't approve of a girl who'd wedge herself between us, stealing your love from me. A woman attempting to snatch your affection away won't end up with you," she yelled, gripping my shirt angrily.
"No one is getting in the way, for heaven's sake," I retorted, yanking my shirt away from her furious grasp.
"Love?" I scoffed. "There is no love between us; all you've ever done is be ashamed of me. You never wanted to be associated with me, never acknowledged me, and now you're talking about love?"
"What did you expect me to do? I was a helpless girl with no connections. If I was found with a child, I wouldn't be the woman I am now. I sacrificed so much for you, and now you're blaming everything on me?" She began crying.
"If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have given birth to you. I could have handed you over to your father the moment you were born. I loved you, and that's why I raised you alone."
"Lies. You were using me to extort money from him. I was just a means of getting money from him. Don't give me any bullshit about loving me." I seethed with anger.
She paused, hurt reflecting in her eyes. Wiping away her tears, she uttered, "Is that what he told you? That son of a b***h took you away from me, feeding you lies about me. He even kept you away from me for six years. Six damn years, and I didn't know anything about you." Her screams echoed.
He was protecting me from you because you're crazy.
"Not until you found me again. My Lucas, you've always loved mommy the most, right? We've always had only each other. Let's not let some other girl come in between us. I don't want her coming between us." She pleaded, grabbing my hands.
I regretted ever seeking her out. Perhaps it was the familiarity of growing up with her that kept me tethered despite everything that had transpired.
"If you truly love me, you should let me be with the woman I love, Mom."
"You don't love her, Lucas. She must have been good in bed, which is why you developed an interest, right? Mommy will find you good girls—ones who won't come between us."
Hell! There was no use trying to reason with her; she was drunk. This drunken version was a far cry from the poised woman who detested disorder.
"Since you're adamant about staying, I'm out," I declared, liberating my hands from hers. I headed for the hallway that led to the exit. Perhaps crashing at Cole's would be my refuge for the meantime.
"Do you remember the nanny who cared for you when you were nine?" She suddenly asked, and I stopped, clenching my jaw and fist simultaneously as I turned.
She had a twisted smile on her tear-stained cheek, the smudged mascara accentuating her maniacal appearance. With a sinister grace, she tucked her hair behind her ear and rubbed her neck, reveling in the turmoil she was causing. The haunting memory of that nanny's fate clenched at my heart as I recalled a memory I had buried.
"f**k! That b***h was trying to steal you away from me. Acting like you were hers, and you were falling for it. I was terrified you'd stop loving me, so I had to..." She paused, a sinister grin forming on her face as she walked towards me.
"What did I do to her again, Lucas?" She asked, her fingers tracing a haunting pattern on the sofa.
"You wouldn't dare," I said, a cold shiver running down my spine.
"Try me," she taunted, the air thick with the ominous echoes of a twisted past.
- Writer
