Chasing Kate

Chapter 2. Going Places.

So yeah, in case you didn't catch it, I'm Lucas Wesley. Small town boy, who was raised on the right side of the tracks. My parents were well off but refused to pay my way through and I refused to put forth any effort after high school.

I was star point guard for the East Compton Raiders, I had potential and according to the Compton Tribune I was 'going places.' I had even played lead guitar and vocals for a band called Boredom but I rarely play anymore. I was content with my life, back then.

Like I said, now I need to get my shit together.

Heading out of my bedroom to take a shower, beer bottles, red cups and strange people litter the halls. I literally have to step over a dude at the bathroom door with a pair of woman's panties on, and obscene things written on his body.

"What a loser!" I huff to myself and open the door to the bathroom.

I turn on the water and climb out of my sweats, catching a glimpse of my self in the mirror.

I looked complete opposite of how I grew up. Scruffy beard, a new lip piercing, tattoos & tattoo sleeves covered my arms and chest and my hair is longer than it's been in a while. I make a mental note to get it cut while I place a foot into the tub.

After washing last nights events off my body and washing this mop of hair on my head, I just stood there letting the water run over me. I wish the water could make everything in my life clean.

I wince as the water starts to run cold and quickly turn off the faucet to wrap a towel around my torso.

"What are you doing with yourself Luke?" I say.

Nothing. That would be the exact answer.
***************

I make my way to my psychology class and meet up with Cade and Xavier.

These two chumps are dumb as hell and it amuses me that they are still keeping themselves in college.

"what'd up, Luke?" Cade says as he holds up his hand to bump my knuckles.

"You get that last night, or what?, man." He said.

"Yeah, not worth though. Definitely to skinny for me" I replied, recalling how abnormally thin the red head who was laying in my bed this morning.

"She was all over you and Davis last night Dawg!" Xavier said.

"I would have been all up in the shit too." Cade laughs.

These boys are stupid.

Psychology was boring like always . I tuned out Professor Turner exactly 13 minutes into the lecture.

After walking across campus to the coffee shop to get a Redbull, I met up with Davis. Davis was the complete opposite of me. He had a hard life and he learned to excel in life. He rarely drank but he was always at our house parties. He was good in school but he didn't get a free ride like me. He worked his ass off at his uncles hard ware store to save up money to cover his expenses. He wasn't a womanizer but he sure was popular with the ladies.

"Hey bud!" He hollered waving.

"Sup, man?" I laughed.

"So thanks for that. Last night, you know what I mean? Isabella wouldn't take the hint that I wasn't interested."

"Yeah, umm. Sure?" I said questionably.

"It's not that I don't think she's nice or whatever. But I've been talking with this chick who my uncle just hired and I dig her. Didn't wanna risk it."

We walked the rest of the way across campus to our Intercultural Communications class.

"Understand that all to well my man." I say slapping him on the back.

I knew what it was like to be devoted to only one girl. Well, I mean I used to know. Not any longer. But let's not get into that right now.
********************

That night was a blast, but only not really.

Fischer invited all the girls from the C dorm over and they were rowdy. I drank way to much and then when Cade offered me a blunt, I smoked it too.

Coughing I said "Damn Cade! What's this smoke rolled with?"

Giggling he replied. "It's all good. I got the good good."

Great. Now I'm high as fuck and drunk as a skunk. I need to go to bed.

"Lucas?" A petite blonde said as I made my way up the stairs.

I quickly turned. "Umm, yeah? Br-?" What the hell is her name I think.

"Brianna." She said astounded.

"Oh yeah, hey Brianna. I know. I'm just messed up and I'm about to call it a night." I said, trying to avoid the situation at hand.

"Mmmhhhhmmm. Sure." She says as she steps closer to me.

I took my hand and rubbed the back of my neck.

"So, um. What are you doing here, tonight?"

"Partying. You know, since it's only like 2 weeks Til summer break and I'm heading back to Tennessee for a while."

She leans into me. She smells like cheap cigarettes.

"Are you up for some company?" She says as she trails her fingers across my chest.

Do I really want this tonight? Ahh. What the hell, I've had Brianna before. She's a decent score. Not clingy which is a plus.

"Sure" I slur as I grab her and truck to my room.

Nothing about drunk sex is appealing. It's sloppy and mostly awkward and it takes a lot of concentration.

I haven't been sober with a girl for about 3 years now.

Brianna and I are all lips and spit, and gropes and clothes flying here and there until we reach my bed.

She pushes me down and climbs on top of me and I just stare at the ceiling.

What seems like hours later, I find my release and I roll over and fall asleep.

"Lucas Wesley!" I hear a faint familiar voice. "Luke? What are you doing?"
The voice continues. I am running around searching for that voice. My heart is beating out of my chest as my feet pound the ground. "Luke?" I hear as I turn the corner. There she is standing 3 feet away from me. Looking gorgeous like always. Blonde hair cascades down her back, blue eyes stare back at me but are shielded by the slim black frames across her face, her mouth parted. "Lu? What are you doing?" She asked again but this time she's moving backward, fading and as I reach for her I fall flat on my face.....

I wake up in a panic. Where is she? I blink rapidly trying to get her image out of my head. I want to blast my music as loud as I can to get her voice out of my head. Why did she have to call me Lu? She knows what that does to me.
I've tried so hard to forget about her. Her that once used to be mine. Kate-Anna. My Kate-Anna.