The Unexpected [Completed]

Chapter 10

"Do you want to hang out tonight, friend?" I put the emphasis on friend.

We are in the barn standing next to Arabella's stall.

Lucas looks at me with a little sparkle in his eyes. "Why, of course, I would love to my friend." He puts the emphasis on friend, too.

        He is so cute when he talks all animated like that. The way his lips move. Oh my goodness. Peyton, stop thinking about his lips!!!

"I was thinking we could go see a movie if you wanted to. Without the whole going to eat dinner part like people on dates do." I laugh, nervously.

"Sounds like fun, amigo."

He's even cuter when he talks Spanish to me.

        I look up movie times on my phone and call out all the names of the movies that are out right now. We decide to go see the latest comedy that's out. Obviously, because that's what girl and guy friends do. They don't go see chick flicks or romances together because that's what boyfriends are for.

"We can take my truck." He walks out of the barn and heads over towards his cabin. I never noticed it before, but behind his cabin is little parking place for a vehicle. Lucas has a Nissan Titan.

"What year is it?" I ask, trying to make small talk. I hop into the passenger seat.

"It's a 2009."

"Nice, dude."

        Lucas starts fiddling with the radio. Then after a few moments, he gives up and starts looking through his CD stash. He puts a CD in.

"Are you ready to go now, CD boy?"

"Hey, you need good music to ride with at all times." He backs up the truck.

I listen to the music that is taking over the truck. I actually like it. Whatever it is and whoever it is.

"Who is it and what genre?"

"It's Sam Hunt. He's kind of like country rap to me." He looks over at me, quickly, and grins. Then he puts his focus back on the road.

I give him a look.

He smiles really big. "What?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

        I look down at my phone to see a text message from a number I don't know. The message says, "Hey, what are you doing right now?"

I reply, "Who is this?"

"Joseph :)"

"How did you get my number?!"

"I have my sources ;)"

"Who?"

"It's a small town. :)"

"Didn't I tell you I would call if I was interested?"

"Why are you being so harsh? :("

        I had deleted Joseph's number out of my phone yesterday and had never given him mine. I never needed to call him for directions that one night..

        I stop texting and look over at Lucas. He's singing along to the music. He looks like he is really enjoying himself. I turn my phone off and put it in my pocket.

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        The movie ended up being really good. We laughed the whole time. We even shared popcorn. I wonder if the other people in the theater thought we were a couple? I smile to myself.

        I need to snap out of this! I'm living in La La Land. Lucas is only being nice to me because I am his boss's daughter and I'm new in town. This is strictly platonic. Plus, I don't even like him. He is so annoying....or is he? I don't even know anymore.

I turn my phone back on as soon as we get to the truck. I have 10 messages. They are all from Joseph.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"Peyton?"

"Hello, where are you?!"

"Why aren't you answering my texts?!"

"I miss you. You have the most beautiful smile. "

"Answer me!!!"

"Peyton, where are you? Tell me now!"

"Hello?!?!?!?"

"I'm going to come find you."

The last text was sent about 30 minutes ago.

"Lucas, look at this." I hand him my phone. "Look at my messages from the top number. It's Joseph."

Lucas's eyes go wild. "We need to get you home."

"Why is he acting like this?"

"This isn't the first time Joseph has done something like this."

"What do you mean?" I ask, my voice low.

"You aren't the first girl he has been obsessed with."

"Obsessed??"

"The last girl he was obsessed with was Marissa Oliver. She was his girlfriend for a couple of months, but then she broke up with him....And he didn't like that very much."

I gulp. "What did he do?"

"Well, at first, he just texted her a lot...."

"Go on." I make a motion with my hands.

"He just wouldn't leave her alone....and then one night he broke into her house, while her parents were out, and took her back to his house.."

I gasp. "What did he do to her?"

"He locked her up in the basement. She was in there for 2 weeks until one day I found her on accident...I was just going down there to grab some of my old stuff to give to the Goodwill and there she was.." Lucas trails off.

"Was she alive?"

"Yes she was. If she had been dead Joseph would be in prison right now. "

"What happened to him then?"

"House arrest for a year. He did his school work at home."

"What happened to Marissa?"

"Her and her family moved away. Nobody knows where. They just up and left without telling anyone."

"If he broke into Marissa's house why are you taking me home. He knows where I live!"

"She was alone. You are not."

"I'm still scared." I frown.

"Would you feel better if I stayed with you?"

"Wouldn't that be awkward?"

"I'll sleep on the floor."

"Okay. Thank you, Lucas."

Once again, he's my knight and shining armor or shall I say knight and shining cowboy hat?