OLD Campus Crush

40

Lucas's mother →

For people saying sHe LoOkS sO yOuNg she is 34 (Had Lucas at 16). Get off my nuts.

**Lucas's POV**

"...Oh," Ava deadpanned upon the sight of my mom.

"Lucas," Mom acknowledged, a crease forming between her furrowed eyebrows.

"I brought company," I announced as her eyes scanned my friends.

"I'm Ava. We spoke on the phone." She stepped closer to my mom, towering over her 5'3" build and sizing her up. "Huh," she huffed in surprise. "Not as saggy as I thought." With that statement, she brushed past my mother and entered the house.

"This is um... Nash." I pointed.

"Uh, hi Mrs. Montana," he murmured awkwardly. She squinted, not responding to his greeting before I told him to go on inside. He didn't waste a second, fleeing the tension and Mom's piercing gaze.

Mom and I locked eyes. I didn't know why I was expecting an 'I'm so happy you're alive'-and if not that then maybe an 'at least you're not dead.' But I got nothing. Just silence.

I couldn't complain. My mother's vocabulary was especially colorful, so all moments of contemplative silence was appreciated.

Then she broke the quiet. "Well, aren't you gonna come inside? Your friends didn't think twice about it."

"They don't exactly respect you," I explained, walking in as well. The air was cool, almost like mint. Our house was small, and usually filled with the voices of my siblings. I was surprised not to hear a sound, and my mother understood the questioning look on my face.

"Your father took Anna and Kade out. They'll be back soon if you wanted to see them," she explained.

"I see. What kind of fun are they having this time? Without me, as always." I saw my friends sitting in the living room, already making themselves at home as they flipped through TV channels. "Whatever. You said you'd pay for the semester. Can I trust you to do that?"

"I talked to your dad. As soon as he gets home, he'll write you the check to put in your account. Do with it as you please."

I crossed my arms. "And am I still homeless?"

"You still wanna live here? After everything?"

"Of course I don't want to be here. I don't wanna be around you or Dad if I don't have to be."

She blinked. "It hasn't been a walk in the park for me, Lucas," she quietly said, rubbing her elbow.

I could almost laugh at her statement. "Are you blind?" I raised my voice, catching my friends' attention. "You haven't exactly made my life a breath of fresh air either! If anyone knows suffering in this family, I'm that person, and it's your doing."

Mom swallowed and without moving her head, she looked at my friends. "I wanted to talk to you privately." She continued to rub her arm, a nervous tic that she had. "Why did you bring them?"

"Doesn't matter. What's bothering you? In fact, should I even care because... you practically disowned me and not just once."

She slid strands of gray-brown hair behind her ear, her eyebrows still furrowed. Lowering her voice, she told me everything. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness in any way. I know I don't deserve it. Well... your father blames me for you."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You're gay. He believes you disgraced our family and put our religion to... shame. You know how close your father is to members of the church and when people started to find out about you... they questioned us as parents."