Risky Business.

006. hunting lizards & hidden feelings

chapter 006 ,
hunting lizards & hidden feelings

IF ANYONE WERE TO ASK LUCY WHY in God's name she was standing in a junkyard with her ex-boyfriend and her little brother's best friend, she would have absolutely no logical answer. She could reply that they were hunting an evil lizard that Dustin had raised as his own until its face opened up and it devoured his cat—but something told her that wasn't exactly the rational response people were looking for.

     "Steve, that meat smells rancid," Lucy gagged, holding up a hand to cover her mouth and nose. "Does this thing like raw meat, or something?"

     "Oh, no, yeah, this meat's for Steve." Dustin's voice was flat and without any humor. He rolled his eyes and gave Lucy a look like he couldn't believe her. "Yes, Dart likes meat! He ate my goddamn cat, Lucy. Now, do you guys remember the plan, or not?"

     Lucy shared a look with Steve. Both of them raised their shoulders in a noncommittal shrug. Dustin heaved a sigh and dropped the bucket of meat at his side.

     "You guys are like children," he said. "We trailed meat all the way down the railroad and through the woods so Dart could catch its scent and follow the trail, right? Then we lead him here, where we'll be ready to trap him. Lucas will be taking the south side of the junkyard when he gets here, you guys will have the north, and I will be watching everywhere in between. I'm like a hawk."

     "Just like a hawk," Steve muttered, shaking his head slightly. He peered into the bucket of meat. "Okay, so, you want us to spread out and—"

     "Oh, no way," Dustin said, his attention focused on somewhere in the distance. Lucy and Steve followed his gaze to see Lucas dropping his bike and waving, a redheaded girl at his side. She was offering a smile.

     "Who is that?" Lucy asked Dustin. No reply came, though, as Dustin was still gazing at the pair. His lips were parted and downturned. Lucy connected the dots pretty quickly, even if she only understood half the story. She pursed her lips, knowing not to ask any more questions about this mystery girl.

"Hey there!" she called instead, smiling at Lucas and his friend as they made their way over. "I'm Lucy."

Lucas's face scrunched up. "I know who you—"

Lucy shot him a look. "Then obviously I wasn't talking to you."

The redhead at Lucas's side laughed. She offered Lucy a half-smile. "Max."

"Nice to meet you, Max," Lucy said, nodding. "Want to help us track down Dustin's evil lizard? We have meat to spare, if you're interested."

     "Enough chit-chat," Dustin said, glaring at Lucy. "We gotta get started before we lose sun."

     "It's ten in the morning."

     "You can never be too careful." Dustin shrugged, then turned heel and left without another word. The rest of them stood there for another moment to share an exasperated glance between the lot of them, then left to their assigned positions. Steve dumped half of his raw meat into a pile in the middle of the junkyard.

"So.. the girl," Lucy began curiously. "Are her and Lucas...?"

"I think he likes her," Steve replied, eyes on the ground as he tossed a piece of meat every few feet. "But so does Dustin, so... don't say anything about it, okay?"

"Lips are sealed," Lucy agreed. "Does Dustin not think he has a chance with her, or what?"

"Well, he thinks he did. But he's pretty sure he lost it 'cause he screwed up pretty hard." Steve's voice grew quieter, and he threw a chunk of meat down with more force than necessary. "So... he thinks he missed his chances. He's in total, like, self-hatred mode right now. He was a total douchebag. And he didn't really mean it... any of it. He feels horrible. Always has."

Lucy's gaze softened. She whispered, "Steve—"

"But all he needs, really, is another chance." Steve's eyes flickered to Lucy momentarily, then moved back down to the ground. "He just.. doesn't know if she'd be willing to give him one."

Her lips twisted to the side, and she slowed to a stop. "Maybe she thinks she's given him enough chances."

"All he needs is one more," Steve said, stopping as well. They were facing each other, gazing into each others' eyes, both searching for remnants of any emotion. "Just.. one more."

"Steve.." Lucy shook her head, eyes moving down for a millisecond before meeting his again. "You and Nancy just broke up."

Steve's expression softened, eyes sparkling. "Did she tell you why we broke up?"

Lucy shook her head.

     "Neither of us felt like our relationship was worth it," he continued, dropping his head and turning to continue onwards. "It was a mutual thing. I don't think either of us are too upset by it."

     Lucy pursed her lips. "So.. what are you trying to say?"

     "Well, I just.. There was another reason, too."

     "And what was it?" Lucy asked, but she was pretty sure she had an idea.

     Steve threw down a piece of meat, eyes downcast. His voice was quiet. "Because we both have feelings for other people."

     Lucy pursed her lips, ignoring the fact that she could now feel Steve's eyes on her, waiting for any sort of reaction. All she did was take the news in sullen silence. They walked for a good two minutes before she said anything in reply.

     "Steve, we've been down this road before."

     "I know, I know," Steve said, shaking his head, disappointed with himself. "And I screwed it up the first time. I've been kicking myself for the last year over it, because... because I really loved you, Luce. And I still do. I understand if you don't anymore—I wouldn't blame you—but.. it was worth a shot to see if there's any chance. Any chance at all. So.. what do you think, Luce?"

     Lucy's mind was fighting itself. The romantic side, the side that she let take over during her relationship with Steve, wanted to take him back right there and then. The more rational side wanted to run like hell away and never talk to him again. But somewhere in between was a small voice telling her that maybe second chances were worth it to try.

     "Steve," Lucy said, exhaling a shaky breath. "Steve, I don't...  I think you're trying take your mind off your breakup. I won't be the lips you latch onto just so you can forget Nancy."

     "But—" Steve went to argue, but he must have decided it was a losing case, because he dropped it quickly. He just nodded.

     Most of the rest of the time was spent in silence, tense glances being shared between the pair, neither one wanting to say anything. After all, there was nothing more to tell; Steve had told her how he felt, and Lucy's stance on the matter was established clearly. She wasn't going to budge no matter how much pestering Steve did, and that was something he knew from their time together. Her stubbornness was one of the reasons he loved her, even. He knew his limits.

     But finally, after long, excruciating minutes spent in quietude, Steve drew in a breath and said, "The roses were for you, by the way."

     Lucy looked up, confused. "What roses?"

     "The ones I had yesterday that Henderson threw away. They were supposed to be for your birthday."

     She drew in a short, surprised breath. "You... you remembered?"

Steve scoffed like it should've been obvious. "Of course I remembered. It was only the most important day of the year to me when we dated."

     He stopped suddenly, head tilted down, looking at the ground. He frowned thoughtfully, then knelt and picked up a piece of scrap metal. When he held it out to her, she realized it was in the shape of a heart.

     "Happy late birthday, Luce. Sorry this was the best I could do."

Lucy laughed and took the piece from him, holding it up against the sun, then tucked it into her back pocket with a smile. "Thanks, Steve. You.. you don't know how much that means."