The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

023. welcome back and i waterboard lucas

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.
3x01: Suzie, Do You Copy?

Sam Hughes would like to say she was a patient person—very patient, in fact. When her friends needed time, she gave them both that and space for them to accomplish what they needed first. She didn't like pestering them in fear they'd just feel attacked or cornered. So, yes, Sam would say she was a patient person.

Or she usually was when Mike Wheeler wasn't involved.

Don't get Sam wrong, she loved her best friend. But recently Mike was getting a little... frustrating to handle, for lack of better words. Not only was he late every single time the group wanted to hang out, but he was late because he was making out with El, his new girlfriend. Again, Sam loved them both; she shouldn't have a problem with their rather codependent relationship that was a little too obsessive to seem genuine.

But, well, she had eyes. And Sam would also like to say she was a good cousin. So when Corey Gray looked absolutely distraught every time Mike appeared late, breathless and hair messy, Sam honestly cared about that more than a little relationship. A relationship that, honestly, Sam was sure wasn't real, but Corey was too stubborn to listen to her reasoning.

It was all really difficult for Sam, because she was close with both boys. She didn't want to put herself in the middle of their issues, but Mike had already once called out Sam's unhealthy urges to help. She felt if she didn't help them resolve whatever was going on, she was useless and both of them would be in pain for eternity.

That might have been dramatic, but after everything they'd been through, it was better to be prepared.

Anyway. The whole point was that Mike was late again, and nobody was surprised.

"Can't we just go without him?" Max groaned, throwing her head on Sam's shoulder dramatically.

Lucas and Will nodded, wanting to go inside before it was too late, but Sam pat Max's head in comfort and shook her own in denial. "Just wait a little longer, guys. He'll be here."

"You have too much faith in him," Lucas grumbled. "Among others."

Sam shot a glare Lucas's way. "And what does that mean?"

Luckily Mike showed up just before Lucas could respond. He rushed to put his bike on the rack, his friends walking up to him with annoyed looks on their faces.

Besides Sam, who cheered, "Hi, Mike!"

"Hey, Sam." Mike sent a little fond grin. Then, immediately, "Where's Corey? Is he not coming? Why isn't he coming?"

Sam huffed a little at Mike's badgering, but it wasn't that funny, or else Corey would be here right now. "Chill out, he's just working."

Since turning fifteen, Corey was required to find a job, because that was the rule in the Gray-Hughes household. Corey's choice of work was found at Josephine Foster's father's auto-repair shop (Fostering and Repair). Since Jo was one of Stephanie's best friends, Stephanie landed him the job. Apparently Corey's calling was fixing cars, because he actually loved doing it.