The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

welcome backs and waterboarding

◦☆＊★ ━━━━━━ ★＊☆◦

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 that 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, let's call it. Not only was he late every time the group wanted to hang out, 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 "amazing" to seem real.

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 Sam's reasoning.

It was all really difficult for Sam, because she was close with both boys, and didn't want to put herself in the middle of their issues, but Mike had already called out Sam's "unhealthy urges to help." Sam felt that 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 may be dramatic, but after everything they'd been through, it was better to be prepared.

Anyways, 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, though Sam could hear him. "Among others."

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

Luckily, Mike Wheeler had shown 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, he realized, "Where's Corey? Is he not coming? Why isn't he coming?"

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

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.

That's why he had "totally coincidentally" been scheduled to work right now, when he was supposed to be hanging out with Mike.

"He's always working," Mike muttered, hurt. He deflated a little, which didn't go unnoticed by Sam.