Against All Odds

Chapter 4

Lucas

A week in this new town and I still have no mates. Dad jokes that its because I'm anti social, but its simply because I don't know anyone.
Usually I'd be hanging out at the skatepark or at the boxing club.
The boxing club. God I miss that place. It was more of a home than the house I lived in. It, and the owner Reggie Marlo, taught me everything I know about fighting.
Shame I can't use it against my Dad.
"Hey man." A guy with shaggy brown hair came towards me. "Can I borrow your lighter?"
Disappointment hung over me as I hand him my lighter, hoping for at least a conversation.
"Haven't seen you round here before, you new?" The guy asks and I'm surprised but glad he's making the time to talk as he lights his cigarette.
"Yeah, got here a week ago." I confirm and jerk my head towards my street. "Live up West Lane."
"Ah I have a mate who lives there, maybe I could introduce you sometime." He hands me back my lighter. "Names Harvey."
"Lucas." I shake his outstretched hand. "Nice to finally meet someone."
"You're lucky it's me you me you met, there's a load of tossers in this town." He slaps me on the back in a friendly manner. "Do you skate?"
An involuntary smile creeps onto my lips and Harvey whoops for joy.
"You're gunna be my new best mate I can tell!" He grins and to my confusion he begins to walk off. "You coming?"
I smile again, and quickly catch up with Harvey who seems to be leading me somewhere in particular.
"If you skate man, you're gunna love this." Harvey smirks at me as we round a corner and come face to face with...
"Holy fuck." My eyes widen.
In front of me is the biggest skatepark I've ever seen.
"I know, only think good in this town." Harvey grins and beckons me over to a group of guys who look possibly a year younger than me. "Guys, this is Lucas. He's my new best mate."
"Hey I thought I was your best mate." A guy with black hair protests but Harvey brushes him off.
"Tyler you're old news." He jokes, and I can't help but love this guy. "Anyone wanna lend this lad a skateboard?"
After even more protesting on Tyler's part, he hands me his skateboard and I thank him, then run up the ramps, elated to be skating again.
Maybe this place won't be quite as bad as I thought.

~~~

It's late when I get back to the house, and Dad's pissed.
"Where the fuck were you?" He practically yells and I can smell alcohol on his breath.
Please don't beat me tonight, when I'm finally in a good mood, I think bitterly.
"Out." I reply smoothly and step round him but he yanks me back, shoving me against the wall.
"You don't go out, you have no friends remember!" He points out, strong arm across my shoulder, preventing me from leaving.
"For your information I have got friends!" My voice beginning to rise.
"Bullshit." He laughs and slams his fist hard into my already bruised ribs causing me to groan out loud.
"Its fucking true now either beat me or let me go!" I yell in his face angrily, and I get repaid with a fist to the face.
"You dare talk to your father like that?!" He screams, face red, fist still raised threateningly.
"You can hardly call yourself a father!" I shout and twist my weight in such away that I'm freed from his iron grip.
"I am your father boy, and if I hear you've been even one hundred metres away from the police station you'll have more than a few bruises, you hear me?!" Dad yells after me, throwing a plate that smashes above my head to enforce his point.
If I had someone who I could run to, who I could rely on to give me a bed to crash on, I'd have beaten my no good, abusive drug dealing so called Dad so hard he wouldn't even know his own name. But I know the reality of fighting back.
And I'd made a solemn promise to my Gran. A promise that I'd never turn into a monster like my father.
When I got into my room I lock the door behind me, just in case Dads in a particularly violent mood. My room is quiet, the quietest part of the house. It's my sanctuary.
I lean my weight on the window and open in, blasting myself with cold air as I did so. Then I take my tobacco out of my pocket and roll a fag quickly, because I need the relaxation it relieves me with.
I light the cigarette and welcome the familiar smell and feeling.
Will I ever have a good day in this wretched town?
Harvey and his mates had been cool, but did I really want to befriend them? Could I be putting them in danger if I did? We are still on the run from the police, maybe being anti social really is the best way to go.
All of a sudden, I feel eyes on me and I turn to see the figure of a girl staring back at me, her lips parted in slight surprise.
I take in her features briefly, then pull the curtains across and hide her from view.
Typical. I should have guessed that there would be an innocent yet stunning girl living next door.

~~~

"Man, you're probably the sickest skater I've seen." Harvey slaps me on the back as I give Tyler's skateboard back to him after borrowing it yet again.

"Thanks mate." I grin, feeling elated that I've been able to do something familiar, and even happier that I'd made some new mates.
Tyler and Harvey had come round mine this afternoon and invited me out. They'd questioned the bruise on my cheek, but didn't push it when I claimed that I'd fallen.

"Harvey's right." Tyler agrees. "I reckon you could even give Stan a run for his money."

"Who's Stan?" I frown, interested in this possible rival.

"He's the best skater in this area." Tyler answers and Harvey gives me an uneasy look. "People challenge him all the time but no ones beaten him in years. Not since..."

"Don't give him any ideas Tyler." Harvey warns him. "Stan's dangerous and you know it."
Tyler shrugs and they move onto another topic, but I still have the possibility of competition in the back of my mind.
"Seen my mate Harper then? The one that lives on your street?" Harvey asks but I shake my head. "Shame, I'm sure you'll meet sooner or later."

~~~

When I get home, Dad is pacing angrily. He's sober, which is unusual, and is clearly waiting for me to get home.
"Where have you been? Never mind, I need to tell you something." He mutters, seeming flustered.
"Okay..." I prompt him, unsure where this was going.
"Do you want to know why I brought a house in this town?" Dad asks and I shake my head in reply. I simply assumed it was a random house that he found online or in the paper. "This is the town your Mum ran off too."

My jaw drops. Literally falls open so my mouth is in the shape of an O.
Mum was here? In this town?
Surely Dad realises how stupid that is? Not that I care what happens to my Dad, who is still drug dealing even though the police are onto him.
My Mum ran away when I was very young and I haven't heard from her since.
"She's agreed to meet us." Dad paces the room and I fall into a near by chair, shocked by this news. "She wants to see you, and she wants you to meet your sister."
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