The Backup Plan

Four

~Kayla~

➴One week later➴

"Kayla, are you sure about this?" Lucas asked, uncertainty clear in his eyes.

"Since when are you afraid to do something that was a terrible idea?" I looked at Lucas with a serious expression. Reggie burst out laughing and Lucas hit him on the arm.

"Good point." The three of us took off running. I was leading at first, but with the strain of the heavy bag I was carrying weighing me down, Reggie quickly took the lead, while Lucas grabbed my hand pulled me along side him.

"Car!" Reggie yelled as he dived into a nearby bush. Lucas and I laughed at his ridiculousness. When the headlights of the passing car no longer illuminated the dark, Reggie came out of the bush and dusted himself off. Lucas released my hand from his and grabbed the bag. He let go, so why do I still feel like his hand is holding mine? Reggie swiftly ducked under the window of the house we were on the sidewalk in front of. Now, it was time for the bombarding. 

Lucas walked over until he was next to Reggie and opened the bag. "Remind me why we are doing this again?" He asked as I made my way to the porch of the house. He looked vulnerable, worried, a look I have only seen him wear once-the night we were arrested. Reggie smacked Lucas' arm this time, slightly laughing at his face.

"I am doing it for revenge. You two, well,  I like to believe that you are great friends are doing it for me but in all actuality, I'm forcing you to help."

Suddenly, the door to the house opened right in front of me and I froze. I saw a clump of messy red hair appear, glowing in the light sweeping out from inside the now open door. A woman was sticking her head out. After her head was fully emerged, she looked directly at my face. "Kayla, what are you doing here?"

I let out an exaggerated groan as I heard her voice. She sounded like she cared, like she wasn't the reason that I was living on a couch at the Harrison's.

"Hello mother."

➴One Week Earlier➴

"Hello?" a masculine voice answered, Lucas.

I stayed quiet, thinking what I was doing.

"Kayla? Kayla are you okay? What's wrong?"

I sighed. Lucas always cared about me more than he should have.

"Kayla. Tell me or I will sneak over to your house and torment you."

I let out a humorless laugh. "If you sneak over, all you will see is my empty room. I won't be anywhere in sight."

"Where are you?"

I sighed again. "In the-" I was cut off by muffled and undecipherable talking on the other line.

Suddenly, I heard Lucas yell, "No! Reg, give me the phone back!"

"Hey K bear!" Reggie. He knew that I hated it when he called me that.

"Put Lucas back on the phone." I stated demanding and sounding confident, the opposite of how I felt right now.

"No can do K bear." He laughed at his stupid pet name he had given me all those years ago.

I heard more yelling in the background which I assumed was Lucas trying to get the phone back from Reggie.

"And why not?"

"Lucas, he's a little-squished at the moment."

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me.

"Will you at least put me on speaker?"

"Okay, fine."

Everything got louder in my ear, giving me the indication that he put me on speaker.

"Kayla, I couldn't hear what you had said; Reggie was being difficult" Lucas was now talking, but I could tell that it was causing him some strain.

"Hey! I'm allowed to be difficult! She called you instead of me. Hurtful." Reggie always sounded like a baby when he complained

"Is he sitting on you Lucas?" I tried not to laugh as I imagined what was going on on the other end of the phone.

"Sadly," he paused, taking a large breath. "Yes."

Now, I was full on laughing. In fact, I was laughing so hard that my cheeks hurt. It felt good to smile again. I was worried that I never would.

Lucas grunted and the background noise faded away and all I could hear was Lucas's voice and the laughter of Reggie creeping in the background. I was off speaker.

"Where are you?"

"Tell her that I said you are an ass! Although, she probably knows that already!" Shouted Reggie in the background

"Where are you Kayla?"

"Tell Reggie laughing so loud at his own stupid joke."

"Reg! Shut up will ya!"

I heard a door close and footsteps.

"What are you doing, Lucas?"

"Going to my car. Please tell me where you are."

"Park down the street."

"I'll be there in ten." And then the line went dead.