Happier

Chapter 11

TGIF, they always say, but to Lacey, Saturdays are way better than Fridays. She loves sleeping in, not having to wear any makeup, and just look like a complete hobo in PJ's all day. It's also the only day mister Goldberg would ever be in the house as he'd work from home. When it's not game day, the Goldbergs would have a movie night in with everyone on the sofa, and they'd watch movies until the girls fall asleep. Daddy would always carry them upstairs, each on one arm, and tuck them into bed. He doesn't do that anymore since they got bigger and daddy Goldberg got a little weaker. He can't deny he'd still want to though.

It's around midday when Lacey decides to get out of bed and start semi-functioning. In her PJ's, her hair all messy, and bare-foot, she walks downstairs to get some breakfast in the kitchen. There, she finds Cole, looking all handsome and attractive at the breakfast island with his laptop. His face is serious, eyes focused upon the dimly lit screen.
"Good morning," Lacey greets, making him jump a little bit. His eyes meet hers and a smile immediately appears on his face, that sparkle in his eyes reappearing.
"Morning, sleepy head," he greets back, reaching his arms out, "Slept well?" he asks as she stands close to him so he can wrap his arms around her tired body.
"Pretty well," she replies, "I'm sorry about last night." Cole chuckles a little, remembering what had happened last night. The flashes of Stacey's worried smile during their game of Monopoly appear in his mind, as if they're accompanied by every thought of Lacey.
"That's all right," Cole replies, taking his arms away from her. He has to remember what Stacey has told him. Lacey's priorities first. Stop having so much patience with her.
While Lacey has brunch, Cole works on his laptop. They talk a little, have some silent, comfortable moments and just enjoy one another's company. All that without either of them knowing they're both thinking about each other. How badly she wants to break up with Archie so she can be with him, but can't do that because high school. How badly he wants her to set her priorities straight so he can be with her.
After brunch, they split ways. Cole goes up to his room while Lacey cleans up the kitchen. Her mind goes over the plans she has this weekend: working for school, going over cheerleading choreography, sorting out the pictures she's taken with Cole over the past few weeks, and movie night with her dad, sister and Cole. Her mind drifts off to the latter and a smile appears on her face. She hopes she can spend more time with him today. Go for a walk, take pictures, be together. Just when her mind starts imagining all those things, someone interrupts her and makes her jump.
"You missed a spot," when Lacey looks up from the cloth she's cleaning the breakfast counter with, she sees her dad walking over to the fridge. Her eyes roll back, an amused smile upon her face as she reaches to get the little spot of orange juice she spilled.
"Hi, dad," Lacey greets while going over to the sink to rinse out the cloth.
"When were you going to tell me?" he then asks. Lacey's heart drops a little, not sure what he's talking about. What does he know? "The boy sleeping in our guestroom, Lacey," he clarifies as if he can read his daughter's mind.
"Oh, that..." she says, drifting off at the end. She doesn't really know what to say. It's his own damn fault she hasn't told him yet. "Well, if you were home a little more, I would've told you sooner," she mumbles, afraid to make him angry. She doesn't even dare to meet his eyes.
"Lacey Margaret Goldberg," his voice sounds loud and angry, but Lacey still doesn't make eye contact with her beloved father. "You know very well why I'm not at home that often," his voice sounds a little softer now, like he's cooled down in a millisecond.
"Yes, I do know," Lacey now looks up at him, "but that doesn't mean I like it," her voice is filled with anger, her eyes even more so. It's almost like steam's coming out of her ears.
"You're not supposed to like it, Lacey. You just have to accept it. It's the way it is now," hearing how angry his daughter is, makes him angry too. His voice is so loud even Cole hears it all the way on the second floor. "If we want to continue living the way we are, I have to work a lot more. It can't work out if I don't work," he yells at her, making the girl step backwards. Tears are stinging in her eyes. She doesn't want her dad to be mad at her. She just can't stand it. "The boy leaves, Lacey Margaret," Lacey looks at her father as a tear rolls down her cheek. She furiously wipes at it and sniffles. "Tonight," her father adds. Lacey shakes her head.
"No, dad. He won't," she opposes, teeth gritting.
"This is my house. The boy leaves," Lacey lets out a sarcastic chuckle. She can't believe what she's hearing right now.
"You're never home, dad. Why does it matter who sleeps in the guestroom? He doesn't have a home and I can give him one. So be it," more tears roll down her cheeks, but she's too angry to wipe them away. Daddy Goldberg looks her straight in the eyes, the anger in his brown orbs apparent.
"It matters because I say so. He leaves tonight, Lace. End of discussion," another sarcastic chuckle comes from Lacey's body.
"That's the most idiotic reason I have ever heard," she laughs her tears away, then sniffles to steady herself, "Dad, don't you ever want to think about someone else's life instead of your own? I want to help Cole and I'm going to whether you want it or not. You're never home anyways, so you won't even have to see him," Lacey yells, "End of discussion," and with that she turns on her heel and makes her way upstairs. The tears now spill out of her eyes like waterfalls. She hates fighting with her dad, but she doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of winning this one. She doesn't want Cole to leave. Never in a million years.
Once she's in her room, she plops down on her bed: face down. She continues to cry in her pillow a little. Cole can't leave. He won't leave. Her dad is being unreasonable. He's never home and then he tells her who can and can't stay at their house.
"Lacey," Cole's soft voice sounds from her bedroom door. Lacey sits up and turns around, wiping at her eyes. When her vision isn't as blurry anymore, she sees him with his backpack on his back. Her heart skips a little, making her spill tears again.
"No, no, no," she mumbles standing up and walking towards him, "Cole, no. Please, don't leave," she cries as she holds on to his jacket. His hands go up to her cheeks, thumbs wiping at her tears.
"I can't live here when your dad doesn't want me here, LaceyLay. I don't want you to fight with him over me," he tells her, voice low and soft. Almost even comforting. Lacey's body shakes as she sobs.
"You can't leave," she whispers, a sob interrupting the sentence a little. "Please," Cole stays quiet for a moment and just stares at the crying mess in front of her. "You can't leave," she repeats and with that, Cole brings her in for a hug. He presses her closely to his chest whilst she cries.
"I have to," he then whispers and pushes her back a little to look her in the eyes. Tears continue to roll down her cheeks, her eyes red and puffy. The sparkle is gone. That sparkle Cole has come to love so much.
"Where are you going to live now?" she then asks as she's calmed down a little.
"I'll figure something out, baby," he says, "I always do." Fresh tears escape her eyes again when he leans in to kiss her on the lips. The last one for a couple of days, months maybe. Maybe even forever. Cole has no idea where to go to next. He can't go back to the school, neither can he go back to Lucy at the diner. Maybe he has to go back home. Whatever he does, he'll always know where to find her. You always find your way back home and sometimes, that 'home' is two arms and a heartbeat. Her heartbeat.

"Oh Em Gee," exclaims Jesse, making Melanie turn around. Her cousin is standing at the window, making her a little curious. She stands up from the bed, shirt in hand, only a bra cladding her chest, and walks towards the boy. "That's why Lacey has been so distant lately," he tells Melanie, remembering what the girl has told him about the captain of the Roses. Melanie's mouth drops when she sees her best friend kissing someone that's not her boyfriend. Jesse is Lacey's neighbor and their windows are opposite one another, making it easy to spy on one another. As kids, those three used to be inseparable. They played together in Jesse's treehouse whenever Melanie came over to Lacey's or Jesse's. Whatever they did, it was always fun. Until Jesse came out and Lacey became queen bitch.
"I never thought Lacey would ever cheat on Archie," Melanie whispers, "Poor Archiekins."
"Who even is that?" Jesse questions, turning his head a little to try and figure it out. When the two break away from the kiss, the two gasp loudly.
"It's that Cole-dude from school!" Melanie whisper-shouts.
"The creepy writer kid?" Jesse questions, trying to remember who that 'Cole-dude' is.
"Yes, that one!" they keep on staring at the two in Lacey's bedroom, "How can she do this?" They watch Cole kiss Lacey one more time before leaving the bedroom and Lacey breaking down.
"Should we go help her?" Jesse asks, still whispering as if he's scared Lacey might hear him.
"No," Melanie replies, her eyes locked on Cole as he leaves the house, "She'll know we know," Jesse hums and nods. Neither of them leave the window sill. Neither of them taking their eyes off Lacey. They probably shouldn't stay there, but they do. They're too in shock of what they've just found out about their best friend to do anything else. Archie should know. Poor Archie.