Notorious Hope

6. ''You don't want to defy Daddy's rules, do you?''

Jones' Apartment Building Rooftop Terrace- Friday, 7: 52 pm

''Hey''

His piercing emerald orbs gaze across to her chocolate ones, taking a seat on the bench beside her.

''Hi, what'd you want? If you're going to kill then can you please do it quickly?''

Tensing his arms, his eyes squinting as he defers his eyes away from the brunette across from him. Although all he hears in response is a light chuckle, this being the first light-hearted thing he's heard since they met.

''No, I don't want to kill you''

Immediately waving her hands in a commotion to calm him down. Giggling at the immediate response from his flustered speech.

''I like you, Lucas. I know that I may have given you mixed messages when we first met but I guess I was just scared. My father is probably the most unforgiving and uninclusive person. It's just, your mother has done some things that aren't accepted here in the city. She tarnished my father's reputation and made him the way that he is today. After the last time, my father saw your mother, he and my Mom were continuously arguing at home. One night he said he was going to see Dust, the co-leader, and co-founder of the Serpents, a childhood friend of my father's. The next thing I know is that I wake up the next morning with my mother gone without a trace. I don't want to tell my father about you because I don't want to lose my father just like I lost my mother. I never want anybody to lose their parent the way I did.''

 Over the years she's never found somebody who she can connect with so deeply as much as she has with Lucas. He steps closer towards the ledge, staring up at the night sky.

''Trust me, you're lucky that your father stuck around. My mother may look all perfect and pristine but half the time she's getting drunk, coming home around midnight and fucking some guy in her bedroom upstairs. My father, he's an amazing person who lost the right for custody because he was halfway across the country and my mother falsely accused him of domestic violence and so he couldn't make it to court to defend himself. Although because she had connections who were on the jury, she won the case. I was 7 when they divorced and I didn't exactly understand it at the time. All I was aware of was that my father was no longer around and there was no way to contact him. So, I guess we're both pretty fucked up, aren't we? I know my mother has done some pretty fucked up things but I just don't want you to hold them against me.''

Tingles breezing up her body as his fingers brush up against hers. Tucking away the loose strands of her hair covering her face. Lost in each other's eyes, her ponytails hangs high over her shoulder.

''It was never my intention to hurt you, Lucas. If we do date then I don't want us to be like Romeo and Juliet where we end up dying by the end. And in this town word gets around fast, Dad will never let me see you if he finds out.''

A smirk that her father would disapprove of curls across Lucas's lips, earning him an eye roll.

''Then we just have to make sure he doesn't find out then. You wouldn't want to defy Daddy's rules, would you?''

Their lips brush against one and other, her eyebrow-raising slightly  Scoffing at the offer that she's been given by the emerald-eyed mystery.

''Of course not, Lukey. As if he would notice that I had disappeared for a split second anyway, he too wrapped up in his new life with Ms Copper. Rekindling an old flame despite his wife disappearing only months ago. If he was able to move on so quickly, he must not have cared about my mother as much as he let on. She wholeheartedly loved him and he threw her love away like it was a packet of used gum. So, there's a lot of baggage that I carry, you sure you can handle me?''