The Differences Between Us

Chapter 1 - Ashamed

Summer 1987

The room was quiet except for the occasional scratch of pen against paper as Lucas worked on his English literature paper, his forehead resting in the palm of his left hand while he narrowed his eyes and tried to think of a good start to his next paragraph.

He sighed heavily knowing that this class was kicking his ass and maybe it was time to accept the help offered by El who was exceeding in the subject and had a real passion for it. Lucas's educational passion was numbers, figures and things that made logical sense. Not something that required this amount of imagination or such an in-depth thought process.

He reached for his soda can, gulping down the sugary drink and shaking his shoulders as if hoping it would loosen the writer's block plaguing him as he attempted once again to start his new paragraph.

For a while he was able to work, away from the distraction that was Erica who was at a friend's house probably talking about boys and make up, or whatever 12 year old girls did. It wasn't until the familiar creaks and pounds outside of Lucas's window began did he look up from his paper, a smiling already curving his lips as his heart squeezed with exhilaration.

He was just standing up when dark red hair appeared at the window and he bashfully smiled at his girlfriend as her face propped up into view, her pale cheeks slightly pink from the exertion of scaling the side of his house.

Lucas carefully opened the window, thankful that his bedroom was facing the woods and not the prying neighbours on the other side.

"Good evening stalker," Max grinned, her smile causing Lucas's own smile to extend to the point of his cheeks aching.

He looked at her intently, amusement playing in his eyes as he bit into his lower lip and held out his hands to help her up into the bedroom. "I think you climbing up the side of my house and getting in through my window makes you more of a stalker than me, right?"

"You love it."

"I know."

Lucas carefully tugged Max into the room and she hoisted herself over the window frame, well-rehearsed on where to put her feet after years of doing this same trip into her boyfriend's bedroom.

"Is Erica home?" Max asked the moment she landed on her feet, brushing a few stray leaves off her light blue jeans. Lucas would be lying if he said his eyes didn't follow her hands, his gaze lingering on her lean legs for a moment. He gulped and looked back up at his girlfriend who was smirking at him playfully. He blushed remembering how quick to the mark Max was - she didn't miss anything.

"Um no, Erica is at Daisy's house. Or is it Deana?" Lucas asked puzzled, scratching the back of his head. One of these days he would listen to his sister's ramblings about her posse.

"I think you mean Dana," Max replied with a playful eye roll as she bounced on the end of Lucas bed, kicking off her converses and scooting herself up to the headboard. "And your parents? Where are they?"

"Still at work," Lucas replied quickly, his heart jumping into his throat with excitement as he saw the meaning in Max's blue eyes. She beckoned him forward with her finger, a teasing smile on her lips.

"Neil's working and mom thinks I'm at El's. So...I believe we have a bit of alone time at last," Max said with a knowing grin as she pulled off her jacket.

"Yeah," Lucas whispered breathlessly, his eyes fixated on his beautiful girlfriend, heat racing to the surface of his skin. It wasn't like this was the first time they had done anything sexual, but between an annoying little sister, religious parents and a stepfather whose views Max tried to hide from Lucas, they rarely found moments like these. Unless it was in the back of their cars, and while that was always fun, it felt like at all times they were having to hide away. Like their relationship was something to be frowned upon.