Rough Tides and Car Rides

"Are you alright? You seem quiet." Lucas asked. The boys were in Lucas' car, piled with his necessary soccer items making the approximately two hour drive south to one of the other colleges that Lucas would have to play in his championship games.

"I'm fine." Vincent agreed, eyes moving off the street over to Lucas. The boy had his eyes trained to the road, but his face betrayed something of concern.

"You're sure? You're not stressed about finals?" Lucas asked, as usual being able to see through Vincent and know exactly what was wrong. "We'll have plenty of time to study when we get back."

"I know... You'll probably be hungry, so we should eat while we're out there."

"We'll be quick." Lucas assured. "I promise."

"I'm not worried about the time..." Vincent trailed off.

"Then what is it?"

"It's nothing." Vincent lied.

"Vinny?" Lucas pleaded. "Just tell me, so I can worry about what it actually is instead of worrying about what it could be."

"It's nothing!"

"Is it me? Are you unhappy with how things are going?" Lucas' eyes turned to Vincent.

"No! It's not that at all, I promise. It's not you, please... it's just I was talking to Hailey a few days ago... and I feel bad."

"About what?"

"Not being honest with her." Vincent stated quietly. "I don't mean.. I don't want to make you feel guilty. I respect your decision and if you want to wait, then we will, and that's completely fine. I don't want you to think I'm rushing you... I just.. It's hard for me."

"Then we'll tell her."

"No! Lucas that's not what I want.. I want you to feel ready and I... I didn't.. that's the exact opposite of what I wanted when I told you.. I can deal with it, it's fine. I don't care, I'll get over it."

"I don't want you to be upset because of me. I don't want you lying to your friend because of me. I want to be the reason you're happy, the reason you smile, and if something I'm doing makes you unhappy, then I don't want to do." Lucas explained.

"No Lucas. I am not going to force you into this." Vincent ran his hand through his hair, his stress levels mounting. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"I'm always going to be uncomfortable. This isn't an easy conversation to have, and it's just going to get harder the longer we wait to have it. I might not want to go through with it, but if it makes you happy then it's worth it. Anything would be worth it if it made you happy."

"You really don't have to Lucas.. I'm sorry.. I wasn't fishing for you to say that, but really, you should move at your own pace."

"I'm positive." Lucas chuckled. "Besides, she's your best friend, after me, and we already accidentally told my former best friend, after you, so it only seems fair."

"We didn't tell Marty." Vincent grimaced. "But, thank you."

"Do you want me there when you tell her, or you want to do it on your own?"

"You can be there." Vincent smiled. "I think it'd be good if you were there, that way she can't be as mad at me for not telling her right away."

"Well, if that's the case, I'll happily accept all of the blame."

"I.. that's not what I meant." Vincent shook his head.

"Sure." Lucas teased and Vincent sighed rolling his eyes and allowed his head to fall back onto the seat. Just the knowledge that he could stop lying to one of the people he cared most about was enough to make him feel better.

The sky was threatening snow, but Vincent had come fully bundled in preparation. He only worried about Lucas, who though he had under armor and gloves, would be out on the field exposed to the weather. The other college was big, bigger than theirs, more modern too, and their field had a big glass athletic center to the front of it with their locker rooms in the back.

Lucas liked to get to games early, so there were not very many other people in the parking lot as Lucas grabbed his bag from the trunk. Vinny trailed slightly, then caught up with the boy to the front. Lucas took Vinny's hand and they walked together. Being early also had the added benefit of giving them more time to be alone.

"Wish me luck?" Lucas asked as he got to the locker room door.

"Always."

"Good." Lucas smiled, then his face turned serious and he looked from side to side. Upon confirming that there were no onlookers, Lucas broke into a grin and pulled Vincent in for a final kiss.

"Lucas!" Vinny mumbled as they became entangled again. "Somebody might see."

"Let them."

They were strong words, but a locker slamming inside turned Lucas serious again, and betrayed his hesitancy.

"You know what I'll miss once we tell people?" Lucas asked.

"What?"

"I'll miss sneaking around... I'll miss feeling like we've got some special secret, just the two of us.... It's romantic." Lucas held Vincent's hand gently in his own. "It's like we're spies."

"You're a dork." Vincent chuckled. "I should get out to the stands."

"You should." Lucas said, but neither boy moved.

"I don't want to." Vincent whispered.

"I bet I want you to less." Lucas pulled Vincent in for a final small kiss. "Bye."

"Bye." Vincent nodded, offering Lucas' hand a small squeeze, and then made his way back out to the stands. It was a chilly day, as predicted, and he snuggled closer to his coat. Watching Lucas play soccer had become one of his favorite pastimes; the moment Lucas came out he would beam with pride. Such a strong, confident, athletic person, and he chose Vincent. It made Vincent feel like the most special person in the world, though Lucas seemed to have a special talent for that.

The student section there to support Luvas was relatively small, as not many people had made the drive out there. When Lucas came on the field, though, he still received a hardy cheer from the stands. It wasn't estimated to be a difficult game, in fact the other team was thought to be the easiest to beat in the whole playoff season. Vincent was still nervous. Lucas wanted this, though he never would admit it to Vincent. Lucas absolutely wanted it.

As the game progressed, Vincent's nerves proved unfounded, and he began to relax. The team's lead expanded handsomely and Vincent fell into an easy countenance.

"Hey! Vincent!" A voice called, and Vincent turned around to see Brittany. He had to scream at his face not to frown, and try and arrange his features into something resembling happiness that she was there.

"Hi Brittany." Vincent said, his voice fake as plastic. "How's it going?"

"Awful. I'm freezing." Brittany complained. "Anna went to get me some hot chocolate. You know, I've just got to be here for my Tom."

"Of course." Vincent's mouth formed a tight line.

"You seem to be here a lot. You must really like soccer, I feel like I always see you." Brittany continued with her unwanted small talk.

"Yeah... kickin' and passin' and soccer balls. It's the best!"

"Don't worry." Vanessa piped in. "I hate soccer too."

"Well. I happen to like it." Brittany shrugged.

"She's lying." Anna said, sitting down next to Brittany and handing her a drink.

"So you just come for Lucas?" Brittany asked, shooting Anna a strange look.

"I suppose." Vincent shrugged. "It's kind of a tradition for us."

"Since when?" Brittany asked. "I hadn't noticed you last year?"

"I'm a freshman, I didn't go last year."Vincent shrugged. "Besides, I sorta blend in."

"Oh? We're you going from the start this year?"

"No. I missed one or two at the start."

"The ones Lucas played bad at?" Brittany asked, and Vincent's eyes enlarged. He knew exactly what she was suggesting.

"No.. well yes, but I'm not... if you're suggesting that—" Vincent rambled.

"So, did you happen to get a chance to talk to Lucas about what I said?" Brittany quickly shifted the topic.

"No, I uh... I thought I said, well I don't really.. feel very comfortable with that."

"You should tell him." Brittany said firmly, her eyes narrowing.

"I.. sure." Vincent slumped defeatedly.

"Good."

He spoke to nobody else for the duration of the game. He was mortified by his conversation and knew if he started talking he might say something else to upset the girls. The game dragged on just a little longer past Vincent's interaction, but was a decided victory for Lucas and the boys.

Vincent waited for Brittany and her friends to exit the stands before going himself. When Lucas saw him, his face lit up and he marched right over.

"Hey!" Lucas called excitedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Vincent lied once again.

"Hey Lucas! Good to see you! And oh, Vincent! Good to see you too." Brittany grinned.

"Yeah." Lucas mumbled unenthusiastically. "Vincent and I were just going to head out."

"No way! So were Tom and I." She gestured to her annoyed looking boyfriend. "I was talking to Vincent loads in the stands!"

"About what?" Lucas asked, curiosity peaked.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll fill you in." Brittany smiled. "Well. We should get going. Nice running into you."

"What was that about?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing."

"Oh come on, it was clearly something."

"Get in the car." Vincent ordered, entering the passenger seat himself.

"I don't see why you can't just tell me? Was it something uncomfortable?" Lucas asked.

"Yes." Vincent sighed heavily. "She wanted me to tell you that if you ever wanted to, she's dump Tom for you, are you happy?"

"Ha!" Lucas laughed as he pulled from the athletic complex lot. "She really said that? Like with a straight face?"

"Stop Lucas, it's not funny."

"It's kinda funny." Lucas insisted. "Don't you think it's kinda funny?"

"No. She was being very strange... it was like she knew something."

"Something like what?"

"I dunno. She just seemed off. I don't like her."

"I gathered as much." Lucas joked. "So where do you want for dinner, just a chain?"

"Sure. What's near here?" Vincent asked, absentmindedly staring out the windows. Trees and other cars rushed past the window whizzing by.

"I'm not sure... I think there's a... Panera.." Lucas paused to look out the window.

"Lucas! Car!" Vinny shouted, noticing a car coming up behind them as they shifted over. Lucas face filled with horror and he grabbed the wheel, turning it to the side and pulled them over, just out of the way as the car darted past. A few seconds later and there would have been a collision.

Lucas sat in silence for a second, accompanied only by Vincent's labored breathing. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid as to almost get them killed. A spit second look had almost cost them dearly.

"Lucas are you alright?" Vincent asked to no reply. "Lucas!"

Lucas continued to stare out the window, no emotion present on their face. It was the calm after a storm, the feeling when something terrible almost happened and you have a moment to reflect. There were a million shades of disbelief floundering around his mind.

"Lucas! Lucas, we're alright." Vinny assured. "Everything is alright."

"You drive home." Lucas got out of the car without another word and Vincent and him switched seats. Vincent pulled out of the shoulder and back onto the road carefully, and they drove the rest of the way home in complete silence, not bothering to stop to eat.