Luca's Story Ch. 6
Chapter VI--Unexpected Circumstances
_I think they meant it when they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are my love, on life
All my life_
_I've longed to discover
Something as true as this is_
_So with a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you
, With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you,
When you're worn out and
tired, When your heart has expired_
-Rent Cast, "I'll Cover You"
Luca's cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling it out, she read the message:
From: Rebeccah
Where are you? U get lost in the toilet? Lol
"Who's that?" Zee asked, watching as Luca giggled slightly and replied to the message.
"It's Beccah, she's waiting on me at the field."
"Oh... am I holding you up?"
"Well, considering I was going so that I could watch you run, not really," Luca said, giggling again. "I still can't believe this is real."
"Neither can I," Zee said, biting his lip and brushing his long black hair from his face. "Are you sure you're a--"
"Yes. Are you?"
"Last I checked."
"Maybe we could trade our equipment," Luca giggled. They were walking slowly through the school halls, going nowhere in particular, though their direction generally seemed to be taking them towards the track. Eventually.
Zee grinned, taking the moment of laughter to slide his hand into Luca's. Their fingers intertwined, fitting perfectly into each other. "You know, I never thought the odds possible," he said earnestly, looking into Luca's eyes. He was, indeed taller than her, for the time being. He hoped it would stay that way. He knew his unnatural tallness was mostly from the fact he was, biologically at least, female. Girls always got taller than the boys this early in the game. He wondered in the back of his mind if Luca's father was short or tall, and hoped much more for the former.
"You and me both," Luca said, biting her lip and smiling cutely as she gave Zee's hand a squeeze. After all, why not? They liked each other anyway, even before they knew each other's little secret. The fact they shared that secret only seemed to make their bond stronger. For now, holding hands and talking was more than enough for her. It was more than she could ever have imagined three weeks before. To not only find herself accepted, but even with a guy who was likely to become her boyfriend in the very near future? The immensity of the feeling was more than she could quite comprehend, and she kept smiling and giggling as they strode along.
"So what did you tell her?"
"Who?"
"Rebeccah. You know, your best friend?" Zee chuckled.
"Right! I told her I'd be there soon."
"Well c'mon, we shouldn't keep your friends waiting."
"We?"
"Why not?"
"I just... you don't mind being around a bunch of giggling young teenage girls?"
"Well you've got the personality and I've got the parts. Together we make one of the girls, right?" He said, smirking. Luca giggled and nodded, sidling right up alongside Zee, pressing into his side.
"You're right. What about the team, though? If you're not out practicing, and then they see you on the sidelines..."
Zee seemed to think about it for a moment, considering. "Well, the coach has told me dozens of times I need to take some time off. I've been practicing pretty relentlessly. It's not easy keeping up with the guys, so imagine what it takes to outright kick their asses."
Luca smirked and gave Zee's hand a squeeze. "They don't question your involvement in competition?"
"So far, I haven't said a thing," he replied as they made their way outside. "I figure if they find out, I'll face the consequences. Somehow, though, I think they'd cover it up, just to save face from having their asses handed to them by a girl."
Luca shrugged. "I guess I had the opposite problem."
"That's right! You said you used to run, right? I guess that was before coming out?"
"Yeah, kind of complicates things."
"I would say so."
Finally, the couple arrived in front of the bleachers. Hyata and Ellie had looks of shock painted on their faces. Rebeccah had the biggest grin ever.
"Zee, you're not in your running shoes," the coach said. He was a tall feline of unknown breeding, and came striding up to the pair.
"Sorry coach, was just coming out to say I think you were right about taking a day or two off. I've been stressing about school, and I don't want to get off on the wrong foot," Zee replied, turning to the coach. His right hand was still interlocked with Luca's, and Luca turned with him. The coaches face broke into a knowing smile, and he gave a "go get 'em" kind of wink.
"Alright, it's not a problem, Zee. At the pace you're going, you could take a month off before the other guys catch up with you anyway." With a light nod, he trotted off, already shouting at one of the other track team members that he was moving like a slug in Siberia.
"So ah... you two... a couple?" Ellie said incoherently, the shock still painted on her face.
Luca looked to Zee, biting her lip. "Well... we haven't really clarified what this is. Haven't even gone on a date, really. But... if you think it is..."
Zee shrugged. "I don't mind calling it that if you don't."
Beccah did an excited little clap and a squeal of what could only be interpreted as approval. Hyata and Ellie just exchanged "how the hell?" kinds of glances.
After a half hour or so of hanging out, it was left only to Zee, Luca, and Beccah all making their way home. Hyata and Ellie lived in the opposite direction.
"Does he know?" Rebeccah mouthed to Luca. Luca simply nodded. "He doesn't care?" Luca shook her head no. "How did he find out?"
Just then, Zee looked over. "You know, that trick only works when you're not in view of the person you're talking about," he said with a light chuckle. Rebeccah bit her lip in embarrassment.
"Sorry Zee. I just... It seems such a complicated situation."
"Not really," Zee said simply. "Luca's a pretty, nice, and awesome girl."
"So you don't mind she has boy parts?"
"Beccah!!" Luca said, slapping her arm.
"What? It's a valid question if he doesn't mind talking about it."
Zee laughed. "It's alright, Luca. Rebeccah, I'm trans too."
Rebeccah stopped dead in her tracks. The couple had to turn around to meet her expression. Luca couldn't help but giggle at the look. "You'll start catching bugs like that, Beccah."
Finally, Rebeccah shook her head, coming back into it. "You know, it makes a lot more sense now. And to think you've got nearly every girl in the school creaming for you, Zee."
Zee scratched the back of his head. "Really?"
Luca shot Beccah a warning shot. She didn't want her new man getting some super-inflated ego.
Rebeccah back-pedaled. "Well, maybe not that many, but why do you think we sit on the bleachers? It's definitely not for the rest of those guys. They're mostly like nice legs with skeleton torsos attached."
Zee chuckled softly. "They're not that bad. Some of them are pretty toned."
Luca squeezed Zee's hand. "But you've got the lines they like. You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say the other girls are gay for you," Luca giggled.
"Am not!" Beccah defended hotly, pushing at Luca. This only put her more firmly against Zee, so she didn't mind at all.
"You know, she has a point. One cannot deny the femininity of my body once it's known I'm a girl becoming a guy."
"Shutup," Rebeccah grumbled. "You know I hold both of your secrets in my paw."
Luca giggled and wrapped an arm around her friend. "Chill, Rebeccah. We're just kidding."
Rebeccah stuck her tongue out, which showed she knew, but she was still going to be a pain about it because she felt like it. Luca and Zee laughed. Finally, they arrived in front of Zee's house, the first stop along the chain of houses. Rebeccah made it a point to step a ways down the sidewalk to wait for her best friend.
Luca turned to Zee, biting her lip. "So... you're serious? You weren't just accepting the whole 'couple' thing simply because of the pressure in front of my friends?"
Zee lifted his hand, stroking Zee's cheek. "Serious? Serious as a heart attack. Do I really know what I'm doing? Hell no. But I think I like you, Luca. A lot. I wouldn't mind being your boyfriend. And where it goes, who knows? But that's really part of the fun, isn't it?"
Luca nodded, closing her eyes and murring slightly as she pressed her cheek into the hand. It was then Zee leaned in, opening his maw slightly, bringing his lips to hers. Luca opened her own willingly, letting Zee wrap his arms around her, hug her tight, and pull her up slightly to tighten the embrace. Their lips were only slightly parted, and it wasn't some fiery embrace. The kiss was simple, innocent, but expressing everything that they stood for at that moment. Pulling back, Luca could barely breath.
"That was incredible," she whispered.
"Yeah..." Zee whispered back, unable to think of much more to say. "See you tomorrow?"
"Definitely."
With that, they parted. Luca stared back at Zee until he got into the house, stumbling slightly at the top step of his porch. Luca giggled and waved to him.
"You guys are gross," Beccah said as Luca caught up with her.
"And yet you could have been looking in any direction but ours," Luca teased, sticking out her tongue.
"Whatever. Cookies 'n Cream or Reese's Cup?"
Luca thought for a moment. "Reese's. Romantic or scary?"
"Scary," Rebeccah said promptly. "I've had enough of you two suckin' face. I need something gory and pants-wetting."
"Oh please, it was one kiss, and it was our first kiss," Luca said. "You're just jealous."
"So? And hey, you're gonna have to use your boy toy to get me hooked up with some other track boy."
"I thought you said they were skeletons with legs?"
"Better than a Math Club or Honors Society geek. Which, with my popularity quotient, is about the level I'm at."
"Well then it's a good thing for me that your priorities lie with friends rather than popularity."
"You trust me way too much."
"Gotta trust someone," Luca chimed as they turned towards their house. Randal was waiting on the porch. His face was dark. Luca's soaring heart fell almost instantly.
"Ran away? What the hell do you mean?" Luca said to her father. They were in the living room, the big screen was dark behind her. She was pacing between that and the low table that sat in front of the couch. Beccah was in the loveseat perpendicular to the couch. Randal was in his easy chair on the other end of the table.
"I mean exactly what I'm saying, Luca. Ronnie ran away."
"Why would he do that?"
"His father was beating him."
"He told you that?"
"No, Claire did."
For a moment, Luca wondered why Claire would be talking to her father. They hated each other, even before the incident. Every party and every get-together, they barely shared so much as a glance. She shook it away. "Well where could he have gone?"
"That's why they called here first. They thought the first thing he would do is hop a train to New York. He's got a pass, can go anywhere within three hundred miles of the city if he wanted to."
"Well obviously that's not the case," Beccah chimed in. Randal didn't even seem to notice the intrusion. Over the past week, Rebeccah had become much closer to the Reingold family. Her being Jewish, and being Luca's best friend, she actually became a kind of glue to keep the civilities going for the time being. There was still tension between Luca and Randal, but it was getting better.
"Well we can try checking Times Square," Luca said. "After that, start checking around all the big tourist spots. Ronnie did always love Manhattan."
"And let you wander downtown on your own? Two girls wandering the streets at night? I'm not that crazy," Randal said, standing and moving to the window.
Luca blinked. She was surprised at her father openly calling her a girl. But there was no time to let that consume her. There was Ronnie to worry about. "Dad, We can take the M train to Rockefeller and start heading back by six. We'll be back in queens before nightfall. That'll give us a couple hours, at least. We have to try."
Randal sighed, dropping his arms to his sides. "I'll drive you to the station, that'll buy you more time. I'll start making phone calls to everyone in the city to keep an eye out for him."
Luca rushed up and hugged her father. It was only the second time she'd hugged him since the last time when she awoke in the hospital, but this time it was easier. "Thank you daddy. I'll get some stuff and we'll be out in five minutes."
Beccah stood, following Luca to her room. Randal stopped her, saying, "You should call your mother and tell her where you'll be."
"You kidding? She's barely ok with me spending the night here so much. If she knew I was going to Manhattan with nobody but my BFF she'd have a fit of epic proportions. You'd be lucky if this block of Queens was still intact when she got done."
Randal smirked. He'd met Karen before. She wasn't a Jewish woman to be messed with. The daughter of two first generation middle eastern Jewish immigrants, she had all the strengths and the commanding presence. Her child dare not disobey her. At least not to her face. "Fine, but I didn't know a thing about this."
"I got your back," Beccah said with a smirk, dashing up the stairs to catch up with Luca.
It was only a half hour later and the beginning of rush hour when the girls emerged from the imposing façade of Grand Central.