Breaking the Arm, Healing the Heart

by Ashley Andrews

  Sicily realized that Bailey wasn't going to quit. She was so not the type to stop the pestering, and so, she just smiled sheepishly and said, "I'll just take your advice."

  Bailey grinned.

  "Do you think this romance will put an end to the two schools' rivalry?"

  Confused, Sicily furrowed her eyebrows together. “This?"

  Bailey giggled before slapping her friend on the shoulder. "Duh! Your relationship with Lucas! What else?"

  "Sorry to dampen your spirits, but there is no relationship."

  Bailey didn't want to say anything in return anymore since she didn't need to prove anything to Sicily. They both knew Sicily was just playing dumb. Bailey knew that her friend would never settle for having, no relationship. Lucas would have no idea what hit him, as soon as Sicily made up her mind that she was going to do something about this…thing they didn’t have.

  Bailey couldn't help but grin. Maybe Tanner wasn't so bad after all, and maybe, just maybe, she could talk him into playing Puppet Master with her. The puppets, of course, would be Lucas and Sicily.

  "B," Sicily woke her up. "Let's go."

  * * * * *

  Both Sicily and Bailey knew the restaurant Tanner had been talking about. The Steakhouse was a plush place to eat, but considering that most of the people who went to Sun Coast and Marina were wealthy, it was a usual choice for dates, birthday parties, and the like. They new exactly where they were going.

  The only challenge was the parking, and when they entered the restaurant, they could see why. The place was packed.

  "May I help you?" a woman dressed in a short black dress asked.

  Sicily smiled politely.

  "We're meeting a few friends here at six." Sicily checked her watch. They were fifteen minutes late. "Oh," she said chuckling. "Do you mind if we just go around and look for them?"

  "Sure, sure."

  Sicily checked the waitress' nametag. "Okay, cool. Thanks Carol!"

  Bailey and Sicily spotted Zane, Tanner, and surprisingly Zack. Well actually, they heard, rather than saw the three. As usual, Tanner and Zane were exchanging jokes, their voices echoing throughout the whole restaurant while Zack just listened to the two. He had a smirk on his face.

  "Here they are!" Tanner said, greeting the newcomers by way of a hug. Yes, even Bailey. "What took you guys so long?"

  "We're not really late, you know," Sicily said, tilting her head to face Zack.

  She didn't know why, but ever since she started taking care of Lucas, Zack had always been unpleasant to her, even more so when she fought with Mallory at Zane's New Year's party. They looked at each other and exchanged nods.

  "Move over, Zane," Bailey said, after she exchanged awkward hugs with Zack and Tanner. "Gotta sit, you know."

  The five people shared a round of laughter which was due to Bailey's bluntness before the two girls sat down at their seats which were on either side of Zane's. The first five minutes of dinner was spent in awkward silence, but soon enough, Tanner, being his usual carefree self, started a conversation about basketball. Zane and Zack joined in enthusiastically.

  Sicily couldn't help but look at Tanner and Zane. She saw how well, great actually, they seemed to get along. Bailey was right. Tanner was up to something and so was Zane.

  "Okay, game over,” Sicily's interjected. "What are you guys up to?"

  Zane chuckled, his voice low and amused, before he patted Sicily on the head just like a little puppy. Just by that, she knew something was up with him. They hadn’t been friends since Kindergarten for nothing. She knew how his mind worked.

  "What are we up to?" Zane asked, pretending to look confused. "Why are you asking me? Weren't you the one who invited me here?"

  "That's not what I, uh, meant,” was Sicily's somewhat uncertain voice. "You guys look suspicious."

  "Sicily?" She froze.

  "Tanner? Zack?" said an all-too familiar voice.

  Tanner, Zack, Bailey, and Zane looked up.

  She turned around. And saw Lucas with his father, Theodore, and a woman— Luciana, Sicily suddenly remembered. Just seeing him after a week made her chest flutter, and she felt a tug at heart. He had no idea how much he affected her.

  "What are you guys doing here?" Lucas asked, his voice somewhat strained.

  "Uh…we're here to eat?" Sicily said, in a matter-of-fact tone, and then she laughed silently. "What's up, Lucas?" And then she turned to his company. "Hey, Theodore. Hello, Mr. Mercer. Hey, uh, Luciana."

  "Call me Don," said Lucas’ dad with a tight-lipped smile. "It's nice to see you again."

  "Same here," was her answer. She kicked Tanner under the table. He and Zack knew Lucas and his family much better than she did. He should be the one talking to them, not her.

  "Hey Don, Theodore,” was Tanner's greeting, and Zack's followed. "It's nice to see you again, sir," he said, smiling. "And you too, Theo." He patted the ten-year-old's head. Tanner and Zack seemed to be ignoring Luciana, and Sicily couldn't help but grin.

  Theodore beamed brightly like a ray of light at what Zack said. After all, the guy Lucas' best friend, the boy loved having his attention.

  Sicily sighed. She was going to have to get along with Zack. No matter what, she would have to make sure they could be nice to each other. That was how much she cared for Lucas.

  "Anyway, I'll just talk with you guys later," Lucas said when he saw his father, his younger brother, and Luciana already walking away from the group of teens. "See ya, guys."

  They all said goodbye to him, but he didn't leave yet.

  "I'll catch up with you after dinner, Sicily." He was smiling at her as if she was a fallen cherub, and she couldn't help but grin at him. The way they treated each other the first day she took care of him was still fresh in her head, and seeing him like this—smiling at her, was refreshing. She wouldn't mind him smiling at her a million times over.

  "Later, Luke," she said, quickly turning her head away. She didn't want him to see her cheeks. They were quickly turning pink. "I have to go to the bathroom,” was her alibi. She turned to Bailey and waited for her to stand up and join her.

  Bailey didn't budge. Sicily eyed her darkly

  "I don't need to go," was Bailey's response to Sicily's cold stare. "And my make-up's still okay."

  "Babe," Tanner quipped, turning on his charm. "It's more than okay."

  "Shut it."

  Sicily couldn't help but laugh at how frank Bailey was being to Tanner. The male didn't seem to be affected though. He just smirked and tried again—giving her an outdated, so-ten-minutes-ago pick-up line.

  "Bailey, wait," Tanner then tried acting paranoid, as he scanned for something under the table.

  "What the hell?"

  "I dropped something."

  Bailey sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, I'll help find it since you're not as much of a bastard as I thought you would be." She gave him a small smile. "What exactly did you drop?"

  Tanner frowned. "My jaw."

  Everyone laughed their asses off, even Zack which was a surprise. Sicily covered her stomach and couldn't help but slap Tanner in the arm.

  "Oh, man," she said in between laughs. "Tanner! What was that?"

  "What?" he questioned, pretending oblivion.

  "Have you actually tried that on other girls?"

  Tanner looked thoughtful.

  "Ah, forget it." Sicily waved her hand. "I need to go to the bathroom."

  Sicily left the group, and once she was out of hearing distance of the four, Zane, Bailey, Tanner and Zack, got down to business.

  With her arms over her chest and her legs crossed under the table, Bailey spoke up first. "I have a plan."

  Tanner smirked. "Well too bad because we're using mine."

  "I don't think so."

  "You haven't even heard it yet."

  "Then what is it?"

  Tanner smiled, a bright one at that, before he continued, and when he was finished, Bailey couldn't help but gasp.

  "You!" she said, ac
cusatorily. "Mind-reader!"

  Tanner shook his head. "I believe not. Great minds just think alike."

  "Nuh-uh!"

  Before Bailey could go on any longer, Zane placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, and she did. She leaned back down on her seat and sighed heavily.

  "Isn't that the greatest idea mankind has ever thought of?" Tanner teased.

  "Excuse me. That was my idea."

  Zane and Zack laughed at their friends' immaturity.

  "The moment Lucas came here, I thought of that as well." That was Zane.

  "Who wouldn't?" Zack questioned in a matter-of-fact tone. "Making Lucas jealous by one of us flirting with Sicily? How unoriginal…" Bailey's and Tanner's eyes darkened. "But it will definitely work."

  * * * * *

  Lucas was definitely surprised to see Tanner and Zack at the restaurant, but what was even more shocking for him was that they were with Sicily, Zane, and Bailey. Zack, he knew, didn't really like Sicily, so why were they at the same place, even more so, at the same table? However, before he was able to answer his own question, his thoughts were cut short.

  "Son, would you please sit beside Luciana." It wasn't a question or an offer, but a command.

  With his attention fully directed at his friends, he didn't object to what his father said. He didn't even grunt at the sound of hearing the name, Luciana. He was too absorbed with trying to see what his friends were doing. Luckily, he was just a few tables away from them. He could look at his friends without them noticing him. Oh how wrong he was.

  "So, I was thinking that maybe after dinner the four of us could catch a movie," said Don. "What would you like to go see?"

  Lucas quickly opposed the idea. "I have things to do," he lied, shrugging his shoulders. "Can't."

  "Can you move your things, to tomorrow?" his father asked.

  The eighteen-year old eyed his father. He knew the look was unfriendly, and frankly didn’t care. He hadn’t wanted to go to this dinner; he certainly didn’t want to go to the movies. Worse, he could remember his mom begging his father to spend time with his sons, his father hadn’t wanted to do it then, and Lucas really had no intentions of letting him do it now. "I told you I can't,” was the forceful answer. "So, stop it."

  He didn't care if he was being rude to his father, and Luciana's presence wasn't going to work as a guilt factor. He didn’t like her, as far as he was concerned she looked cheap, and she was probably only sleeping with his father because of the money. That was a plausible reason.

  "Luke…"

  He drowned out everything that was happening at his table and focused on what was taking place with his friends. They seemed to be having a good time—joking around, laughing and hitting each other playfully, even Zack looked like he was warming up to Sicily, Zane, and Bailey. He was smirking and talking, though of course, he wasn't as energetic and as open as Tanner. Speaking of Tanner, he was acting like a kid which Sicily seemed to enjoy. She was giggling madly while he was…What the fuck?

  Don suddenly raised his voice to reprimand his son for his language, but Lucas simply ignored his father. He furrowed his eyebrows to be able to see more clearly. Since when did Tanner and Sicily hold hands?

  His dark grey eyes weren't playing with him, and sure as hell, he wasn't hallucinating. He saw Tanner reach for Sicily's hand, and at the same time, he was rubbing her palm with both his hands. He was staring at it as if it were her face—beautiful. Lucas growled softly. Sicily was chuckling and was playfully slapping Tanner's arm.

  His muscles tensed, and he felt his broad shoulders tighten against the material of his shirt. Under the table he curled his fists and a few of the veins in his arms became distinctly seen.

  "Traitor," he muttered darkly and secretly to himself, his mouth barely opening.

  Lucas didn't realize how much he liked her until he saw some other guy make a move on her, and that Tanner would be that guy, was unacceptable.

  * * * * *

  "So, what do the lines on my hand say?" asked Sicily, laughing hysterically as she covered her mouth with her free hand.

  Zane and Bailey were grinning from ear-to-ear and to add to that, they were surprised with how great Tanner was acting. He didn't even look like he was flirting with Sicily; but instead, he looked like a kid and a crazy one at that.

  In order to see Lucas's reaction, Zane tilted his head to the side. He nodded, happy to see the plan was working. The injured basketball prodigy was seething with envy, and Zane and Zack couldn't help but share an approving glance. Zack, had to hand it to Tanner, he played his part well. So well, that Zack was even enjoying himself at his friend’s antics. Zack was used to his Tanner's immaturity, and rarely found it funny, but tonight there was another level to the fun.

  Zack glanced over at Lucas again and saw the building fury on his best friends face. He knew that Lucas wanted to march up to the table and pummel Tanner, but what would Sicily think of him if he did that? He was just going to embarrass himself, and considering the options, Zack's smirk grew bigger.

  "Ah-hum…" Tanner hummed, closing his eyes in exaggeration as if he were meditating. "Ah-hum…"

  "Hurry up!"

  Tanner opened his eyes and directed his attention to Sicily who was trying to suppress a laugh. He only tightened his grip on her.

  "Hey," Tanner whined, wearing a wounded look. "Just be thankful I'm telling your fortune for free."

  Sicily chuckled. "Uh-huh. No wonder you're not charging me." Her tone was matter-of-fact. "You probably couldn’t give me my money's worth if you charged."

  Tanner furrowed his eyebrows. "What are you implying?"

  "That you’re a lousy fortune teller,” she giggled.

  * * * * *

  Lucas glared at Tanner across the room. Did he or did he not know how Lucas felt about Sicily? Lucas shook his head. Tanner had to know. Lucas may not have come out and actually said how he felt, but Tanner acted like he knew with the way he had annoyed Lucas earlier today, at school. So why was he flirting up a storm with the girl Lucas was dying to date? What kind of friend did that? And being an experienced ladies man, Lucas knew that no one ever held hands for that long unless they were flirting.

  He couldn't take it anymore and just had to ask. Lucas pulled out his mobile from one of the pockets of his dark denim pants to text Zack. Surely his best friend could give him answers.

  * * * * *

  Zack's phone vibrated in the pocket of his cargo shorts. He took it out and checked the message. It was from Lucas. He shot his friend a glance across the room, smirking. Lucas was close to loosing it.

  "Who texted?" Tanner asked, joking with the fortune-telling gig.

  "Tan, let go," forced Sicily. "My hand's getting sweaty."

  The most immature one in the group beamed. "No! Your perspiration will enable me to see the lines in your hand much better."

  With a chuckle, Sicily rolled her eyes. "You aren't going to give up, are you?"

  In return, Tanner said, "Hell no."

  Zack quickly cut Tanner's and Sicily's conversation short. What he was about to say was more exciting than Tanner's attempt at fortune-telling.

  "Guys," Zack said, casually leaning on his seat, his phone still in his hand. "Don't be too obvious, but-"

  "But what?" Bailey interjected impatiently before Zack could finish.

  He looked at Bailey's, putting on an exasperated face. When she just smiled he shook his head and continued. "Lucas just sent a text asking what's up with Tanner's stupidity."

  Sicily arched her eyebrows. "Why would he say that?" she asked, completely clueless about her friends' plan while the four people around her discreetly smirked behind their hands. Zane, Zack, Tanner and Bailey struggled to keep from laughing.

  Zack shrugged. "Tanner's pretending to be a fortune-teller. How stupid is that?" was his cover-up.

  Sicily grinned in returned before saying, "Well, it's funny, so I don't really mind."

  Bailey, in turn, couldn't help but curve her l
ips up into a smirk. "Lucas doesn't seem to think so."

  And just by hearing his name, she felt her heart skip a beat, and then after, she felt it pump blood faster than usual. Her heart rate was probably increasing at the moment, but before any other kind of exaggeration could happen, she calmed herself down, sighing heavily.

  "Why can't he join us?"

  Knowing Lucas the best, Zack answered almost immediately after Sicily asked the question. "Because his father wants them to have a family dinner."

  * * * * *

  You know how much of an attention-seeker Tanner is. He doesn’t mean anything by it.

  Was the text Lucas got back from Zack. Lucas considered that killing Tanner would provide the idiot with quite a lot of attention. A slow painful death would be preferable. Although, there was that whole get caught, go to jail thing. Then Lucas wouldn’t be able to be with Sicily either. He would just have to kill Tanner in his fantasies. They were friends after all, and even if he was jealous with how easily and comfortably Tanner could reach out and touch Sicily, he was still a loyal friend. He just hoped that Tanner was as loyal to Lucas as Lucas was to him.

  "I just have to step up my game," Lucas said to himself before taking his eyes away from his friends. Throughout dinner, he remained silent, only looking at his plate of steak and not bothering to join in any of the conversations. If Theodore said something directly to Lucas, then he would answer. Thirty minutes went by and growing more bored by the minute. He had just decided to play a game on his mobile, when he got a text.

  You look lonely. Just get out of that dinner, bring your plate over here, and join us. Tanner's telling all of us our fortunes. Lmao. – Sicily

  He met her gaze across the room and smiled. He shook his head no, yet for the first time tonight he relaxed. It was going to be okay.

  Chapter 18: Just Like a Fish

  Sicily couldn't believe what she was going to do

  Really.

  She had decided to ask Lucas Mercer to go with her to the Valentine dance. It was an absurd idea, a one-hundred-percent committable and absurd idea. She could already imagine all the whispers and glares she was going to get if she brought an enemy to their school. She sighed, and then rolled her eyes.