"cocky much?" I stuck my tongue out at Lucas as he made yet another effortless hoop. He made a bowing gesture.

"You won't know talent even if it slaps you in the face red"

"You're just flexing because you got ridiculously tall. What did they feed you in Texas? Steroids?"

Lucas had taken me to the park after school and after some much needed catching up, he'd decided to show me some "little tricks" which meant rubbing his height in my face at the basketball court.

"It's called puberty Sinclair, not that you'd know what that is" he smirked ruffling my hair.

"Excuse me" I huffed "I definitely know what that is, and how messed up it is"

Lucas looked at me like he was trying to decipher some hidden code.

"Okay? How messed up is it?" He asked sitting beside me on the wooden bench.

Shit.

"Never mind Luc. How was Texas, see any vampires? Werewolves?"

Few seconds passed as he stared straight into my soul.

He slowly pinched his ear lobe and I crumbled. It was our childhood sign language for "are you okay?" "Do you need to escape?"

He used to be bullied so much and I'd taught him a secret sign if he ever needed me or if he wanted to stick it up alone.

"Don't ask. Not yet" I whispered

He nodded in understanding, patting my hair.

"I did stumble in mto a witches coven one day, most exciting day of my life"

"Wait what?! That's so cool!" I said thrilled "what did it look like? Skulls? Potions? Book of black spells?"

He laughed.

"Nope. A lot of pink glitter and boy talk"

"Huh, is that..."

"It was a girls sleepover Sinclair"

I smacked him on his shoulder.

"You're an idiot. And who let you in a girls sleepover anyway?" Realisation dawned on me. "Do you have a girlfriend Luc?!" I squealed.

He laughed nervously. "Far from it. Just found myself there. Let's just say I stumbled into the witches coven"

"That's some shady talk Lucas Hayes and I'm so ready to find you out shady boy" I squinted my eyes like a detective.

"Oh like your shady relationship with Kai?" Luc clapped back with a smirk, stunning me.

"What?, there's nothing, nothing's going on with I and Kai?" I stuttered.

"Girl. I could feel that tension from across the room. It's fine, it's none of my business, but I'm here now Wren. You know you could come to me if it ever gets rough. I'll always be here." He took my hands in his, caressing. Assuring.

This is crazy. This is tempting.

The beep of my phone brought me out of my spiralling emotions.

"Just curated the sickest movie playlist. Watch party. Mine or yours? "

Kai. Lucas peered down, obviously catching a glimpse of the text. I texted a reply back.

"Neither. Out with Luc"

"Kai's gonna flip" Luc chuckled triumphantly.

"Now aren't you too giddy?" I rolled my eyes.

"I get to hang out with you and make Kai jealous at the same time?. Big win."

"You boys and your fragile ego".

I carried the ball besides his feet. I did a sloppy attempt at making a hoop. It didn't even reach the basket, rolling miserably to the side.

"It's a territorial thing, I'd known you before he did, he's just scared that I'll take you from him" He picked the ball, effortlessly bouncing it as he walked up to me.

He smiled his cat like eyes crinkling at the edges.

I stared into those eyes, begging for clues for what I didn't even know. Maybe comfort? Attention?

"Would you? Take me from him?" I asked breath hitched.

"It all depends on you Red, do you want to be taken from him?" He whispered, brushing stray hair from my eyes.

Do I?

What am I even doing?

Do I really just want to be touched badly that I'm fantasising about my friends?

Lucas just came back for Christ sake!

I stepped back and out of the moment.

"That was so cringe Luc, did they teach you that in Texas?" I laughed, stealing the ball from him and running hopelessly to make a hoop.

Of course I couldn't.

I groaned in frustration, kicking the ball.

"You're so awful at sports" Lucas laughed, picking the ball again.

"Let me help you" he said, placing the ball in my hand.

"How? You want to teach me how to be good in 5 seconds? cos that's how much patience I have for sports"

He went behind me and in one second I was off the ground and on his shoulders.

"Lucas!" I screamed laughing.

"I don't have the patience to teach you either, so I'll just help you get it in the basket"

He walked effortlessly to the hoop like I weighed nothing.

The world looked so beautiful from up there.

"You should be able to reach it now Red. Make me proud"

I laughed lightly, absolutely loving this carefreeness I felt.

"Okay. Here goes" I made the swooshing sound of the ball flying through the air before dunking it in the basket.

"That's my girl!" Luc exclaimed. running round the court. I held on to his hand for my dear life, laughing along with him.

After a while, he squatted and I slid off his back and onto the court floor, tears on my eye lid.

"Remember that time you begged me to keep for you so that you could practice your 'killer shot' on the pitch?"

I laughed.

"I wanted to be prepared so I wouldn't look like a loser at tryouts" Luc groaned remembering.

"And you still ended up looking like one, even after giving me a black eye"

"Mr Dae didn't even see my potential because he wasn't with his glasses, dude didn't even give me a second chance"

"That's because you gave him a black eye too!!!" I laughed uncontrollably, fighting for oxygen.

"And I got banned from football" he said wheezing.

"And I had to give you my favourite plushy because you wouldn't stop crying"

"That's because Kai wouldn't stop calling me cursed legs"

The memories kept unfolding and laughing became all we could do for a while.

"I missed this. I missed you Luc, don't go running off again" I said poking his chest.

He hugged me. Patting my back softly.

"I missed you too Red Sinclair. And I'm not going anywhere. Get ready to be sick of me, cos I'll be following you everywhere"

I laughed, hugging him.

"That's not creepy at all Texas boy"

"Say that when I'm in your wardrobe Red" He replied he smiled creepily, wiggling his eye brows.

"I knew you were a vampire" I fake screamed. "Please don't suck my blood Mr. Vampire". He smiled.

"I smelled your unique blood all the way from Texas my child, you are becoming a Lady, nothing's gonna stop me from having a taste of you" he said playing along.

I laughed, running away from his grasping hands.

"Stay away from me Mr. Vampire"

"Don't stretch this moment further my sweet child, it'll be over soon"

We laughed as we ran round the court in a lazy chase.

In that moment all my worries dissipated. Vaporising into light hearted laughter and memories.

I was happy, and without a care. Like I had become that little girl again. That was Lucas's charm. He made you forget. And I really needed it.