Chapter 19 -- Repercussions

The next morning was a school day, unfortunately for Lukas. With a headache the size of Jupiter, he left for school with his siblings. During class, no one said a word to each other as they all remembered the way Lukas had acted... except for Lukas himself, who's last memory had been Gena and Denver making out on the dance floor.

Coming home from class, Lukas got started on his homework right away as he wanted to get a work out in before practice.

When he was about halfway done, Peaches sat down next to him and sat there silently, looking at him with an inquisitive look on her face.

"What," Lukas snapped, obviously irked at her presence.

"I wanted to talk about last night," she replied softly, taking a different tone than normal.

"Look, I know we ditched you and left you home, but it's not our fault that you missed out on your only Prom. You had this coming. You're a cold-hearted bitch, and that's why no one likes you. How could you think, for even a mere second, that we wanted you to come with us?"

Taken aback by his abruptness, Peaches whispered "Nevermind." and went to her room to find solace in her easel.

Later that night, however, things took a turn for the worse. Lukas and Denver were constantly snapping at one another for the first time in their lives, and Peaches was hogging the bathroom for most of the evening, having found herself feeling ill.

The next day wasn't much better. Seeing that Denver was home for once, Lukas snagged a cab over to Gena's house.

"So. You and my brother," he stated.

"Yes," she sighed in response, "I know, I'm sorry we didn't tell you. I didn't want you to think you were losing me as a friend."

"You were afraid of losing friendship?" he harshly asked, "You never once thought it would break my heart?"

"B-break your heart?" she stammered uncomfortably, "I-I had no idea Lukas, I just thought we were best buds?"

"You lying sack of shit," he countered, "If you were a real friend, you would have told me from the beginning about Denv. You've hurt me twice, once when you so obviously told me I was only ever going to be your friend, and now this. I can't afford to go through any of this again."

Speechless, Gena watched Lukas start jogging home, with hurt in her heart and tears in her eyes. How could she have known? She had been obsessed with Denver since she first laid eyes on him.

Back at home, Peaches was still feeling ill, but was getting nervous as to what was the cause. A few hours later, however, her fears became real as her belly started to grow outward.

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Notes: This was nooooot the direction I wanted to go for Lukas, but you guys inspired me and it seemed so perfect!

Chapter 18 -- Sloppy

Peaches does not approve of Noel using her easel. Especially to paint that. "What a piece of crap," she thinks, not realizing she can't paint any better herself.

Cindy the Vamp Princess does not like Lukas. Not one bit.

Abram, the Varsity Captain likes Cindy though. Figures.

Cindy glares at Lukas as he walks to class. Noel is very protective of her insane older brother.

(Sorry about the plumbob, I'm normally very good at not capturing those >.<)

Anyway. On with the story damn it.

At the Sperie household, Peaches mocks Lukas because he doesn't have a date to prom.

"Only crazy people don't have dates to prom," she claims, again not realizing she's dateless too.

Noel decides to spend sometime outdoors. Night time is always so peaceful. Unfortunately the neighborhood stops by to gawk at the celebrity.

Moar stalkers. Seriously, wtf? Go away, no one invited you over.

Prom night arrives.

The first couple to arrive of course is the Vamps, looking the part.

At home, Denver and Noel head out to the limo as they're both meeting their dates at the school.

Lukas is not happy that Peaches is matching his tux. At least his zebra loafers are unique. It's his job to distract her long enough to get to the dance without her. No one even pretends they want her along.

Reminding her of her unfinished painting, he dashes out the door into the limo in time to leave her behind. 

Lukas is happy they decided to go as a group, dates are lame anyways! Hanging out with all of his friends at once beats having to deal with some random girl he doesn't know.

By the end of the night, the kids all returned home safely. Upon arrival at the dance, Lukas figured out Gena and Denver's plan since Noel had never heard of it. Furious, he drank too much of the spiked punch and ended up making a fool of himself multiple times. When he saw Gena and Denver kiss, it was the last straw. Striding over to Peaches, he grabbed her and gave her a rough kiss before dragging her away for pictures before leaving early. (Crowns belong to Lukas and Noel.)

Chapter 17 -- Growth

Lukas spent the next few weeks training religiously. The JV team he was captain of was pretty pathetic, but he did his best to help the team get better. The coach let him run his own "captain's practice" once a week where he would dictate how the team would work out (and get to wear his swim trunks!). At the beginning, the other kids didn't show him a lot of respect.

Even though he was one of the more attractive kids, Lukas was still known as a freak due to his fits of insanity and neurotic attacks in the halls. Once he started proving to them that they could be a better team, they started, albeit slowly, to look up to him. Each practice they were running plays better, passing the ball with more and more ease and by the time their season opened up they actually had a slight chance at winning. For being inherently evil, Lukas was acting pretty weak by bringing out the best in people.

At home, things were getting just as worse as Sports Club was getting better. He and Peaches continuously snubbed each other, not even daring to be in the same room together. Tim and S were completely clueless as to the odd hatred between their son and his humanized doll.

They noticed Noel was starting to open up to the idea of friends outside of her family,

and that Denver wasn't around virtually at all anymore,

but when it came to the eldest kids, they didn't pay much attention.

Lukas knew as soon as he was of age, he'd be gone in a flash. His parents obviously didn't care if he was around or not and Noel and Denver were more of the family type.

Peaches on the other hand would also be farther away if he moved and that was reason enough of itself.

On days when he felt completely unwanted, he wouldn't even stop to relax his muscles while training. He had used some of his parents wealth to purchase some more equipment and set it up in the upstairs foyer. They didn't really even notice.

Denver would join in from time to time, but Noel had no interest and Peaches just thought it was utterly disgusting.

Deep down inside, he knew that all of this training was motivated by something completely separate from Abram and the team. It helped him take his mind off of Gena who he hadn't hung out with one-on-one since that night in her entryway. It was better this way, at least that's what he thought.

Denver was the one who was getting the most out of Lukas' predicament. With his brother completely engaged in training, he could venture over to Gena's and continue their secret relationship.

They both knew it would kill Lukas if he ever found out. He'd probably throw a neurotic fit and have a heart attack. When the teens were at school, they played it cool. Lukas would sit across from Gena at lunch and Denver would sit with Noel and try to get her to make a move on Kenton. Gena played her part perfectly, mostly because she really was best friends with Lukas. She didn't have to pretend at all. That is, until Prom was officially announced.

Noel was still worrying over how to ask Kenton and Lukas and Denver were both vying for the same girl even if one of them didn't know about it.

The next day after class, Lukas mustered the courage to ask Gena.

"Gena, I was wondering since we're best friends and all, if we should go to Prom together?" he stuttered out.

"Oh Lukey, Denv and I were just talking and we decided we should all go together! It would be much more fun that way don'tcha think?" she completely bulled, not expecting Lukas to ask at all.

"I guess that sounds like a good idea... as long as Peaches doesn't have to come. Have you told Noel yet?"

"No worries, just don't tell Peaches. And no, I was about to but you can if you'd like?"

Noel was currently in mid-conversation with Kenton Blossom.

"Did you hear the school's throwing a Prom this weekend?" Noel asked nervously.

"Yea, it sounds like a lot of fun! Do you know if there's a theme or not?"

"I haven't heard anything about a theme so I'm guessing not... Listen, I was wondering if maybe---"

"I'd love to go with you Noel," he said, pulling her into a hug while cutting her off, looking as happy as she was surprised, "That is if that was what you were going to ask me. I was going to ask you either way."

"Yes!" Noel bubbled, "I was so worried you'd say no or be weirded out cause we aren't really that great of friends or anything. I just think you're smart and that's really cool I think. And you're quiet, like me. I like quiet, it's nice and peaceful and...Oh I'm sorry! I'm rambling aren't I? I tend to do that sometimes when---"

"Shh," he soothed, cutting her off again, "I like you too Noel. You don't have to be nervous."

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Chapter Notes:

I'm sorry for the abrupt cut off at the end there but I just wanted to get something up before you all thought I was done! School has been in session for the last two weeks for me already and between that and trying to set up a new world and building the stadium in the pic below this, I had no time to write. Now that I'm all set story-wise and school-wise,I'll be able to have regular updates now! :)

Chapter 16 -- Rotten Peaches and a Soiled Gymnasium

S is invited down to city hall for the most prestigious award in existence for being a ghost hunter.

Only one guy shows his appreciation.

Later that day, a man from the local newspaper swung by and asked if he could do an article on S and took a picture of her with all of her rewards.

Later she worries about if that was such a good idea. Her family is already moderately famous in their small town and she didn't need any more paparazzi stalking her kids. Denver worries about his mother's worries.

Almost immediately after beginning to worry, she hears a car door slam and goes outside to chase off the newest stalker.

Meanwhile, Peaches is grumpy. She doesn't like this whole school idea, especially when there is homework involved.

She sits down next to Noel who is eating a late dinner. Immediately, she starts bitching about how parties bother her and how homework is obnoxious, etc.

Noel cuts her off, "What are you? Some kind of lochness monster or something? You're always complaining or being mean. It's annoying. Just. Shut. Up."

Peaches throws up her hands in desperation.

She goes to grab her own bowl of mac n cheese while Noel starts to grasp her older brother's hatred of the green girl.

The school had announced that there would be a Prom the upcoming weekend. Noel knew she had no chance of having a date unless she took some initiative so she went upstairs to practice with her new mirror from the theatre.

"Heeeeeey there Kenton I was thinking... no, that's not right."

"Kenton, I have a question, just hear me out... I was wondering if maybe this weekend at that one place at that one time... UGH"

Asking someone out was turning out to be harder than it looked. She thought to herself for a minute before starting to try new ideas. Then she had it!

"Hey Kenton, if you wouldn't mind, I was wondering if you'd like to go as friends to the Prom this weekend? I don't really want to go stag, and you're pretty smart like me so maybe.............." she kept practicing.

Downstairs Peaches was getting back to her homework as Lukas breezed through his. It irked her that he was so much better in school. And that his hair stood up. Who did he think he was anyways?

Ever so slightly, she lifted her eyes to scan Lukas' homework. Seeing his answer to the only problem she had left she scribbled it in and stuffed it into her backpack.

'If I didn't need him to help me with school I would SO be out of here. He's freaking crazy,' she thought to herself, excusing herself from the room.

Oblivious to everything going on around him, Lukas was having fun in school lately. He was the leader of the Debate Team and was waiting to hear if he made the team for the Sports Club.

Then he got the call.

"Is this Lukas Sperie?" the man on the other end asked.

"Yessir," Lukas replied giddily, anxious to hear the news.

"All right. The Sports and Recreation Council has reviewed the tryouts and are happy to inform you that you have made the Junior Varsity team."

"What? Slow down, slow down. Say that again? I think I misheard you," Lukas said trying to sound confident, even though he had heard every word.

"You've made the JV team young man," the guy repeated.

"The JV team," Lukas stated, "In all due respect sir, I am the best human athlete in Brooklyn Heights. How did I not make varsity?"

It was that moment that Praesentia Omnem walked by, hearing every word and falling into a fit of laughter.

"Between you and me Lukas, you should be the captain of the varsity team, but you know the Vamps run the town, if not the world. Life isn't fair to us real people."

"You're saying I'm not on Varsity because Vampires are in charge of the world."

"Yes."

"Who is the Varsity captain if I may ask?"

"Abram Biondi."

"Thank you sir, I will see you at practice on Monday."

"It's Coach, not sir," the man said before hanging up.

'So,' Lukas thought, 'I'm not on Varsity because Abram is using his influence to become captain. I may not be as strong or as fast as a Vampire, but he's still a teen so he doesn't have those powers yet.'

"I'll show him, and he better believe it," he cackled while pushing his training harder than ever before.