is it casual now? - e. edwards

chapter two!

august 2021

the sun that peeked through the baby pink curtains beamed on lacy pierce's face as she grumbled at the idea of waking up. but as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she ultimately gave in to a soft smile. she was back in her old room, in her old house in michigan. back when she called california home, and when she used to spend hot michigan summers with the hughes family – eating ice cream that got all over their hands and faces, and teaching the boys to make friendship bracelets.

with a sleepy yawn, lacy started to drag her body out of bed. the smell of her dad's cooking hit her. as she walked down the stairs, the floor almost creaked with every step she took, almost as if it was talking back to her.

just as lacy was about to take her spot at the table, a familiar bark echoed from the backyard, followed by the sound of paws scrabbling against the back door. with a giggle, lacy hurried to let maple, their lively labrador, into the house. the dog bounded inside, tail wagging furiously, as if eager to join in the morning festivities.

lacy knelt down to ruffle maple's fur and then took her spot at the table as her dad placed her plate of pancakes in front of her. "thanks dad," she smiled.
with a small playful tousle of her hair, jane asked, "ready to take on university?". lacy gave her a grin back, feeling nervous but filled with anticipation. "you bet," she replied, her voice laced with excitement.

"is luke coming with you?" dalton asked curiously.
"uh i think so, he's actually supposed to stop by soon. i asked him to come over last night."

just as lacy finished her sentence, the three heard maple barking followed by a loud, thud. "ow maple, you gotta stop doing that every time i come in. i've known you your whole life, i'm not a stranger."
lacy and her parents laughed, immediately knowing who maple's victim was. "lu, stop scolding my dog and come sit," lacy yelled from her spot as she started cutting her pancakes into small pieces. luke quickly said his goodbyes to maple and rushed to the table.

"here luke," jane smiled as she placed a plate of pancakes in front of him, "thanks," the boy beamed.
"are you coming to campus with me?" lacy asked hopefully. "my parents want to take me since they couldn't take jack," luke shrugged. "i also gotta go meet the hockey team as soon as i get onto campus," he groaned.

"oh i forgot you got a new hockey team, you know anyone already?" lacy asked.

"kinda, quinn met some at an official visit and i think we've been on some zoom calls with a couple guys on the team," luke said as he glanced over at lacy, "on the freshman class meeting?"

luke nodded, "yeah, those."

the four comfortably ate their breakfast, filling the house with early morning conversation
as they finished their cups of coffee and juice, lacy glanced at the clock and realized the time. "we should probably start getting ready to leave soon," she said, turning to luke. "i'll see you on campus?"
"yeah" luke replied with a smile. "i'll text you when i get there."

with a quick goodbye to lacy's parents, luke headed out the door, lacy following closely behind, hugging him when he turned to face her, "i'm nervous" she laughed humorously.

"don't be ace" luke softly smiled, "i'll see you in a couple hours". leaving lacy and maple to run back upstairs to her room to finish getting ready for the day.

once she was ready, lacy grabbed the last boxes she had packed and headed downstairs where her parents had already packed her boxes into the car.

in the car, dalton started to play some of his dad music that got on both jane's and lacy's nerves. "play feeltwood mac, please dad" lacy begged as jane nodded pleadingly towards her husband.