Chapter 13 Lip Sync Battle
LIP SYNC BATTLE
LUCAS
The alarm on his phone went off. After hitting the dismiss button, he finished up the email he was working on and then logged out of his computer.
A quick text to his son went unanswered, but that wasn’t concerning.
He’d gotten involved in the theatre freshman year, fascinated with how to use technology to create lighting effects, and now he was the go-to student worker for auditorium events, whether it was to design lighting or just to run the complicated-looking board.
He was probably swamped with last-minute tasks as the lip sync competition got ready to start in fifteen minutes, another homecoming week tradition.
Lucas locked up his office and headed for the auditorium.
Kids were everywhere, and the noise level would probably start the building shaking, but he loved seeing them so excited.
It was much better than the sad faces he saw during the early morning botany class.
Additional vandalism was discovered in the greenhouse.
In addition to broken windows, the perpetrator had slashed open bag after bag of potting soil for the Christmas poinsettia fundraiser and dumped it all over the floor.
They also tore open bags of plant food and fertilizer, and the plantings that had already occurred were ripped up and thrown around the space.
Now the greenhouse was shut down for several days while everything was cleaned up safely, and money was being funneled into that cleanup, as well as purchasing new seeds, soil, food, and fertilizer.
Screams and cheers came from inside the auditorium, and loud music pumped from the speakers.
It felt a bit like his insides were being stirred with the vibrations, but it was worth it to see the students celebrating.
As he strode down the aisle, he gave a quick wave to Ezra behind the light board, then worked his way down to the tables set up in the orchestra pit for the lip sync competition judges.
How he got roped into this, he’d never understand.
Just as he sat down, the lights went out, and the spotlights began sweeping back and forth across the house and stage.
Students screamed even louder. The student council president ran on stage, as did several of the members at large, working to hype up the audience even more.
Microphone in hand, she began to explain the rules.
While that was going on, Lucas’ eyes were drawn to a quiet shadow off to the side of the stage at the bottom of the steps.
Elyxandre stood in her standard, watchful pose—deceptively casual as she leaned against the cinder block, one knee bent, foot flat to the wall, a hand gripping the top of her vest, pulling it down from her neck area.
He knew he should be paying attention to the stage, but his eyes wouldn’t leave the woman. Somehow, she’d burrowed into his brain. The smallest things brought her into his thoughts and caused him to slip into odd daydreams.
Like now—her hair was back in its ever-neat French braid, but he found himself wondering what it looked like loose around her shoulders.
He’d seen it that way wet, the night in the emergency room, but now he wondered what it would look like after she left the shower.
His shower. After a night of sexing her up so hard she needed a second shower because once she emerged all clean, all he’d want to do was make a mess of her again.
A hand jostled him from his right—the new English teacher who had replaced him.
He frowned at her, and she pointed to the student with the microphone.
Crap. He’d been introduced, and he was too busy daydreaming about his SRO to notice.
He turned to the crowd, a huge smile on his face, and waved as they cheered.
Then the lip sync battle was on.
Twelve student groups each got on stage and performed their best re-creations of music videos.
Some of the acts were more put-together than others.
The theatre kids this year were extra good.
They’d decided to re-create Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, complete with zombies writhing out of places in the audience, out of the grid line, through a stage trapdoor, and the choreography was on point.
The students were eating it up, singing along and cheering, and then an even larger wave of screams crested.
Movement out of the corner of his eye revealed that several zombies had found Elyxandre at the foot of the stairs, and they were attempting to drag her up onto the stage with them.
She was trying to say no, but eventually she gave up and followed.
They put her in the first line of dancers, and suddenly, she was going through the choreography with them, as if she’d practiced it with them.
He felt his face light up as if charged with a million volts of electricity, watching her have fun with the kids. His face ached from smiling so much, and he found himself cheering along with everyone else in the auditorium.
When the competition was over, it didn’t take the judges long to decide the winners. The theatre kids took first, followed by a trio of girls who did a Beyoncé re-creation, and then another group of kids who re-created a Wham! video, complete with glow-in-the-dark paint and shirts.
Students began to file out of the auditorium, their energy keyed up a bit higher than the night before, which was typical for homecoming week. Each day, the vibe became a little more frantic than the day before.
As he was saying goodbye to a last group of students and parents, his eyes drifted down the sidewalk to see Elyxandre talking to a group of about eight kids who looked like they were mostly freshmen.
Alone in his observations, he started when Ezra spoke to him. “Surprised everyone, didn’t she?”
He tried to tear his attention away from her to focus on his son, but her back was to him, and his eyes kept drifting to that braid—a braid he wanted to wrap around his fist so he could use it to pull her close to him.
“What? Oh. Yeah. Was a bit odd seeing her on stage like that. Kind of like seeing a celebrity in a grocery store.”
“Uh-huh.”
Something in the tone of his son’s voice pulled him fully back into the moment. “What?”
“Nothing.”
The lilt in his voice suggested it was something. The wide smile on his face solidified it. Good grief. He’d seen that same look on Jess’ face yesterday. Was he that fucking transparent?
Bad enough Jess had somehow figured out his interest. Now his son had caught him staring at Elyxandre and drawn similar conclusions.
He knew better than to ask the question, but apparently his brain was taking the night off. “What, Ezra?”
“Just couldn’t help but notice several times tonight that you couldn’t keep your eyes off Officer E.”
“If you don’t want to be on dish duty for the next month, you’d best zip your lip, kiddo.”
“I’m always on dish duty, Dad. You cook, I clean. If you want to be threatening, you need to work on the causal relationship you’re creating.”
“Smartass,” he growled, but there was no real heat in it.
“Better than being a dumbass, right?”
He put his son in a light headlock, and the laughter and exclamations of “Dad!” were like music to his ears.
He loved the teasing side of his son. It meant he felt comfortable enough to be himself.
Lucas had worried for a long time that Ezra would become overly serious, but he shouldn’t have.
The boy had a good head on his shoulders, studied hard, and understood there were times to be serious, but he also loved to have fun, even when it was at his dad’s expense.
Ezra wormed his way out of his dad’s hold and began brushing fingers through his hair to put himself back together from the gentle battle. Lucas’ gaze went directly back to Elyxandre, who was now walking toward him.
“Dr. Vaughn. Are you going to be here for a bit yet?”
“I have to pack up for the night. What’s up?”
“These girls were about to walk home, and it’s too far, even if they’re in a group. I’m going to run four of them home in my car and then come back for the other four. Would you be able to hang out here until I can get back for the second group?”
“Do you want me to take the other group?”
“I’ve got enough seat belts for four in my SUV. You’ve got your car here. Does it have enough seat belts for you two and them?”
“Good point. I could take three. Not four.”
She smiled. “The first group all live within three blocks of each other. It shouldn’t be too long.”
Turning on her heel, she walked back to the group of girls and clapped her hands. “Okay, rider group two, you’re hanging out with Dr. Evil and his mini-me. Group one, hop in and buckle up.” When she got to the vehicle, she gave him a chin lift and then got into her car to take the girls home.
The four remaining girls sat on the curb in the fire lane, talking among themselves. Lucas watched Elyxandre’s vehicle as it left the school grounds.
Once again, Ezra’s voice broke into his thoughts. “You’re doing the float-building tour tomorrow night, right?”
“Huh?” He focused on Ezra. “Oh. Yeah. Why?”
He really needed to get it together. This was the second time his son had pulled him out of daydreaming.
“Well, it’s Wednesday. That’s usually burger night. Why don’t you invite Officer E over for dinner in between visiting the sites?”
“Why?”
“Woman has to eat, right? We need to eat. You said you were traveling together anyway. Might as well eat together.”
He narrowed his eyes at the matchmaking teen. “Ezra,” he warned.
“Dad,” he mimicked. “It’s obvious you like her.”
“She’s a co-worker.”
“So? You used to have co-workers over for barbecues all the time.”
“I’m the principal now, not a teacher.”
“And?”
“It’s different.”
“Just because you’re people’s boss now doesn’t mean you have to hold yourself separate from them.”
“I do need to hold myself separate from her.”
“Why?”
“People might see it as inappropriate.”
“It’s inappropriate for two co-workers to have dinner together with one of those co-workers’ kids as a chaperone?”
“Ezra.”
“Dad. It’s burgers. Potato chips. Soda. On our deck. I’m not saying grill steaks, drink wine, and make out under the stars.”
Lucas barked out a laugh. “Kid, you’re killing me.” He put the boy in a headlock again, rubbing his knuckles against the top of his head.
They mock-fought for a minute, then Ezra worked his way free. His eyes were sparkling, his dimples showing as he put himself back together.
“Just ask her, Dad. I think she likes you too. It’s just food. What could it hurt?”
“You’re a menace.”
Ezra shrugged, the grin still on his face. “But I’m your menace. I’m gonna go talk to the girls.” With that, he turned and walked over to the curb.
As he watched his son, Lucas wondered. What could it hurt?
She’d probably say no, but he could at least ask.
She worked long hours, like he did. She’d just recently moved back to the area.
There probably wasn’t a lot of time for friends and social gatherings.
He’d ask, and if she said no, no big deal.
Ezra was right. It was a meal break, nothing more.
Not that he’d be averse to more.
A few minutes later, her vehicle pulled back into the fire lane. While the next load of girls piled into the car, he waved her over.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Thanks for doing this for the girls.”
“Not a problem. I remember walking home from school events many a night. It always felt like a million miles.”
“Well, it’s outside your job description, so thank you.
” He gripped her elbow loosely, warmth flooding his hand from touching her.
He pulled her a few more steps away from the students.
Voice low, he said, “Listen, I know we talked about touring the float-building sites tomorrow after school and throughout the evening. Wednesdays, I usually grill burgers for Ezra and me. I planned to take my dinner break when he got home from practice at six. You’re welcome to join us for dinner between sites. ”
His hand still cupped her elbow, and he wondered if he should let go since there were kids near them, but somehow, his muscles wouldn’t do what his brain suggested.
She looked at him blankly.
Before he could really think it through, he pushed a little harder on the invite, trying to make it sound casual and probably failing dismally.
“I mean, you need to eat, right? There’s always plenty of food.
You’re welcome to come. We can leave here at three thirty, go visit two of the groups, meet the kid at the house, eat, then by seven we can be off to the next stop on the papier-maché world tour. ”
He could see the wheels turning behind her eyes, and she bit her bottom lip as she thought it through. Hesitantly, she replied, “Sure. I guess that would be okay. Thanks for the invite. I can only eat fast food late at night so many nights, I guess.”
It was like her acceptance of his invitation gave his hand permission to let go. As soon as he did, his fingertips felt cold.
“Great. Be safe taking the girls home.”
“You drive safe as well.”
Her return to her car was a little slower than her normal walking pace, as if she were lost in thought.
By the time Ezra returned to his side from saying goodnight to the girls, he was lost himself.
Did he just cross a line? It wasn’t like it was a date.
Ezra would be there. It would be a fast meal since they had places to be before and after. Was having her in his home a problem?
Once the girls were inside the SUV, she flashed a last look at him over the hood and gave a tentative wave goodbye.
“She coming to dinner?”
“Said she was.”
“Sweet. You ready to go?”
“Got everything you need?”
“No homework tonight. Left my backpack in your office.”
“All right then. Let’s go.”