Chapter Seven 

Across town Chris watched from the shadows. He watched Sarah and Nikolas walk 
into his apartment. He knew Nikolas didn’t have a phone in the apartment and if 
he took out the car, they would be stranded. Chris had over heard Sarah talking 
to her girlfriends, saying that she wished she could spend the night with 
Nikolas at least once. He was such a gentlemen that she was sure nothing would 
happen. Chris hoped Nikky boy would let her stay. He had a plan to make Sarah’s 
clean rep go down the drain. Chris cut holes in the tires and opened the hood 
and removed the battery cables. He hoped Nikolas wouldn’t look underneath the 
hood and realize what was wrong. 

Chris went back to his hiding place and waited for Nikolas and Sarah to come 
back down. They showed up about an hour later and when Nikolas saw his slashed 
tires, he tried the phone. Sarah smiled a sweet smile and whispered something in 
his ear. Nikolas didn’t look too happy about it but with a little more pleading 
they headed back up stairs. Chris looked at his watch and headed down the 
street. The second part of his plan would work if the mouths of the school kept 
their schedule and saw the two lovebirds leave the apartment tomorrow. 

At the Hardy house, Audrey fell asleep on the couch, while Liz couldn’t believe 
her sister didn’t call. The next morning there was still no call from Sarah but 
she did show up just an hour before school. She walked into the kitchen without 
a worry in the world. “Sarah, where have you been?” Audrey said to her 
granddaughter. 

“Nikolas' car got vandalized last night. His tires were slit and someone messed 
with his cell phone. I’m sorry for not calling but Nikolas doesn’t have a phone 
in his apartment,” Sarah said and started to go up stairs. 

“Hold it right there, young lady. You and I have to talk. I will drive you to 
school but we are talking now,” Audrey said and pulled out a chair. 

Liz hated to leave because she had waited all her life for her sister to mess up 
but she promised to meet Lucky before class so they could get ready for their 
project. Sarah looked at Audrey as if she didn’t know what she did wrong but sat 
down in the chair. Liz heard this before she left and she used the tape recorder 
that Lucky gave her to get the rest. “You lied to me about why Liz hit you,” 
Audrey said. 

“I didn’t. She hit me for no reason,” Sarah said shocked at what is happening. 

“Sarah, did you or did you not taunt Lucky Spencer about his parent's divorce?” 
Audrey asked. 

“I didn’t taunt him. I just told him that Nikolas saw Laura a few days ago,” 
Sarah said very innocently. 

“You’re lying. I know what you said and that isn’t any of your business. You 
should have never even brought it up at all. Secondly, I don’t approve of your 
attachment to Nikolas lately. You should have called me and I am not buying your 
story. You are grounded for the next month with no privileges. You are not to 
see Nikolas at all any more over at his place. You are not mature enough to be 
over at his house alone. You proved that very clearly.”

“Grams, please. I will never do that again. Nothing happened. I swear,” Sarah 
pleaded. 

“I don’t know but I will think about it. I don’t want you anywhere near that 
place while you are grounded. If you are over there, the punishment will stand,” 
Audrey said. 

“All right, I have to go up and change clothes before you take me to school,” 
Sarah said and headed up to get changed. She wondered if Liz or even Lucky 
opened their big mouths and got her into trouble. She realized being grounded 
was worth the night she spent with Nikolas. 

At school, Liz walked into the lunchroom and notice everyone in groups talking 
in low voices. They looked in her direction but didn’t get up and say anything 
to her. Lucky was sitting at the table going over their paper and looked up as 
she approached. “Is it true? Did Sarah spend the night with Nikolas?” Lucky 
asked. 

“Yes, she said his car was vandalized and the phone didn’t work. How did you 
know?” Liz asked. 

“It is all over school and there are big speculation on what happened up there 
all night. I think Sarah became the new hot item to talk about,” Lucky said. 

“You mean they think something happened up there last night?” Liz said with a 
smile on her face. “I can’t wait until Sarah tries to explain this.” The bell 
rang and the teens headed to class. 

They didn’t get a chance to do anything until lunch. Sarah sat in the corner 
table crying. Liz did feel sorry for her sister and went to comfort her. “Sarah, 
what is wrong?” Liz asked. 

“As if you don’t know. First, I go home and get grounded because of your big 
mouth and then I get here and everyone thinks that I slept with Nikolas. They 
are calling me a tramp and a slut,” Sarah said trying not to cry. 

“ME! You did this all to yourself. You are just upset you got caught. I came 
over here to see if I could do anything for you but if your going to blame me, 
I’m not going to stick around here to much longer,” Liz said and left her sister 
alone. 

Friday Night: 

Lucky and Liz went to a party that a friend of Chris’s was having. They arrived 
and Liz was surprised to find people from school that she knew drinking. She was 
shocked, because she never suspected that these kids drank. Chris handed them 
both a beer and the teens went to dance. For the first time in a long time, 
Lucky forgot about Laura and all the troubles he was having. They didn’t drink 
much but they did watch the others get drunk and kind of laughed at how dumb 
they looked. 

“Lucky, I think a drink or two will not do too much damage but getting drunk the 
way these people are is stupid,” Liz said. 

“I know and I promise I might take a drink every once in awhile but I’m not 
going to end up like them,” Lucky said and the teens danced into the night and 
forgot about the party around them. Around eleven, Lucky took Liz home and then 
found Chris and a few friends under the pier. “Your girl is hot,” a boy said. 

“Just remember that. She is my girl and watch what you say about her,” Lucky 
said taking a drink from his flask and putting his hand over the barrel fire 
that was roaring. 

“Hey, Spencer. I have a question. What would you charge me for a flask that size 
of liquor?” another kid asked. 

“About seven dollars,” Lucky said. 

“I will bring the flask tomorrow and the money. You bring the bottle,” the kid 
said. 

“I will but I need more than just you to fill up,” Lucky said. 

“Don’t worry about it. You will have plenty of takers. Meet us Monday by the 
back bleachers at the track,” the kid said. 

“I’ll be there and you better bring the money,” Lucky said. Lucky knew what he 
was doing was wrong but at this moment he didn’t care. Laura had always tried to 
keep him away from the life his father led but if she didn’t care about him, he 
didn’t care what she thought any more. Besides Lucky needed the money. Luke was 
having enough trouble with money lately, he didn't need his son sponging off 
him. 

Lucky's life as the local supplier of fine liquor got started. He used up the 
bottle that Luke had at home fast and realized he would have to find a way to 
get more liquor. Lucky talked Luke into letting him work in the back room of the 
club and work on the books for some money. Luke agreed and paid Lucky half of 
what he normal would have paid anyone else. It saved Luke money and gave his son 
some spending money. Lucky started to add one box to the inventory once a week 
at first. He then took it off and paid for it with the money Luke was paying 
him. Lucky thought it wasn't stealing because the money was Luke’s any way and 
he did work for it. Every other day before school, Lucky would show up in 
different places and fill up his friend's flasks or what ever they had to put 
the alcohol in. Lucky charged them on the amount they took. He got about five or 
six kids every time and before long, he had to add another box to the order and 
bring more than one bottle at a time. 

Lucky slowly started to drink more and more but he hid it from everyone, 
including Liz. Lucky would have skipped school more but because Liz was counting 
on him he showed up everyday. They went to some parties but they got dull fast 
to Liz so Lucky took her out at night and then met the others under the pier 
afterwards. Lucky had enough money saved up to get everyone nice gifts at 
Christmas. 

A week before Thanksgiving, Luke and Laura went to court to fight for custody of 
Lu. She was the only thing holding up the divorce and this was the last court 
date. The judge had made his decision and today when they left, Luke and Laura 
were no longer married. 

“Well, since this is so close to the holidays, I decided it was a good time to 
get this over with. I have heard both sides and realize you both love your 
daughter. So, I decided to make it a even split. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday 
Leslie Lu will live with her father and on Wed at five Laura will pick up her 
daughter and she would get her on the weekends. You will then bring her back to 
her father at ten Sunday morning. The only time this is different is when it is 
a holiday. Laura will have Leslie Lu on Thanksgiving and then you will start 
switching after that,” The judge said. “I hope you two will stop fighting and 
move on with your lives.” He then closed the case and left the courtroom. 

“I’m sorry, Luke. I tried but you knew our chances,” Justus said. 

“I know you did and thanks,” Luke said. 

“Today is Monday. I will pick Lu up on Wednesday at five,” Laura said when she 
met Luke by the door. 


“Fine. I will have her ready. You could at least say hi to Lucky this time,” 
Luke said and left feeling like he just lost the biggest fight in his life.