Chapter 2: If these shadows have offended
"The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking." - A . A Miline
Today I was roused from my sleep by a sound more pleasant than most, is someone singing? Yawning I spread my heavy eyes plagued by the light that shone through the window. God my back hurts. I guess that's what I get.
Nine people living in a two bedroom house doesn't afford much room for comfort; with that being said soon after we moved in I found myself sharing a mattress on the floor beside the washing machine with Brooke. It's been two nights since she's been gone though. I stayed up last night and waited, … when I fell asleep at 4 there was still no sign of her. Knowing Brooke she probably crashed at her boyfriend Joe's house. Not to say that our sleeping arrangement is at all ideal, but I miss her next to me. I miss the way that she cuddles into my chest in her sleep and tucks her head under the crook of my neck. It's been two nights without her. Two, very long nights. I do my best to try to not worry.
I hit the ground with a thud as I roll off the bed. Luckily the journey to the floor only lasted a few inches. (The mattress is kind of thin). Groaning I pull on a shirt and head to the kitchen where I find Haley rocking Jenny on her hip. The babys arms are haphazardly laid at her side as she allows the older girls voice to lull her to sleep. Jenny is such a good baby.
"Hey, morning Luke." Hales says when she notices me entering the room. "Sleep aright?" Concern is strewn across her face.
Leaning back I check my reflection in the glass and am automatically taken aback by what stares back at me. A man with tired sunken eyes… I cannot remember the last time that I shaved and stubble is now protruding from every which angle.
"I'm fine." I answer too quickly. "Hey um, have you seen Brooke by chance?" Hopefully Haley has heard something. She usually makes it a point to at the very least check in.
Haleys brow furrows. I can tell that she is trying to drudge up the last time that she had actually seen Brooke.
"No, I don't think I've seen here since Thursday… and what's it today, Sunday?"
"Yeah." I sigh as I lean against the refrigerator. Maybe Peyton's seen her. Joe, Brookes boyfriend deals to her. You'd figure that Peyton would get hooked up through Jake but he's not into all of that stuff. He only "distributes" pot… something about avoiding time for "hard drugs" although it would up his street cred.
I watch Haleys hand play gentle little circles playing on Jenny's back. My eyes seem to focus on the scars that decorate her wrists. Some old, others new. When she notices that I am looking quickly she pulls her wrist down to her side.
"Where are Jake and Peyton?" I ask although that it is not out of the normal for any given one of us to have Jenny.
"Peyton, god I don't think that shes slept in like three days. Anyhow she SAID that she is working at the diner, but you know Peyton, and Jakes at the auto shop. Rachel and Chris are sleeping. They were up all night doing whatever it is they do like Nathan and I don't hear them."
Somehow it worked that Nathan and Haley share the master bedroom with Rachel and Chris who are/aren't a couple. It depends on the week, the weather, who else is available… you never know with those two. Anyhow, Jake, Peyton, and Jenny took the other bedroom although neither can quite fit its inhabitants comfortably. Finally Brooke and I ended up by the washer and dryer on a mattress on the mudroom floor.
"Ey." Nathan says entering the kitchen clad in basketball shorts. He places a kiss on Haleys head and gently greets Jenny before heading over to the cupboard. In true Nathan fashion he pulls out a bottle of scotch and pours it in an empty glass.
Yup, this is a typical morning. Not even noon and Nathan's drinking, Peytons off probably doing lines somewhere, Rachel and Chris are nowhere to be found, and Brooke is missing. I guess everyone lives a different commonplace huh?
Without warning the door slams open and then shut. A huddled form rushes past us and then slams the door of the mudroom. Brooke.
Haley and Nathan look at me with the same worried expression.
"I swear one day I'm going to kick that guys ass." Nathan grumbles into his drink. That guy he is referring to is Joe, Brookes boyfriend.
"You want me to go?" Haley offers.
I shake my head "no",
"You stay and watch Jenny. I'll get it this time."
With supportive glances from Nathan and Haley I make my way over to the mudroom door. I don't hear any movement inside. Gently I push the door open.
"SHIT LUCAS, don't you ever fucking KNOCK!" Brooke screeched as she tried to cover her bare chest. She had been changing her shirt.
As my eyes travel her black and blue abdomen and arms my stomach lurched. Stopping momentarily I take particular interest in the bruises encircling her wrists. Almost not daring to look any further I allow my eyes to travel up to her face… it's not as bad as it has been. Her left eye is black and a big yellowish bruise is beginning to form, dimple to chin.
"Brooke." I whisper sliding into room shutting the door behind me.
"Don't Luke." She says slipping on her shirt with ease despite the bruises.
"Brooke!" I try to reach for her shoulder. She pushes away from my touch.
"Damnit Luke, I said DON'T!" She screams her eyes flash with anger, behind that anger is something that I cant read.
"Was it Joe again?" I ask gently
"Was it Joe again?" She mocks me incredulously as she offers and empty chuckle. "What's your deal Luke? It's like you wouldn't get your rocks off pushing a girl around," she approaches me. As her chest grinds against mine I can feel her hot breath on my neck " you don't think about pinning my hands above my head on the mattress, pulling hmy hair as you ride ride" she whispers huskily.
"No."
Without warning she retreats against the dryer and crosses her arms in a huff.
"What is it with you? You think your better than everyone else?" Her eyes wont make contact with mine as her voice becomes small and childish. Anxiously she taps her foot.
"No." I answer again honestly. "I think you're better though."
My heart brakes for her. She has so much potential, and shes smart as a whip but she just needs to realize it. Sometimes I think that my mom must have started out like Brooke. Young, and naïve with no sense of self worth. The girl that will let a guy do as they please with her until they put her six feet under. Loose wisps' of hair frame her face as she finally looks up at me.
"Thanks Luke." She gives me a small smile. She flinches a bit, I can tell that it hurt her because of the bruise on her cheek.
I want to scream at her that she is better than them. What she lets these men do to her. Before I can utter another word she excuses herself from the room. I notice her purse lying on the bed. It was open a bit, so I peeked inside. Rolled up twenty's.
She comes home after almost three days beaten from head to toe with scratches all over her body and a wad of cash. I knew it. He's fucking pimping her out.
That night I fell into a restless sleep thankful to have Brooke beside me. Memories flooded my head. Memories that I want nothing more than to forget.
"You bastard!" Twelve year old Lucas Scott took another blow to the head
"Dad, stop! STOP!" Nathan screamed from the kitchen
Both boys were crying. This had been going on for hours. Their dad came home from the bar drunk as a skunk and of course took it out on them.
"Oh what Nathan, you want to be a man?! Huh. You want to stand up for your brother?" He screamed as he served Luke another severe blow to the cheek
"Dad, come on, stop! He never did anything to you!" Nathan yelled back
"Boy you wanna be a man, YOU WANNA BE A MAN?!" He tossed Luke aside like a rag doll "Come on. Man." He provoked Nathan poking him in the chest.
Nathan sunk under his fathers touch
"What boy, I thought you was gonna be a man? Where's your balls at boy?!" He asked slapping Nathan in the head
Nathan looked the man dead in the eye
"I hate you." He spoke through gritted teeth
"What was that you said boy?" Dan asked stepping toward Nathan as he reached for the smaller boys shirt collar.
"I said I hate you. And I aint your boy." Nathan said again
From there it all seemed to happen so fast. Dan had Nathan on the kitchen floor kicking and punching him, and then his hands were around Nathans neck.
"Dad stop! You're killing him! Dad! DAD!" Lucas cried as he watched his father chocking his twin brother.
Nathan was chocking and gasping for air.
"Dad!" Lucas screamed again. He wasn't listening
It was then that little Lucas Scott reached up on the counter and grabbed the knife that their mom had been using to cut up the vegetables for dinner. Without a second thought he stabbed his father in the back three time… as blood escaped from Dans mouth and a loud yelp came from the man he fell on top of Nathan.
"Shit." Lucas mumbled backing against the wall. Nathan slid out from under his father as he gasped for air.
"Lucas, Nathan, what's going on here?" Karen asked rushing down the stairs.
.too late.
She herself also wore bruises from the hands of their father.
There were sirens coming close.
Without emotion Karen leaned over her husband, and without warning clutched the knife in his back and twisted it.
The two boys gasped at the sight.
"Go." She ordered them finally
"But Ma your fingerprints-" Nathan started
"They're gonna think yo-" Lucas tried
"GO!" Karen screamed again as the sirens came even closer
Lucas grabbed his brother from off the floor and the two took off into the night with only the clothes on their backs.
Karen is now serving 25 to life for the murder of Dan Scott
It was the only thing that she could do for her boys.
I push the thoughts out of my head as I feel Brookes back sink into my chest. She is cuddled against me like a small child as we were cocooned in the warmth of our blanket- and for a minute everything is perfect.
For a minute.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Hey. So next chap will be longer and peyton, jake, rachel, and chris will be introduced. Hope you all enjoyed. Please review!
