Lockers slammed and feet stampeded by as Addison grabbed her books for English class. She turned her head, looking over at the collage of pictures messily put together on the inside of the door. There was the obligatory family picture; Addison, her mom, Dan, Nathan, Keith, and her paternal grandparents all gathered around the dinner table at Thanksgiving. Then there was her first photo with a nice camera, the River Court during a gorgeous sunset. However, her two favorites were somewhat recent. The first was of her and Nathan on their last birthday, both of them with cake all over their faces because they were trying to be funny. And the second was one of her, Lucas, and Haley in front of the fountain. Addison smiled at the memories before closing the locker door. And that's when she saw him.
Addison had had the biggest crush on Jake Jagielski since freshman year. He was one of the nicest guys she knew. Well, at least the nicest guy on the basketball team. She didn't really know much else about him. He was a quiet guy, really kept to himself. She tried talking to him a couple of times after Nathan's basketball practices, but he always ducked out quickly. He was a mystery to her, and that made him even more intriguing.
Addison watched as Jake closed his locker and walked towards her. He gave her a smile before going off to his next class. She smiled and leaned against the wall, biting her lip. "Looks like someone is crushing hard." Addison turned, seeing her best friend Haley James standing there.
"So what if I am?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Haley laughed and put an arm around Addison, leading her to class.
"If you are," Haley started. "I would say, get on that! I mean seriously! Ad, you have been crushing on the boy since freshman year. Get it together and ask him out!"
"I've tried! I've gone to practices, games, and even stopped him in between class. The guy is always running off somewhere."
"Maybe he has a secret girlfriend?" Haley asked, shrugging her shoulders.
Addison groaned. "Uh, I don't even wanna think about that." Haley laughed, earning a shove from Addison. But it only made her laugh more. Haley wrapped her arm around her friend and led the girl towards English.
"Don't worry. Jake would be dumb to not notice you. It will happen. I promise."
"So when are you coming home?"
Addison's hand held the phone tighter as she waited for her mother's response on the other end. A part of her knew the answer, but she couldn't help holding out hope. Addison and Nathan's mom had a habit of going off to work for weeks on end, and both knew deep down it had something to do with Dan. Nathan never seemed too bothered by it, but Addison was at an age when she truly needed her mother. And most of the time, she was forced to rely on the internet, and if she was desperate, Brooke Davis' oversharing. And plus without her mom, Dan always expected her to be in charge of the house. Try feeling like the mom of the family when you are only seventeen.
"Honey, I'm really sorry, but I have no idea." Addison's stomach dropped, and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. "Work is really busting my butt to get this job done."
"Okay. I understand."
"Sweetie. I'm so sorry. But hey, I promise that when I get back, I'm gonna have an amazing present for you, and then we can do whatever you want." Deb paused on the other end, and Addison heard the shuffling of papers. "We could go get our nails done, or go to the spa."
"Sounds good mom." Addison said, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "Listen I've got to do some homework, so I'll call you tomorrow."
"I look forward to it." And with that, Deb clicked the receiver on her daughter. Addison threw the phone at her bed and yelled, kicking a pillow at the door.
"Woah!" She looked up and saw the last person she wanted to see standing in her doorway. At least she hit him. "You know you may wanna refrain from the violence. I could have gotten seriously hurt."
"It was just a pillow dad. At least it was soft."
"What are you so upset about?" Dan asked, walking into the room and placing the pillow back on her bed.
"Oh, so now you want to know what's going on in my life?" She asked, raising an eyebrow; sitting down at her desk.
"I would watch your tone young lady. I am your father, and I do care about you. But maybe if you came to a game once in a while and supported your brother, we would have a little more time to chat about how your day has been."
Addison could just feel her father digging at her. "I missed a few games. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that you aren't willing to support your brother." Dan turned to leave his daughter's room, but stopped and turned back around. "Whenever your mother calls again, tell her your cooking is actually better than her's." With that, the most conversation he had had with his daughter in two weeks, Dan shut the door behind him. Addison walked over and kicked the door before laying on her bed, screaming into the pillow. Addison was the "legitimate" child, and sometimes she felt like Dan treated her just like Lucas.
Guess Daddy's little girl was a lie….
Addison furiously erased at her biology homework, trying not to toss it all in the garbage can beside her. She put the pink block down and laid her head on the book, frustration causing her head to pound. So much for fresh air doing a body good. Fresh air was doing crap for the horrible headache she was getting from having to force her way through science. Addison liked school for the most part, but science just sucked.
"You okay?" Addison looked up and her heart almost jumped out of her mouth. Jake was standing there, his eyebrow raised as he asked the question, a slight smile on his face.
"Uh…I would be….. if you were good at Biology." She replied, sitting up. Jake smiled and sat down, placing his backpack on the table. He gave her a look, like he was asking permission, before he slid her textbook over to his side of the table.
"Oh, you're lucky. Cell respiration is my favorite subject." Addison laughed at his comment. Jake looked down at her book and her notes, actually trying to help her. Addison scoffed.
"You really want to help me?" She asked, confusion laced in her voice.
"Yeah. You looked like you needed it." Jake looked up at her. "Do you not want it?"
Either this boy was oblivious, or was playing hard to get. But either way, Addison was happy that he was actually talking to her. "Yes, I would love your help." The two leaned forward so they could both end up looking at the book, and she couldn't help but take in his smell. It was very clean, and surprisingly smelt like baby lotion. The recognition kind of confused Addison, but hey, maybe he had a niece or nephew, or even volunteered somewhere. She didn't really know the guy. And being so close to him, she didn't really care.
Some time passed before the bell rang, signaling the two that it was time to go back to class. "Thanks for helping me out." Addison told him, gathering her things.
"No problem. Where you headed next?"
"History."
"Nice, that's on my way. Do you mind if I walk you to class?"
Addison smiled, probably bigger than she should have. "Sure. I would love that." Jake smiled back and the two made their way back towards the school. However, they barely made it in three steps before Nathan came barreling out, almost running into them.
"What's wrong with him?" Jake asked. Addison simply shrugged, knowing her brother could be really pissy sometimes. But her eyes trailed over to the gym entrance, seeing Lucas exiting, Whitey coming out behind him.
Now she understood why her brother was so upset…
"Were you gonna tell us, man?" Addison looked up from her camera as Skills broke the silence that seemed to have plagued the River Court since they all arrived. Lucas paused for a second, before continuing to shoot the ball.
"It's nothing." He replied.
"Whitey asked you to play on the team, and it's nothing?" Addison asked.
"It's nothing 'cause I'm not playing - not with those guys."
"Luke, man, I've been guarding you almost every night since we was 12 years old, right?" Skills questioned. "And I won how many games? It just seems like a waste to me, man."
"Well, it doesn't to me." Lucas said, trying to avoid the question by continuing to shoot the ball. "Don't you guys ever think that maybe we belong here?"
"No. We belong here. You've never belonged here."
"Thanks a lot, Skills." Addison could tell he was really hurt by the comment. "Just shoot for teams."
"Yo, Luke, man, you know you're one of my best friends, right? Ain't nothing never gonna change that, man. But keep it real. We ain't shooting for teams. We're shooting to be your excuse. And I ain't about to be a part of that, man."
After the boys finished their game, which was not as joyful as normal, Lucas walked Addison to her car again. He held the door open for his sister as she got in, and closed it behind her. Addison rolled down her window and leaned out. "Hey. Don't think so much on what Skills said. It will eat at you."
"But Addison, maybe he's right. Maybe I don't belong on the River Court."
"Luc, I think you belong anywhere that you make your own. I think that no matter where you play basketball, you will always be Lucas Scott, a great, passionate basketball player and a kickass older brother. If that means you spend the rest of high school on the River Court, or in a gym battling it out with Nathan, it doesn't matter. Just know whatever you choose, I will always love you and support you."
Lucas smiled at his sister, before hugging her. "You know what Addison?"
"What?"
"I'm really glad you didn't stay away. I couldn't imagine my life without you."
Addison smiled. "Me too, big brother. Me too."
Addison walked inside the house, dropping off the bag of Chinese food in the kitchen, on her way to the weight room. She knew Nathan and Dan would be lifting, and if she didn't tell them to eat, they never would. As she rounded the corner, she could hear the two talking through the half opened door.
"I want you to go to this kid, encourage him not to play." She heard Dan tell his son. They were obviously talking about Lucas.
"I'm not afraid of him, dad."
"Well, you should be. We've worked too hard to have anyone coming in now, disrupting the offense, taking away shots." Addison leaned closer to the door as she listened. "Anyway, this has more to do with Whitey and me than you."
"Why do you say that?"
"It's a long story. If you want, I'll tell you someday. But for now, I want you to go to this kid and talk to him and trust me when I tell you, Nathan, there's a bigger picture here - and this kid's not in it."
The door quickly flew open as Addison stood there, happy to cut off the conversation. "Dinner is downstairs." She stated, the two men looking at her, dumbfounded.
"Good." Dan said, getting up from the weight bench. "I'm starving."
Dan walked out of the room, Nathan not far behind him. But the teenager stopped when he reached his sister. "You gonna join us?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No." She replied. "I think I just lost my appetite."
"So, Nathan challenged you." Haley asked as the trio of friends walked down the street. Addison was practically fuming, learning about what Nathan had done with his night. "Are you gonna play him?"
"I don't know." Lucas replied. "It's not like I have anything to prove."
"That's right." Addison added. "You don't."
"But don't you just want to show him sometimes…" But Haley couldn't finish her sentence, as a flock of birds flew out in front of them. "Oh, damn! What is up?! I was attacked by a flock of crows last week!" Addison and Lucas began to laugh at their friends. "I'm totally serious!"
"By the way, it's a murder." Lucas informed her.
"What?"
"More than one crow is a murder."
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about."
"A parliament of owls, an exultation of larks, a murder of crows."
"You see Haley," Addison started. "I think that is why people think this boy is weird, right there."
Lucas chuckled. "Ah, man. I would like to show him sometimes, though, what a mistake he's made."
"Dan?" Addison asked, shoving her hands in her jean pockets.
"Mostly for mom... And...Sometimes for me."
Haley noticed the growing tension, and thankfully changed the subject. "So, Luke, what are ravens - I mean, more than one?"
"An unkindness."
"Ha!" Addison laughed. "How ironic?"
The two left Haley at Karen's Café, before walking over to Keith's Body Shop. They entered the garage, finding Keith reaching up under a car that hung a couple feet above him. As he saw them walk in, he put down his wrench and walked over to Addison, hugging her.
"How's my favorite niece?" He asked, pulling her in tight.
"I'm your only niece, Uncle Keith."
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean you aren't my favorite." Addison laughed and went over to the cashier stand, picking up her keys.
"Thanks for looking at my car."
"You know you can change your own oil. It's not that hard. Lucas could even show you."
"Yes," Addison started, going back over to him. "But I just love giving you my father's money."
"As do I love receiving it." Addison laughed and kissed Keith on the cheek.
"I'll see you guys later." She said. And with that, she left her uncle and brother alone, returning to the land of male bravado and basketball.
At school the next day, the only thing Addison heard about, was that her brothers were now going head to head in a one on one match at the River Court. Lucas and Nathan both seemed to avoid her like the plague, and she couldn't focus all day. She decided that she would go to the River Court on her own, instead of picking sides. However, she did want to see Lucas before everything went down.
Addison could hear her brother getting out of the shower as she got her camera bag together. She threw the leather strap over her shoulder and grabbed her keys and jacket, before leaving her bedroom.
"Nathan!" She heard Dan exclaim as she was walking down the hall.
"What's up, dad?" Nathan asked. It was silent as she rounded the corner, watching as her father scoffed at her brother's nipple ring.
"If I wanted a daughter, I'd adopt one."
Addison felt like her heart collapsed into her body at her comment. But then she felt anger. "What's the point?" Addison asked, venom in her voice. "You'd just abandon her, too?" Dan stared at his daughter, stuttering as he tried to apologize, but she didn't stay to listen. She made sure she slammed the front door on her way out.
Pulling up to Karen's Café was probably one of the scariest things Addison ever did. She had never really been inside, as she wanted to avoid Karen at all cost. She heard the woman was nice, mostly from Lucas, but she didn't know what seeing the daughter of Dan Scott would do to her. Never the less, she gathered up all her courage, turned off her car, and walked up to the building. She could see Keith and Karen inside from the window, putting books back on a shelf.
The bell rang on the door, signaling her entrance. Both Karen and Keith turned and met the gaze of the nervous teen. "Addison." Keith started, giving her a smile.
"Hi Uncle Keith." She paused. "Ms. Roe."
"Please, call me Karen." Addison's eyes widened at the older woman's soft smile.
"Karen." Addison nodded. "Uh, I was just here to see Lucas."
"He's up on the roof." Karen informed her. "The stairs are in the back by the restrooms."
"Thanks." Addison said, hands in pockets as she walked towards the back.
"Oh, and uh, Addison." The girl stopped. "Come over some time for dinner. We'd love to have you."
Addison looked at the woman in shock, but she smiled back at her. "I will. Promise." Addison found the stairs and quickly made her way up the stairs. She found Lucas standing by the edge of the roof, holding a golf club. She scoffed, and reached for some kind of light source. Finding a switch, the roof seemed to come to life. "Wow." Addison gasped, taking in the sight of the roof.
"Yeah." Lucas chuckled, laughing at her amazement.
"This place looks great."
"Yeah, Haley just finished putting up the lights. Miniature golf is never going to be the same." Lucas paused. "Do you think I'm being selfish playing Nathan?"
"Do you?"
"A little bit. I mean, if I walked away, then my mom wouldn't be downstairs worried about it, now would she?"
"You know, I don't say things like this very often 'cause it sounds weird, but... You're a really good guy, and I'm glad we're brother and sister. But you and your mom worry too damn much." The siblings laughed at the comment, before Lucas threw an arm around his sister.
"Oh, Addison." He sighed. "So have you come to escort me to the Battle of the Scotts?"
She laughed, pushing him away. "I came to make sure you were okay; that you were alright with all of this. I'm arriving as a neutral party."
"Good. Nathan's already pissed at me. Don't need him thinking I'm stealing you. Even though I kind of am." Lucas picked Addison up and threw her over his shoulder, spinning her around.
"Lucas!"
The game had already began by the time Addison had arrived. She sat in her car and just watched as both of her brothers, twin and older, took turns making baskets. Even though she hated what this sport did to her family, she had to admit that both of them were amazing. Addison picked up her camera and got out of her car, sitting on the hood, to take pictures of the game.
After a couple of pictures, she decided to walk up to the court, joining the crowd that had gathered. She put her camera back in its case and watched, crossing her arms. Mouth announced the score every time one of them got a point, shouting commentary with Jimmy from their spot on the bench. She smiled at their eagerness, happy they finally got to announce an actual game. Addison was so focused on them, that she barely noticed when Nathan made another shot, elbowing Lucas in the face.
"Lucas!"
Addison ran over to her older brother as he made a circle, bending down to spit out a mouthful of blood. "Are you okay?" She quietly asked him.
"You not worried about me?" Nathan yelled, getting her attention.
Addison quickly turned around, giving Nathan an icy glare. "I don't see you bleeding now, do I?"
Nathan scoffed as his twin turned back to Lucas. "I'm fine." Lucas said, spitting out a little bit more blood. "Go back to the sideline." Addison nodded. Lucas got up and walked back over to Nathan. "No foul. Basket counts." He paused, staring down Nathan. "Besides... You won't score again."
Addison looked between the two, before joining Haley off to the side. "Oh, the basket counts, and its 14-12, game point for Nathan." Mouth announced.
The next few minutes meant nothing to Addison as the game continued, Lucas tying it up. Unlike the cheering crowd, she wasn't watching an epic basketball game. She was watching a family feud, blossoming before her eyes. A game winning shot from either was going to blow her world up, not matter her who won. But it was definitely going to get worse, because Lucas just made that shot.
Addison closed the front door with a sigh, letting her camera bag fall into her hands before she ascended up the stairs to her room. She had taken Lucas home that night, or should she say that morning. She watched as Lucas hugged Karen, before waving goodbye to her. She could now hear her father snoring from down the hall. And as she walked past Nathan's room, she watched as her brother laid on his bed, staring into the nothingness of the ceiling.
Knocking slightly on the door, Nathan turned his head. However, he rolled his eyes and scoffed when he saw her. "What do you want?" He angrily asked, sitting up. Addison looked at him, and could see the hurt in his eyes.
"I love you." Was all she said, before she turned and walked to her room, shutting the door behind her.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men... Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune...Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries...On such a full sea are we now afloat...And we must take the current when it serves. Or lose our ventures."
Ships need tides to enter port and to leave it. For something to come into our lives, there has to be a ripple. This basketball game was that ripple. It now brought Lucas fully into her world, a world she wished to desperately keep him out of. But maybe this was fate trying to make things better. Maybe, just maybe, this would all be okay.
But really, that was pushing it. Just a little…..
