[I'm completely new to this, so if y'all could just bear with me, i'd appreciate it. i'm hoping this is the first in a series with these two. this story is pretty much just introducing you to this new character. I'm not sure where this will go exactly, but i just wanted to bring something new to the table with Brooke's character. something that, (for the most part) coincides with her story on the show. Something that could really have happened during her time in New York. If you have any suggestions, please hit me up. I'm open to anything:)]
If you have any suggestions, please let me know. would love to know what you guys think. Reviews and PM's are really appreciated :)
After his four day suspension was up, Bryson had been back to school for 3 days & hadn't even seen Bailey. He was beginning to wonder if she even went there, but she walked in right as the bell rang in Haley's class. Bryson looked at her and smiled.
After class, she walked up to his locker. "No text? What, are you trying to play hard to get?"
"Maybe…Maybe not. Ya know, if you didn't want to talk to me, you could've just told me. You didn't have to skip school." He smirked.
"Yeah, I would put my high school education in jeopardy for a boy." She laughed. "I'd be lying if I said you didn't intrigue me though. By the way, I like this whole 'James Dean' look you got going. That 'Chuck Bass, Gossip Girl' thing wasn't really workin' for you." Bryson was wearing a white V-neck under a leather jacket and had a pair of black boots on.
"I'll remind you that my mother is a fashion designer, a pretty famous one at that. I think I know what works for me and what doesn't, mrs. 'I'm in love with band t-shirts,'" he pointed. This time it was an 'Angels & Airwaves' shirt. It wasn't meant as an insult. He was happy to see a girl his age who's world didn't revolve around the clothes they wore. After a lifetime in NYC prep schools, that was a welcomed relief.
"Whatever, dude." She playfully hit him in the arm.
The two met in between classes all day and at the end of the day, they were walking through the courtyard at school.
"So, text me later or are you still playing 'hard to get?'"
"I would, but I can't. I'm grounded for until Monday."
"What? It's Friday though. Are you going to be stuck in your house all weekend?"
"Yep, pretty much. Jamie this race thing he's doing Saturday, but other than that I'm pretty much stranded."
"That sucks. There's a party at one of my friend's house. I was going to introduce you to some of them."
"Wow. I'm flattered." He smirked.
"Oh please. Don't let it get to your head, pretty boy. I just figured you could use some friends to talk to. Someone other than me. What do you say? You sure you can't get out for a few hours?"
"HA! You do know what grounded means, don't you?"
"I've heard of it. No one's actually ever grounded me before. Not successfully anyway. There's always ways around it," she smirked.
"Ok. Wow. You've obviously never met 'Brooke Davis' before. I value my life too much to risk getting caught. She's pretty ruthless when it comes to her punishments." Other than fighting and his occasional bad attitude, he didn't really get into anything else. For the most part, he was always respectful and well behaved. If there's one thing he knew about Brooke, it's that you don't cross her, plain and simple.
"Please, she can't be that bad." Bailey rolled her eyes.
"When I was eleven, she took my Buzz Lightyear doll from me because I threw it at her mom. I couldn't sleep without it, so I found it in her room, took it back to mine and when she found me the next morning, she took all the toy story stuff out of my room. That was including my blankets & pillows." He looked at her completely serious.
"So she made you sleep without blankets or a pillow because you threw a toy?" bailey wasnot buying his story.
"Of course not, that would be too easy. When I got home from school, my bed was covered in Princess Aurora stuff. Had to sleep like that for a week, it was a nightmare. & it wasn't because I threw the toy, it was because I took the buzz doll back." Brooke was ten times angrier with him over that than she was him throwing it at Victoria…Gosh, just thinking of her makes him cringe.
"That's actually pretty funny." She laughed
"So, I'll see you Monday?" Bryson stopped at the end of the sidewalk.
"We'll see." she smiled. She had the prettiest smile Bryson had ever seen. He felt the knots in his stomach again and he had to fight back the urge to kiss her. The two parted ways and Bryson started walking to his mom's store.
WLM . . . .
"Hey, baby." Brooke looked up from her desk. "Wow. You sure look happy. What's up?" Brooke loved seeing that smile on her son's face.
"Nothing, just having a good day." He sat on the couch and picked up a magazine.
"Well, I'm very glad to hear that. Does this have anything to do with rivercourt girl being at school today?" she arched her eyebrows.
"How do you know she was at school?" He turned to her the older woman.
"I have eyes everywhere, my dear. Your Aunt Haley just happens to be one of my MANY agents." She laughed as she walked over and sat down beside him. "So, did she forgive you for not texting her this week?"
"I told her I was grounded until Monday." Bryson put on his best 'pouty face.'
"Just a few more days, babe. You'll survive. In the meantime, you can go pick Jamie up from the rivercourt and bring him back here. He's staying with us tonight."
"You swear? I can go get him?" Bryson was excited that Jamie was going to spend the night with them, but he was also relieved Brooke was going to let him walk to the rivercourt. Maybe Bailey would be there.
Brooke smiled and looked over at him, "Yes, and I ordered some take-out from the diner down the street, so you two can stop and pick it up on the way back." She handed him her credit card. "45 minutes!" her tone left no room for negotiations; Bryson knew exactly what she meant.
WLAM . . . .
"Well, if it isn't Mike Tyson." Lucas laughed as he threw up a 3-pointer.
"Bryson! Are you here to take me to your house? We are having a sleepover tonight and Aunt Brooke is making my uniform for the race tomorrow!" The little blonde hair boy jumped into his arms.
"Yeah, I sure am! We are gonna party it up tonight, aren't we bub?"
"Yeah. Aunt Brooke said we were getting ice cream." Bryson and Lucas laughed at the boys excitement.
"Hey Jamie, you better go get your backpack out of the car before you forget it." Lucas hands him the keys and he jumps down from Bryson's arms.
"So, I have a question." Bryson realizes why Lucas had sent Jamie away and cringes.
"Why do I feel like I know what this is about." Bryson grinned.
"I haven't got the chance to set down and talk to you, but I know you have talent. I've seen it watching you just play around here and stuff. We could really use someone like you."
"Luke, I appreciate it. I really do..." Bryson cuts him off. "But, I'm not a basketball player. I haven't played on a team since I was ten years old and I'd like to keep it that way."
Lucas didn't get a chance to say anything else. He just nodded his head as Jamie came running back to their side.
"You ready to go, bro?" He looked down at this little boy.
"All set." The boy beamed, "see ya, Uncle Luke."
"See ya, Jamie." He smiled.
As the two kids walked away, Luke said one more thing. "Don't let him win, Bryson…Your dad, you're not him."
Bryson stared at him for a minute, a little shocked Lucas had even mentioned his dad. Of all people he knew what it was like to live in the shadows of your father's demons. He nodded, and he & Jamie headed toward the store.
. WLM .
"Okay, what movie do you want to watch Jimmy-Jam?" Brooke said as she pulled out a box of DVD's. "We have 'Cars,' 'Finding Nemo,' all three 'Toy Story' movies, 'Hercules,' 'Air Bud.' Brooke stopped there; it would take her hours to go through all of Bryson's old DVD's.
"Toy Story." Bryson jumped over the couch and landed beside Jamie.
"Yeah, Toy Story. WE can stay up ALLL night and watch all of them." Jamie almost screamed in excitement.
"Toy Story, it is. And Bryson, if you jump on my couch like that one more time like that, I'll break your legs." Brooke arched her eyebrows.
About halfway through the second movie, Brooke had Jamie's head on one leg & Bryson's on the other, stroking each boy's hair. She was sure they had both passed out from all the sugar, but as she looked down, she seen Bryson staring off.
"What's on your mind, pretty boy?" She rubbed his back.
Bryson stayed quiet for a minute and then said, "Lucas asked me if I would play basketball today."
"Well, what did you say?" Brooke whispered.
"Told him no and then he just said something about me, not being like my dad or something. I don't know."
Brooke heart sank a little, but she was thankful that Bryson had even mentioned anything to her. She was hoping this was her opportunity to finally get her son to open up a little bit.
"Bryson…" she started, but the boy stopped her.
"Before you and dad started dating, He was a devil. He would hire nannies and personal assistants all the time and they would end up quitting because he was such a dick. I hardly ever seen him, so I would spend hours in our gym, practicing. I wanted to him to notice, so much. The more he ignored me, the more I would practice. When he did come to my games, no matter how many points I scored, how well I did, he never seemed to notice. He would tell me all the things I did wrong." Bryson felt tears start to roll down his face. He couldn't believe he was going to say what he was about to say. "One night, I was like 8 years old, He was completely blown out of his head and the whole ride home, he didn't say a word. He was so mad because I had a bad game, I don't think I scored a single basket. When we got home, he walked over to the fireplace and the next thing I know, he just freaked out. He pushed me against the wall and started punching me in the stomach…"
"Oh my God." Brooke felt tears roll down her face. She felt like somebody had just punched her in the stomach.
"I started crying and he stopped. He told me if I ever embarrassed him like that again, he would give me something to cry over. Then he told me I was just like my mom…'I should have got rid of you when I did her.' That's what he said. I think I knew after that, I didn't know how but I knew he murdered my mom."
By now Brooke couldn't breathe. "Bry, I…I ….I had no idea." Her voice was sad and angry, all at the same time.
"It's ok. He hadn't dated anyone since my mom; just a bunch of groupies and one night stands. I remember after he met you though, it was like something changed. He went from one extreme to the other, even when you weren't around he was still pretty nice to me. I think he was really trying to change, for you."
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Bryson had felt a weight being lifted off his chest and Brooke was trying to process all she had just heard.
"When I first met your dad, I thought he was perfect. He was so charming." Brooke, broke the silence. "When he finally introduced me to you, I was so nervous. I was never around kids growing up, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say or do. But, when I showed up at your house and you opened the door, my heart instantly melted. I looked into those big brown eyes and something just…I don't know how to explain it. I just fell in love. Everything just seemed so perfect, the first year. My company was taking off and we had created this little family together, what's not to love? Then when his true colors started to show, and his temper started flaring up I got scared. It was all knew to me; I didn't want to be around it and I definitely didn't want you around it. It kept getting worse and worse. He had started using again and when I found that out, I left. I tried to take you with me, but he wouldn't have it. He would let you stay with me, but I still couldn't stand the thought of you being there with him. Your eyes, they were so sad again, something told me I needed to get you out of there. One night you were staying with me and when we were getting ready for bed, I seen a bruise on your ribs. I asked you how you got it and you said basketball. I knew better though. I went to your dad and told him if he didn't sign custody over to me, I was going to sue him and it would go public. I left, thinking you were at a friend's house, like he told me. Four hours later, I got the call. When I got to the police station, I seen you and you looked so sad & confused, but part of you looked relived."
Bryson hadn't moved from his place on Brooke's lap. He processed all Brooke was saying. He could hear the guilt in her voice. She couldn't possibly think she's the reason his dad committed suicide. His heart broke when he realized she must have been carrying that with her all these years, could that be the reason she took him in? Some sort of redemption?
"It wasn't your fault, mom."
"I loved him, I really did. I couldn't save him though." The words came out of her mouth before she even realized she was even speaking.
"You can't save people who don't want it." He turned his head toward her. "You did save me though."
Brooke had never felt so much peace, than she did in that moment. If Brooke never accomplished anything else in her life, she would always make sure Bryson was safe & loved. She knew that Jason beat Bryson, there were too many signs. But the fact Bryson had finally opened up and told her, himself meant he was able to get it off his chest. Sure, there were more secrets, but this was a way to start the healing, for the both of them.
Later, after she put Jamie in her bed she walked in her son's room.
"Get some rest, Jamie's going to be ten kinds of hyper tomorrow before his race."
"Yes ma'am."
"Bry, think about playing. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You do have talent and if you love the game, play for you."
Bryson just nodded his head. Maybe the best way to get back at his dad, was giving up the hold he had over his life.
"Love you." Brooke, started to close the door. Right before it closed completely, she looked back at him and winked. "To infinity and beyond."
Bryson smiled and said, "Too infinity and beyond."