Same disclaimers as the last six parts...
Don't sue me; Sam and Brooke are college kids; feedback makes me happy;thoughts; ((memories/flashbacks.))
Chapter 7
Brooke walked into her apartment and promptly collapsed onto the futon, exhausted.
"Long day?" Alexis poked her head around the corner, having heard Brooke enter. Brooke immediately noticed Alexis' hair -- it was a soft shade of purple. Hadn't it been bright red when she left this morning?
"Ugh. Just about the longest of the summer. There were two new girls today, which always makes things kind of crazy, and one of my bosses left for vacation, so we were understaffed, and I got to sit in on a counseling session, and it was really cool, but horribly depressing at the same time."
Brooke had decided to stay in New York for the summer. She was working at a clinic for teens with eating disorders, wanting a chance to help girls like herself, and also figuring that it went well with her decision to major in psychology. And while it was definitely rewarding, it was emotionally draining too.
"But nice hair, by the way. Not many people could pull that off, but it looks good on you."
"Oh yeah, thanks. Just felt like changing it. Well hey, at least it's the weekend. And I'm sure that Jason will have a few plans to get us out of the apartment, so now you get to just relax and have some fun for a few days."
Just then, Jason walked into the apartment as well, calling out, "Hello, my lovelies!" Spotting Brooke, still slouched inelegantly over the futon, he commented, "What happened to you? We need to get some caffeine in you, or something, hun. You know I love you, but I have to say that 'couch potato' is not your best look."
Brooke merely laughed, having learned that Jason should rarely be taken seriously. Living with Alexis and Jason had certainly turned out to be quite an adventure. None of them had known each other well at first, but had been in one class together, and all needed a place to stay for the summer months. And amazingly, it had worked out great. They were all pretty different, but their personalities somehow meshed together really well.
"Oh leave the poor girl alone, she's had a rough day. And I almost forgot, Brooke, you had a phone call a few minutes before you got here."
"Yeah? Who from?"
Alexis just smirked. "I'll give you one guess."
"Sam? Okay, thanks."
Things were going a lot better between the step-sisters. The awkwardness was pretty much gone, the fighting for no reason was over, and they usually talked on the phone at least a few times every week. In a way, Brooke thought that the distance of the summer had actually helped their friendship. But she was confident that they'd keep moving forward when Sam came back in a few weeks, at the end of August.
I'm just so glad that Sam took that first step, and made us finally talk about everything.
(( Brooke was nervous. Sam had sounded pretty serious when she called on the phone, asking Brooke to meet her in their favorite corner of nearby Washington Square Park. Brooke found the brunette sitting by herself, anxiously bouncing her leg up and down and chewing on a fingernail, as she stared off into space. Brooke sat down by her, giving Sam a small smile in greeting. She really had no idea what this was all about.
"Sooooo..." Sam managed to start the conversation, but failed to actually say anything.
"So." Awkward pause. "What's up?"
"Well, okay. So here's the thing. And, I'd appreciate it if you just sit and listen for a bit, so I can try to explain what I'm trying to say. And it might take me a little while to get there, but I don't want to get sidetracked, okay?"
Brooke heard the tension in Sam's voice, but with any luck, the girl's harsh tone was an effect of nervousness, not anger. She smiled in a way that she hoped was reassuring. "Yeah, sure, Sam. Of course."
Sam glanced briefly towards her step-sister. Was that fear in Sam's eyes? Why would Sam be afraid? When Sam continued talking, Brooke was glad to hear that the harshness had left her voice, although the tension remained. "Great. Well I had the dream again last night. You know? The dream about the mess that was Junior Prom."
Wow. Sam still has that dream? I had no idea that it still bothered her.
"It had been a while. I'm sure you remember when I used to have that dream almost every night. But I had forgotten, I think. Forgotten what it felt like when I thought you were going to die. And, well, it's a pretty sucky feeling, to put it mildly. I mean, I'm sure it's not much, compared to how you felt. But I had to watch it happen, and I couldn't do anything. And when I realized that you might die, thinking that I hated you... I mean, fuck, I just couldn't let that happen, you know? But you know all this. We've talked about it before, so I don't know why I'm saying it all over again. I don't know what I'm trying to say."
Brooke watched Sam close her eyes, take in a big, shaky breath, and try to gather herself. She waited quietly, knowing that Sam wasn't done. She wanted to say something, though. Wanted to jump up and wrap her arms around the brunette. Because Sam still cared about her. Brooke had been so afraid that Sam no longer cared.
Oh, Sam. It's okay, I understand. At least, I think I do. I hope you're trying to say what I think you are. I hope you're trying to say that you want it to be like before. That I'm going to get my best friend back.
"I guess...I guess what I'm trying to say is that...I want my best friend back. I don't want to lose you. I miss you, Brooke, and I know things have been weird between us lately, but I think we've been through too much together to let one stupid night get in the way of all that. And that night...you said that you could count on me, and that you trusted me to be there for you. I don't want that to not be true. I'm so sorry that it hasn't been true lately. But I want it to be true again."
Brooke tried to stay serious and focused on Sam, but she couldn't keep a huge grin from spreading across her face. Sam wasn't looking at her, though, so couldn't see Brooke's reaction to her words.
"So, I don't know what your thoughts are about this. I haven't exactly been keeping up with your life this semester, so you've probably made a bunch of new friends, and don't really need me anymore."
But Brooke couldn't keep quiet any longer, and she finally gave in to her urge to hug Sam. Sam was taken completely by surprise at first, but then settled gratefully into Brooke's arms. "How could you ever think that? Of course I need you! You're my Sammy...and I've really missed you."
"Really?"
Brooke pulled back slightly, but continued to hold Sam by the shoulders, so she could stare directly into Sam's eyes. "Yes, really. Sam, after that night...I didn't know what to do. I thought you hated me, were disgusted with me. And it was just so much easier to avoid you, because being around you only made me nervous. And I hated that. I hated that I couldn't just talk to you, and make all the awkwardness go away, but I didn't know how. I mean, I barely even remember what happened, so I didn't know how to even approach talking about it."
Brooke could feel herself blushing, and saw the same reaction with Sam, but she was determined to maintain eye contact. Still, she let her hands drop from Sam's shoulders. Brooke didn't think that she could handle too much physical contact with Sam while they had this particular conversation.
"No, I didn't hate you! I'm sorry if I made you think that. I just...I dunno, same thing as you, I guess. I was just so freaked out by everything, and I didn't know what to do, and you know how I hate it when I don't know what to do. And you have to admit, it's always been so much easier to fight with you, Brooke, than to actually communicate in any meaningful way."
Brooke smiled in response, acknowledging the truth in Sam's words. She couldn't keep the hesitation out of her voice or her eyes, though, as she asked, "Do...do you remember much? About that night?"
Sam looked quickly away in embarrassment, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully, before replying. "Um, well, not really. Not too much. Bits and pieces of stuff. I remember the party, and dancing. And then some of...you know. But it's all pretty vague and foggy. And then I was surprised to find that I was kinda sore the next day, and-- "
A jolt of panic shot through Brooke, and she interrupted Sam, only managing to speak aloud a few words out of all the ones running through her head. "Oh god. I didn't...did I? I mean...you hadn't...your first...oh Sam, I..."
Somehow, Sam was able to understand what Brooke was trying to get across, and immediately tried to reassure the blonde. "No! I mean...no, I don't think you did. That's not what I meant. I wasn't sore because of that. I'm pretty sure that I'm, you know, still technically a virgin."
Sam's face was a bright, beet red by now, but Brooke visibly relaxed.
"Oh, thank god. Because, I meant it when I told you that your first time should be special, Sam. And if I had reduced it to just some drunken hook-up... Well, I'm just glad that I didn't. You deserve more than that, Sam."
"Um. Thanks. I guess. Yeah."
I can't believe we're discussing whether or not I took Sam's virginity. This is definitely not a conversation I expected to have today. Or any other day, for that matter.
Suddenly, a different thought occurred to Brooke. "Wait a second...so if that's not what you meant, then -- and I'm not sure I really want to know the answer to this, but -- why WERE you sore?"
"Ummm, well... Okay, maybe 'sore' wasn't exactly the right word. And again, I only remember this very vaguely. But, it's just, um...well, my shoulder the next day..."
Brooke was confused. What did Sam's shoulder have anything to do with this?
"Well, I'm pretty sure that you bit me."
Brooke's eyes widened in horror. "I did WHAT?!?"
Brooke watched Sam struggle with embarrassment, as she mumbled, "You weren't trying to hurt me or anything. I barely even noticed it at the time." Then Sam's eyes locked onto Brooke's, and her expression changed suddenly, with Sam breaking into uncontrollable laughter.
"Oh, Brooke. Your face is just priceless right now."
"What, so I didn't bite you?? Was that just a horrible joke?"
"No, you DID bite me. But your face still looked hilarious just now." Sam continued to laugh, even as she struggled to speak at the same time.
Brooke continued to stare in shock at Sam for a few moments. She bit Sam? Really? She had never bit anyone in bed before. Should she be worried about this? But finally, Sam's infectious laughter and the ridiculousness of the whole situation caught up with Brooke, and she too burst into a fit of giggles. The girls practically fell on top of each other, trying to control themselves. ))
And that was it. That was all that was needed to break the solid tension between them, and their relationship had gradually but steadily returned to the strong friendship they had shared at the end of high school and beginning of college.
With her mind finally back in the present, Brooke remembered that she should call Sam.
"Hey Sam, what's up? You called earlier?"
"Hi! Okay, so guess what? I've finished up work for the summer, as you know, and was getting really bored at home, sooooo...I came back early!"
"Wait, you're in New York? That's great! Where are you?"
"I'm at the airport. And I'm cheap, and don't really want to start spending my new hard-earned cash, so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind being awesome and borrowing Jason's car to come pick me up? Luke offered to pay for a cab, but I don't want to make him do that. So, yeah... Pretty, pretty, please, with a cherry on top?"
Brooke didn't at all mind going to get Sam, and she was sure it would be fine with Jason, but something else caught her attention, and caused her forehead to crease in confusion.
"Luke? Who's Luke?"
There was a brief silence, and then Brooke heard Sam whisper, "Shit!" before she continued, nervously, "Oh right, I haven't exactly told you about him, yet, have I? Um, well, Luke's my boyfriend."
Boyfriend? Since when has Sam had a boyfriend??
A/N: So, Sam and Brooke finally talked! I know a few of you had been wanting them to talk...hope it was okay. And after a summer of purposefully doing a whole bunch of nothing much, I'm finally starting my post-college professional life! So I'll be a bit busier now, and might not be able to write as often. I'll do my best, though. Thanks for reading!
