SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS
Nemo123489: Thanks. Glad you're enjoyin' it.
Sandy Murray: Not too soon I hope. Glad you think so. Well, just a little. Hope this is soon enough.
DISCLAIMER
One Tree Hill belongs to the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.
The next morning, Lucas awoke with a groan. He hadn't gotten any sleep. He had been plagued with nightmares all night.
"Lucas! Lucas, are you up?" Karen asked.
"Yeah, I'm up, Mom," Lucas answered, rubbing his face. He dragged himself out of bed and got dressed. Then, he went downstairs. To his surprise, his uncle was sitting at the kitchen table.
"Uncle Keith. Wha---what are you doing here?" the boy stammered.
"Lucas, your mom told me what happened," Keith stated.
"Wha---you wha---?" he turned to his mother. Why would she do this? he wondered.
"He had to know, honey. He had to know," she told him. Lucas exhaled shakily.
"Oh, man," he moaned, dropping into a chair. Now what am I gonna do? he wondered. He hadn't wanted Uncle Keith to find out. He didn't want anybody else to find out. He just---he just wanted to forget any of it had ever happened.
"Now, I understand the police have been called and they're looking into this," Keith stated.
"Yeah," Lucas confirmed quietly, looking at the floor.
"Hey. It's gonna be okay, kiddo," Keith assured.
"I wish everyone would just quit sayin' that," Lucas snapped, raising his eyes to glare at his uncle.
"Lucas, we only want---" Keith began.
"I don't care! I don't want anybody else knowing. So what happened to me---it stays in this house," Lucas insisted.
"Lucas," Karen said.
"It doesn't leave this house!" Lucas shouted. "We only talk to the few officers that already know, and we keep our mouths shut if anyone asks," he continued. Then, with angry gestures, he grabbed his things.
"I gotta go. I'm gonna be late for school," the teen snapped. Before either adult could reply, he stomped out the door and a car engine was heard pulling away.
"Oh, Keith. I don't know how to help him," Karen said in frustration.
"Just---just give it time, Karen. He's just trying to sort out his feelings," Keith comforted, putting his hands on her shoulders. The woman sighed and leaned into the man. At school, Lucas made a point to avoid his friends. He didn't want anybody talking to him. He stopped at his locker and put his books in, leaving the ones he needed in his backpack.
"Lucas!" Haley exclaimed. With a sigh of frustration, the boy turned around.
"What?" he asked.
"How's it going?" she questioned softly.
"She told Keith," he said.
"Well, maybe for the best---" she began.
"No! I don't want people finding out," he interrupted with a hiss.
"But Lucas---" Haley started to say.
"Haley, I don't mean to hurt you, but will you please leave me alone before I say something I regret?" Lucas interrupted.
"Yeah. Sure," Haley agreed. She put a comforting hand on his wrist and then walked off. Lucas adjusted his backpack on his shoulder and walked into his classroom just minutes before the first bell rang. In the class, the teacher talked, but Lucas hardly paid attention. His mind was too full of the previous nights' dreams. He shivered, almost feeling Nicki's touch again. Before he knew it, the bell had rung. Surprised, the boy jumped in his seat. Without a word, he exited the class. As the day wore on, Lucas found it harder and harder to ignore Haley and Jake's attempts to talk. At lunch, Jake cornered him in the hall.
"Jake, I don't have time for this," Lucas said.
"I know what Nicki did to you," Jake stated softly. Lucas' breath hitched.
"Jake, I---" he began.
"Why? Why would you let her do that to you?" Jake wondered.
"She said she'd leave you and Jenny alone," Lucas stated.
"Awww, Luke. You didn't have to do that. Not this way," Jake told him.
"That wasn't the only reason," Lucas told him.
"What else?" Jake wondered.
"I...kissed Peyton...and slept with Nicki," Lucas confessed.
"You did what?" Both boys turned around.
"Oh, boy," Lucas said. Brooke and Peyton stared at the blond-haired boy.
"You kissed Peyton?" Brooke questioned.
"You slept with Nicki?" Peyton asked at the same time. Lucas' chest tightened. It was like he couldn't breathe. Just how much had they overheard?