I want to try making things right because picking up the pieces is way better than leaving them the way they are.~
"How does this one look?" Brooke did a small spin and looked back over her shoulder at the boy on her bed.
"It looks great…just like the other four," his tone bored. Brooke eyes slanted into a glare, but the moment he smirked it turned to a smile. His smile she was sure did things to all the woman in the world.
"I want to look pretty, Stephen. Yet you are the worst input giver," she scuffed, inspecting the long black skirt and white top that revealed more skin than she normally did. Tonight was the night of Stephen' concert and though he was trying to act relaxed Brooke knew he was nervous. Plus, he still hadn't told her what he wanted to a few weeks back and it was driving her nuts. You don't tell someone 'I have to tell you something' then not tell them.
"You always look pretty, kid, you know that," his eyes flipped up to look at her standing in the mirror and she felt a weird shiver run down her spine. "But if I had to pick…that's my favorite."
"Thanks," she jerked back to look at the mirror and exhaled a long breath. "Me…too…"
"Good…"
"Now," she shook off the feeling and moved to drop down beside him on her bed. "What did you have to tell me?"
"Tell you?" his dark brow arched upward confused.
"Yes, when we went to the party that shall not be discussed you said you wanted to tell me something. Yet then that thing happened and you said you would tell me later. Well it's later, Jamie…" she tapped her invisible watch and he chuckled shaking his head. "Please tell me!" she begged gripping his arm and his smile started to fade. "Is…is it…bad?"
"No, kid, it isn't bad," his head shook quickly and he slapped his hand down on hers with a gentle smile. "So you know I have this thing tonight."
"Yeah this thing…"
"Yes," he chuckled at her tone as he thought about what he was going to say. He cared about this girl, he cared a great deal and he hated to know when she was going through so much already he was going to add to it. "Well, it's the start of a few opening gigs I've landed."
"Stephen! Oh my god, that's awesome! I told you, I told you that you were going to do well," Brooke completely lit up, extremely proud of her close friend. Something about him going for his dreams really pushed her to do the same. He was so brave and she hoped she would also be as brave as him when she started to change a few things in her life.
"Yeah, you did, but…well you see kid those gigs aren't exactly here…" he said slowly and watched her deflate as he eased back on her bed away from him. "In two weeks I'm supposed to head out to California. We signed with a record label and…and well I'm leaving…"
"That's awesome, Stephen," she held back the tears and pushed out a big smile. Not wanting to say that once again someone she loved was leaving her. "I'm so proud of you."
"Brooke…" he grabbed her hands and yanked her closer to him. "Kid…it's not like I'm leaving. It's not like I'm leaving you," he stressed, knowing instantly what flashed in those big brown eyes. "Hell, I could get out there it be a bust and I be back in a month."
"You won't…you're too good and they would be stupid not to want you."
"I'll visit and you can come see me anytime. I will always have an empty bed for you…well…maybe a couch. I'll have something you can sleep on," Stephen teased, causing Brooke to crack a smile and throw her arms around his neck.
"I'm going to miss you," she clung tight and swallowed the lump forming. "So much…"
"I'm going to miss you too, kid," he held her close as his eyes closed. "I love you, you know?" he said after a long moment, hating he never said that to another Davis girl who had such a control over him. His biggest regret in life was never telling Alex how he felt and he refused to ever not let people he cared about know it.
"I'm sure only about as half as much as I love you," she laughed pulling back and Stephen reached up to knock the tear on her cheek.
"Not possible kid…" he held her gaze and she gave a slow nod. "Now you ready to go?"
"Yes, I've never been more excited for anything," she sprung up and grabbed his hand. "But question, you think when you're all famous you could write a song about me? That would be the coolest."
"Yeah, kid," he chuckled opening up the bedroom door and she stepped out. "I'll come up with something."
Tapping her fingers on the edge of the couch, the young girl sat impatiently as her friend finished getting ready in the bathroom. She was supposed to have left fifteen minutes ago and she really didn't want to be late. She promised she would be there, all he asked was her to be at this one thing he was doing and she was late.
"Will you hurry up?! I'm not kidding I will leave you all!"
"Christ, Quinn calm down," Abby and Rachel stepped from the bathroom down the long hallway. "The thing doesn't start until eight. I'm sure there is a lot of downtime before he goes on."
"I don't care about the down time," Quinn growled grabbing her purse and phone from the table. "I told him I would be there by now. I promised I would and now I'm going to be late. Take into the fact I'll have to stand in line to get in and we still have to pick up Tony and Lucas, I'm going to be even later."
"Wait, Tony is coming?" Rachel froze and looked at her best friend with wide eyes. "I mean he is in the car with us?"
"Obviously that's what picking up means," Quinn flipped her hand up honestly not wanting to discuss the same thing they have been discussing all week. She loved Rachel and she loved Brooke but tonight was not about them.
"Quinn," Rachel grabbed her arm as her friend rushed toward the front door. "I'm ignoring him. I have been all week."
"Then ignore him from the front seat," she released a dry laugh with a shrug. "Rach, I love you. You are my best friend and I know right now it's hard, but I have been sucking as a sister for months now…maybe even years and Stephen asked me one favor, just one."
"I know, I know he did."
"And I hate when he asked he dismissed it like he figured I wouldn't show. I have to be there. If you want to back out fine, but tonight…tonight can't be about other people. Tonight has to be about him. I don't remember the last time we made something about him," she pleaded with a sigh. Rachel seeing as her eyes pleaded and her eyes closed for a moment.
"I can ignore him from the front seat," she finally breathed out, Quinn never really asking her for much. "Worst case scenario I sit with Brooke and Clay."
"Yeah," Quinn frowned at her boyfriend she hadn't spoken to all week…well, he hadn't spoken to her. She tried like hell to get him to talk to her, but she knew it was pointless. His trust in her had failed and it would take a long time to get it back. "Sit with them."
"Quinn…"
"Front seat!" she yelled as she pushed out the front door and toward her car. "Do you know if Brooke was riding with him?" Quinn sent a text to her friends saying she was on her way.
"Yeah," Rachel stared out the front window as the house flew passed them. "They were going to get some food before heading there. Brooke wanted to mellow him out because he's nervous."
"Oh," Quinn frowned, guilt ripping through her gut that he really didn't expect her to show. He never mentioned going to eat before, he never mentioned how nervous he was or really much about what was happening. He just in passing said, 'hey I have a gig. If you want to stop by I'll leave tickets for you at the door' then he walked away. Yet when she brought it up to him a few times over the last couple weeks, he shrugged, and played it off as nothing, but she saw the excitement spark in his eyes. "Well he'll do great," she pulled into the short driveway and slammed her hand on the horn waiting for her friends to come out.
"So have you talked to Clay at all?" Rachel asked her friend as they sat waiting. Quinn impatiently hitting the horn again as she chewed her lip. "Quinn…"
"We haven't talked," she rushed out collapsing in her seat. "He doesn't trust me. So right now I feel any conversation is stupid and pointless because he doesn't hear what I'm saying. So right now I'm giving him space."
"I'm sorry girl," Rachel squeezed her friend's hand, holding her own breath when she saw Tony and Lucas finally come outside.
"Yeah," Quinn watched the twosome before looking at her friend. "Me too…"
"Sorry," Tony apologized as soon as he climbed in the back beside his sister. "I couldn't find my wallet."
"It's fine," Quinn put the car in reverse and started to pull from the driveway before the door even shut. "It shouldn't take us that long to get there."
"Shit Quinn," Abby climbed from the car and smoothed out her dress. "Driving like a bat out of hell…"
"I told ya'll I didn't want to be late," she moved quickly away from them and toward the door with the long line wrapped around the building. "We're never going to get in at this rate. Damn it."
"Quinn, relax," Lucas pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number he hoped would for once this week get a response. "We will get in. Just relax," his arm skimmed her shoulder as he text.
To: Angel
'Hey, Quinn is freaking out because the line is so long. Can you at least come get her? Please?'
And then he waited. His phone reading that the message had been delivered and seen ad he groaned. She didn't have to do it for him, he understood she wouldn't but Quinn was truly innocent in everything that had happened and it hurt even more his friend was catching shit for something he had done.
From: Angel
'Be there in a second. Go to the front door.'
"Got it!" Lucas grinned at the message and grabbed his best friend's hand. "Brooke said to go to the door and she is coming to meet us."
"Really? Awesome," Quinn followed behind him as he pulled her close and pushed them through the people in line. Hearing a few bitch, Quinn just rolled her eyes not caring as she arrived at the big door man outside.
"The line starts in the back."
"Yeah, I know, but my big brother is the one playing tonight," Quinn explained trying to peer over his large shoulder to see if she saw Brooke of Stephen.
"Sure he is sweetheart…so why don't you go in the back and join the other girls who came to see their brother and boyfriend who is playing tonight," he muttered as he continued to check the IDs of people in line.
"He is my brother. Stephen James, the lead singer who is playing tonight," she told him but still got nothing but a bored shrug. "We look just alike!"
"Quinn," the familiar voice sounded behind the large man and she lit up doing a little jump. "They are with me," Stephen flashed some tag and with a nod the large man stepped to the left.
"Told you," Quinn stuck out her tongue and grabbed onto her brother's hand as he pulled her through the large crowd. "Sorry I was late. No one seemed to be able to get their shit together. I told them eight. I said I had to be here at eight."
"It's fine, kid," Stephen spun to flash her a bright smile as they ended up at the bar. "I'm not going on yet. Still have about ten minutes. Sup guys," he nodded at Quinn's group of friends. Landing on Lucas's a moment longer before looking back at his little sister. "Can I get a rum and coke, please? And whatever they order is on my tab," he pointed at the group and the bartender nodded heading back to make the drinks.
"So what are you feeling? Are you excited, nervous? Going to shit yourself, what?"
"I'm excited," Stephen laughed at his sister's choice of words and threw some cash on the bar as he retrieved the drink. "Here…"
"Oh thank you…"
"Yeah, but I'm extremely nervous…excited but nervous. I've never performed this big of a crowd before and I've definitely never performed with my agent in the crowd," he glanced around nervously and locked eyes with the woman who looked like she didn't belong in this crowd as she fiddled with a phone in her hand.
"Agent?" Quinn's eyes grew as she searched the crowd. "Stephen why didn't you tell me you had gotten an agent?!"
"It's not a big deal, Quinn. Brooke introduced me to his dad and he seems to know a lot of people. Huge variety and he hooked me up with this guy name John, but since he couldn't get here he sent his assistant Melinda who's strung a little tight, but she seems to know her stuff."
"Well if the assistant is that good can you imagine how awesome John actually is?" Quinn sucked on her straw and glanced over at the woman. Stephen getting a half smile as he looked at his sister surprised she was actually interested in what he was saying. He loved his sister, probably more than anyone, but she was more by the book in stuff. You go to high school, you graduate, you go to college and get a degree and become a productive member of society. She never really flew by the seat of her pants before. Wasn't her thing, but he knew there had to be a piece in her that itched to do something completely un- Quinn like.
"Yeah, that's what I told Jonah…but umm…I guess I have to go finish setting up. I'll tell Brooke and Clay where you are…see you in a bit," he kissed her cheek and threw his hand up to the group talking to each other. "Later guys."
"Good luck," Abby called out with a wave. "So…" she twisted to face Lucas and chewed her straw. "What's your plan?"
"My plan?"
"Yes, your plan to get your girl back," she told him like he was a dumbass. "Lucas come on I know you. Don't tell me that you haven't thought about it. Tonight you two have to be around each other and you're telling me you aren't going to do anything, but stand beside her and sway to music?"
"I haven't thought that far ahead, Abby. I've tried talking to her. She doesn't want to hear it and I don't want to push her, but it's hard because I don't want to step back from her. It's all just…complicated."
"Well you might want to start with sorry and then try to uncomplicated it real fast because she's heading this way and looking extremely hot," she hit his arm and slowly Lucas turned to face her and felt his stomach drop.
"Fuck me," he felt his insides react as he leaned on the bar and looked away from her.
"Who knew she had such a banging body…"
"I did," Lucas groaned as he downed his drink and straightened his posture. Hearing Brooke greet each of their friends her eyes lifted to his and he watched her swallow hard.
"Hey Brooke," Quinn hugged her friend who she hadn't seen in a week. Hoping that Brooke didn't hate her after everything that had happened. They talked, but she still felt like Brooke was mad at her too.
"Hey, sorry I haven't really gotten back to you, I just…"
"It's fine," Quinn smiled giving her shoulder a squeeze. "It's really fine. We get busy."
"We all do," Brooke looked at her cousin who looked down at the ground avoiding his 'girlfriend's' eyes. They hadn't spoken all week and if he was honest it was killing him. He loved her, he did, but it didn't change what had happened. "But Clay why don't you show Quinn the back room? There is this like VIP area that Stephen lets us sit in and it's awesome."
"Uhh…"
"I'd really like to see it," Quinn pleaded and chewed her lip. "I mean if you don't mind showing me…"
"Sure…" he stepped to the side for her to step in front of him and with a giddy grin from Brooke he placed his hand on her back and led her to the back room.
"That's one down," Brooke grinned at Rachel whose eyes rolled. Brooke truly not wanting what happened with her and Lucas to ruin all the relationships in her life. Plus, Quinn was innocent and it wasn't fair she was getting blamed for things she didn't have control over and if she was honest she really hoped that Tony and Rachel would get better soon.
"Stop…"
"Not until I accomplish it all," Brooke grinned, looking up and locking eyes with Lucas and her stomach flipped. God how was it possible to be so mad at someone and yet still want them all at the same time.
"Hey Brooke," Abby dove in front of Lucas and threw her arms around Brooke surprising everyone. "How are you?"
"Umm…fine…I'm fine," Brooke gave an awkward smile, twisting to face Rachel and gave her pleading eyes that her friend caught.
"Want to do a shot?" Rachel squeezed her hand and smiled. "Let's do one or…six."
"Oh ok," Brooke laughed turning toward the bar her hand went up to wave for the bartender and shivered when she felt Lucas's arm graze over hers. "Uh, hi," she pushed a smile out and chewed her lip. "Can we have…" she counted the group and turned back, "four Vegas bombs? But instead of red bull can I have sprite in mine? I'm not a red bull girl."
"Of course gorgeous," the young girl behind the bar winked and spun around to grab the bottle of crown on the shelf.
"Bomb, huh?" Tony slowly eased next to the young girl he hadn't spoken to in way too long. "We haven't done those since that trip after the dance," he grinned, Brooke swallowed hard and gave a tight smile. "Think you're going to want to do some dancing after them?"
"Uh, maybe," she shrugged, feeling eyes burning into her back. "But maybe you should ask Rachel instead…"
"She won't dance with me, Brooke. She won't even speak to me."
"I'm speaking to you," she pointed out and his head dropped. "Shouldn't if anyone be upset it be me?"
"You aren't speaking to Lucas…"
"That is so completely different…he used me. He lied and played me….you didn't do that to Rachel. You love her."
"And he loves you," his eyes burn into her, Brooke inhaling a long sigh as she bounced on her feet and looked back at the stage.
"Wonder what time Stephen is going on…" she flipped the subject fast as she waited for the shots to appear. "Here they are! Thank you, love," she handed over a twenty and spun to face…well face the people she had spent a lot of time with over the last few months. "Here…"
"Thank you," Lucas finally spoke to her and Brooke felt his voice tingle down her spin and twist into her gut.
"Ok," Rachel grabbed hers and held the glass up. "So…here is to Stephen, hoping he has a bomb ass night and to friends who wish us well and those who don't," her eyes locked onto Lucas's causing him to shift uncomfortable. "Fuck'em, hope they rot in hell."
"Well to that," Brooke tapped all the glasses together and dropped the small glass into the pint sized one and shot it back.
Squinting into the bright light, Stephen blinked a couple of times and searched around the crowd for those calming dark eyes. Hearing EJ hit the drums a little, he stroked his guitar for the right note and adjusted the mic in front of him.
"Hey…everyone," he breathed out nervously, feeling the small droplet if sweat forming on his forehead. "Hope everyone is having a great night so far. But the first song we are going to play is called The Daylight…and I dedicate it to…" his eyes locked on Brooke and she gave a bright smile. "Someone pretty amazing…hope you enjoy it…" he spun to face the drums as the lights dimmed a fraction and he spun back around gripping his hand around the mic and inhaled a long breath as the music start to play. "I can't believe she's gone…I can't believe she's gone…I can't believe she's gone away. Darkness was my future…Hopeless were the patterns…Callous was my heart, so it seems… Oh, I should sing a little bit faster…I'm to blame for this disaster…I'm repairing my heart for you…Oh and I should breathe a little bit softer…Oxygen reminds me I lost her…I'm repairing my heart for you…"
"Damn…" Tony leaned back against the pole behind him. "I had no clue he was so good…"
"Yeah," Lucas stared at his girl who still hadn't spoken to him all night and frowned. "I didn't either," he watched her move to the music and felt his insides tug at the look on her face. She was so into what Stephen was singing Lucas swore she forgot that anyone else was in the room, but them two. "Fuck…"
"But blessed was the daylight that, flooded my hearts windows, and cleared the smoke that billows out…Oh, I should sing a little bit faster…I'm to blame for this disaster…I'm repairing my heart for you
Oh and I should breathe a little bit softer…Oxygen reminds me I lost her…I'm repairing my heart for you…" he hit note hard and Brooke chewed her lip as she thought about her big sister. About how excited she was about him writing this song and singing on stage and it being about her, because she knew it was. She didn't know why he blamed himself for anything, but she could tell he wrote it about Alex.
"Peace my body, Oh my soul – to find, no I don't mind…Break my hardened heart to show, that I, yea I was blind…Lay my body on the shore, to find, no I don't mind…Can't believe she's gone, I'm casting out the demons…Letting go of reasons why…Welcome was the daylight that found where I was hiding, and
fought the dark residing there. Oh, I should sing a little bit faster…I'm to blame for this disaster…I'm repairing my heart for you….Oh and I should breathe a little bit softer…Chemicals remind me I lost her
I'm repairing my heart for you…"
"He's really good, Quinn," Rachel pushed to say to her friend who had a big smile on her face as she watched her big brother perform. "And so damn sexy up there…"
"Isn't he?" Brooke spoke causing Rachel to smirk at her and Brooke to blush. "Not like…that…I just meant…"
"We all know what you meant," Rachel bumped her hip into her close friend as she threw her head back to glare at Lucas in the back of the group. "Get it girl..." she said louder than needed and Brooke shook her head.
"Trouble maker," she called to Rachel as the song ended and she grabbed her purse off the table. "I'm going to grab me a drink. I'll be right back."
"Can you bring me a rum and coke?' Quinn asked and Brooke nodded as she pushed through the group, cutting her eyes up at Lucas a moment and darting passed him.
"I'll be right back…" Lucas called to Tony who tipped his beer at him and twisted to slide up beside the girls and Clay. Weaving through the crowd Lucas paused as he watched her stand at the bar waiting to be asked what she needed. Pulling in a deep breath he cursed to why she made him so nervous and pushed toward her. "Hi," she felt his fingers dance across her soft exposed skin causing a tense shiver. "This is awesome…"
"Uh, yeah…Stephen is awesome. It's really cool knowing the guy everyone is freaking out over," she stared forward at all the bottles lining the top shelf as she heard another song start up.
"Yeah," Lucas stared at her, watching her body shiver as she reached to rub the prickles on her neck. "You look gorgeous tonight, Brooke," he spoke after a long moment causing her body to tense. "Come on, Brooke," he shifted his feet toward her and slid his hand around to back to place on the bar trapping her. "Can't you even look at me?" he asked, knowing he had absolutely no right, but still needing her to not treat him like some weirdo she met that night in the bar.
"Uh…can I have two rum and cokes…house is fine and umm…two….two shots of anything, but fireball…I hate cinnamon…" she mumbled out to the same bartender as before, who sent her a wink and walked off.
"Brooke…"
"No…" she finally spoke as she nervously fumbled with her money. "No, I can't even look at you…"
"So that's it…just like that we are done…no conversation, no hearing my side of the story you just listen…fuck…you listen to Jared and walk away like what we had was nothing? Like I was nothing to you?!"
"No!" she twisted slamming her finger into his chest pushing him back a step. "No I didn't just believe Jared and walk away…I believed that you confirmed it. You lied to me Lucas…over and over and I…damn it, I was the idiot who kept letting you back in even when I had a million red flags saying don't!" she slammed her hands into his chest feeling her voice crack. "It was real for me! It wasn't a game for me, Lucas!"
"It wasn't a game for me," he growled grabbing her wrist and holding them close to his chest. "I fucked up, I know that. I own up to that! But it doesn't mean that I don't love you, Brooke, because I do," his tone softened as his finger curled around her chin and twisted it to face him. "I do…I can't stop thinking about you, Brooke…"
"Stop…"
"I lay in my room and think about you...think about us," she tried to avoid his gaze, but he forced it and pressed his forehead against hers. Brooke' body trembling as her eyes darted anywhere but his face, cursing when they landed on his lips. "Replay every conversation, every kiss, every touch, every breath. Every I love you…"
"Lucas…"
"And I felt it…you know me. You know me in a way no one has ever known me and I'm sorry I messed that up, I'm so sorry, baby…"
"I need to get back to the group…I told Quinn I would get her a drink and I…I…"
"You still love me, Brooke. I know it. I feel it. This can't be how we end. After everything we've been through this can't be it. You can't hate me for one stupid mistake I made before I knew you. You can't hate me…you can't."
"You think I hate you?" a slow tear danced down her cheek. "You…you're so stupid, Lucas…God, you are so stupid…" she shoved him back from her and rushed to the back room where Stephen was taking a break.
"Hey…" Stephen squinted as he stared at her and lifted a brow. "Are you ok? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Brooke head shook and she shoved out a smile. Trying to erase the conversation she just had and the feelings she felt bubbling up inside her. Swearing she was going to crumble and she didn't want to crumble. She couldn't crumble. "It's just so hot out there with all the screaming girls flipping out over you," she grinned pushing his hair to the side and doing a small skip. "You are killing it, Stephen! I totally loved that last song and…well the first one. Alex would have loved it. Loved all of this…"
"Thank you for saying that…" he exhaled a nervous breath and slowly nodded. "That one I wrote in like…ten minutes. Just kept thinking about her and everything that had happened…" he explained and she slowly nodded getting it. "But….uh…that was a rush," he flipped the subject quickly not wanting to be so serious right then. "I was nervous…I thought I was going to throw up all over the stage," he confessed making her laugh.
"Well, I'm glad you didn't," she revealed the shot glass she grabbed before running from Lucas. "But I brought you a gift to settle the nervous."
"It's like you know me better than anyone," he teased grabbing the shot and knocking the glasses together and shooting it back. "Never tell you parents how many times I allow you to drink underage."
"I wouldn't dare," she giggled, wiping the remaining bits from her mouth. "Oh I don't know what that was but I like it."
"It wasn't bad at all," Stephen agreed. "But I better get back out there."
"Yeah of course…Go," she pushed him to the stage, Stephen laughing as he picked up his guitar and moved toward the steps.
"But Brooke," he paused to face her. "Thanks for coming. I don't think tonight would have been the same if you weren't here."
"I'll always be here, Stephen. Always," Brooke gave a tight lipped smile and light shrug. "Now go kick some ass. Tonight's your night," she spoke, Stephen sending her a wink before disappearing back on the stage hearing the loud scream.
Brooke doing the best to calm her nerves and step back into the crowd to locate her friends. Spending the rest of the night avoiding Lucas and anymore conversations he wants to have with her.