Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews. It feels like a ghost town on the OTH Fanfic tag, and I wasn't sure if this website was actually used much these days, so it felt great that some people took time out of their day to review. It really does mean a lot. I'm sorry I can't thank you all personally as all I see is the word "Guest " – but seriously, thank you! I hope you enjoy the update and as always, let me know what you think.
- Chrissy
~ My Favourite Game ~
x~X~x
Chapter Three: The House of Basketball
Twenty minutes later we were on our way back to the campus parking lot, Haley moving at a quickened pace as she held onto the strap of the now heaving bag that hung over her right shoulder. The moment we had entered our room she was flittering about like a windstorm, picking up books, and textbooks, and handwritten notes before discarding half of them and starting again. She mumbled words to herself as she decided upon what to take, and after about ten minutes of this her eyes went wide, she dropped her crammed bag onto her bed and she reached into her closet, pulling out a new sweated and applying a light round of makeup. She stopped when I arched an eyebrow and gave me the look, encouraging me to do the same.
My reply was a solid facial expression of "not in your life."
And then we were out the door, Haley hurrying me through the corridor and out the front entranceway as the cooling evening air kissed our faces. The sun was beginning to go down and it was throwing the most glorious colours across the sky, splashes of pinks, lilacs, and oranges. It made me smile and I sighed a little as I took it all in.
"Wow," I murmured, lost in the beauty of it all.
"I know. Isn't he perfect?"
Haley's words crashed through my moment and a wave of confusion washed over me. It didn't last long as I soon followed her gaze and registered what she was actually referring to. Lucas leaned up against the front of his black Range Rover and gazed down at his phone, his right thumb moving up and down the screen as his left hand sat snugly in his jeans pocket. Even leaning back against his car, you could see why he was a basketballer. The height, the lean body, the long arms. He was the very definition of perfect. For the sport, of course. Every other part of him didn't deserve that adjective.
Although judging by the copious amounts of eyes stealing glances in his direction, I wondered if I was the only person on the planet that believed that. Soft giggles, widened eyes, dilated pupils, curious gazes that lingered for longer than they should have, you would think that Lucas Scott was some sort of prized art piece and that his current pose was like an invitation to enjoy the exhibit.
"Sorry we're late," Haley announced breathlessly as we approached, Lucas glancing up from his phone and siding it quickly into his side pocket. "I wanted to grab these. You know… just in case they might come in handy. Totally not Brooke's fault, she didn't even bother to change."
She held up her stash of books and then registered what she had said, freezing in the spot and turning towards me whilst shooting a horrified and apologetic look my way. I shrugged my shoulder in reply – she wasn't wrong. I didn't put any effort in except to grab my folder and notes and wait for her to finish getting ready. And I wasn't upset that he knew that I had made zero effort for him. He had enough adoring fans to stroke his ego anyway.
What I didn't expect was that her words would cause a smile to form at the edges of Lucas' mouth and then the annoyance I felt at his non-reaction to my lack of care. He said nothing to Haley but reached out for the rear passenger door instead, a hand stretched out and offering the back seat to my roommate. She graciously accepted, Lucas turning to face me as Haley mouthed the words "Oh my god" behind him so that he couldn't see. As I began to move around him to join my friend in the back of the range rover, his right hand reached out and shut the door behind her whilst his left hand jutted out and grasped for the front passenger handle. I eyed him curiously, a look of uncertainty and annoyance filtering through my gaze once more but he said nothing, instead offering up the same invitation for me to jump in, only this time he was offering the front seat.
Right next to him.
When I didn't move, Lucas tilted his chin and ducked a little on bent knees, forcing his eyes to align with mine, and ensured I was witness to that signature grin that allowed his eyes to sparkle slightly as he looked at me.
"Are we reconsidering, or do we need a verbal invitation?"
I glared at him, my nostrils flaring slightly at his question as I squared up to him in one swift movement. My challenge only seemed to widen his smirk and I was not in the mood to have him enjoy my irritation. Instead, I put my hand on the roof of the car and paused, turning to eye him intently as he watched me.
"If you make me regret going with you, I will not be responsible for the grievous bodily harm I will inflict upon you. Got it?"
"Sure thing, Cheery."
His low and smooth snigger echoed throughout my mind as I launched myself into the front seat and closed the door a little more loudly than was necessary, behind me. He shook his head and rounded the front of the vehicle before taking up his position in the driver's seat, a few onlookers showing their surprise as they watched us. I could feel his side gaze as we peeled from the parking lot, and with every attempt I made to ignore him, I swear I could hear him chuckle a little more, Haley mumbling something from the back seat about what the focus of our study was. And as much as I wanted to focus on her words, her voice, her escape… I couldn't. Every time he spoke, I heard him. Every laugh, every sigh, every tsk of his lips as he brought them into his mouth and bit down ever so slightly, I could hear him. I swear I could feel his every sound in every inch of my being. It was infuriating.
It was the longest fifteen-minute ride of my life.
x~X~x
I'd never been to an athletes' house before and so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd never visited Clay when he moved into his house that first year of college and he understood my reasons. I'd even had a slight moment of panic when I realised that Clay and Lucas could have shared the same space, but when I texted Clay and asked him where he would be that night, he reminded me that it was his turn to head back home for the weekly parental check in and I relaxed a little after that. My mind then thoroughly focussed on how I was going to navigate this new terrain and I mentally prepared myself as best as I could, forcing the anxiety that crept up the back of my throat back down to a place of dormant torture. Perhaps the place wouldn't be too excessive and more relaxed, but as we rounded the final corner and Lucas punched in a code to open the gate, I knew I was not visiting some low-key house. He manoeuvred down a long driveway that pulled us further and further away from the main road and finally slid his car to a stop in the long-curved driveway. To face the house head on was to acknowledge that the basketball team was well taken care of.
And that was an understatement.
I could hear Haley's gasp of wonder as I looked back down the long white concrete driveway we had driven down and saw that to my left was another round circle driveway with four cars parked one after another, as if waiting in line in a turning circle. A solitary tree sat in the middle of the driveway roundabout, set off beautifully by the tall trees that stretched off far into the distance. It felt like acres of forest enchantment surrounded the house and that immediately made my chest swell from its beauty. I took a mental image of the scene, wondering if the boys inside even registered the magnificence that was surrounding them.
A thump of car doors slamming brought me crashing back to reality and I pushed the passenger door open, Lucas already making stride to the backseat to grab the load of books that Haley had brought with her. I rounded to the front of the car and looked up, the foreboding residence displaying undeniable architecture of the highest calibre. I could already hear my father's voice in my head discussing the intricacies of such a building, how the house was redolent of an English manor clad in imported stone, with a deep grey roof that demonstrated the two stories of the house itself and the rather spectacular turrets that peaked over the front right and left rooms. Even the lawn was perfectly manicured, with lush green bushes framing the front entranceway, and I could have sworn I could hear running water in the far-off distance.
This place was an oasis.
"Impressed?"
Lucas was suddenly at my ear, leaning in so close that I could feel the heat from his body interacting with my skin. The hairs on my neck stood on end but I held my stance.
"Yes," Haley breathed out, her eyes growing wider as she inched closer and closer to the front door. "It sure beats the heck out of the room we're in, right Brooke?"
I shrugged, refusing to even show the slightest bit of interest and Lucas chuckled as he moved around me.
"I like our room. It has character. Not too showy, if you know what I mean?"
We reached the front door and Lucas stopped, right and diving into his pocket for the keys. Haley stilled at my words and Lucas smiled. He turned the key and we walked inside.
We were immediately hit with a dominant background beat that seemed to be coming from a room ahead of us. A loud roar came from the same direction no more than ten seconds later and Haley shot me a look, her eyebrows raising slightly as she waited for my response. It had only been half a day and it was like she could already sense my beckoning mood. I reached out and grabbed Lucas by the arm, the basketballer turning in slight surprise at the touch as my annoyed expression bore into him.
"I thought you said we were working on our group assignment?"
He looked down at my hand attached to his arm and his eyes lingered there for a moment as I felt the tension of his muscle beneath my grip. He wasn't a bulked-up footballer, but he definitely had some tone working in his favour and I could feel every inch of it underneath my touch. I ripped my hand away quickly and glanced up, Lucas smiling at my hasty movement.
"We are."
"Then why does it sound like there's some frat party going on in there? Not exactly the kind of place that's conducive to study or learning or, I don't know, anything to do with thinking in general."
"Relax, Davis," Lucas said as he grabbed out his phone and shot away a text, gesturing to the room to the left of the entrance we had just come through. "In case you hadn't noticed, we have plenty of rooms here for all sorts of activities. We can have it as loud or as quiet as you would like."
I felt a lump creep into my throat at his words but before I could respond with my latest witty snipe, a thunderous cry rang out as determined steps jogged down the hallway in quick succession.
"Luke-ass!"
Lucas laughed and held out his hand, a quick hand slap and grab thing that guys seemed to do as a greeting, the pair pulling their opposite shoulders towards each other in greeting. He turned towards me then and I registered his face at once. I'm sure anyone would have, considering his legendary status, but I had made a determined effort to memorise every single one of those faces from class to strategically avoid them on campus if they ever came my way. Except maybe Peyton. I would probably say hello to her if it ever came to that.
She seemed alright. Not jock-like at all. Her friend Rachel though, I was still undecided.
Nathan, however, was all jock and all Scott. He stood slightly taller than his brother and had the raven-haired colouring and baby blues that made him stand out in a crowd, but the rest of him was almost identical to his brother. Rumour was that he was the younger Scott but only by a few months, their equally talented basketballer father Dan Scott having impregnated two women at the same time in his final year of high school. Luckily, he came from a wealthy family, and both were taken care of when they decided to keep their future sons, Lucas and Nathan. Somehow, they had all managed to remain civil or the sake of the boys, with the two mothers even becoming close friends. Dan had even gone on to play college ball, but an injury during his senior year had brought his playing career crashing down and he had coached since then.
So here the boys stood, a dynamic duo that contained so much talent that the University was chomping at the bit to secure them as students. Clearly, this house was one of the enticements.
"Hello again, Brooke Davis," the raven-haired Scott smiled, keeping a healthy distance from me as he looked me up and down. Subtle he was not, but self-assured and cocky was a cologne he shared with his brother. "Welcome to our home. It's nice to see you again."
My god the boy was brash, and he couldn't wipe the smirk off his face as he glanced between his brother and I, making my cheeks feel slightly hotter than normal. I felt Haley shuffle beside me, and her movement caught the eye of the second Scott brother for which I was grateful as his attention was suddenly diverted from me and now firmly placed on her. He turned in her direction and it was as if he had taken Lucas' signature smirk and planted right on his very own lips.
"Part of the study party? I don't remember seeing you in class."
Haley nodded in response, a small wave coming from her hand as she looked up. "I'm Haley. Brooke's roommate. Avid reader and not in your class. I uh, know a lot about Fitzgerald so I'm here to help."
"You're willingly helping to study with people you don't know for a class you don't take?" You couldn't have covered the incredulity that layered the tone of his voice as his eyes relayed his obvious surprise. "Like, seriously?"
"Yes, seriously." Haley replied, her eyes narrowing in on Nathan as she spoke. It was now her turn to speak as if what he was saying were words from completely foreign language. "Since when is it a crime to help others?"
Nathan eyed Haley and considered her words, and I felt my own grin beginning to form. She had stumped him, and it was rather brilliant to watch.
"Yeah," Nathan stepped back, slightly unnerved but trying to keep his jovial but heard exterior in check. "Whatever you say, Tutor Girl."
"Actually, I am a proud tutor," she replied, smiling smugly and I realised she was now aware of her impact on him. "So, when you eventually need some academic help, give me a call."
He glanced at Lucas as he barked out a laughed and then shrugged, the older Scott motioning to the left room as if to let Nathan know where we'd be and that we were now going. Nathan merely nodded in reply, torn between turning on his heel and returning to the obvious party that was beginning to form elsewhere in the house and figuring out exactly who this Haley was. Finally, he simply gave up and grinned, sending us a quick wave and calling out as he made his way back down the hall to his awaiting fans, or friends. Perhaps they were one and the same.
"Peyt and Jake are already in there."
Nathan's words echoed around us as Lucas led the way. As we entered the room, Peyton looked up from her position on the off-white couch and threw up a warm smile as a greeting and tucked her legs beneath her. Her couch made up part of the lounge ensemble that lay perimeter to a large glass coffee table which sat in the centre of the grand oak study. Jake was sitting opposite her on an identical couch and sent a smile our way as well. To say this room was a showstopper would be an understatement. Filled with bespoke carpentry and floor to ceiling bookshelves that wrapped around a large fireplace, the arched glass doors gave a perfect view of the forestry that surrounded the house and if I had not felt the sudden presence of Lucas behind me as we shuffled into the room, I might have been tempted to walk around and admire everything that this private haven had to offer. Instead, I walked inside and replied to Peyton's welcome with a low, swift wave of my hand and pointed towards Haley, offering up introductions in my usual abrupt way.
"Haley, meet Peyton and Jake – Peyton and Jake, meet my roommate Haley. Peyton and Jake over there are in my Lit class and Haley has some knowledge of Fitzgerald and is willing to help us."
"Hey," Peyton replied, southern notes filling in space between us as she gestured towards the couches. "Take a seat."
Haley immediately welcomed the invitation and took a seat at the end of the couch where Peyton sat, thanking Lucas with a smile as he handed her the bag of books. I decided to make my way next to Jake and sat, Jake offering up his own smile for me as I did so. He also offered me some popcorn from the bowl that rested in his lap, and I graciously accepted. I liked having the option to focus on something when I was trying to avoid something else.
"Hey, I'm glad you could make it. It's nice to see you again."
Did they rehearse this sentence every time Lucas brought girls home? Apparently both Nathan and Jake felt it was nice to see me again, but I didn't feel the same arrogance pouring from Jake as I did with the Scott brothers and so I decided to let it go, instead channelling my inner nice-girl and reserving the claws for those who deserved it.
"And you, Jake," I replied, which I realised was no word of a lie as I said it. I realised how at ease Jake made me feel despite the fact that he was also a jock and I had basically warned myself off his kind for life. It was a nice change from the knots that had plagued me the second I knew I would be walking into this house. The long line of cars, the stolen glances from nearly everyone with each step that Lucas took, and the energy permeating throughout the hall as Nathan had come to speak to us, reminded me of life with my brother. Loud, uncertain, and painful. I felt the twinge of a memory hitting me in the pit of my stomach and I forced the thought away, unwilling to be brought back into that hellish past life. I closed my eyes and placed one hand to my temple, taking a deep breath as I recentred. It wasn't until I opened my eyes again that I noticed Lucas staring intently at me, his expression unreadable as he leaned against the desk that sat parallel behind Haley and Peyton. Our eyes met and for a moment I could feel my heartrate quicken as he gazed at me, the stare-off broken by the sudden swinging open of the study door and the booming voice that filled the room.
"The party is here, bitches!"
Felix Taggaro entered the room with Bevin and Rachel close behind, Nathan rounding up the group as they made their way into the study. The girls stopped short when they noticed Haley and I, and as if sensing something had strayed onto her turf without permission, Rachel immediately raised one solitary eyebrow and made her way over to Lucas, positioning herself on the desk beside him and placing one delicate hand on his shoulder. The move was both desperate and somewhat funny, as her territorial behaviour was being wasted on someone who was never going to be a threat.
It was like high school all over again and it was draining. She was more than welcome to him.
My body jolted suddenly as Felix landed on the chair arm beside me, a teethy grin bearing down on me as I looked up at him.
"Well hello there, beautiful. Have you come to be my study buddy?"
"No," I announced, smiling at him as I spoke. "I can't because I'm busy."
"Busy doing what?" Felix replied, running a hand through his thick, gelled hair. "I thought we were all here to study?"
"Busy doing anything else that doesn't involve engaging in direct contact with you," I breathed out, already feeling the eyes in the room on me. I knew how bitchy I sounded, but I simply didn't care. I was done being spoken to by jock assholes who thought they could treat girls however they wanted to. I was also running low on patience as our group project had now somehow exploded to contain two groups and little to no work had begun. I was silently thanking the gods that Haley had come into my life a mere few hours before and had already become my safeguard in this room.
"Careful, Taggaro," Rachel smirked, crossing her legs at the ankles, and smiling at me with a fake sweetness that dripped from her like honey. "This one bites."
I gnashed my teeth at her in response.
Nathan laughed in the background and slid into the single recliner that sat opposite the fireplace. He began rocking back and forth and sent me a lopsided grin before turning his attention to Haley who had a dazed look on her face. No doubt this was a lot for her to absorb. Hell, it was a lot for me and I'd grown up with it. Bevin placed herself between Peyton and Haley and sent my roommate a chipper smile, quietly introducing herself before immediately pulling out her phone.
Felix leaned a little closer so that his lips were in direct alignment with my ear, trying to give off the impression that he was whispering sweet nothing's that were obviously loud enough for everyone to hear. He was openly flirting, and he wasn't ashamed to do so with a captive audience.
"So, about this direct contact with me-"
"Jagielski, shift."
Lucas' voice sliced through the air with the sharpness of a knife, immediately plummeting the room into silence. Nathan rested his left elbow onto the arm of his recliner and brought his finger to his mouth in an attempt to hide his smile, but Jake silently rose to his feet and immediately made his way to the floor in front of Peyton as Lucas crossed the room and slid into the chair beside me. I just gazed at him wordlessly, startled for the briefest moment.
I wasn't the only one who seemed surprised.
As I lifted my head, I noticed two very distinct things. Firstly, the shocked expression that was quickly overshadowed by awe as Haley glanced back and forth between Lucas and I like her head had taken on the persona of a tennis ball in an Open final. Secondly, the scowl that saturated Rachel's face was undeniable. She was mad and aiming it squarely at me. But I hadn't invited it. I hadn't invited him, and this was just another example of why I didn't want to be in this world. Girls either used you to get close to the guys they really wanted, like Clay or Lucas or Nathan or whomever else you knew, or they hated you, bullying you and tearing you down simply for having something they believed they deserved more than you.
It made me angry that she was blaming Lucas' calculated move to be near me on the wrong person, but at the same time, my body warmed at the thought of what he'd done. It was primal. Territorial. Hot.
Naturally, this only served to piss me off even further.
This guy had a power over everyone because he was the super star of our school. The talent matched the looks and matched the attitude. Everyone knew who he was, what he did, and that they wanted him. Hell, even people from neighbouring schools knew who Lucas Scott was. But now he was starting to have a power over me that no other guy had had before, and my throat burned at the thought of it. Sensing my internal conflict, he turned to look at me with a smouldering gaze and I felt my stomach drop slightly, fighting against the defiance that rippled through me.
I said nothing.
He said nothing.
Peyton couldn't help herself.
"Do you guys need the room, or…"
The question hung in the air as Lucas and I broke our stare and turned to look at the rest of the room. They sat there in silence, but all eyes were trained on us. Eyes filled with awe, or anger, or confusion, or envy. Or mixture of all those things.
Then Nathan declared he needed a drink and rose from his chair, so I took the opportunity to do what I did best.
Flee.
"Count me in," I announced, standing to my feet quickly and walking over to Nathan. I'm sure the look of shock on his face was mirrored in the faces of those around us in the room, but I dared not look. I could already feel his brother's eyes burning into the back of my head and the way that feeling dominated my thoughts so badly meat that I had only one choice - I had to get away. I knew in that moment that Nathan was offering a way out and the urge to flee was strong. The more the urge persisted, the stronger it became. I raised my eyebrows and gestured toward the door to usher Nathan out, and as we walked away, I could hear the sound of books as they began falling onto the coffee table and the floor. Soon the murmur of our friends infiltrated the space behind us as the purpose for our visit commenced. I made a mental note to gulp down one drink, build some liquid courage, wait for the feelings to die down, and then return to the room.
Perfect idea.
Perfect escape.
Perfect reset.
That is, until Nathan led me into the kitchen and I registered the other fifteen or so people that had congregated in there. Lucas was right, the study had become quiet the moment the door was closed, and now I was surrounded by these new faces I almost immediately regretted my decision to leave the haven of the study.
Before I could turn there was a drink in my hand from someone I didn't recognise, multiple sets of eyes grazing over me as I walked towards the island bench in the middle of the room. Nathan smirked down at me as I brought the cup to my lips and chugged it down, the liquid strange, disgusting and satisfying all at the same time.
"Whoa there, Brooke. Didn't take you for a rager."
"I'm not," I replied, pulling at the lemon in his hand and taking it to my lips. I bit down hard, sucking on the sour juices and closing my eyes. Then the feeling came. The trickling in my throat. The warmth in my chest. The calming of my mind. It was exactly what I was looking for and a sense of comfort washed over me.
"Sure you're going to be able to study after that?" Nathan snickered and leaned against the kitchen counter, folding his arms across his chest as people began to move in his direction.
"Do you even know how to study?" I fired back, swallowing hard as my head began to spin slightly. Perhaps I did down the drink too fast, but Nathan chuckled at my response as a few "Ooohs" echoed around me as murmurs of my burn, as one guy put it, followed Nathan around.
"Pretty sure your tutor friend could help me."
I heard his words, but my head began to throb somewhat, and I felt the urge to shut my eyes slightly. Looking up, I saw a door that led outside and made my way towards it without looking back. Nathan's laughter faded into the background and I pushed through the door, the cool evening air hitting my face with welcomed reprieve. My god, even the backyard was beautiful as the forest lit up against the moonlight that bore down on it. I stumbled down the stairs, holding on for dear life as I made my way to the bottom towards some carefully placed chairs that sat around a garden bonfire. It was nice out here in the darkness, but I was having trouble seeing clearly and stumbled against the soft ground beneath. I took all of five steps before I could feel my legs give way. I gasped, knowing I was about the fall sideways into the dirt when I felt a sudden pull from my side and warm arms wrap around my waist.
"I got you."
Lucas' voice was calm, firm, and it pulled at my nether regions like a moth to a flame. I leaned into him, the smell intoxicating and familiar and he walked us down towards the benches before us. He stopped when we got there and placed a hand on the base of my back, holding it there as he gently spun me so that I was facing him. We stood there like that, gently watching one-another as if trying to solve a puzzle. There was no arrogance in his eyes, no cockiness or smart remark. Just silent stability. I was waiting for him to place me on the chair, but he didn't move. And neither did I. For some annoying reason I wanted to stand there, safe in his embrace. Tension filled me.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I replied, blinking a couple of times to get my bearings back. "I just drank one a little too fast. I'm not drunk or anything."
"What did you have?" His voice was a little more urgent this time and he tilted his head to the side, looking at me intently. His whole body was rigid, and I could the tenseness in his body even though he was holding me in the gentlest of ways. "Who did you get it from?"
"Something gross," I breathed, almost feeling as though I should be sorry for what had happened. Like somehow, I had let him down. The thought bugged me. "And I don't know?"
Sensing my sudden shift in mood, his eyes softened, and he let out a long, slow breath. His body began to relax, and we were back in that moment of silent stability. I could suddenly hear the chorus of cicadas that had been singing around us and I became acutely aware of where I was, what I was doing, and whose arms I was in. The fresh air was forcing my mind to unscramble to the moments before the drink.
This was Lucas Scott. What was I doing? I had planned this year. I was going to have a different experience than high school. I was going to be free of this life. Free of the basketball scene. Free of the jocks and people like him.
They use. They abuse.
But I didn't move. My hands rested on his strong arms as they held me, and I didn't push him away. His hand tightened on my hip and slipped under the hem of my top, rubbing slow circles on my bare skin. I gasped a little and the sound did not go unnoticed by him as out chests rose and fell in unison. He pulled me closer still, and I felt that nagging heat pulling at my insides again.
What the fuck was happening to me? What was I doing?
Why did this feel so damn good?
"Stop thinking," he breathed, a hand reaching out and brushing a loose strand of hair behind me ear. His fingertips lingered a little on the skin behind my ear before they flexed out and his hand stretched across the back of my neck. I made no attempt to brush him away. The tension within me was still there, but it was starting to mix with a warmth that began to spread over my body. He could sense it too, his eyes beginning to burn into mine with a look I hadn't seen him wear before.
Stop thinking.
"But I hate you," I breathed, my voice low and raspy as I gazed up at him.
"Hate me tomorrow," he ordered, his eyes hungry and determined.
A second later, his lips crashed onto mine.
x~X~x
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