Author's Note: Here goes! The next chapter! Thank all of you who left me
the great reviews. It definitely made my day and I needed a little cheering
up!! Hope I don't disappoint you guys!!
Stage: OFC = Original Female Character
Web Writer Witch: What would I do without you to make all the tough decisions for me?
Warning: The boys aren't mine, but Brooke is. This story contains angst and other depressing stuff. Read at your own risk. (Although I know most of you like this stuff, just like me!)
Title: Secrets Best Left Untold
Author: Neffie
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 2
That evening, Brooke had gotten off work around seven and had retreated to the small apartment in the back of Tibby's restaurant which was really nothing more than a bed, a night stand with an oil lamp a wood stove, and a small washroom. It wasn't much, but it was all that she needed. It was relatively quiet most of the time and had a door that led into the alley behind the restaurant.
The confrontation with Specs had unnerved her. //How could I have been so stupid?// she scolded herself. Now her secret was revealed. She didn't want anyone to know her secret, even Specs, although he was her best friend. The boys had more important things to worry about than her. If Blink were ever to find out…
A short series of knocks sounded at her door. She jumped in surprise at the sudden noise. She went and cautiously opened the door a crack, peeking out. "Ya gonna leaves me out her all night, goil? I thought you liked me!"
"Blink!" she exclaimed as she opened the door the rest of the way. She stopped as she saw the condition of the blond boy's face. His face was smudged with dirt and he had a black eye and a busted lip, but the grin on his face eased her fears that he was badly hurt. "What have you gone and done to yourself now?" she went to go get a wet towel to clean him up. Blink sat down on the bed, and Brooke kneeled in front of him, patiently waiting for an explanation of his current predicament.
"Well, ya rememba da guy dat Race was talkin' about at lunch today?" He winced as she tried to gently clean the cut on his lip.
"The one who owed him some money, right?" Brooke had a feeling that she knew where this story was heading. "Yeahs. We saw 'im near da square and Race decided he wanted to 'have a talk wit 'im'. Da guy didn't feel like talkin' much, as youse can probably tell. And neither did his two oldah brothers for dat matter!" This wasn't the first time that Blink had showed up at Brooke's door with a few new "battle scars", as the boys liked to call them. In fact, it had been a situation like this where they had shared their first kiss.
He was watching her intently, the events at the restaurant that day still haunting his thoughts. Had he really seen what he had thought? He cared about Brooke too much to lose her, at least not without a fight. Every other girl he had been with had been just for fun, and in some cases, to show off to the other guys. But with Brooke it was different. He had never been good at voicing his emotions to people, but he felt he had to, for the sake of their relationship. Brooke was concentrating so hard on the job of cleaning Blink up, she didn't notice his studying gaze.
As she reached up to brush his bangs off his forehead he grabbed her wrist. She yelped in pain and Blink quickly let her go, watching helplessly as she scurried back away from him, holding her wrist against her chest. He hadn't meant to grab her that hard. He didn't even think he had grabbed her hard at all. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
"Brooke… I…" Blink stuttered, unsure of what was wrong, and what he could do about it. As he stood up from his place on the bed her eyes grew wide. Blink thought he saw a glimmer of fear before Brooke collected herself and turned away.
"S-s-sorry. You just surprised me." Her voice became thick with tears that she was holding back. //I can't break down in front of him like this.// She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
Blink came up behind her and gently took ahold of her shoulders. He could feel her trembling underneath his fingers. "Sheesh girl, you're shakin'! What are you so scared of?" His breath hitched as she turned to face him, her eyes shining with unshead tears. "Youse don't tink I would eva hurt yas do ya? Brooke I love…" his next word died in his throat as he saw the small red stain on her sleeve which seemed to be spreading before his very eyes. "Damnit goil! Whats this?" he exclaimed as he unbuttoned the sleeve of her blouse, revealing the long jagged cut that had started to bleed again.
"I'm so clumsy sometimes. I was washing dishes, not really paying attention to what I was doing and I managed to nick myself with one of the knives. It must have been reopened when you grabbed me." She lied with a wave of her other hand, to try and convince Blink it was nothing of concern.
"Dat's one hell of a nick if ya asks me! Youse take such good care of me and youse don't even bandage ya self!" Blink felt terrible for hurting her, accidentally or not. He was just about to ask her why she was still shaking when the door flew open as a curly-headed tornado blew in.
"C'mon Blink!" Mush practically bounced in excitement. "We'se gonna be late for da big poker game in Harlem! Race and Jack is waitin'!"
Blink couldn't help but grin at the joy of his best friend. "Alrights Mush, I'll be dere in a minute." As the other boy left, Blink turned back to Brooke. "I'll catch ya later, sweetheart. You take care of dat arm, you hear me?" Brooke nodded and forced a smile. He kissed her on the forehead and was gone, shutting the door behind him.
In the silence, Brooke slid to the floor and gave into her tears, with only the light of the fire in the stove to keep her company.
END OF CHAPTER 2!
Author's Note: So what do ya thinks? Sorry there was no Specs in this chapter for ya'll that love him, but don't worry! There is a lot in store for him in the next chapter!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!! *Love and Huggles to you All!*
Stage: OFC = Original Female Character
Web Writer Witch: What would I do without you to make all the tough decisions for me?
Warning: The boys aren't mine, but Brooke is. This story contains angst and other depressing stuff. Read at your own risk. (Although I know most of you like this stuff, just like me!)
Title: Secrets Best Left Untold
Author: Neffie
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 2
That evening, Brooke had gotten off work around seven and had retreated to the small apartment in the back of Tibby's restaurant which was really nothing more than a bed, a night stand with an oil lamp a wood stove, and a small washroom. It wasn't much, but it was all that she needed. It was relatively quiet most of the time and had a door that led into the alley behind the restaurant.
The confrontation with Specs had unnerved her. //How could I have been so stupid?// she scolded herself. Now her secret was revealed. She didn't want anyone to know her secret, even Specs, although he was her best friend. The boys had more important things to worry about than her. If Blink were ever to find out…
A short series of knocks sounded at her door. She jumped in surprise at the sudden noise. She went and cautiously opened the door a crack, peeking out. "Ya gonna leaves me out her all night, goil? I thought you liked me!"
"Blink!" she exclaimed as she opened the door the rest of the way. She stopped as she saw the condition of the blond boy's face. His face was smudged with dirt and he had a black eye and a busted lip, but the grin on his face eased her fears that he was badly hurt. "What have you gone and done to yourself now?" she went to go get a wet towel to clean him up. Blink sat down on the bed, and Brooke kneeled in front of him, patiently waiting for an explanation of his current predicament.
"Well, ya rememba da guy dat Race was talkin' about at lunch today?" He winced as she tried to gently clean the cut on his lip.
"The one who owed him some money, right?" Brooke had a feeling that she knew where this story was heading. "Yeahs. We saw 'im near da square and Race decided he wanted to 'have a talk wit 'im'. Da guy didn't feel like talkin' much, as youse can probably tell. And neither did his two oldah brothers for dat matter!" This wasn't the first time that Blink had showed up at Brooke's door with a few new "battle scars", as the boys liked to call them. In fact, it had been a situation like this where they had shared their first kiss.
He was watching her intently, the events at the restaurant that day still haunting his thoughts. Had he really seen what he had thought? He cared about Brooke too much to lose her, at least not without a fight. Every other girl he had been with had been just for fun, and in some cases, to show off to the other guys. But with Brooke it was different. He had never been good at voicing his emotions to people, but he felt he had to, for the sake of their relationship. Brooke was concentrating so hard on the job of cleaning Blink up, she didn't notice his studying gaze.
As she reached up to brush his bangs off his forehead he grabbed her wrist. She yelped in pain and Blink quickly let her go, watching helplessly as she scurried back away from him, holding her wrist against her chest. He hadn't meant to grab her that hard. He didn't even think he had grabbed her hard at all. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
"Brooke… I…" Blink stuttered, unsure of what was wrong, and what he could do about it. As he stood up from his place on the bed her eyes grew wide. Blink thought he saw a glimmer of fear before Brooke collected herself and turned away.
"S-s-sorry. You just surprised me." Her voice became thick with tears that she was holding back. //I can't break down in front of him like this.// She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
Blink came up behind her and gently took ahold of her shoulders. He could feel her trembling underneath his fingers. "Sheesh girl, you're shakin'! What are you so scared of?" His breath hitched as she turned to face him, her eyes shining with unshead tears. "Youse don't tink I would eva hurt yas do ya? Brooke I love…" his next word died in his throat as he saw the small red stain on her sleeve which seemed to be spreading before his very eyes. "Damnit goil! Whats this?" he exclaimed as he unbuttoned the sleeve of her blouse, revealing the long jagged cut that had started to bleed again.
"I'm so clumsy sometimes. I was washing dishes, not really paying attention to what I was doing and I managed to nick myself with one of the knives. It must have been reopened when you grabbed me." She lied with a wave of her other hand, to try and convince Blink it was nothing of concern.
"Dat's one hell of a nick if ya asks me! Youse take such good care of me and youse don't even bandage ya self!" Blink felt terrible for hurting her, accidentally or not. He was just about to ask her why she was still shaking when the door flew open as a curly-headed tornado blew in.
"C'mon Blink!" Mush practically bounced in excitement. "We'se gonna be late for da big poker game in Harlem! Race and Jack is waitin'!"
Blink couldn't help but grin at the joy of his best friend. "Alrights Mush, I'll be dere in a minute." As the other boy left, Blink turned back to Brooke. "I'll catch ya later, sweetheart. You take care of dat arm, you hear me?" Brooke nodded and forced a smile. He kissed her on the forehead and was gone, shutting the door behind him.
In the silence, Brooke slid to the floor and gave into her tears, with only the light of the fire in the stove to keep her company.
END OF CHAPTER 2!
Author's Note: So what do ya thinks? Sorry there was no Specs in this chapter for ya'll that love him, but don't worry! There is a lot in store for him in the next chapter!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!! *Love and Huggles to you All!*
