Usual disclaimers apply.
Sorry for the delay. Life's been busy and there has been no time to write. .Martina, thanks for the apology. I really was not offended, but wanted to fix the problem. (I'm going to try and reload the chapter in another format and see if that works. It started again at the end of Chapter 12.) The important thing is that you read the story and enjoy!
Lucas sat in the back of the library, during fifth period study hall. He had a copy of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, the book Jake had loaned him when he first joined the team. Jake had been right, the book was good and Lucas was so engrossed he didn't hear Brooke come up to him and ask, "Room for one more?"
She had to nudge his leg with her foot, before he looked up and said, "Hhmmm – oh Brooke! Sure sit down."
He moved over, making room on the cozy sofa. Brooke sat down, snuggling close to Lucas. He pulled her into the crook of her arm and buried his chin in the top of her head. "How's it going?"
"I'm bored to tears. But I have a killer chem. exam next period."
"So you better study."
She sighed. "I should. What are you doing?"
"Reading a book a friend loaned me."
"Any good?" asked Brooke, opening up her textbook and taking out a pencil.
"Yes. Don't worry, I won't ask you to read it."
Brooke laughed, loudly, catching a glare from the librarian. Covering her mouth, to stifle the laughter, she said, "I better go study." She took out her notebook and concentrated on the formulas she needed to memorize for the test, while absently chewing on the eraser. It was hard to concentrate, because Lucas kept running his hands through her hair, murmuring how soft and shiny it was.
"Hey, Scott," said Brooke suddenly. "Do you want to go out tonight? Do something? I always need to let loose after a chemistry test."
Lucas hesitated. "I do. But my uncle."
"Oh," she said sounding disappointed. "I forgot."
"We'll figure out something," Lucas said quickly. "Maybe Nathan will cover for me."
It was then that Lucas noticed Nathan sitting a few feet from them. He ripped a blank sheet of paper from Brooke's notebook, crumpled it up, took aim, and then threw it, hitting his brother's head.
Nathan whipped around to see where the paper came from and noticed Lucas waving his arms, beckoning him to come over. He picked up the paper and brought it over to Lucas.
"Was that you?" asked Nathan, holding up the paper.
Lucas shrugged. "Didn't know how else to get your attention," he whispered, "without catching the wrath of the library staff."
"Well, you got my attention. What's up?" Nathan sat down on the carpeted floor next to Lucas and Brooke.
"Brooke and I were thinking of going out tonight," Lucas said slowly. "We – we were hoping you …. might… cover for us."
At first, Nathan said nothing. "Cover. How?"
"Tell Keith we're out together."
"Won't work," Nathan said simply. "He's bound to find out that I wasn't out from my mom. They've gotten really close lately." They all sat silently for a moment, thinking it over. "What if I actually went along? I'd have to convince my mom… but maybe we could double date? Haley and I and you and Brooke."
Lucas looked at Brooke and raised his brows. She shrugged. "Okay," said Lucas. "We'll double."
"I'll just have to convince my mother to take me off this short lease of hers."
"And I'll have to have Keith take me off of his."
Nathan and Luke arrived at the café together. "Keith here?" asked Lucas.
"No," Deb said wiping her hands off on a towel. "He's at the garage. You can go there if you need him."
"Thanks," said Lucas. He dropped his books on the counter and ran out the door.
"He's in a hurry," Deb said laughing.
Nathan smiled. "Mom, do you think it's okay if Lucas and I went out tonight?"
She shook her head. "You're still grounded." She turned and went into the kitchen.
"Mom, please," begged Nathan and followed her into the kitchen. By the time he came out, Lucas was back from the garage.
"Is it a go?" asked Lucas.
Nathan nodded. "It's a go."
They all went together in Nathan's car. Haley rode up front with Nathan while Lucas and Brooke snuggled together in the back seat. "Where to?"
"There's a Rave at the warehouse on the west end?" suggested Lucas.
"We'll never get out of there sober," said Brooke. "Your uncle will know for sure you were out with me."
Nathan, Haley, and Lucas all turned to stare at Brooke. "You're turning down booz?" Nathan asked.
"Booz doesn't mix with my good karma. I don't want to have to make amends constantly for the things I do under the influence."
They all laughed.
"So where to?" asked Lucas.
"What about O'leary's? suggested Brooke.
"Don't you have to be twenty-one to get in there?"
"No," said Brooke. "They allow teens in there. As long as we don't drink." She sighed. "I miss alcohol."
O'leary's was packed with wall-to-wall people. Music bounced off the walls, pulsing so loud that Lucas could feel his heart pumping to the music. He grabbed Brooke's wrist and rushed her to the dance floor. The couple danced to the beat, hands in the air, grinding pelvis to pelvis. They continued straight for three songs, before trying to locate Nathan and Haley.
Sweat glistened on Lucas's brow and Brooke was panting. "You're quite the dancer, Scott."
"Why thank you," said Nathan.
"Wrong Scott. You definitely were not the one out there on the dance floor."
"You better have not been," said Haley. "When you dance, I want you all to myself." Haley scooted over and nuzzled closely under Nathan's arm. He reached down and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Oh get a room!" cried Lucas.
"You should talk," bantered Nathan.
Their drinks arrived, cokes for the guys and diet sodas for the girls. "So Lucas," Haley said taking a sip, "Keith didn't give you a hard time?"
He shook his head. "I wasn't grounded anymore. Besides, he liked the idea of Nathan and I getting to know each other. What about you?" Lucas asked, hugging Brooke closer to him. "What did you have to promise to gain your freedom? Your first born?"
"No, just that I pee in a cup."
Haley and Lucas grew quiet, but Brooke said, "huh? What does that mean?"
"It means a drug test," Lucas said quietly. "She's really going to do that?"
"She's been doing it once a week since I ran from the hospital." Nathan toyed with his straw.
"A drug test," cried Brooke. "You've got to be kidding.
"And a breathalyzer."
"You've got to be kidding!"
"No drinking or drugs," Nathan said shrugging. "I'm now St. Nathan. Don't look so shocked," he said to everyone at the table. "It's not uncommon. I did some searching on the Net. Lots of parents don't trust their kids and want to make sure they're clean. It's not like I didn't earn this and frankly, if this how I can get out of the house, I'll do it gladly."
"So you're not pissed?" asked Brooke.
Nathan caught Haley's look. "I was," he said throwing up his hands. "I was royally pissed, but I earned the distrust. We all know I was taking drugs. That's why I collapsed. Let's change the subject. What did you have to promise?" he asked Lucas.
"No drinking. No drugs. Home by midnight. I don't think he thought about the drug test though, or I might be peeing in a cup too."
"You guys are such a pair," said Haley. "I'm actually starting to believe that you're brothers."
"Well, we have a lot more than that in common." Lucas stood up and grabbed Brooke's wrist, dragging her into an upright position. "Let's dance."
The music was too loud to talk on the dance floor, but Lucas and Brooke had no trouble communicating. His hands wouldn't stop searching for skin. Lucas's hands were around her waist, up her shirt, under the strap of her bra. Brooke shook her head, and gently moved Lucas's hands back to her waist, and the couple swayed to the beat of the music. It was crowded and it was difficult not to bump into other couples. They even knocked into Haley and Nathan once, while trying to make their way back to the table.
"I'm sorry," said Lucas when they got off the dance floor. The music was still loud, but at least they could hear each other if they shouted loudly enough. "I didn't mean to do anything –"
Brooke cut him off, by putting her fingers to her lips. "It's okay. I just like to do these things with you in private she said."
"Sorry," Lucas repeated. "I didn't realize."
She pulled him into a dark corner and into a deep long kiss. "Lucas," she said when coming up for a breath. "When are you getting that second test, because I don't know how long I can hold out?"
"Neither do I," he said, returning her kisses.
They continued kissing long and deep until Lucas's cell phone rang. Lucas pulled away and closed his eyes, touching foreheads with Brooke. After a moment, he pulled out his phone and he saw it was Nathan trying to reach him.
"Didn't know where you went," Nathan apologized. "But it's getting near the witching hour and we've got to get going."
"We'll meet you in the parking lot," Lucas assured him.
"I guess we should be grateful for nosy friends and family," Lucas told Brooke as he linked his hands with hers. "Because otherwise we might do something really stupid."
Lucas arrived home at five minutes to twelve. Keith was sitting by the kitchen table, an open bottle of beer between his hands. "I'm on time," Lucas said, swinging his long legs over a chair. "I'm sober." He breathed hard in Keith's face. "No new tattoos," he said holding up his arms and lifting his shirtsleeves.
Keith didn't smile.
"I was just kidding."
"I know. I know. How was your night out with Nathan? Where'd you go?"
"O'leary's. It was nice. Nathan's a good guy."
"It's nice," said Keith, "That the two of you have found some common ground."
Lucas shrugged. "He's not the same without Dan around."
"So what you do?"
"Listened to the music. Found some girls to dance with. Had cokes. Nothing special. Just hung out."
"Good. Good," said Keith nodding.
"Hey Keith," Lucas said after a brief silence. "Do you think that tomorrow I could go back to working at the garage? I miss… the work." Lucas didn't know how to explain that he missed spending time with Keith when they weren't at each other's throat.
"Deb needs you. I know you thought I was trying to punish you, but she was drowning and she needed the extra hands to hold the place together. It was for your mom, Lucas."
"You wanted someone to keep an eye on me," Lucas insisted.
"Yes. But I could have done that at the garage."
"Fine, but by now Deb has a handle on things and she has Nathan there to slave and Haley works there day and night."
"It's okay. I'll ask Deb if she can spare the help. If she can, you'll be back at the garage after practice."
Lucas smiled. Perhaps, they'd get back to where they had once been.
"It's late," Keith said. "You should get to bed."
"Yes Gra---"
"You're not too old," reminded Keith.