Disclaimer: I have no rights over these characters, or the show, or anything-- just the laptop that I'm typing it on.
Love is an unfathomable phenomenon.
It can be a wondrous revelation, invoking sensations of the warm and fuzzy variety. Love makes us see the potentials; love gives us hope; love can set us free.
On the other hand, it can also be a consuming malady, eliciting syndromes of the insecure and jealous breed. Love makes us possessive; love gives us doubts; love can set us down a path of destruction.
For Bradin, the days since his realization have been an endlessly swinging pendulum between the two extremes.
When Lea is around, he feels the need to put his arms around her, to keep her close, to follow her every gesture with an impassioned lover's earnest scrutiny. If she isn't in his immediate presence, he'd be longing for her warmth. He'd wonder where she is, who she's with, what she's thinking, whether the object of her reveries is himself.
Perhaps the symptoms can be ameliorated if he'd just articulate his feelings, but the image of the exchange and the repercussions it may generate, make Bradin break out in the cold sweat as if the devil ran across his grave plot brandishing his shiny scythe.
If only he had an inkling of what she is feeling. Of course, Bradin knows that Lea likes him-- they are going out after all. In Lea kisses, he can feel her warmth, her passion, her affection.
But for her, does that translate into love?
That is the reiterating question in Bradin's mind.
"Okay, so I'll write up what investments we chose and why, and you get to explain how inflation has affected our financial outlook." Lea concludes.
"Alright." Lucas reaches for Lea's hand to pull the pen out of her hand so he can jot down some notes on a piece of lined paper.
Lucas and Lea have been working the entire sixth period on their family financial planning project-- exploring investments, researching interest rates, and predicting inflation trends.
The two sit next to each other in the computer lab, their heads huddled together and shoulders slightly touching. Any one else would find their proximity rather ambiguous, but to them it isn't anything out of the friendly ordinary.
"That's it, right?" Lea scans her assignment sheet quickly while stuffing things into her backpack; she needs to get to the gym for basketball practice in the next six minutes.
"Yeah, I think so." Lucas begins to gather his things as well, with Lea helping him, stacking his notebooks and organizer and throwing away his waste paper for him.
When they've cleared their things off of the table, the two head out of the library and towards the parking lot of the school.
"So how are the waves in the winter?"
"Ah, tamed this year. Has J.B. gotten out there lately?" Lucas asks
"No, he's too afraid he'd get hurt. Doesn't wasn't wanna take any chances with the scouts coming out and all." Lea explains.
"Speaking of taking chances, you and Bradin?" Lucas asks.
Lea opens her mouth, but nothing comes out for a minute. Finally she musters out her sole feeling when it comes to Bradin. "I like him, a lot."
Lucas raises his eyebrows but nods to show his acknowledgement.
"I know what you're thinking," Lea speaks for him. "But I really like him, Lucas. He's like, different. He doesn't mind all the verbiage, he's not demanding... to him, I'm just Lea." She explains with a shrug.
"So you think that things might...," Lucas searches for the right expression
"Work out? Last? I don't know. At the risk of sounding entropic, I figure I'd just roll with the punches...," Lea replies with a shrug.
When the parking lot materializes in Lucas and Lea's eyes, Lea halts her advance, mouth dropping open in mortification.
At her abrupt stop, Lucas bumps into her slightly. Following her view towards the open space, Lucas murmurs under his breath, "Speaking of punches..."
J.B. has Bradin pinned to the back of Lea's red, recently washed SUV. His face is twisted in anger, "stay away from my sister!"
Despite his position, Bradin's expression is undeterred, he narrows his eyes and glares back, "Damn it, J.B., don't you see? She's so much more than just your little sister! Lea is her own person!"
"How dare you try to tell me anything about her? You know nothing about Lea! You didn't think that she would ever really care for you? Do you actually think that she might love you?" J.B. sneers, his face only inches away from Bradin's.
"J.B., stop it!" Lea shouts as she breaks out into a run.
Lea's voice distracts J.B.'s attention away from Bradin. But she still arrives at the crime scene a moment too late, after Bradin's knuckles savagely connect with J.B.'s jaw.
It is a delayed reflex to the words J.B. spat in Bradin's face, the dig that hit Bradin's unspoken fears on the bull's eye.
Caught by surprise, J.B. tumbles back several steps, only to be assisted by Lucas, who breaks his fall and at the same time, stops J.B. from serving his revenge.
As she witnesses the scene, Lea's eyes widen in disbelief, if there is anything that she cannot forgive, it's someone hurting her brother.
"Lea! See what he is?" J.B. barks sorely, as he wipes several drops of blood leaking from the corners of his mouth.
Lea marches in between the two, forcing some neutral distance, muttering under her breath to Bradin. "You really shouldn't have done that."
At this instant, Bradin's heart is pounding like a hammer into hardwood. He had a nightmare like this a couple of days ago-- where in the end, Lea quietly nods and leaves his side, following J.B.'s lead away from him, fading into a mist of white, never even looking back.
"C'mon, Lea!" J.B. speaks up again, "send the boy on his way!"
Bradin holds his breath while he waits for Lea's reply, for the knife to dig into his heart.
"I...," Lea stares at the ground, unable to comply with J.B., but utterly angry with Bradin at the same time.
Lea's hesitation invokes J.B.'s irritation, "Lea!" He urges her to answer him.
"Just... stop!" Lea squeezes her eyes close, as if to freeze time, or maybe just to see if she can vanish from the scene through a slit in time-space.
When she opens her eyes, the scene remains unbothered, three pairs of eyes still focused intently on her. "Don't make me choose," Lea says in a tone of anguish.
"You're going to have to sooner or later," J.B. answers her severely.
"Don't, J.B." Lea warns.
Lucas's voice finally returns to him at this convenient junction, he pulls J.B. back, murmuring quietly to him. Although still obviously unconvinced, J.B. allows Lucas to drag him towards his car.
Lea whips around to glare at Bradin, who guiltily cannot meet her eyes, "what did you think you were doing, hitting my brother!"
Her uncharacteristic tone of accusation strikes a snapped string in Bradin, causing him to lash back, "yeah well, what were you doing with Lucas?"
"Planting bombs in the teachers' restrooms!" Lea exclaims sourly, "What do you think? You know he's my econ partner!"
"Well, everyone keeps telling me what an item you guys used to be. It also seems to be common knowledge that that you guys have remained close. What am I supposed to think?" But the moment the words slip off his tongue, he regrets it.
The look of hurt in Lea's eyes sends a searing pain through Bradin's heart- - possibly even a pain worse than if she had chosen J.B. over him, because he personally put that sliver of sadness there. But he can't seem to find the eloquent paraphrase to describe his apology.
Lea quickly narrows her wounded expression into an icy glare. "I guess J.B. was right, you don't know me at all." She stalks off towards the gym, flinging the door open with such force that it hits the wall with a thundering boom, the glass panes quivering dangerously.
Only after exhausting all possible persuasion, Lucas got J.B. to go home. Lea and Bradin were still deep in their own conversation, so Lucas elected that it was best to excuse him from the scene. Thus we find him with a surf board in his arm, surveying a rather calm rolling ocean.
"Lucas!" A familiar voice calls out from behind him.
Clad in a black wet suit, a blonde head jogs towards Lucas.
Bradin plops his board down on the sand next to Lucas. His board needs a sufficient waxing, seeing as how he hasn't been able to maintain it much since he hadn't surfed since the high school surf season ended.
"Hey," Lucas greets him mildly, he had been too far away to eavesdrop on Bradin and Lea's conversation, but from Bradin's expression, he guesses that things didn't go too well.
"Thanks for you know, earlier." Bradin says awkwardly, if J.B. had caught the conversation between him and Lea, he's sure to be donning a black eye to match J.B.'s bruised jaw.
"Don't sweat it," Lucas replies. "So, what did Lea say?" He asks gingerly.
Bradin winces, "I'm pretty much scum of the earth."
Lucas chuckles despite of himself, "yeah, the sibling protectiveness goes both ways in that family."
Bradin looks up from waxing his board, "so how do you know them so well, Lucas? I thought you were new to Playa Linda High too?"
"Oh, J.B. and I used to surf on the same youth competition circuit. Our families' have known each other for years." Lucas answers with a shrug.
"Yeah?" Bradin replies what he hoped to be a nonchalant tone, but inwardly, those words thrash him even more than imaginable. That sentence describes what he has been fighting against-- trying to break through the barrier of the locals.
Suddenly, Lucas focuses on Bradin, his voice interrupting Bradin's train of thought, "Listen man, be good to Lea. She's one of those Once In A Lifetimes"
Taken aback by his straightforward mention of his past relationship, Bradin just stares back for a second. Then he decides to take the chance to ask a question he's been wondering for some time, "Like, what happened with you guys?"
Lucas draws a shallow breath, "the world got in the way, you know? And we weren't able to stand up to it."
Bradin quietly accepts the ambiguous answer.
After a moment, Lucas begins again, "But you, you have a chance. You know, you mean a lot to her. She really likes you. You make her really happy, like no one else can. It's so obvious." There is a hint of regret, and maybe even a dash of jealousy in his confession.
Bradin takes in his words intently, chewing on each one like a piece of aged beef jerky.
Lucas can see that Bradin has sunk into his own thoughts. He shifts his glance towards the ocean, "the waves are nonexistent today, man." Lucas sighs softly, and picks up his board, "I'll see you around."
The sun has waned halfway below the aqua line, and cool gusts have picked up on the shore. A draft of cold wind shivers Bradin out of his ponderings, forcing him to pick up his board and head back towards the house.
As he sticks his board into the sand, Erica, Jay, Johnny and Ava appear in the patio, carrying various tropical drinks in hand.
"Hey Kansas!"
"Hey." Bradin gloomily answers.
"Who ran over your puppy?"
Bradin rolls his eyes, too drained to think of a good comeback.
"What's wrong, Bradin?" Ava asks in a softer tone.
"I screwed up."
Jay frowns, not understanding at first, but catches on quickly. "Trouble in paradise, mate?"
"I punched her brother."
"Oh ho!" Johnny shakes his head, "that's a flagrant foul."
"And then I accused her of still having feelings for Lucas."
"Ooh," Erica winces, "never a good move."
Ava shoots the adults a look of warning. They are supposed to help the situation, not kick him while he's down!
"Well, give us the whole story boy! What happened?" Jay asks for the entire story.
"Well, J.B. was giving me crap, so I punched him. Then Lea got mad, I got defensive, she walked away." Bradin gives them the abridged version of the events.
"Now honey, you know that violence..."
"Doesn't solve anything, yeah, I know." Bradin cuts off his aunt.
"Her brother has been giving you trouble for a while now hasn't he? What especially upset you today?" Johnny asks the perceptive question.
Bradin isn't ready to confess that he's really in love to his family just yet. Instead, he asks the question of the moment. "How do I get her to forgive me?"
"Beg,"
"Cry,"
"Grovel,"
"Serenade?"
"What?" Four pairs of eyes turn to look at Jay who suggested the last option.
"A good song, some public humiliation, gets them every time." He explains, pumping his fist slightly.
"Is that how you always get back in the good graces?" Erica teases him.
"Honey, I think you should just be honest with her. Explain that you just lost your cool and that you're sorry for resorting to violence." Ava puts emphasis on the latter part of the sentence, exhibiting her own disapproval at Bradin's mishandling of the situation.
"I don't think she's really talking to me right now."
"See, that's where the serenade comes in you see," Jay's explanation drops into a mumble at Ava's look of daggers. "Just trying to get some entertainment around here."
Lea pulls her red Freelander into the multi-car garage of the Noel mansion. Without collecting her backpack and duffel bag, she hops out of the car, slamming the door close with a fury that would shake even the depths six feet under.
"J.B.!" She shouts as she enters the house. Finding the nearest intercom, she punches the speak button, and yells into the speakerphone, "J.B.!"
Instead of J.B., Lea's mother greets her in the foyer, a slight frown hanging on her face. "Lea, my dear, there is no need to scream into the intercom, it is essentially a microphone." She tells her daughter mildly.
"Where's J.B.?" Lea demands.
"I don't know, I was in the backyard all afternoon, I must have missed him coming in." Mrs. Noel answers.
"Yeah, probably because he didn't want you to see his face." Lea answers bitterly.
"What are you talking about?"
"J.B.! Where the hell are you?" Lea shouts towards the stairs that lead up towards J.B.'s room.
After a few minutes, J.B. skulks down the stairs, a piece of steak held delicately against his cheek.
"J.B.!" Mrs. Noel exclaims, "What happened, honey?"
"Bradin," J.B. answers bitterly, "Mom, I told you the guy is no good. Lea shouldn't be allowed to see him."
"Oh, exactly what is your definition of good?" Lea snaps back at J.B., before turning to her mother. "Mom, don't listen to him. He had Bradin pinned up against my car, and he would have beaten him to a bloody pulp if Lucas and I didn't break them up."
"I was just giving him a friendly warning." J.B. defends himself.
"Friendly my foot! You've been giving him crap since Day 1! Mom, tell him to stay away from Bradin!" Lea pleads.
"You're going to take that punk's side?"
"Juvenile much? I'm not on a side!"
"You're be supposed to be on my side,"
"But you're wrong!"
"I'm your brother!"
"That doesn't justify your sudden exploration into jerkdom!"
"I'm trying to keep you from getting hurt!"
"Do I look like I'm made out of glass?"
"You are getting in way over your head!"
Mrs. Noel looks mildly at both of her children as they continue to bicker. She holds up a hand, and clears her throat loudly.
"Since neither of you seem to have anything substantial to say, I'll let you know what I think. J.B., you need to respect and support your sister's decisions."
"Ha!" Lea gloats.
"Ma! Don't you see--"
"I'm not finished!" Mrs. Noel sharply says.
"And Lea, you need to understand and appreciate that your brother is coming from a good place,"
"So there!" J.B. triumphantly returns Lea's earlier smug smile.
"Coming from a good place... going in the wrong direction." Lea grumbles under her breath.
"Enough! J.B., despite how much we would all like to, we cannot shield your sister from everything in the world. And come with me child, steaks are for black eyes, not bruised faces, and yours is dripping blood." She waves him into the kitchen.
As her mother ushers J.B. into their kitchen, Mrs. Noel turns around to look at Lea, quietly saying to her, "honey, you know why your brother is concerned, please think about it."
a/n: Ouch! Bradin gave it to J.B.! Anyway, I didn't really catch last night's episode in full, because Olympic gymnastics was on at the same time... But I know that Bradin and Callie ended up together, so, I'm contemplating if I should edit the beginning of the story to fit the season finale or not. What do you all think? And does anyone other than me think that Callie kind of looks like a California version of Haley from One Tree Hill?
Melodie568: Thanks for always reviewing! Hope this chapter wasn't too boring!
Dolphinchick2568: Sure, I'll take the cookie! Hope you liked this chapter! It has been in the works for a long time.
IDon'tWannaBe89: Thank you! I really like the quirkiness of it all as well! What is life without a couple of quirks? [grin] Hope you keep reading and Thanks for reviewing!
Dont-ask: Sorry I couldn't get this in before you left for camp, hopefully you had a good time! Thanks for reading and reviewing, hope you liked this chapter!
Gnat10886: Hey! I hope you liked my characterization of Lucas! He just seemed like one of the good guys to me. Hmm, right now there are no big plans for Tanner in my story. Maybe a small cameo but nothing significant. The working in of the rest of the Summerland people is definitely something I keep in the back of my mind, but a lot of it ends up edited, just because I'm afraid I'd make my chapters too long.
Icytigergrrrl: You're right! The drama is a-coming. [purses lips] Callie and Adam are definitely two scoobies that I really like, I would also like to develop their characters a little more, so I'll have to think of a way to do that w/o making my chapters like 5000 words long. Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing!
