OTHlover04, Giffy, Britt, HipHopper92-thanks yet again for reviewing. It means a lot! ( :
Giffy, I hope you make it to the spa.Now that you mention it, that sounds really good ( :

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:Sixteen:

Shades of black and dusky gray; the wind catching your hair and whistling gently about your ears. The moon shone faintly, a glowing sphere in the speckled night sky.

But the ground was wet and cold; the perpetual buzz of summer insects only faint, replaced with a low voiced discussion...

Lucas' heart pounded, accelerated rhythm. Anger made his cheeks burn, despite the evening chill. He weighed the odds of getting up and wrenching his hand free, or letting his brother out-talk the others.

Nate had stepped aside, most of the team clustered into a tight knot around him. The idiot standing on his fingers remained, and Lucas could imagine the smile plastering his face.

"Got any other plans, freak?"

"Get an IQ."

The pressure on Lucas' body increased.

So. The comment bore some truth.

"Hey." Nathan reappeared, only the toe of his sneaker in Lucas' line of vision. "How about you let him up."

"What's the fun in that?"

"I think you're forgetting who's in charge here."

"Ya? Since when we do let strangers mouth off?"

"The guys already agreed. Leave it."

"You leave it! He almost knocked my teeth out."

"Well, you can step off or I can finish the job."

Silence. Behind them, faint screams and a snatch of music in the background. The beach house party showed no signs of winding down.

"Whatever."

The shoe on Luke's hand dug down, then disappeared.

The blond sat up, unobtrusively flexing his fingers.

"Luke? Why don't you go on." Nate's tone brooked no argument.

"Not without him."

"Who, Mouth? Luke, he's a kid. We're just giving him a scare. If some one didn't, we wouldn't have respect at all, might as well party at the River Court."

"River Court?"

The dark haired Scott waved a hand. "Some dumb hang out by the park."

"This isn't right, Nate. It's the kind of stuff that happened to me, and it's not right."

"You seem to have recovered."

"It's not about the bruises."

"Mouth doesn't have self esteem. Why don't you catch Brooke?"

Lucas got to his knees, wiping the mud from his hands. "I've had enough partying."

"Don't be a poor sport. If you want to try out for the team, you have to prove yourself to the guys here. You'll be playing with them, not the geek."

"Sounds inviting." Shrugging under the wet tee. "Head back with me, Mouth?"

"Sure."

"Don't blow your chances, Luke." Nathan's tone dropped several degrees.

"Thanks for the warning."

He expected something. Slam in the back, cat call. The absence of any assault-physical or verbal-only awakened in Lucas the realization Nathan was in complete control. The other guys weren't a threat.

Somehow, the thought did little to console him.

X

Brooke tipped her cup, idly studying the liquid. She hadn't reached that point of happy oblivion. In fact, far from it. The irritating Scott-blond, good looking- proved to be more of a distraction than the brunette had anticipated.

Peyton must have chewed his ear off.

Staring past fringing trees, their branches lacy artwork against the clouds. Nothing was different, after all.

Well, save the fact Brooke Davis was outside examining local scenery instead of getting wasted. Sitting cross legged on the hood of a car, beer gone flat and warm. Crickets chirped all around, cheeps and churrings that blended with pulsing music.

The cheerleader lent forward, almost falling. Tiny ants scurried over the sidewalk, dragging crumbs of food.

"Here." She drained the alcohol, drops spattering the insects. "Live a little."

Footsteps on the road. Brooke refused to turn her head. Another sappy couple, talking quietly. What was it, midnight? Person couldn't even brood in private. A body slipped through the narrow space between vehicles, almost brushing her arm. Brooke withdrew it angrily. "Sitting here."

"Sorry."

Familiar low voice. He was continuing on, already clearing the trees. A moment more, and it would be too late. Brooke twisted her fingers, battling indecision.

"Wait!"

In retrospect, Brooke was unsure if she hated her sandals or loved them dearly. What should have been a composed, slightly cool approach turned into something less desirable. The heel of one despicable shoe caught in the grill, throwing Brooke across the neighboring bumper.

"Ouch!"

At least she'd landed on her stomach. It could have been her face.

"Are you okay?"

The completely handsome blond shoved his companion aside, rushing to free her. Strong hands circled Brooke's waist, lifting her gently down.

Standing in the feathered moonlight, pressed close in the tight confines... serious blue gaze tipped down. The brunette looked away; something in those eyes that rattled her.

He took it as a sign of annoyance, stepping back-wards.

"Thanks. Thanks for catching me."

"I was a little late for that."

For the first time, Brooke noticed her rescuer's coat of mud. The nervous guy standing to his left.

"What have you been doing?"

Lucas shrugged. A smear of dirt decorated one cheek; his clothes were more earth than anything else.

"He saved me from a lot of trouble." The thin boy spoke up, obvious admiration playing across his features. Not for the pretty girl, but hero worship.

"It wasn't anything. We have to get cleaned up." The blond jerked his chin toward the house. "You going to be around?"

Brooke tilted her head. Wondering what parts of the story were being omitted. "Sure."

Scott moved away, long strides, shoulders slightly hunched against the sodden clothing clinging to his skin. The stranger started after, only to be whirled about.

"Tell me what happened."

X

"Where's your brother?" Dan Scott. Casually sipping from a steaming mug.

"Is that a question or an accusation?" Lucas dropped a bundle on the floor, sliding the deadbolt.

"You were with him."

"Was being the operative word."

"Improvement on the clothing front."

"These are Nathan's. I had to change."

"Who dropped you off?" Dan flashed an all knowing grin. "Wait-don't tell me. Brooke?"

"It's not like that."

"She gets her tentacles around every male in Tree Hill."

Lucas opened the cupboard, pouring a glass of water. "We were just talking, okay?"

"And a ride home?"

The blond's jaw tightened. "Something came up."

"Deb's not going to be happy."

"Look, tell her I'm sorry, okay?"

"Tell her yourself." Dan lifted his coffee. "I'm sleeping on the couch."

"You can have my room."

"Thanks for the offer, Lucas, but it's your room now."

"If I wasn't here, you'd be using it. Not like I'm going to need the bed, anyways."

The elder Scott studied his melancholy son. "Didn't fit in, did you?"

Luke uttered a short laugh. "That wouldn't keep me awake, trust me."

"Sit. There's cereal on the shelf."

The blond hesitated, inspecting Dan through lowered lashes. "That's what Keith ate before bed."

"Passing out isn't going to bed."

"Forget I mentioned it." Luke threw his leg over the adjacent stool, resting an elbow on the table top.

"What's on your mind, son?"

Dan was certainly throwing out the possessive nouns.

"Stuff."

"Real specific. Don't bore me with details."

The blond heaped a spoon and jammed it between his lips. The last thing he'd expected was a welcoming committee.

"Lucas, where's Nathan?"

Fastening her bathrobe, skin pale in the harsh light. Without a layer of make up, Deb looked wan. Still pretty, but washed out.

Lucas' fingers reflexively dropped his spoon. It clanked against the china, startling him.

"He's with some of the guys-the basket ball team-I honestly don't know."

"I asked you-"

Dan reached across the table. "Okay. Nate's a big boy, you can't expect Luke to drag him home."

"All I did was talk to Lucas and he promised-"

"Deb. That's not going to make matters any easier. Luke and Nate are just getting to know each other."

"And that's my fault?"

"I only meant that having Lucas play nursemaid doesn't do either of them any good."

"Getting home before one a.m. isn't a huge request, Dan. Maybe if you taught your son some responsibility-"

"And just hours ago he was your son."

Deb tightened her robe, mouth a thin line. "If Lucas expects to stay in my home, he's going to follow the rules."

"He went to the beach house. With Nathan. Nate isn't back yet, regardless of your rules, but Lucas is."

"Something has to be done-"

"Don't you have a meeting tomorrow?" Dan glanced at his watch.

"I don't think I'm going."

Karen's son stirred his cereal, concentrating on the soggy fruit loops. He desperately wanted to leave, but Deb's attention was focused on him. In spite of Dan's defense, he still felt like a bartering chip.

"Let the boy eat."

"Don't leave any dishes in that sink."

The blond's food stuck in his throat. So much for escaping dysfunctional homes.

X

Peyton examined a sketch, shoving it under the desk lamp. The eyes stared back at her, cerulean gaze...too directly. She tore the drawing in half, fragments of a face littering the wastebasket.

X

Someone's foot poked Nathan in the back. He groggily raised himself on a sleep-numbed arm. "Tim, if you can't keep on your own side, crash downstairs."

"There's too many windows."

"Oh, go to sleep."

X

It was nearly two o'clock, but Brooke found herself lying wide awake among the tangled sheets. Quietly in a quiet house. Studying her foot.

X

Lucas tossed, moonlight playing across the thick carpet. Splashing the blankets that trailed the floor. Since it was too late for him to begin school, he wondered when he'd have a chance to see the brunette again. Feeling the scrap of paper in his palm, penciled number. Happiness tugged at the corners of his mouth.

She was only a phone call away.