Chapter 21 Ladies Night
Peyton
flicked a green jelly bean at Lucas which he avoided with a duck of
the head.
"What?
It's not my fault the movies you chose sucked!" Lucas stated with
a mocking grin. When he arrived at the house with bags of candy on
their traditional movie night Brooke had done all in her power to
throw him out of the house. But in the end he lounged on the couch
between the two girls while reviewing their selections.
"Lucas
Scott!" Brooke exclaimed, hugging Casablanca firmly to her chest.
"Just because they aren't your usual porno don't dismiss our
movies. Besides you have no choice in the matter when you show up at
our doorstop. You are just lucky you had candy with you." Her hair
was in a messy ponytail with chocolate strands that had escaped
framing her makeup free face. To Lucas, she had never looked more
beautiful.
Both
of the girls were already wearing their pyjama bottoms and decked out
in front of the television. The only thing that was left undone was
the movie decision.
Upon
first seeing the movies displayed he wanted to jump out the nearest
window, but doing that would erase all progress he was making with
Brooke. True she was still cold, but every time he saw her she
lightened up. That was, until he would make a remark that would set
her off. He was determined to hold his mouth today, and he knew, in
order to do so he could not insult their movies. If he had to suffer
through a chick flick with two emotional women he would! But Brooke
better notice all the lengths he was going to.
"How
about we watch this one?" Lucas offered feebly while pointing to
the movie in the middle of the three. To the movies left was the
Casablanca Brooke had set down. To the movies left was a movie called
A Walk to Remember. The one he was currently pointing to was lavishly
decorated with the title Moulin Rouge across the front.
Both
girls tried to hide their laughter when their eyes met.
.dear, we watch ALL of them.
All
of them? Lucas asked tentatively, suddenly feeling as if
he had just thrown himself over a cliff and was waiting for the
ground.
Brookes
smile was way too smug for his taste. While Peyton just shot him a
look of pity, yet her eyes gave away that she to, found the situation
amusing.
"It's
not too late to leave us!" Brooke challenged. When Lucas looked at
her, he understood his need to hold his ground, not knowing that she
wanted him to stay watch and suffer more then she wanted him to
leave.
"Not
a chance." Lucas smiled in a way he knew would annoy Brooke without
seeming as if it was his goal. "Does this mean I am spending
the night?"
"Unless
you run away," Peyton gave with a satisfied smile.
"Yes,
but I better not find you crawling into my bed." Brooke spat.
Looking
to avoid a fight that was sure to break out Peyton interrupted the
two. "For Lucas' sake let's start off with his choice." She
popped the movie in and sat on the ground in front of the couch,
leaning back on Lucas' knees. Brooke crossed her arms and leaned
back into the couch behind her as the opening credits started
rolling.
"Oh
Lucas" Brooke began, her voice dripping with sugar in a way that
made Lucas know to expect the worse. "You enjoy musicals
right?"
He
had actually enjoyed it. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone,
but it was an interesting enough movie. It was only the end that he
disliked. Not because someone had to die and he was depressed about
it, more like he was the tissue passer and the teddy bear. He found
both girls clinging to him, and while it didn't seem too bad, with
there tearstained eyes and hiccupped sobs, he started wondering how
many ways there could be to escape from this situation.
When
the second movie was popped in, A Walk to Remember, it was about
eleven at night. The popcorn was retouched, because everyone knows
you can't eat while crying and when it showed the opening scene the
girls were just recovering. Lucas found this movie refreshing; in
some ways it reminded him of his relationship with Brooke. The main
character, Jamie was in a battle of trying to resist the bad boy. But
when the end came, once again he found himself in-between two
hysterically emotional women. He picked up the popcorn and furiously
started shovelling it in his mouth, to avoid having to comfort the
two. It was now one in the morning and the third movie was being
popped in the DVD. Everyone was starting to feel a bit tired.
"Brooke,"
Peyton lightly whispered. She waited for a response but only silence
greeted her. "BROOKE! "She hissed across the couch. Brooke
lightly stirred. She hadn't been asleep, just in the stages
between. She shook her head and discovered it was lodged on Lucas'
shoulder. And his arm was around her, her arm around his stomach,
holding onto him as if he was a life saving device.
"He's
asleep." Peyton stated as Brooke was about to untangle herself from
him. Brooke chanced a closer look and indeed he was deep in slumber
land. When she moved slightly away, he unconsciously pulled her
closer. He nuzzled his nose in her neck and it reminded her of how
things used to be. She gulped and lightly whispered, "For how
long?"
Peyton
shrugged but Brooke couldn't see it in the dark. "Within the
first twenty minutes of the movie?" Brooke couldn't help but
smile. "Well I'm off to bed. Seeing as you are stuck, I will see
you in the morning!"
Brooke
nodded as Peyton left. She watched Lucas sleep and gently ran a hand
through his hair. Though it wasn't the most comfortable of
positions she didn't have the heart to wake him. He seemed so
peaceful. Something within her chest caught and she tried to convince
herself of everything she was suddenly thinking. He had braved an
entire girls' night. When most guys would have had to chug down
some alcohol to be able to survive he sat through the hysterics and
never uttered a single bad word against the emotional girls and their
love of emotional movies. Why? Did he do it for her? Suddenly having
him back in her life was making her think more deeply then she ever
did before. She thought of everything that had happened between them,
everything she wanted in life, everything that made Lucas who he was,
and most of all she pondered the differences they had gone through.
Feeling safe, but utterly confused, her eyelids went against her and
she soon fell into slumber in Lucas' arms. While she didn't
recognize it, the darkness of the night whispered all she needed to
know.