Beyond Good and Evil

Chapter Eight: The Lambs and The Slaughter

The clouds were perfect. White and fluffy, they passed leisurely overhead, against the crisp blue backdrop. It was almost painfully wonderful, reawakening anyone who cared to look to the beauty of nature. The sprawling green grounds of Oakwood Preparatory School was peppered with teenagers, some beautiful and some awkward, some rich and some scholarship, but from far away the campus had a look of harmony among its many students. One couple in particular seemed peaceful. They were by far the best looking ones there.

Long, thin legs clothed in a plaid skirt, covered with navy blue knee socks, were a tangle with longer khaki clad ones. Two hands, so different but fitting together perfectly, were intertwined at her hip. Glossy brown hair fell against his well-defined shoulders, his nose nuzzling her neck. Yes, over the last few weeks, Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott had certainly become the couple to watch at Oakwood Prep. And watch people did, because admit it or not, the attention of everyone in the vicinity was on the gorgeous school royalty cuddling beneath the willow.

"Luke, look. I think I see a swan," Brooke gestured vaguely toward the sky.

"Me too," he responded, but his crystal eyes never wavered from Brooke, placing a kiss to her collarbone. A soft smile flitted across her face, the dimples in her cheek making their appearance. "You're so beautiful, you know that?"

"Well, you've only said it about fifty times since we sat down," the beautiful brunette cracked, her green eyes shining, but a telltale blush crept across her.

Two months had passed, much in this fashion. To the surprise of everyone at school, Lucas Scott had been completely faithful to a female. For two months, the handsome blonde had been with Brooke Davis, and only Brooke Davis. It was the longest celibate streak of the infamous playboy's life. At first, some of Oakwood Prep's less moral students had taken it as a challenge. Lucas could barely walk without having a female throw themselves at him, all in an attempt to break his will. None had succeeded so far.

"I love you," she whispered quietly, and even she looked shocked at her words. They hung in the air awkwardly, dying to be received.

"Me too," Lucas smiled, and Brooke let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Snuggling back into his strong frame, she waited patiently for the flaming in her cheeks to die down. God, this was so embarrassing.

Brooke Davis was nobody's fool. She had always been the smartest, the prettiest, the kindest. She never had to settle for anything, because people had always gone out of their way to give her everything they could. In her few years, Brooke had entertained undying love from suitors, unending loyalty from friends, and untouchable adoration from adults.

She had always thought her friends were letting themselves get taken advantage of when they professed their love to a boy who returned with, "Me too." I mean, what did that really mean anyway? They love themselves too? She had always sworn she would never be one of those girls. She would know where she stood at all times. She would never let a boy give her less than 110.

Yet she couldn't stop her heart from soaring. She couldn't stop the way her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't even aware of the sparkle that entered her eye. Brooke Davis had always sworn she would never settle for "Me too," but that's exactly what she found herself doing. She loved him. It was a sudden realization, and a harsh one, but falling felt so much like flying that she couldn't even bring herself to be alarmed. Brooke Davis loved Lucas Scott, and if this was all that she'd get, then she'd have to accept.

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Not everyone loved nature. Not everyone loved love. These were facts of life, so simple that it seemed almost moronic to even mention it. Yet these two characteristics were wrapped up into a lethal ball, concealed inside a petite blonde. Her honey eyes shone malevolently, resentment oozing from every pore of her body. Her delicate hand pressed lightly against the glass pane. In a way, this glass described her entire life. This window separated her from nature. This wall separated her from love. Haley James didn't need either, but she didn't want anyone else to have it either. Especially not with Lucas.

"Hales, are you listening?" an impatient voice demanded from behind her. Wincing slightly at the nickname, the blonde pivoted slightly, keeping a hand pressed to the window as she whirled to face her Latina friend.

"No," she smiled sweetly, her voice dripping with venom. Theresa arched a dark eyebrow, too amused to be pissed.

"So you didn't hear about how Peyton lost her virginity to Lucas?" her words bore an implication of misdeeds, a silent accusation that Haley would never own up to. Not in public, anyway.

"Lucas Scott?" Haley cooed, her eyes widening in practiced innocence. "I thought she was dating Nathan Lee."

"She is. Err, was, anyway," Theresa frowned slightly, flustered for a moment, before a radiant smile light up her face. "But Jenna McIntosh heard them fighting in the parking lot this morning, and he said he had been fucking someone much better than Peyton anyway."

Theresa's dark eyes glowed. "So I guess you're just out of luck, Hales."

"You think so?" her words were a double-edged sword, glinting in the sunlight pouring into the library.

"You didn't—"Theresa gasped, delighted. "You did!"

"I didn't say anything," Haley smiled primly, smoothing out the pleats of her uniform skirt, a triumphant glow about her.

"You implied!" her "friend" shrieked.

"You can't prove that," Haley sing-songed.

"You realize that Peyton is absolutely destroyed, don't you?"

"Of course. Lucas isn't exactly good for a girl's reputation," she snorted, and couldn't help it as her eyes wandered out the window, absent-mindedly searching the grounds.

"He doesn't seem to be doing much damage to Miss Davis."

Fury boiled within her tiny body, hot and fast and filling her quickly. Spinning towards her friend, she maintained her composure, but there was something burning in her eyes instead of the usual ice. "He'll fuck her, and then it'll be a whole different game."

"You think so?" Theresa was mimicking the tone that Haley herself had used frequently. It seemed to imply that one was all-knowing, that the entire universe was your playground, that you had something juicy over someone else. It was pissing her off.

"I know so," Haley gritted her teeth and stared out the window, where her stepbrother was being gentler with Brooke Davis than he had been with a girl in his entire life.

"Have you ever heard of "How the Mighty Have Fallen"?" Theresa inquired curiously.

"What?" Haley muttered.

"You should really look into it," Theresa snickered, turning and swishing out of the library, her skirt flitting from side to side as she did. Haley would never understand why she waggled her hips so ridiculously, especially when she was only meeting with her. The maneuver was usually used to impress boys, but Haley didn't have a penis and she most certainly wasn't impressed.

Her manicured fingers pressed tightly to the glass pane separating her from the outside, Haley James registered vaguely that under any other circumstances, Lucas would be standing here beside her. But now, he was on the other side of the glass, and she could almost feel the plates beneath her shifting.

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Do you trust me?

He had asked her that over dinner, and she had responded "Of course." She did. She really did. Brooke trusted Lucas. She loved him. Wasn't that the same thing? Following him blindfolded down a thickly carpeted hallway, Brooke wasn't quite sure. She could almost make out the sounds of a turning doorknob, then a soft crunching noise. A soft tug on her hand pulled her into the room before the door closed behind. Removing the blindfold, she gasped inadvertently. Hundreds of candles gave off a soft glow. The room smelt faintly of vanilla and the rose petals lining the floor. The satin sheets glimmered in the soft lighting.

"I'm impressed," she remarked, amusement lacing her voice and disguising her awe.

"Well, I'm in love," Lucas turned her towards him. That was it, right then. She could feel her knees trying to give way, her entire being melt into a puddle of goop. She kissed him willingly, eagerly, even desperately. Holding onto her virginity this long had been about waiting for true love, and she had never been more in love than she was with Lucas Scott.

He steered her subtly towards the bed. This was going fast, much too fast, she knew as their shirts hit the floor. But for the first time she could ever remember, Brooke Davis thought to herself: Fuck it. All her life she had been responsible and moralistic and so damn good. For once in her life, she wanted to let go. She was sick of being held up for her choice, of being harassed and separated and viewed as a Holy Grail. She was a teenager and she was in love, and that was enough for her.

As he positioned himself over her and she braced herself for the undoing of the biggest decision of her life, Brooke Davis registered truly just how beautiful her boyfriend was. His skin seemed to glow in the candlelight, his ice blue eyes shimmered. He was radiant, and she felt sort of honored. Yet as he smiled and whispered reassuring words into her ear, she couldn't help but wonder if the smile was one of love or triumph.

Or if she even wanted to know.

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Hey guys, sorry it took so long. Yesterday was my birthday, and my friends have insisted upon celebrating for a few days in advance lol. But this will definitely be updated pretty much every day until it's done because the deadline is December 1. I'm having a little too much fun with these characters though, so there might just be a sequel in store if the respond is good…

Thanks for reading guys!

Xo Sam