Chapter Six: Every Simple Notion

Brooke looked over her history homework, making sure that there were no mistakes and she'd answered all the questions as fully as she could. Since she was trying to avoid Dan, she'd found the perfect opportunity to catch up on her homework.

Unfortunately, it was all finished and she had no choice but to face Dan.

She checked her watch and realized that it was almost 2pm in the afternoon and Lucas would be arriving home from practice soon. She silently pleaded for Lucas to hurry so that she could ask for his advice on dealing with Dan. She'd never been scared of anybody before but Dan's last comments to her had creeped her out.

Like her prayers had been answered, she suddenly heard the front door open and a mumbled conversation between Lucas and Dan. Brooke sighed, wondering if she should maybe meet Lucas in the living room but then she risked running into Dan and she really didn't want him to have both of them together where he could grill the two of them about the previous night.

She decided to wait until Lucas was safely in his room before talking to him. Eventually, the voices ceased and she could hear Lucas' heavy footsteps approaching. She put her ear up to her door so she could hear when he went into his room.

But the sound of the door clicking open never came. Brooke frowned and opened her room door to come face to face with Lucas, who was standing right outside her door.

She looked up at him, obviously not expecting him and was momentarily dumbstruck.

"Hey," he said to her, slightly amused by the situation, "You okay?"

"Uh… I was coming to look for you and… here you are!" she laughed nervously as she clasped her hands together.

Lucas took a hold of her arms and pushed her backwards as he entered the room. He closed the door behind him and Brooke sighed in relief as she sat down on her bed.

"How was practice?" Brooke asked deciding to break the ice. Lucas shrugged as he took a seat at a nearby chair.

"It was okay considering the fact that I couldn't remember the previous night's events. Jake told me that you drove me home."

"About that…" Brooke began searching for an explanation he'd accept.

"Thank you." Lucas replied, "You didn't have to do what you did and you didn't have to stay with me all night either – but I'm glad you did. Maybe I should start cutting you some slack," Lucas suggested a small smile playing on his lips.

"Well, if you did that, I doubt we'd have as much fun as we usually have. You know, the snide remarks, the walking in when I'm changing, and the reading of certain people's diaries…" Brooke rolled off. They both chuckled.

"Tell you what, how about I take you out to dinner after the game tonight?" Lucas offered, "My way of apologizing and maybe we could really get to know each other."

Brooke thought about it for moment and, deciding she had nothing to lose, agreed.

"Sure, why not. Although this isn't a…" she wondered how to phrase it, hoping it wouldn't sound stupid.

"No, it's not!" Lucas quickly assured, "I just think it's an opportunity to start with a fresh slate and stuff."

"I agree," she said, "Although I do have to warn you that your dad is pretty pissed. He knows I covered for you last night," Brooke told him truthfully. Lucas gulped and nodded his head.

"Yeah, I figured. He was giving me all this crap about late nights and how he's got his eye on me and stuff. Don't sweat it." Lucas offered her a small reassuring smile, trying to convince her that it was fine. Brooke nodded unconvinced.

"You need a ride to the game tonight?" Lucas offered, "Cheerleaders and players more or less meet at the same time so I figured there's no point in going separately," he suggested. Brooke looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Who are you and what have you done with the brooding, annoying guy that usually lurks here?" she questioned. Lucas broke out into a grin, "Ah ha! A smile, I've never seen one that wasn't preceded by an insult."

"What can I say? I'm growing as a person," Lucas joked and they both chuckled. "So, I'll pick you up at 5pm?"

"Pick me up from where? You're just opposite my room," the brunette pointed out.

"You never know. I could be in the living room. Or in the kitchen."

"Well, if you're in the garage, you better make sure you leave earlier, because I swear if you're late, then my offer is withdrawn," Brooke rolled her eyes, amused at how childish they were being, but pleased they'd actually had a conversation that didn't end in her getting royally pissed at him.

Lucas nodded and left her room, "5pm" he reminded her.

Brooke put the finishing touches to her hair, made sure her cheer-bag was packed and both her pom-poms were with her. Her bedroom door opened and Lucas stood with his game-bag.

"All set?" he asked, causing Brooke to jump. She held her hand to her chest.

"We have to work on your knocking," she told him as she zipped up her game-bag and grabbed her pom-poms, "I'm ready," she said.

They walked through the kitchen where Karen was busy cooking dinner. She spied them and gave them a smile.

"Are you both off?" she asked as they nodded, "then good luck and enjoy the game," she kissed a reluctant Lucas on the cheek and did the same for Brooke, "Do you want me to save you both dinner?"

"Actually we're going out for dinner." Lucas explained just as Dan came in from the living room, "But we should be back pretty early," he cast a glance at his dad, who simply stared at him.

"Well okay. Have fun," Karen called as Lucas and Brooke left the house. "He's taking Brooke to dinner. Isn't that nice? I'm glad they're getting along," Karen commented to her husband.

Dan made no reply but kissed his wife on the top of her head before returning to the living room.

Lucas emerged from the boy's changing rooms in a good mood. After scoring the winning basket after a tense game, he was grinning from ear to ear. Settling down outside the girl's changing rooms to wait for Brooke, a small gang of teammates and spectators arrived and greeted him with shouts of congratulations for a good game.

"So are you heading out for Tim's party?" one eager girl asked him. Lucas shook his head.

"I've got dinner plans actually so I've got to bail," he explained, trying to seem apologetic.

"So who's the lucky girl?" another asked.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"The girl. It's not like Lucas Scott to miss a victory party thrown in his honor," the guy said winking at Lucas.

"It's none of your business and I don't have to attend every single party, do I? Tim was going to have that party whether we won or lost," Lucas replied defensively. The group looked a little shocked at his outburst but they shrugged just as Brooke came out of the changing rooms. She glanced at the group in front of Lucas.

"Am I missing something?" she asked. Lucas quickly detached himself from the group.

"No they just wanted to congratulate me on the game. You about ready?" Brooke nodded and Lucas turned to the group and gave them a small wave as they left the gym.

"Doesn't she live with him?" the eager girl asked. Her friend nodded, "Some girls have all the luck," she sighed ruefully.

"She's hot," one boy said, "Is she dating Lucas?"

"Lucas doesn't date girls," another reminded him.

"In that case, maybe I'll ask her out," the boy continued.

"Felix," his friend warned, "You better be careful. Lucas isn't going to like it if you mess with his girl."

"I thought you said she isn't his girl. Plus, it's her choice whether she agrees or not, right?" Felix grinned.

"And I guess it's your choice if you want to be beaten to a pulp by Lucas or not!"

Brooke was pleased. Her dinner with Lucas was going great and she was learning a lot about him and his life.

"There was this one time that Nathan and I got into an argument and it really pissed my dad off. So he ended up locking us both up in a cupboard for an hour."

"Is that even ethical?" Brooke asked. Lucas shrugged.

"Like my dad cares. But it did the trick. Longest hour of my life but needless to say it worked and we never argued… at least in front of my dad," Brooke laughed.

"You see, I missed all of that. My parents had me – a mistake, like I've been told countless times – and that's it. They were never interested in having children so it's just always been me."

"Sounds tough."

"Could be worse, I could have had a younger sibling and god knows how that would have turned out. Plus, my parents usually left me all by myself. It's just that they're incarcerated right now and so I can't continue living on my own. But as much as I love New York, Tree Hill is pretty cool," she insisted before changing the subject, "So, are you thinking of going to college?"

Lucas nodded, "My dad wants me to get a basketball scholarship. He's actually trying to get all these scouts here to see me play."

"What do you think about it?"

"Why not? I'm one of the best in school and my dad really wants me to. I've got nothing to lose if I go for it," Lucas explained. Brooke watched him as he looked at his food.

"What if you get an injury or realize that you don't want to do it?" she questioned.

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I'm almost 18 years old and fighting fit. Just because my dad screwed it up in college doesn't mean I will," he said.

"Well just because Dan screwed up in college doesn't mean you have to live his dreams. If you didn't play basketball, then what would you do in college?" Lucas shrugged.

"I don't know. American and English literature maybe, but you try telling my dad that," Lucas shook his head, "Nathan gave up on his dream, my dad did too. I'm not going to give up," he told her.

Brooke bit her lip to refrain from saying anything else and simply decided to let the subject slide so they could enjoy the rest of their dinner.

Brooke and Lucas arrived back home slightly later than they had intended, but still earlier than their usual Saturday night curfew.

Unsurprisingly, Dan was still up and in the living room, waiting for the pair of them.

"Hello Dan," Brooke greeted when she saw him.

"Good evening. I thought you said you'd get back early," he commented. Lucas and Brooke glanced at each other.

"Well, we decided to go get ice cream on the way home." Brooke explained.

"Uh huh. Well, tomorrow's Sunday and that means you both have to get up early. We're going to church," Dan told them as he rose out of his seat.

"But we never go to church," Lucas pointed out.

"We do now, son," Dan replied as he walked past the two and head for his room, "Sunday mass starts at 9am. I want you both up by 7," he said finally, "By the way, who won?"

"We did," Lucas told him, still confused by the whole church debacle, "I scored eight baskets, including the winning one."

"Only eight?" Dan said before shrugging, "Maybe that stomach bug you had last night affected your game. Maybe next Friday night you should stay home. We have a scout coming from Duke next game. You better shape up," Dan reminded his eldest son, "Goodnight."

Broke and Lucas both muttered goodnights to Dan and looked at each other once the coast was clear.

"Are you okay?" Brooke asked Lucas. Lucas shrugged.

"I can deal with it. I guess we'd better go to sleep. We have church," he told her as they walked down the hall to where their rooms were situated.

"Okay. Thank you for dinner. I'll see you in the morning," she said as she kissed him lightly on the cheek and disappeared into her room.

"Good night," Lucas replied, a little taken aback by the gesture, but pleased that the night had been a success.

As they both prepared for bed in their respective rooms, they hoped that their new found friendship would allow them to have an ally in the house. However, neither could shake off the strange feeling that there was something else buried deeper in their so called friendship.

To Be Continued…