Chapter Nineteen: The Start Of Something Good

As soon as Brooke and Lucas opened the front door to the Scott residence, they were immediately ambushed by Karen, who hugged them tightly.

"Thank goodness you're home," she said as she wrapped her arms around the two at the same time, "I was so worried when Whitey said you were delayed."

Lucas and Brooke both tried their best to gently release themselves out of Mrs. Scott's grip but she was holding them too tightly.

"Uh… Mom?" Lucas began tapping her on the shoulder, "Air would be appreciated right about now," he said. Karen loosened her grip and looked the two.

"So what happened?" she asked as she licked her thumb and proceeded to wipe a stain or mark off Lucas' cheek.

"Mom…" he protested as he made her stop what she was doing, "We're okay, really. We just got a little delayed after we had to make a stop." Lucas said looking accusingly at Brooke.

"I can not control my bodily functions, thank you very much," she said in mock-annoyance.

"Peyton brought by the stuff that was in the bus. It's all been put in your rooms," Karen said as she turned to Brooke, "I heard you won a little something," she said excitedly.

"Oh god…" Lucas said, his eyes widening in horror as Brooke produced the trophy from her bag.

"Look how shiny it is!" Karen gasped.

"I know, isn't it?" Brooke gushed happily, "It is way shiner than the one the Bear Creek Warriors got. Plus, this one is all mine!" she said as she clutched it to her chest.

"Congratulations, Brooke. I knew you could do it," Karen said kissing the young brunette on the cheek.

"I'm going to go get the bags from the car," Lucas announced as he went back outside.

"There you are," Dan Scott's voice said as he appeared in the hallway, "I was getting worried about the two of you," he said. Brooke frowned momentarily but hugged Dan anyway. "Congratulations on the trophy," he said.

Brooke smiled as she showed it off, "Maybe next time you can win both," Dan suggested just as Lucas came in with the bags. "Ah, son," he said.

Lucas looked up, "Hey, Dad," he said. Dan simply looked at him.

"I heard that you lost the game," he said. Lucas cast his eyes to the ground.

"Yeah, Dad, but only by a couple of points," Lucas defended.

Dan chuckled in disbelief, "'Only a couple of points?'" he shook his head, "A 'couple of points' matter to college scouts. And if you think losing by a 'couple of points' is fine, then you're obviously not determined enough," Dan said unimpressed.

"Dan…" Karen warned, "He just got home, save the lecture for later."

Dan held his hands up and backed-off, "All I'm saying is that with a little extra effort, maybe they could have brought home a trophy like Brooke did."

"Whatever," Lucas rolled his eyes, "I'll be in my room," Brooke watched as a dejected Lucas left the group and trudged off to his room with his bags in hand.

"So," Dan said to Brooke, "Where are you going to put your trophy?"

"Can I come in?" Brooke asked as she opened Lucas' door. He was lying on his bed, throwing a football up in the air and catching it, "Shouldn't that be a basketball?" she questioned. Lucas smiled and stopped what he was doing sitting up on the bed.

Brooke came over to him and stood in front of his bed, her hands nervously stuffed into the back pockets of her jeans.

"I'm sorry about what Dan said to you."

"Forget it," he said, "He's always like that. 'That's not good enough, Lucas!', 'You gotta try harder, Lucas!' I'm used to it," Lucas said. "He seemed pleased for you, though."

Brooke nodded, "Yeah. It makes a change. It's strange going from no parents to two parents. I'm not used to people praising me or grounded me. It's kind of fun though," she said truthfully. Lucas smiled.

"So," he began, "Now that we're 'a couple', what do you think we should do?" he asked pulling Brooke closer to him.

"We're not a couple, Lucas," she told him. Lucas looked surprised.

"We're not?"

"Nope," she said removing his hands from her body, "In order to be a couple, you need to take me out on a date," she grinned.

"Oh right," he said, "Well, where do you want to go?"

Brooke shrugged, "Surprise me."

"Okay."

"But it better not be one of those generic dinner-and-a-movie dates. You're a pretty special guy and I deserve a pretty special date. I mean, we've already slept together so there aren't any expectations. Just… do something that's you."

"Something that's me?" Lucas repeated. Brooke nodded. Lucas got up and moved towards his bookshelf. Picking out one from the middle shelf, he smirked and handed it to Brooke.

"What's this?" she questioned.

"Read the book, tell me what you think and then we'll go out on a date," he told her. Brooke looked at him in disbelief.

"You're giving me a condition?" she questioned incredulously. He nodded. She sighed, "Fine. I like a challenge. I'll see you at dinner," she promised giving him a quick peck on the cheek before she left. "You think of a good date," she said as she left.

Lucas awoke the next day to find his copy of 'The Winter Of Our Discontent' at his doorstep with a bright yellow Post-It on it. Picking it up, he read the scribbled note.

My turn.

Lucas grinned at the message and went back to his room.

Brooke didn't hear from Lucas all day, and was confused as to whether he'd seen the message or not.

"Hey, Lucas," she said as she knocked on his bedroom door. Lucas put on a hoodie over his t-shirt, "Where are you going?" she asked.

"Out," he told her.

"What about my date?" she asked, a little disappointed. He just gave her a secret smile.

"You'll get it. In about twenty minutes, go into your room. I've left instructions there," he told her.

"Oooh, intriguing," she said. He nodded and began leaving the room.

"I'll see you soon," he said. She nodded.

"See you soon!" she called back.

Brooke fidgeted and impatiently waited for the agonizing twenty minutes to end. She ran around the house, making sure every clock or watch in the house was correct.

"Brooke, are you okay?" Karen asked as the young girl almost knocked her down.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Do you know what time it is?"

"It's almost six thirty, why?" Brooke shook her head.

"No reason. I'm going to go into my room in exactly three minutes, okay? Just tell me when it reaches six thirty."

"Okay," Karen said as Brooke hurried down the hall. Dan watched as Brooke raced past time.

"I thought raising a teenage boy was hard. With teenage girls, you get curling irons, hair straighteners, fashion and gossip magazines lying everywhere, and pop music blasting out from all directions. What is wrong with her today?" Dan asked.

"I think she has a date," Karen said with a smile.

"Really? Any idea who?" Karen shook her head, "Great, now I have to worry about her dating some mysterious guy."

"Brooke's dated before," Karen reminded him.

"Oh yeah, that annoying Felix Tarago. I hope he hasn't come back," Dan shuddered.

"Don't worry, I've heard he's still at military school. This is different," Karen commented.

"So where's Lucas?"

"He went out some time ago," Karen glanced at her watch, "Brooke! It's six thirty!"

"What's happening at six thirty?" Dan questioned. Karen shrugged again as Brooke came whizzing past the two and running into her room, slamming the door shut.

Brooke entered her room and looked around. Nothing jumped out at her or was different – except for a garment lying on her bed.

Brooke read the note that accompanied the black dress.

Wear this. Tell Mom and Dad you're going to meet some friends. Meet me outside Karen's Café in thirty minutes.

Brooke frowned as she inspected the dress, before pulling out her cellphone and dialing a number.

"Lucas?" she said, "What is this?"

"Brooke, why are you calling me? Did you get the note?"

"Yeah, I did and I have a big problem with it!" she said.

"What kind of problem?"

"The shoes you picked out don't match the dress."

"Uh… what?"

"I can't wear pink shoes with a red dress."

"Then wear red shoes."

"One of the heels broke."

"Then change the dress."

"But you bought me that dress," she said, "I can't not wear it."

"Then… pick out some shoes that go?" Lucas said, "Just meet me where I asked you to at 7pm," he reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah. Can I ask you another question though?"

"What?"

"This place we're going, do I need to straighten my hair? Or does it have to be up?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it does?"

"Brooke. Put on the dress, find some shoes, do whatever girlie things you need to do, I don't care what you do with your hair – just be here."

"Boy, you're really charming."

"Brooke…"

"Okay, okay. I'm coming!" she said, "I'll see you at 7.15."

"Sev-"

"Oops," Brooke said as she hung up, "Seven fifteen it is," she grinned as she began getting ready.

At seven fifteen, Brooke finally arrived in front of Karen's Café, all dressed up and waiting for Lucas, who was leaning against the wall.

"Finally," he exclaimed, "You're late," he told her.

"I had to get pretty."

"Which you did well," he complimented taking her hand, "Come on," he prompted.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see," he said.

"Oooh, very mysterious," she said as she followed him. "We aren't going to be walking are we?"

"Maybe," he replied cryptically, "Just wait and see."

After a short walk, the two of them arrived at their destination.

"This is the Rivercourt," she noted.

"Yes, it is," he said.

"What are we doing here?"

"I'm going to teach you how to play basketball," he told her. She looked at him.

"What?"

"Basketball. I'm going to teach you."

"Ah, that explains why you're in shorts and a hoodie," she said, "I wish I had gotten the memo," she grumbled looking down at her clothing.

"I am not playing basketballs in heels. I tried looking after a neighbor's kids and I was running after them in Jimmy Choos. Not pleasant," she said.

"That is why," he pulled out a bag from underneath a bench, "I brought you a change of clothes," he said.

"How very thoughtful," Brooke took the bag from him, "Are these my clothes?" she asked.

"Yes, I raided your closet while you were out with Peyton," Lucas confessed.

"Wow, you really planned this through. Oh look, sneakers!" she said happily.

"There's a tree over there," he told her, "Go change. I'll be right here."

Brooke gave him a saucy grin before taking the dress off in front of him and dressing there and then.

"Or you could not," he chuckled in disbelief, "You know, you're not like other girls," he told her.

"You're only just figuring that part out?" she smiled. "Okay," she said once she was ready, "I'm done. Now show me how to throw a basket."

Lucas chuckled, "You mean score a basket?"

"Whatever. I just cheer the players, not the game," she told him as he gave her the basketball.

"Alright, just stand here; bend your knees and your arms slightly. When you release the ball, make sure you follow it through," he instructed as he guided her hands and adjusted her position. "Now, shoot," he said.

Brooke threw the ball up and the two stared in anticipation as the ball hit wide of the mark and bounced off the backboard. Brooke groaned.

"I suck!" she complained.

"Don't worry about it. I never made my first basket either?"

"Really?"

Lucas paused for a few seconds, "Okay, maybe I did but to be fair, it was one of those kiddie ones that were this high," he held it up to about the height of his shoulders. "Just try again."

"What if I don't get it?" she asked.

"Try again," he replied, "And for every one you get in – you get a kiss."

Brooke frowned, "So I guess we won't be making out anytime tonight, then," she said as he half-heartedly threw the ball at the basket. To both their amazement, it actually went in.

"Oh my god!" she said as her face lit up, "Did that go in?"

"Yeah," Lucas grinned, "I knew you had it in you," he said, making good on his promise and giving her a kiss.

When they parted, Brooke grinned, "How about we just cut to the making out?" she said, "I think we'll both score with that," she grinned.

"Sounds good to me," Lucas mumbled as he kissed her again.

To Be Continued…

Yeah, it was a bit of a fluffy chapter. I think we need it after last night's episode.