Chapter Three - Times Of Happiness, Times With You
It was times like these when Brooke regretted allowing her and Lucas to become this close.
Times like these when he'd sit with his head just a few inches from hers, the smell of his cologne sending her body into overdrive. Times like these when he'd rest the palm of his hand on her lower back, his warm touch tingling her tanned skin. Times like these when they were so close mentally, so close physically that anyone looking in from the outside could easily believe it was the two of them that would be getting married. All they were doing was reading a magazine together but every moment with Lucas meant so much more to her now. He didn't particularly have any interest in the Vogue magazine that laid on the counter of the Cafe in front of them both, but he enjoyed listening to Brooke ramble on about anything and everything. About how a certain model had too much fat on her thighs. About how someone's outfit really didn't match. It wasn't so much about what Brooke was saying. It was the manner in which she'd say it. Her frown deepening. Or her dimples showing. Or the odd time when she'd playfully jab him the stomach when she thought he wasn't listening.
It was times like these when Lucas was content that he'd let him and Brooke become this close.
"Keith, would you take these orders to table two, and six" Karen placed a tray on the counter in front of Keith and smiled
"I'll do it" Brooke offered her help. Any excuse to get up and away from Lucas. Any excuse to take her mind of the heartbreak she was feeling every time she even looked at him. Though, the others didn't look too convinced at her offer. She wasn't a fool though. She knew why they were giving her disproving looks. She knew why they were fidgeting in there seats. They'd known Brooke long enough to know how clumsy she was, and a tray filled with drinks was definitely something she should avoid carrying.
"Let me get that" Lucas said, quickly jumping up from his seat. But, it was too late. Brooke already had the tray in her hand.
"Lucas, you unwittingly imply that I'm clumsy" she told him, sweetly. She knew she was clumsy. Just like Karen, Keith and Lucas; she could also remember the countless accidents she'd have when she was a kid.
"Think of that…" Lucas answered with some sarcasm "And, as well as I know you" he smirked, as he followed her to the table just to be ready to catch her if she'd fall down. Brooke carefully plucked the drinks from the tray and placed them in front of the customers as Lucas still looked uneasy "How are you doing this?" he asked with disbelief, as she made her way to the next table. He was almost certain she'd have spilt, or crashed into something by now. But, as he saw a table leg right in her line of direction, his lips began to part to scream out a warning but before he had chance she skipped neatly around it and placed the empty tray back on the counter before offering a satisfied smirk in Lucas' direction
"Great job…now you can finish the washing up" Karen ordered Brooke in a motherly tone, as Brooke threw her head back in a child like manner and Lucas sniggered at the fact he'd gotten out of the chores "You can dry" Karen ceased Lucas' laughter, before throwing a cloth in his direction
"Ha!" Brooke stuck her tongue out at the displeasured blonde. Lucas stood for his stool, and followed Brooke through to the kitchen, giving her a quick whip on the back of the legs with the cloth on the way "Ow!" Brooke shrieked in response, before Lucas pushed her into the kitchen "You can wash" Brooke almost ordered as they got to the sink
"Mom said you had to wash" he argued
"Come on, you know the hot water dries my hands out" she whined, her bottom lip peeping out from under the top one
"Don't look at me like that" he pleaded with her, before raising the palm of his hand up to her face and looking away. He'd never been able to resist that cute expression she'd give him every time she wanted something.
"Pweaseeee" she continued to whine like a small child as she took a hold of his hand and tried to make his eyes meet with hers. She knew that way he wouldn't be able to resist. She knew it just as well as he did.
"Fine…" he eventually gave in, as Brooke clapped her hands together.
Somewhere deep down inside her, she wondered if Peyton had this hold on him. If Peyton could get him to do anything she wanted with just one look. But, she had to block those kind of thoughts from her mind. He'd chosen Peyton. He wanted Peyton. And, that was final. It didn't stop her from thinking that she and Lucas had a chance though. She'd still put his last name with hers. She'd still imagine kissing him. Loving him. Marrying him. Maybe one day she would admit her feelings. But, for now she'd do the only thing she was good at. Pretending.
"Lucas!!" she shrieked, as she felt a single squirt of washing up liquid hit her cheek "Are you freaking kidding me?" she yelled as she began wiping it from her face
"I didn't mean too…" he tried to convince her but knew it was no good. She already had that look that scared him so much. That look she gave him when he knew he'd crossed the line. Except this time it was an accident "I really didn't-" he didn't have time to finish his sentence as Brooke cupped her hand in the washing up bowl and threw a handful of water in his face "-mean too" he finished his sentence with his eyes closed as the small droplets of water dripped from his face "Alright, you asked for it" he told her before darting to the washing up bowl and covering her face in bubbles.
Brooke proceeded to squirt him with the washing up liquid, both of them not aware of exactly how much mess they were making. Lucas grabbed Brooke by the waist and lifted her over his shoulder, whilst she yelped and tried to break free from his grasp by punching him the back.
"What the hell is going on back here?" Karen demanded after coming face to face with the mess. Lucas immediately placed Brooke back down on the ground on hearing his mothers voice, whilst Karen just surveyed the state of them both.
Both of them covered in bubbles and washing up liquid. Brooke's hair was scraggly in a way which was still endearing. She could make anything seem endearing. And, Lucas' t-shirt was almost dripping with water. So much so that you could see the form of his torso underneath the cotton. A factor which hadn't gone unnoticed by Brooke
"I guess we know who's locking up this place tonight" she threw the keys into Lucas' hand "I think you remember where the mops are kept" she gave them a overly sweet smile before exiting the kitchen.
Lucas looked at Brooke who was standing a few inches behind him. She always stood behind him when they'd get lectured. He always acted as her barrier "That was all your fault" he told her with a knowing tone
"Oh my god, you so started it" she replied with a serious tone before Lucas began chuckling which caused Brooke to bust out laughing too
Karen sat back down next to Keith, as they both observed the behaviour of the two kids that had never seemed to grow up. They still seemed to act like they did when they were younger. They still engaged in play fighting. They still stayed up all night talking. They still spent hours sniggering at jokes nobody else but those two understood. But, Karen and Keith wouldn't have them any other way. They were thankful that they had such a strong bond. This way they didn't have to worry about them as much. They knew neither of them would ever be alone. They knew no matter what they'd always have each other. And, even though Karen nor Keith had ever admitted it to anyone; they'd always thought it would be Brooke, Lucas would eventually end up marrying.
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It was 9:30pm and Brooke and Lucas had been cleaning since shutting the Café at 6pm. Actually, Lucas had done most of the cleaning whilst Brooke had read out his starsign from another gossip magazine, told him which clothes match his colouring and advised him to start working out with her again as he was looking a little scrawny. He wouldn't normally take this criticisem from any other girl, but there was something about Brooke and the way she made anything seem cute. To some Brooke Davis was annoyingly lazy, irritatingly honset and overly consumed with her (undeniable) good looks. But to Lucas, she was endearingly lazy, charmingly honest and overly consumed with her good looks to an extent where it was adorable. These things which Brooke herself had referred to as flaws, were; in Lucas' head things that made his best friend so perfect.
Brooke looked down at her newly pedicured toes as she sat on the counter of the Café. Her newly pedicured toes which up until now she hadn't realised were rested on Lucas' lap, who was sat on a chair directly in front of her. She didn't flinch at the thought though. It wasn't uncomfortable. This was how they were. They were touchy feely. And, she wasn't going to change that just because her feelings had changed "You decided who your best man's gonna be yet?" she asked with some curiosity, as Lucas rested his hand which held a coffee mug gently on her ankle
"Not unless you wanna wear a tux for the wedding?" he implied that she would have been his first choice of best man. To him she was best everything.
"I don't think a tux will go well with my Gucci heels" she smiled
"Then I guess I'll ask Nathan…" he informed Brooke of the obvious choice "Unless he's wearing Gucci heels too" he joked
Peyton then entered the Café and couldn't help but stop in her tracks as she spotted Brooke sat on the counter opposite Lucas, her left leg now rested on his shoulder as he sat on a chair below her level. She had to admit it was always hard seeing the two of them this close. She'd thought that eventually it would get easier to see them laughing at there own private jokes, or whispering in each others ears, or play fighting together but it didn't get any easier. Since her and Lucas had gotten engaged it had only gotten harder "Can I talk to you for a second?" Peyton asked Lucas, and he waited for her to continue "…Alone" she glanced at Brooke
"Oh, yeah, sure…" she jumped down off of the counter, and slipped her shoes back on "I'll see you guys back at the house" she smiled before exiting the Café and leaving them alone
"Whats up?" Lucas asked, putting up odd chairs onto the tables
"I was thinking that maybe we should stay at a hotel until the wedding…" she explained "I mean, its getting a little crowded at your mom's"
"But, me and Brooke always stay at home" he told her bluntly
"Well, its not you and Brooke anymore, its me and you!" she snapped a little and immediately regretted it afterwards
"Peyton, whats this really about?" he asked, whilst stroking the side of her arm softly
She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead as stress began to take over "It just seems like all you've done since we got here is spend time with Brooke…" she didn't look him in the eye as she spoke "Were getting married in a week Lucas and your not helping by spending all your time gallivanting around with her" she pointed towards the door Brooke had exited from moments earlier
"I'm sorry, its just I'm use to it being just me and Brooke…" he apologised genuinely
She shook her head "It's ok, its me who should be sorry…she's your best friend, your gonna wanna spend time with her" she also offered her apoligies, before Lucas wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close to his body "Besides, things will be different when were living in LA"
Lucas broke away from the hug and looked dead into her eyes "Living in LA?" he turned her words back around on her in an attempt to get her to eleborate further on the meaning of them
"Yeah…" she told him slowly, with her arms still holding his waist "I…cant, get a…job in New York" she explained what she thought was already obvious "There's tons of writers jobs going in LA, your company can easily trasfer you…" she trailed off after seeing the shock in his face
"What about Brooke?" were the only words Lucas could think of saying
"You'll see her at birthdays and Christmas, and she can visit us and you can visit her" Peyton rationalised with him, but she knew he wasn't really taking in what she was saying "I just thought it was the most logical solution"
Lucas' stomach dropped "I guess" he whispered, not in total agreement but he could see where she was coming from. Not a thought of leaving New York crossed his mind. Not a thought of the trouble of selling his aprtment. Not a thought of what he'd miss about the place ran through his head. All that he could think about was leaving Brooke. How could he leave Brooke?
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As always thanks to everyone thats commented so far. I hope you liked this chapter, I'll get the next one up as soon as I can.
Sophia x