Tree Hill Heights

Reputation

Chapter Three

Lucas Scott

There is a question that keeps me awake every night. It makes me toss and turn in my bed, kicking sweat-soaked sheets and wondering… just wondering why we are as we are.

The human race is greedy. It's selfish, self-obsessed, and most of all, it is evil. Jack Henry Abbott once wrote, "Because there is something helpless and weak and innocent - something like an infant - deep inside us all that really suffers in ways we would never permit an insect to suffer." And who makes that something - that 'helpless and weak and innocent' something - suffer? Well step right up every one of you. It's the human race.

And so what is that question? The one that keeps me awake? It's a simple one really. In fact, if you didn't know the context then you wouldn't understand it.

Why?

Why are we this way? Why are we all doomed to repeat the mistakes of our fathers, and their fathers before them. Here is a perfect example of that: Nathan Scott is a talented guy. He could really go places, he could really do something for other people, but instead he is lazy and self-obsessed. He's greedy, just like his dad. Just like my dad.

Yeah, me and Nathan Scott are brothers. The last name kind of gives it away, don't you think? So here's another question: Will I end up the same as my dad? As my brother? Will I walk the halls of this school with arrogance and vanity?

It doesn't even bear thinking about, but I will tell you one thing: I am not like them. I will not be like them.

The halls of Tree Hill Heights are alive with activity. Even this early in the morning the level of excitement is palpable. Living at school doesn't give one much chance for celebration normally, but today is the second Saturday in the month, and as a result we get to go out into Tree Hill, but only if we want to.

Normally I would stay behind. At THH everyone's idea of a constructive trip round town is trying to get served illegally at the club, or overdosing on caffeine at the café. My mom's café actually. Still, I've decided that I need to go in today because the library's copy of 'Of Mice and Men' has gone missing. Well, I say it's gone missing when in actual fact Nathan thought it would be funny to throw it down the toilet.

Have I mentioned that my brother is an idiot?

Because I was the last person to get it out - it was on my bed side table when Nathan took it for a dunk - I had to pay for it, and apparently it will take a while to replace it. Seeing as it's my favourite book, a trip into the Tree Hill book store sounds like a necessity.

"Lucas, hey!"

I turn to see Jake Jagielski approach me. His hair still looks damp, so I'm guessing he's just took a shower.

Jake and I go way back. When I started THH - forced, might I add, by a father with a cheque book and a mother with no spare time on her hands - Jake was the second person I met. I would call him a friend, but I don't have friends. Nobody should have friends - it's too easy to get attached, and then everybody gets hurt.

"Are you going in to town?" Jake asks now, stopping beside me and falling into step.

"Yeah," I answer. The halls of THH are long and dark. They bring to mind the image of catacombs, and I guess there's some kind of symbolism working there. Death. It's not a pretty thought but it's a sobering one.

"Cool, Me and Hales will come with you. Oh, and the new girl. She's called…"

"I don't think so," I reply, cutting Jake off. Like I said, my idea of a constructive trip to Tree Hill differs greatly from everyone else's.

"Luke," Jake says, stopping and yanking my arm so that I stop too. "Come on. You might even have fun - and that wouldn't be the end of the world."

I shake my head. "I don't…"

"Jake, Jake! Over here!"

The two of us turn to the sound of the unfamiliar voice. It's throaty… husky. It's not like anything I've ever heard before and immediately my interests are piqued.

Standing just inside the entrance hall is Haley, her long hair tied up into a plait. Next to her is someone I've never seen before - which is odd because I've seen everyone at THH. We've been going to the same school since we were 11, it's hard not to.

She's looking at us now with dark olive green eyes and long brown hair that gleams under the lights. Her skin is like fine porcelain - smooth and probably soft to touch. I've never seen someone so beautiful.

Nor so dangerous.

She has an aura about her, like a trap. Get too close - no matter how much you might want to - and you'll pay the consequences. Seeing her makes me both uneasy and nervous, and I hate that I can't control it.

"That's Brooke," Jake says, yanking my arm again so that we're walking in the girls direction. A part of me is yelling to stop. Put the breaks on and walk in the opposite direction… but that part is losing.

"I've never seen her before," I reply, running my hand through my hair.

"That's because she's new. Transferred here from California I think. I don't know what the full story is yet, I've only just met her."

"Hey," Haley greets, pulling Jake into a hug as we reach them. I stand there feeling awkward until they pull apart, not looking at the girl who's eyes are so inquisitively upon me. "Are you coming into town Lucas?" Haley asks.

"Yeah, but he doesn't want to come with us," Jake replies, winking at me in that 'boys-together' secret way. It makes me feel even more uncomfortable. I'm not ready to share 'boys-together' winks. I'm not that kind of person, never will be.

"Why not?" the new girl asks, and finally I look up. Her eyes are just as breath taking up close as they were when we were apart, but from here she doesn't seem so perfect. I can see that she's flawed and that thought comforts me greatly. I feel like I've been let out of her trap.

"Lucas doesn't hang around with people," Haley says with a smirk. "He hangs around with his books."

"Oh," Brooke says, her face clearing up like she's just solved a puzzle. "You're the loner?"

I stare at her confused, not because she's called me a loner - a lot of people do that - but because she's called me a loner to my face. Everyone seems to think it's an insult to say it to be as opposed to about me - except for Nathan who just insults me with actual insults - but it's not. I don't care that I'm a loner. I'd rather be a loner than a jock, or a whore, or a stoner.

"Has Haley been spouting off her theory on reputations?" Jake asks, laughing in Brooke's direction. Brooke nods.

"Yeah, I must say the 'Nice Guy' one really had me intrigued," she replies, a smile gracing her pretty features.

"Hey!" Haley says. "It's not just a theory, okay? It's a…"

"Crackpot theory?" Jake cuts in, still laughing. I feel out of place, but think its in my best interests to remain that way. "Come on Hales! I mean, why would I hide behind my reputation? I'm the 'nice guy'. Nothing wrong with that."

"You would hide behind our reputation," Haley says with a matter-of-fact look on her face, "because without it you might actually get laid and that scares you."

"Like it scared you, you mean?" Jake says. Immediately my eyes snap to Haley, trying to gauge her reaction.

"That sucks Jake," she says with a weak smile on her face. We all know she's referring to what she did with my brother - something I still haven't really come to terms with. Almost as if we realise that Brooke is here, we turn to her as one. I don't know if she knows what's happening, but she looks completely oblivious. Either she is or she's a really good actress.

"Who died?" she asks, obviously aware that the tension has shifted dramatically.

"No one," Haley says. "Come on, lets go."

The three of them walk away, and for some reason I find myself walking with them.

"Okay, so this is where I leave you," I tell the others as we reach Tree Hill. There's a bus that runs between the school and the high street, but it's only a fifteen minute walk and none of us could see any reason to get it.

"Surprise, surprise," Haley replies, linking Brooke and Jake. "I guess we'll see you at dinner tonight, huh?"

I nod and am about to walk off when I feel someone's hand on my arm. I turn and see Brooke looking up at me. Something weird runs up and down my arm, like a fizzing sensation. I've read about stuff like that in books, but when it's actually happening you don't think, 'My God! I am in love!' You just think, 'Well this is strange.'

Seriously, don't take me for one of those lovey dovey romantic creeps. I know that the only reason teenagers hook up is for mutual gratification. I'm not that shallow.

"What is it?" I ask, when Brooke doesn't say anything. The way she's staring into my eyes is making me uncomfortable.

"Where are you going?" she asks, her husky voice melodic and seductive all at once. That voice was just made to read poetry aloud.

"To the book store," I reply, determined not to engage in conversation by giving her answers made up of nothing more than monosyllables. Actually, that's pretty much my external vocabulary. I don't like to waste my time or my intellect talking to idiots like my brother.

"Cool, mind if I tag along?" she asks now, and I honestly can't think of a thing to say. Not even a single syllable.

I mean, I can't exactly say no, can I? I'm a loner, but I'm not rude. I leave that honour to my brother. Still, having to engage in anything with Brooke leaves me feeling strangely drained.

"Sure," I answer finally, ignoring the raised eyebrows of Haley and Jake. Oh come on. They can't have honestly expected me to say no, can they?

"Wow," Jake says softly, and Haley nods in agreement. I throw them both my most irritated look and they seem to get the picture.

"Well Brooke, if you want to meet us after you've been to the… book store, we'll be at Karen's Café," Haley says, wrapping her jacket tighter around herself to protect from the harsh January wind.

"Where is that?" Brooke asks.

"Lucas knows," Jake says, and I look up at him quickly. That guy has it in for me, I swear. "It's his mom's café after all. Just ask him to take you there."

"Would that be okay, Lucas," Brooke asks. I swear, if it wasn't so obvious I'm sure she'd be fluttering her eyelashes at me. The weird thing is I wouldn't mind too much if she did.

"Whatever," I sigh, because my inner revelation has me on edge. I'm not used to feeling this out of it. I've always been in control. Always. "Let's go."

"Spillane… Spinrad…Stein… Steinbeck."

I hook my finger above the spine of the book I want and pull it out, loving the feel of the crisp, clean pages beneath my fingertips. Even better is the smell, though even that's not a patch on the smell of the library back at THH. My favourite scent in the world is the smell of old books.

"What'cha doing?"

I almost drop the book at the sound of a husky female voice right behind me. Seriously, that girl could be a spy, I didn't even notice her sneak up behind me.

"Looking," I reply flatly. Like I said, Brooke has me on edge. I feel like I can't relax around her and that feeling of complete unpredictability has me sounding and feeling a bit harsh.

"Wow, that's really fascinating," she says in a voice that doesn't sound too convinced. "How about we do something fun?"

I sigh again and turn to her, fingering the pages of my new Steinbeck. "You wanted to 'tag along' Brooke," I say softly. Somehow saying her name has me feeling even more like I'm entering some kind of downward spiral.

"Well, that's because I thought we'd be buying a book and going. What is that you've got there anyway?" Brooke reaches up and snatches my book away from me. She looks at it and a single perfectly-plucked eyebrow goes up.

"Huh," she says, turning the book over in her hands. "Why would you want to read a book about mice?"

Hmm… Yeah. I can see that Brooke probably isn't the sharpest tool in the box. That should really make me feel relieved - after all, intellect is something that I have to have in a woman - but instead it just makes me think she's adorable in a really clueless way.

I do not think of people as adorable. And what's more, I certainly don't like it. What the hell is this girl doing to me?

"It's not a literal title," I say, taking the book back off her and walking over to the cashier. I hear Brooke scurrying along after me as she struggles to stay in step.

"So what are we doing after you've got this?" Brooke asks, changing the subject with barely a blink. "I mean, can we do something interesting?"

"I was going to read," I tell her. Brooke raises her eyebrows again and her mouth changes into a soft pout.

"But I said can we do something interesting."

I've never got people who don't find reading interesting. I mean, you can get lost in a book. The world around can suck and depress, but jump head first into a book and it doesn't exist anymore. Everything is just… thrilling, exciting, dangerous… you name it and I can get you a book that contains it.

So, I'm not completely sure what comes over me when I say: "Well, what do you want to do?"

Maybe it's the pout. Maybe it's that this girl - this stranger - has somehow weakened my defences and made me lose some of my self-control.

Actually, that's all a bunch of crap. Do you want to know why I'm really going with this girl?

Because I'm intrigued.

I've never met anyone like Brooke before. She's vibrant and confident and it still seems like she's holding back. Like she's scared to be who she really is so she hides behind a mask that's even more amazing than most people could even wish to be. And the awesome thing is that behind that mask, there's so much more.

I don't know. Maybe I'm just losing it, but whatever. I asked the question now I have to deal with the consequences.

Brooke surveys me carefully, like she's trying to commit me to memory. That thought causes my arm to tingle again. "You're not normal, are you?" She asks. If anyone else had said it I might have took offence, but her tone is more curious than spiteful.

"That depends what you would define as normal," I answer. The clerk takes the book from me and scans it. "I'm just as normal as Haley and Jake, I'm just normal in a different way."

Brooke looks puzzled. "But… you're not. I mean, it's not like I'm saying that's a bad thing, because it's not. I'd give anything to be unique." The way she says that has me even more intrigued. Her voice is merry an light, but there's a coarse edge of sadness and dismay behind it. I almost reach out and touch Brooke's face but manage to restrain myself. I really don't know what's coming over me.

What's more amazing though, is that she doesn't realise she is unique. The girls at my school are all generic clones of each other - except Haley, but she's different. And besides, she's slept with my brother so she has something in common with pretty much half of the female population at THH. Brooke though, she's so different. She doesn't seem to want to fit in, and I can tell this from only knowing her for less than an hour. I like to think that I'm a good observer of people, and I observe that Brooke is just as unique as she wishes she was.

Instead of saying all this, I shrug and hand my money over to the clerk. Brooke takes a deep breath like she's returning back from whatever mind fug she was in, and once again her smile brightens up her entire face.

"So, do I get to choose where we go next?" She asks bobbing up and down on the spot as if she's excited.

"Whatever," I say grabbing the dark blue bag from the clerk and following Brooke to the door. "But I have to warn you, Tree Hill isn't known for it's broad range of activities."

The wind hits us in the face as we emerge onto the sidewalk. It stings and makes my eyes water, but I try not to show that it's bothering me. I feel Brooke's arm slide through mine and I look at her in surprise. "You have no fear, do you?" I find myself asking, and Brooke responds by laughing at me.

"Fear slows you down. Living life with fear is like driving in first gear - you don't get anywhere fast and there's not enough risks. You need to keep it exciting, you know?"

No. I don't. I've never been a risk-taker, because I've been hurt too much. I don't want to hurt again, and if that means being careful then that's what I'll do. The human heart isn't as resilient as everyone would like to believe. It gets broken too easily, and it won't ever be back to the way it was before. Sure, it'll heal, but it will always be scarred.

"Thanks for that," I say flatly, not sure what else there is to say. How do I tell someone like Brooke that I don't agree with her? You just can't.

"You're welcome," Brooke smirks, still linking my arm as we walk up the path. "You grew up here, right?"

I nod without looking at Brooke. "Yeah, with my mom." I could add here that money was tight and Mom spent all of her time in the café trying to make ends meet, and that my dad was going to report her for negligence unless she agreed to take the money he was offering to send me to the best prep school in the country. I could add that even to this day I don't know why my dad bothered, unless he knew that going to a school where I would never fit in would make me miserable and he got some kind of perverse satisfaction from that. I could, but I don't, because to share your story is to share your soul, and there's only so much stretching a soul can take.

"Well, if we're going to do something that I want now, then you have to take me somewhere important to you. Somewhere that means something."

I knew that Brooke was dangerous. "I don't think so."

"Come on," Brooke says, stamping her foot mockingly. "I went to that stuffy book store with you!"

"You asked to come."

"Only because I wanted to spend time with you."

I stop where I am and Brooke stops beside me, her arms still looped in mine. My throat feels scratchy and I can't quite fathom what's happening. Boy, Brooke pulls no punches. I see now what she meant about taking risks - she most certainly does.

"Why?" I ask, looking anywhere but at her.

Brooke shrugs. "Would it sound really corny if I said that I find you fascinating? I've never met anyone like you before and… and I want to know you."

That Brooke has just repeated what I've been thinking about her since I met her is too much. If I go any further with her it will be too hard to pull away. I can't get close to anyone, especially not someone as dangerous and spell binding as Brooke.

"Well, you can't," I say simply, pulling my arm out of Brooke's. She looks at me confused.

"Are you saying no to me?"

"Yeah. I'll take you to my mom's café to meet with Haley and Jake and then I'm going."

"Wait, Lucas, did I… did I offend you or something?"

"No." She didn't, but I can't think of a reason to give her for why I don't want to be around her.

"Well then…"

"Can you drop it?" Brooke's persistence has me on edge, and whereas before I was a little harsh, this time my voice is angry. I actually expressed a strong emotion, and by the look of bewilderment in Brooke's eyes she'll never realise how amazing that was. How amazing it was because she was the one who made me do it.

"Fine," she mutters. "I'll make my own way to the café."

"I'll take you," I insist, but she just holds her hand up and a look of determination settles on her pretty face.

"No. Really. Will you just drop it?" she says, mirroring my earlier statement to her. She throws me a look that's a combination of confusion, anger and regret.

AN: Lucas was so hard to write, so I apologise right now for how OOC he is. He's supposed to be a little OOC anyway because Lucas isn't really a loner on OTH, but in this it's essential to his and Brooke's relationship that he's a closed book who no one is allowed to get close to.

Anyway, please review anyway? Thanks!