Okay this chapter and the following few chapters might get a little confusing. It's Lucas's story, only I'm not throwing in the present. So this is what Lucas is typing.
It wasn't until I met Rachel and Anna that I learned of Brooke's reputation. I was at the market with Nathan, the day after I met Brooke, when the redhead and the brunette swooped down on him like giggling vultures.
Rachel smoothly introduced herself to me. "Rachel Gatina," she purred. "You must be Lucas Scott."
"That's me," I said. Nate looked uncomfortable and he beckoned to me that he would be continuing the shopping, leaving me to the vultures. Anna, however, was attached to his arm like a leech, so he took her with him.
"So who else have you met so far?" Rachel said, picking up a magazine and leafing through it, boredom on her face. There was no denying she was hot, but she wasn't my type. She seemed high maintenance and way too into herself. Brooke came off like that as well, but she was more fun, more down to earth in a way.
"The only other person I've talked to is Brooke Davis. We've been hanging out a lot, with Nate," I explained.
"Brooke Davis?" she asked, her nose wrinkled.
"Yeah," I said slowly. "Do you know her?"
"The whole town knows her," Rachel scoffed. "She's notorious. All the adults dislike her because she's either slept with their sons or destroyed their daughters. The teachers hate her because she's dumb. She's a heartbreaker and a slut."
"She doesn't seem like that," I said carefully. Rachel rolled her eyes and tossed her red hair behind her.
"She acts like that in front of Nathan," Rachel said to me. "She has him wrapped up in her little act, too."
I didn't want to believe her, but it made sense. It made sense why Nathan seemed to be so enamored by her. She was definitely beautiful enough to break a guy's heart. But she seemed too sweet, too nice, to be what Rachel said. Finally, Nate returned and saved me.
"Ready, Luke?" he asked, pushing the cart.
"Yeah," I said. "Nice to meet you, Rachel."
"You too, Lucas."
Before I knew what was happening, she kissed me slowly and strutted off, swaying her hips. I blinked in confusion.
Nathan laughed. "That's Rachel for you."
"She's..." I trailed off, not able to find quite the word to describe her.
"Yeah, Luke," Nathan laughed. "I know."
I shook my head, and turned in surprise to find a terrified Brooke, entering the market and looking around for Nathan. I will always remember her eyes in that moment; they were darker than normal, reflecting a terror that I had never seen in anybody before.
"Nate," her voice rang across the market. It was still raspy as usual, but there was a different quality to it. Fear.
"B," Nathan said, immediately dropping the cart and dashing toward her. She swallowed and grasped onto him. I watched as he held her, whispering into her chocolate brown hair. A kind of jealousy filled me, but I pushed it down. Something terrible had obviously happened. I just wasn't sure what.
Nathan looked over her head at me, pleading me with his eyes to finish my business as if I hadn't noticed anything. I nodded at him and continued unloading our groceries at the check stand. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Nathan lead Brooke out of the market, his arm around her shoulders. She kept her head down, almost like a celebrity hoping to not be recognized.
The middle aged woman behind the counter clucked. "Brooke Davis. Always causing trouble, that one. You must be new here, I haven't ever seen you before."
"I'm Lucas Scott," I introduced, repressing the urge to stick up for Brooke. These people had known her for years; I'd known her a day.
"Ah, so you're Dan's other boy," the woman said.
"Yeah," I replied. I paid for the food, thanked her, then pushed the cart outside, into the parking lot.
I found Nathan helping Brooke into the black SUV, and I pretended like I didn't notice. I put the groceries in the back of the car, ignoring the whispering before tossing Nathan the keys and hopping in the front seat. Brooke kept her head down every time I looked in the rearview mirror.
I found myself confused, worried, and flustered by her. She was a mystery. I'd always been a fan of mysteries.
When we arrived back home, Brooke was back to her bubbly self. Or, at least what she pretended to be. She helped us carry the bags inside and knew where to put everything much better than I did. She teased me, bumped the side of her hip against mine, and giggled, just like the Brooke I had met the day before.
Nathan still watched her with concern on his face, and she would give him a look whenever she caught him at it. I knew she didn't want me to know what was going on. I understood; Brooke barely knew me.
Suddenly, a poppy song filled the kitchen, and Brooke answered her phone with a perky "Heya Tutor Girl!"
I watched Nathan's face turn slightly pink as a grin spread over him. I raised my eyebrows. Tutor Girl must have been Haley, the girl he was crushing on.
"I'm at Nate's...yeah...oh, shut up!...Okay, yeah. Come on over. We can go from here," Brooke said into her phone. "Kay, see you soon, girlie."
She clicked off and turned to us with a small smile. "Natey Boy!! Your Tutor Wife is coming over!"
"Brooke, shut up!" Nathan said, tossing a grape at her. She caught it and popped it in her mouth with a smug look on her face. I laughed and she hugged me around the waist.
"See, Nate, Broody here gets me!" she laughed, burying her face in my chest. I laughed again and threw my arm around her small body.
"When is Haley gonna get here?" Nathan asked, busying himself with the task at hand. I'd forgotten about it mostly. Brooke was snuggling into me, acting almost as thought she wanted protection from something. I wasn't sure what, but she seemed helpless when she sighed into me before answering brightly.
"Oh, about...a minute," Brooke giggled. "She was like two streets over."
"Shit!" Nathan exclaimed, cleaning up hurriedly before running his hand through his hair. He suddenly stopped, looking over at us.
I was looking at him with raised eyebrows. I looked down to see Brooke raising one eyebrow, smirking at him.
"Don't say a word," Nathan warned. I put my one hand that wasn't around Brooke up, and she nodded, holding back a giggle.
The doorbell rang and Nathan tried to answer it as casually as possible, but Brooke and I both noticed the certain speed in his step. She detached herself from me and looked up with a sparkle in her eyes.
"C'mon, Broody," she whispered. "Let's leave those two alone."
She grabbed my hand and ran out the backdoor, through the side gate, and into the driveway. I looked at her, bemused. She dangled Nathan's keys in front of my face. Haley and Nathan were already inside the house by the time Brooke and I hopped into Nathan's car.
She checked the backseat for something. "Okay, good."
"What?" I asked.
"We have a basketball."
"And?" I asked again.
"I'm gonna take you somewhere amazing. And we need a basketball for this amazing place."
"Now you've caught my interest," I said.
"Oh, I've already got that, Lucas," she said, flashing me a look under her lashes.
The car ride was less awkward then I expected. We argued over the radio. She wanted to listen to Britney Spears, I wanted to listen to Kids in the Way. She didn't know who they were. I finally convinced her to try them out, and although the rock was a little out of her usual taste, she said she liked it. I offered to burn her a mix CD of good music. She beamed at me.
We finally arrived at a basketball court, right next to the river. She hopped out, grabbing the basketball from the backseat and bounding onto the slightly worn down court. I laughed and followed her, stealing it easily from her hands. She looked scandalized before sliding out of her high heels and running after me, barefoot, giggling as I held it above my head.
The fear had completely left her eyes now. She looked happy, genuinely happy, as she chased me around. I shot a three pointer and made it easily. Brooke cocked an eyebrow at me.
"Well, look at you, Mr. Basketball Star," Brooke teased.
"I wouldn't exactly call me a basketball star," I blushed.
Brooke scoffed. "Oh cut the modesty. We both know you're good!"
I laughed and easily stole the ball from her again. She jumped on my back, and I easily held her on, making another shot.
"Lu-cas!" she whined, making the two syllables of my name evident. "That's no fair!"
"B.Davis!" a voice shouted from across the park.
"P. Sawyer!" Brooke exclaimed. Brooke ran to a blonde haired girl, and they hugged each other tightly. "Jake!"
She then hugged the brunette guy as well, ruffling his hair as he tried to dodge her agile hands.
"Aren't you gonna introduce us to your buddy?" the blonde asked.
"Oh, right. Lucas, this is Peyton Sawyer, my best friend, and her boyfriend Jake Jagielski."
"Nice to meet you," I said to Peyton and Jake. Peyton grinned at me.
"Dude, you're my hero," she drawled. "You've got Brooke Davis barefoot and playing basketball. That never happens."
"Oh, shut up, whore," Brooke joked. She snatched the basketball from me, finally, and started running back to the court.
"No fair, Cheery!" I yelled to her.
"All's fair in love and war, Lucas Scott!" she called back.
Peyton and Jake watched us with interest as I sprinted to her, grabbing her around the waist and spinning her while she squealed.
Little did I know, Brooke's words would take on a new meaning to me, years later.
Chapter two done! I hope you guys liked it! I know I'm kind of rushing them getting to know each other, but I want to show that Brooke is impulsive. That she makes these split second decisions and draws Lucas in.