Chapter 8 - Heartbeats

First off, I apologize times a million for being gone for so long. I've had zero time to myself and it has been a rough few months. But I finally sat down and forced myself to finish this out for you guys. I hope you like it and I apologize for any typo errors.

Also, thank you so much for the comments you guys! Please leave feedback, it's what keeps me going J

Enjoy!

Brooke woke up a little after noon still feeling terribly exhausted after her all night escapade. She lay still, tangled up in the sheets of her queen sized bed.

Oh, last night. Her heart fluttered just thinking about how her evening turned out. This was an unfamiliar feeling to Brooke and if she was being honest it scared her a little. But she ignored that. Because the fear was being over-bared by the pounding in her chest when his name crossed her mind.

Lucas.

Sweet, tortured, brooding Lucas. She tried to calm herself down but as she lay there staring at the patterns of her ceiling it was all she could think about. Unable to sleep anymore, Brooke slipped into the shower. But not even the pounding of the warm water against her skin could get that boy out of her mind.

Brooke had been with many boys. Among them she only ever officially dated one of them. But that was mainly for the sake of a good make-out session and some arm candy. She certainly had never craved his attention the way she was craving for Lucas'. The other boys she had cycled through carelessly had never interested her beyond the obvious physical gratifications.

There was a flutter in her stomach at the sound of his voice, or even the thought of his voice. When she had been younger, Brooke recalled the girl's her age describing this butterfly sensation but never had she believed it to be true. A figure of saying, she assumed.

But last night she felt pure butterflies.

It wasn't until her water turned lukewarm that she snapped from her daze. She blushed to herself at how ridiculous she was being. As she finished the last bit of getting ready she settled into the plush leather couch in the center of their living room. Like most days, Victoria and Richard Davis were engulfed in their work. Which left Brooke with a perpetually empty house.

Peyton was also busy with babysitting Jenny so she was on her own until the evening. Accepting this, Brooke began flipping through the latest copy of Vogue idly. She traced her finger along the hem line of a gorgeous Marc Jacobs original and admired the beautiful cut. One day she would make something this elegant, she though to herself. One day.

Brooke focused on keeping her thoughts solely on the dresses, allowing herself to fall into the dreamy state of envisioning herself as a high-fashion designer. She didn't expect to see Lucas today, she knew better. As sweet as he was, the boy was pretty hot and cold. And considering how hot he was the night before, Brooke was anticipating the breeze to follow.

An unexpected knock arrived in utter contradiction to her assumption. She tossed her magazine down and quickly opened the wooden door to reveal a pair of blue eyes that had been monopolizing her thoughts all day.

"Hey," Lucas stood on her porch with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He was wearing the grey hoodie Brooke always sees him in when he's dribbling that basketball every morning. But this time the wood wasn't pulled over his head to cover his face.

"Hi," Brooke bit down firmly on her bottom lip to suppress the grin that was threatening to breakthrough at the sight of him. Lucas smiled a little bigger as she did and it was hard for her to keep it together.

"I wasn't sure if you would be up after last night," he smiled shyly.

"I'm honestly surprised I'm up right now, I'll be hating myself tomorrow." She admitted and Lucas nodded in agreement.

"Well, have you had breakfast er… lunch yet?" There was a slight flush to his cheeks. Was Lucas Scott blushing? It didn't quite fit on a boy with those kind of looks, but at the same time it made the butterflies in her stomach overpower her. She made him nervous.

"Actually, I haven't yet…" Brooke leaned up against the frame of the red door, folding her arms across her chest. Lucas straightened a little as his infectious smile grew wider.

"Lily's been hasseling me all morning for pancakes." He paused, watching her expression before finishing, "and I figured since I kept you out so late I could at least make you breakfast." Luke frowned at the end of the sentence, as if he didn't like the sound of it. Brooke however broke out into a full grin as she perked up.

"Wow, Broody. You sure know how to treat a girl." She gave him a wink and closed the door behind her. Lucas visibly relaxed as Brooke led the way back over to his house.

The moment he opened the door, Lily came barreling down the stairs. "Did she say yes?!" Her voice rang through the room as she rounded the corner and stopped. Lucas shook his head at his rambunctious sister.

"How could I turn down homemade pancakes?" Brooke laughed and Lily's face lit up.

"I know! The moment I woke up I got Lucas because I just knew it was a pancake day. I told him he just had to invite you too because I mean, who doesn't like pancakes? Lucas didn't think you would come but…" Her brother cleared his throat loudly to cut her off and Brooke couldn't help but laugh at they're interaction.

"Thanks, Lily. On that note, I'm going to get started." Lucas shook his head to himself and made his way to the kitchen. Brooke trailed him with her eyes until Lily interrupted her daze.

"I'm so, so glad you came over! My brother makes the best pancakes. I'm not even exaggerating." Lily spoke wildly with her hands, gesturing everything in the air with equal enthusiasm. She smiled down at the fireball, it was impossible not to get sucked into her enigmatic presence.

"I believe it!" Brooke opened her mouth to continue but it was clear carrying a conversation was never difficult with Lily Scott.

"After pancakes we should totally watch a movie! What's your favorite movie? Mine's Clueless, have you seen it?" Brooke quirked an eyebrow at the younger Scott.

"Have I?! It's been my go to sleepover movie for as long as I can remember!" Lily lit up even more and let out an excited squel.

"Oh my goodness, we have to watch it now! I have a copy in my room." Lucas groaned from the kitchen and Lily giggled. "he HATES that movie."

"Even better." Brooke winked at Lily, growing fonder of her every minute they spent together.

Lucas dragged the last bite of pancake along the syrup trail of his plate, trying to tune out the Clueless babble of his younger sister. To his right, Brooke listened intently to Lily and it gave him an opening to admire her. The hazel of her eyes caught the reflection of the dining room light when she cocked her head to the right and it was like she was glowing. Her soft hair fell over to one side, framing her face and every time she let out a laugh he could feel the warmth in his chest rise in temperature.

There was nothing like her, and he was worried at just how right it felt to be sitting at the table with these two girls. It was amazing to see Lily so happy, and Brooke was so great with her. He pulled his eyes away from the two to take their plates and rinse them off in the sink. With his back to them, he scrubbed the sticky breakfast dishes slowly.

"Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke!" Lily's voice broke through the girl's conversation and he turned to them. She was perked up on her chair, leaning across the back with a wild look of excitement in her eyes. "It's time to get Clueless!" Brooke smirked, catching Lucas' eye roll.

Ten minutes and a few attempts at picking a different movie later, Luke found himself sitting on their family couch as the opening scene of the estrogen filled flick began on the tv across from him. Lily was sitting criss-crossed on the floor just below the television and beside him, listening intently was Brooke.

Unfortunately for him, this was his umpteenth time watching Clueless and somehow Lily never really did get bored of it. Brooke chimed in to quote a memorable moment with his sister and settled further into the couch, laying her legs across Luke's lap. His eyes lingered on her legs for a moment before following up to catch her gaze.

Lily was sucked into the scene, her mouth still hanging open. Brooke however, was holding their eye contact and her expression was soft. Lucas gently rested his hands on Brooke's legs and she wiggled slightly to settle more in. He loved touching her so damn much. Lily's presence was his saving grace right now because if she were anywhere else, Lucas wouldn't have been able to fight the urge to lean across and kiss those supple lips.

But instead, he just held her gaze studying her with equal intensity. After what felt like forever, Brooke finally winked at him and turned back to watch the television. Lucas watched her watch the movie, although when she turned back he pretended like he wasn't. Truthfully, he was just enjoying having her here. Every movement she made drove him wild.

The movie ended sooner than Brooke wanted it to. Lily went from 60 to 0 pretty fast, as she was curled up on the floor passed out when the credits began to roll. She could feel Lucas shift beneath her, but she didn't want to move. Being this close to him for that long was her definition of a perfect day. She turned her head away from the movie at the same time he turned to face her.

"Did you enjoy the movie, broody?" Lucas laughed, looking down at his hands before back at her.

"I hate that movie." His tone was serious but the smile on his face contradicted it. "What now?"

"Hmm… Well, Lily seems to be out cold so I won't force you through another cheesy girl movie."

"Thank god. You have no idea how many of those I have to endear." Lucas paused, drumming his fingers against her leg absentmindedly. All of this was too much for Brooke. She was tired of waiting to get him to let her in. She just wanted to be there with him already. They sat there for a moment longer before Lucas sat up straighter. "That reminds me, I promised Mouth a game at the rivercourt later." He said it outloud but it was more to himself.

The blonde digged into his pocket to retrieve his phone and quickly typed out a message. He hit send and snapped the phone shut letting out a relieved sigh. Lucas was strange like that, always tense about even the simplest of things until he got them completed. Then he would relax as if he had never concerned about it in the first place.

Like the last two days. The boy had avoided her like the black plague, and now he seemed so comfortable being together. He didn't recoil at touch or sentiment, and it didn't seem like he was constantly trying to avoid any sort of direction that could be mistaken for flirtation.

Brooke was growing more confident with him the more they spent time together, and she could tell he was too. "Want to go listen to some music upstairs, maybe?" Lucas pointed behind him in the direction of the stairs and Brooke sat up pleased by the offer.

"Sure," She smiled at him, admiring the gentleness of his water blue eyes. Lucas stood and led the way to his room. The moment he opened the door, Brooke took in the familiar place. There was warmth about his room that could only be compared to the similar warmth he projected. Brooke sat on his bed and watched as Lucas set up a few stereos that connected to an I-pod. He put on something unrecognizable, with a melodic male voice and a steady rhythm. Although she didn't know it, she had to admit it fit Lucas well.

Lucas sat beside Brooke as she finished telling him about her passion for the fashion industry. It wasn't something he was terribly familiar with but just hearing her talk so animatedly about it was enticing on it's own. The way her face lit up as she began to get sidetracked in describing a dress that she wants to make, Lucas couldn't help but get sucked in.

Two hours had passed already and it was so easy to talk to her now. Every boundary line was blurred to him and all that he wanted was to be in this girl's light. He listened intently as she talked so fast, so passionately.

"What is it that you want to do, Lucas?" She stopped, cocking her head slightly in that adorable way she does. God, she was so damn pretty.

"I want to write." The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. This wasn't something he was incredibly open about anymore, because most of the content of his writings were dark. Darker than they used to be.

"That seems… Perfect for you." Brooke's tone was soft. Lucas looked down at his hand that was brushed by hers as she rested her hand on the edge of the bed. "What do you want to write about?"

Lucas blinked hard, no longer attached to the filter that kept his mind away from his mouth. "You. I want to write about people like you." Brooke fell silent and as he looked back up at her she was locked on him. Her mouth slightly open, caught off guard by the intensity of his statement. But he had no time to regret it. He just wanted to fill that gap.

With that, Lucas leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to hers. He pulled back, still inches from her face as he studies her. Her mouth was still parted and her eyes wide in shock. "I'm sorry, I-" He began but was interrupted as her lips collided against his again.

Instinctively, Lucas raised his hand up to cradle the smooth skin of her face as he kissed her back. She tasted so sweet and he couldn't get enough as flicked his tongue along her bottom lip for entrance. Brooke parted her mouth and leaned closer into him as his tongue made its way to hers.

He danced his tongue playfully against hers as she began running her hands through his hair. Lucas kissed her harder, wanting to explore every inch of her so badly. But instead, he broke away for air. She gasped the moment their lips separated and held onto his hair. His whole body felt like it was on fire and there was nothing else he wanted to do but kiss her over and over again. Lucas had given in.