AUTHOR'S NOTE!

Hello Everyone. This is chapter 5 and just to let you know ahead of time, it's very short, but I think it was much needed. I'm also going to apologize to all you die-hard Brucas fans that are reading this story, because this is a Julian segment. I'm very neutral when it comes to the oth couples. I like to sort of keep it all the same (minus the fact that Lucas is dating a mysterious woman named Emily and Jake and Peyton are married, but that's how it had to happen for my story) But I just wanted you all to know that this was never a Brooke and Lucas story. It is, but it's not love, that's for sure. I hope this doesn't stop some of you guys from reading the story! It's more about Maggie than anything! Stay true! :)

Anyways, I'll quit rambling. This chapter introduces Julian. I just did this on a whim. I'm stuck at home on a Sunday night and the idea popped into my head, so I thought, why not? I definitely like this chapter. It's not depressing. It's just comfortable and hopefully it will make you smile.

Chapter 5

"I Will Find A Way To You, If It Kills Me"

Julian

August 5th, 2020

Present Day

I don't know this woman. I don't know anything about her. Her name, her age, her marital status, if that little girl with her is her daughter, is that her only child? Would she even be interested in a guy like me? Should I casually bump into her? Knock something out of her hands, help her pick it up? Introduce myself? She's coming closer. The little girl is holding her hand, fidgeting to let go as the woman pushes the cart down the isle. I'm just standing behind the refrigerator door like a creep, staring, but pretending to read the back of some awful food product that I'm holding. This woman is just so beautiful. I have to know her.

"Mommy, can I please sit in the cart!?" The little girl begged.

I guess that is her daughter.

"Bailey, you know what Mommy says. You're a big girl, you're old enough to walk, you don't need to sit in the cart, plus they're full of germs anyways, it's icky, sweetheart." The woman said back to her daughter. She said it sweetly. She had a comforting voice.

"Fine." The depressed sounding little girl said. She then let go of her Mother's hand and began to run towards where I was standing.

"Mommy! Can we get ice cream please!?" The little girl shouted as she ran closer.

"BAILEY PEYTON SCOTT, DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" The woman yelled. Looks like someone was about to get in the trouble. I guess the little girl didn't notice the "caution wet floor" sign. She was about to run right to where the wet floor was. This is my cue. I could see the woman power walking to her child. The little girl was running closer to the wet floor, about to slip.

"Bailey!" The woman yelled once more. This little girl was a spark plug. I closed the refrigerator door and put my arm out and caught her.

"Whoa, kid. You better be careful. You could have busted your head open." I said.

I was nervous. The woman probably thought I was trying to kidnap her kid or something. I didn't want it to come off like that. Oh no, here she comes. I can't tell if she's about to yell at her daughter or at me for touching her.

"Bailey Scott, you get your sorry little toosh back to the cart right now. We are gonna have a serious talk about you and your poor listening skills. You could have hurt yourself, little bear." The woman said. She was bent down at eye level to her daughter. She caressed her cheek and the little girl obeyed. She wasn't one of those evil grocery store moms. She seemed cool, calm, and collected. Like she knew what she was doing. The little girl continued to walk but then she turned around and got my attention.

"Hey Mister!" She yelled. Assuming she was referring to me. I looked at her.

"Thanks for saving me!" She said, with a cute little smile. Her two front teeth were missing, she had long, wavy, dark brown hair, and she was very tiny. She couldn't have been no more than 7 years old.

"No, problem, kid. But I bet you should probably listen to your Mom more often, so strange men like me don't have to save you from busting your head open." I said, grinning. The woman had a small smile across her face.

"Thank you so much, if you weren't there, she would've definitely busted her head open." The woman said sounding very relieved.

"Would you like to get dinner sometime?" Woops. Way to go, dude. Word vomit to the extreme. Now she probably thinks I'm some creep. One of her eyebrows raised.

"Excuse me?" She simply asked. I would be confused too.

"I'm sorry... That came out wrong. I didn't mean to be so forward. I just... I noticed you earlier. I... uhhh... oh, now I just sound like a stalker. Look, I'm sorry, now I'm just embarrassed. It was nice meeting you, whoever you are." I blew it big time. The face she was making looked like she was embarrassed for me too. I grabbed my cart and turned around to walk away.

"Brooke." She said. She had this cute little smirk on her face. Brooke. I felt like I had waited centuries just know this beautiful woman's name. I felt like that was just enough to go from. I turned around to look at the woman named Brooke.

"My name is Brooke Davis. I have three kids. Two daughters, one son. They are my life. I'm not married, not looking for a boyfriend, but I could use a nice dinner sometime. Unless, you're too embarrassed now?" She said, chuckling at the last words she spoke. I smiled and grabbed my wallet.

"Here's my card. Give me a call sometime. I'd be glad to make you a nice dinner. Firecracker is more than welcome to join us." I said, pointing to her little girl, making a joke. Brooke laughed.

"She'd be better off at home with her brother and sister." She said. She looked down at my card.

"Mom, can we go now? I'm hungry!" The little girl yelled from the cart. Brooke laughed again. Her smile was contagious. I wanted to kiss her right then and there, but that would just be wrong and inappropriate.

"Well, Julian Baker, it was very nice to meet you, but I have to get home to make dinner for my starving children." She said, still smiling. I couldn't stop smiling either.

"It was nice to meet you too, Brooke Davis. You have a good night." I said. And with that she turned around, walked to her cart and pushed it away, with her little girl in tow.

I was still smiling. I couldn't stop. There was something about this woman that made me want to pull a Tom Cruise and jump on couches, screaming how much I love her. Could I love her? I don't know anything about her except for that she has three kids and she's not married. I've never felt like this before. I mean, I've loved someone, but this woman, I just met. It doesn't make any sense to me. I wish she would've given me her number. She's probably not going to call me.

I know it was short and I'm sorry, but I thought that where I stopped writing was a good stopping point. There will be more of this to come.


albluvscbg- I'll definitely keep writing about Emily in mind. You all really should know about the new lady in Lucas's life. Is she mean? Sweet? Perfect? Normal? Jealous? I don't know yet. Keep reading and please please please tell me what you all think about the Julian chapter! REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS!

Thanks,

-Eleni.