"Hey what did Turner want?" Lucas asked me as soon as I stepped out of the Principal's office.
"You didn't go to class?!" I asked surprised to find him lurking in the hallway.
"Nah, I was just worried about you. I wouldn't have paid any attention anyway," he said sheepishly. "What did Turner say?"
I let out a deep sigh. "He heard about the tape through the grapevine, only obviously he wouldn't call it that. He was so skittish. He wanted to know if I had any idea who vandalised my locker and promised to get it repainted by tomorrow. Then he asked me if I wanted a day off or wanted to go visit the counsellor even though whatever I do in my private time is my business." I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"So, did you take up the offer?" Lucas asked, his hands in his jean pockets.
"No, if I do, it's like whoever did this won and I don't want them to win. So I'm gonna go to class and sit through it to show them I'm better and beyond," I said, putting my foot down.
"You're more courageous than anyone I know, Brooke and I really mean that. You never let any challenge bog you down, you always bounce back twice as hard," he appreciated me.
My face grew red with tears. "Well, sometimes it can get really tiring to keep pushing through," I confessed as my head hung low.
"Shhh, that's why I'm here to hold you," he said to me, wrapping me in a hug and stroking my hair.
I rested my head on his chest and let my emotions loose for once. Brooke Davis never cared, Brooke Davis never cried but deep inside she was just a scared little girl who did care a lot.
"Thanks Lucas," I whispered once I had calmed down.
"Anything for you, Pretty Girl," he smiled.
"I-I don't think I'm ready to enter class just yet," I whispered.
"It's a good thing I can't even enter class before second period. Come on," he said, pulling me.
"Where are we going?" I smiled following him up the staircase.
He took me all the way up to the terrace. I smiled as the soft breeze hit my face. I put my arms around his waist and just snuggled into his chest, feeling a sensation of peace and home. He propped his chin on my head, his hands gently caressing my hips swinging us from side to side.
"You know I never identified with the concept of home but now I realise that I was misconstrued. You are turning into my home, my sanctuary, my safe haven," I smiled up at him. Bringing my lips closer to his, I lightly locked them with his. We sat up there, just enjoying each other until it was time for the second period.
I got into class to see every single student glaring at me, then looking at each other and whispering things. I tried to look down and just take my seat in the back. I doodled in my notebook, some until the teacher got the class to quiet down. I had notes thrown at me the whole time, calling me a bunch of different names, guys offering to make more tapes with me and other horrid inexplicable things.
When we sat for lunch in the quad, I just kept my head down, already feeling worn out by the day. I had already cancelled cheerleading practice, just feeling nauseous being at school. I could not wait to be done and just go home and sleep so that I did not have to think about the nightmare that I was living. Lucas stroked my hair and my back to calm me down while I rested. My friends empathised and just let me be as they tried to talk about everything but the party last night.
Just then another balled up piece of paper hit my resting head and landed on the table. Nathan picked it up and saw it before I had the time to look up. I saw that it was a drawing of me, naked with a quote bubble saying that I was a prostitute who made money selling sex tapes. Nathan was so mad, his fists clenched, ripping the paper to shreds. He got up to stand on the table.
"Everyone, can I have your attention? As most of you have heard or seen, Brooke and I made a sex tape," he yelled.
"Hey!" all my friends screamed, trying to pull Nathan off the bench while I just covered my face ducking even lower to hide if that was possible. Nathan was very strong though and managed to jerk their hands away. The quad got radio silent to hear that jucy gossip. I just wanted to sink deep into a hole. What the heck was Nathan doing?
"But, why are all the comments and insults directed towards Brooke, huh? As far as I could tell, it required two people to shoot that and make that tape. And, the story of it all is that I was the idiot who took advantage of a drunk girl. So, if anyone has anything to say, say it to me. If anyone wants to defile anybody's locker, spray paint profanities on mine. If anybody should be receiving such derogatory notes, it should be me. And I promise you that if I hear so much as a whisper or a peep about anybody giving Brooke a tough time about this, they are gonna have to deal with me and everyone here knows what I am capable of. This ends right here, right now," Nathan announced before getting back down.
"Thank you," I mouthed to him, feeling extremely grateful.
"I promise to always be there to protect you, little Penny," he responded.
"Thanks, little bro!" Lucas smiled and Nathan gave him a nod.
The second half of school went normally, well ig you call two athletes dropping you to all your classes normal. Both, Nathan and Lucas walked me to every class, even if I had class with one of them. So naturally, everybody looked down immediately when we passed by.
"Guys, I appreciate this, but I am fine. I don't need the security detail," I complained.
"Weren't you just headed in this direction of your own accord, Nate?" Lucas spoke to him, pretending I was invisible or didn't exist.
"Yeah, I love the view of this dusty old trophy case!" he responded, continuing the joke.
"Ugh! You goofs, I love you so much!" I said, squeezing them both in a hug.
— —- —-
"Lie with me until I fall asleep?" I asked Lucas once we got home. He skipped basketball since he was still asked to take things slow.
"Of course," he responded joining me on the bed. He sat there eating some strawberries and doing homework while I tried to let the exhaustion shut off my mind.
I woke up when Lucas shook me gently. "It's dinner time, love. You slept through the afternoon," he said to me.
"Not hungry!" I complained, rubbing my eyes and then dropping back on the cool pillow.
"Brooke, you need to eat," he said, rubbing my arms.
"Body feels so tired," I mumbled, trying to stifle a yawn.
He left momentarily, I saw as I opened one eye to check when he hadn't said anything for a minute. I smiled as I believed that I won! I felt the mattress shift as his weight came on it along with the sound of rattling vessels. I opened my eyes to see that he had carried up a tray laden with food for me. He made me sit up on the bed as I inhaled the aroma of the food.
"It's a vegetarian chilli with grains and beans," he told me before putting the spoon in the bowl. He blew on it two times before bringing the spoon to my mouth.
"Not hungry," I mumbled as he held the spoon milimetres away from my lips.
"Come on B, open up. You got to eat," he encouraged.
I smiled and parted my lips just enough for him to place the spoon in my mouth. My eyes rolled back as the flavours hit my tongue. He smiled to himself, proud of the fact I seemed to enjoy it. He continued feeding me, until the bowl was empty. Then he proceeded to down his bowl as I watched him smilingly, making small talk.
"Bevin told the girls on the cheerleading group that her cousin goes to Stanhope High. The boys on their basketball team literally threw a pep rally because you can't play. Something about finally having a chance to beat the undefeated Ravens," I told him.
"The team is still pretty solid without me and besides I feel really good. I plan on waking up early and going on training sessions, hitting the gym, get myself in shape and there is a good chance I will be able to play at the away game. Besides, going to an away game with my girlfriend, so fun!" he smiled.
"A) promise me that you will not push yourself beyond your limits and B) exactly what additional benefits were you going to get with me in a hotel. Broody, we literally live together!" I laughed.
"The thrill of adult supervision kinda turns me on!" he smirked. I laughed loudly, grabbing a bottle of nailpaint to paint my nails.
"So what new book have you been reading?" I asked once he was done with his bowl of chilli. "And don't worry, I will do the dishes."
"Julius Ceaser. There is a tide in the affairs of men…." he quoted.
"Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune." I continued.
"What! You have read Ceaser!" Lucas asked, completely dumbfounded.
I blushed, "That was my grandfather's favourite book. I always saw him sitting in the study on that old leather chair by the window where the light comes in. He would sit there and just read this book all the time. So I asked him what it was about, and he told me that quote. I mean I know the basics, Et tu, Brute but I still remember it like it was yesterday. Him sitting on that chair with me on his lap and him just reading that quote to me. I remember how the gleaming sun made his face shine as well as the pitch and hoarseness of his voice. He passed away shortly after," I trailed off.
"You should read it, I'm sure you will love it," he said to me.
"Yeah, I might just," I smiled as I finished painting my toenails.
Once my toes were dry, I took the tray of dishes down and got the kitchen clean. I made a call to my gardener to see if he could run by the sports shop the next day and get a basketball net installed in our yard for Lucas to practice. He promised to get it done before we got back from school. I was excited to surprise him. At least then he wouldn't have to drive up to the River Court that early in the morning.
I got back up to my room to see Lucas clad in his boxers, lying in bed reading Julius Ceaser. I went into my walk in closet anc changed into a black tank top and matching black panties. I hopped onto his back and started rubbing his back, giving him a massage. He seemed to enjoy it because his eyes seemed to trail the same line of his book, over and over.
Eventually we got ready for bed. I cuddled to his side inhaling his aftershave.
"Brooke, you know how since your parents abandoned you, you always wanted to be disciplined, to be controlled," he said to me all of a sudden.
I raised my head from his chest and looked into his eyes, "Uh-huh."
"Yeah, and since my dad beat me, I always wanted to be the one in control…." he warbled.
"Yeah?" I said in an asking tone.
"What I'm saying is, how about we try something, like BDSM?" he finally got it out.
"Like fifty shades of grey?" I asked, kinking up my brow.
"I am usually up for anything as you know, given the kind of situations I would put myself in, but do we really need a red room to spice things up?" I asked, my face began shrivelling at the thought of it. "Actually, I really did not hate the kinky and controlling ones, but they came very few and far between."
"B, I don't mean an actual red room," he laughed. "I meant the day to day stuff around it. I researched about it and apparently, a lot of couples are really into it. I lay down the instructions that you need to follow, lest there will be consequences. You ask for permission before you do things and go places. Kinda like a parent-child relationship. You know you get the experience of how a parent is actually supposed to behave with their child and I get to feel how a parent is supposed to behave. It could maybe turn out to be healing, even though it sounds crazy. We have already experimented some with this like that time in the shower you followed my commands or how I picked your outfit to how I fed you today. I read your diaries, and I want to change all your experiences to what an ideal childhood is supposed to look like."
"Consequences like what?" I asked.
"No sex for one!" he laughed, "Though that would be a punishment for me too, maybe get you curfews or get grounded.. We will cross that bridge when we get there. But I'd prefer you obey!"
"Do I have to call you Daddy?" I asked, feeling weird getting it out of my mouth.
"No, that does sound strange," he agreed. "Let's stick to our names, but the occasional Sir wouldn't hurt, I guess. So what do you say, open to trying it?"
"Yes, Sir!" I said before kissing his lips.
