"She's not here!" Lucas yelled as soon as he got back to his car. Sam's eyes widened, and she quickly unlocked the doors for Lucas to sit.
"Then what was all of that broken stuff?" Sam asked. Her fear and worry levels were off the charts.
"She's not here anymore. She must have been here or I don't know. The place is empty right now. Sam, I need you to call the hospital and give them Brooke's description. Ask them if they have admitted Brooke or a Jane Doe in the last few hours that matches her," he said before turning the car into random alleyways. "Please don't be dead, Brooke," he whispered to himself.
Sam's hands shook as she Googled the number of the hospital nearby on Lucas' phone and struggled to make the call.
"Hello, New Brunswick Regional Medical Centre," the lady on the line said in a monotone.
"H-hi. Uhh, my foster mom didn't come home, and she seems to have been attacked at her store-" Sam stuttered.
"Oh my God! Honey, are you alone? Did you call 911?" the lady asked.
"No. I am with my foster father. We came looking for my foster mom and found blood in her store. There was broken glass, and things were strewn everywhere. He asked me to check if you had admitted someone named Brooke Davis or, err, a Jane Doe that could be her," she tried to make the lady understand.
"Okay, let me check the system. I don't see anyone named Brooke Davis. Give me her description, honey. I'll check and see if we have anyone that matches her," she replied.
"She is a caucasian 21-year-old with long brunette hair. She has, uh, hazel-green eyes and dimples. She is very beautiful, I don't know!" Sam said and had to stifle a cry.
"Don't worry, honey. I am checking the system," the lady tried to console her. "I am sorry, no Jane Does were brought in tonight, but I will set an alert. In case we do receive a Jane Doe that matches her description, I will give a call on this number, okay? Take care, honey and don't worry. It's a good thing that she isn't here."
"Yeah, thanks," Sam croaked and hung up. "She isn't at the hospital. I don't know whether to feel better or worse about it."
"Don't worry. We will find her, I promise," Lucas assured her.
"What if she was abducted or something and is halfway to the Mexican border? Did somebody who knew she was a stripper find her and want to sell her to the Chinese? We never should have trusted Peyton and Julian." Sam raised her concerns.
"We just spoke to Peyton, champ. She was as confused and worried about Brooke's whereabouts," Lucas said, wanting to ease her foster daughter's tensions but needing all his focus and attention to be on the roads.
"That's called acting, Luke!" Sam said while rolling her eyes.
Lucas didn't say anything. Instead, he looked for signs, maybe a blood trail or a belonging of Brooke on the roads, anything to let him know that she was safe. Slowly, he began turning his car back towards the house. He slowed down near the house.
"Look! Blood!" Lucas remarked, seeing something red on one of the giant pillars that supported the front of the house and upheld the balcony right above the red door. "Even the plant underneath which we hide the key has been shifted!"
Sam did not even wait for Lucas to finish his sentence. She opened the car door and ran to the door, only to realise that she didn't have her keys.
"Lucas! Quick!" she yelled, bouncing on the balls of her feet while Lucas turned off the car engine.
"Catch!" he said, tossing the keys to her and moving to the backseat to get Jamie. "Take care, Sam!" he called out. All he knew was that Brooke was most likely inside, severely hurt.
He didn't take too long to follow Sam inside. He ran up the stairs as best as he could with his three-year-old in his arms as the lights of the house were still turned off. As soon as he reached the landing, he saw Sam standing shocked at Brooke's door. Lucas felt his stomach lurch. He momentarily forgot that Jamie was in his arms as he bolted to Sam.
He gasped, seeing the sight in front of him. Brooke was laying on her bed, only in a tank top and her underwear with scars and bruises everywhere. She wasn't asleep, but she wasn't alert either. She was simply lying on her side, staring at nothing. She didn't seem to be lost in thought. Her face was as blank as an empty canvas. If it weren't for the subtle moment of her chest rising and falling, Lucas would have been afraid that she was lying there dead. She seemed to be in deep pain, physical and psychological, but the truth was, she was completely numb.
"Aaaaaaah!" A shrill shriek pierced through Lucas' ears. He turned his head and saw that Jamie had awoken in his arms, and he too had seen Brooke in her horrible state. The cry seemed to have awoken Brooke, too, from her daydream or nightmare- Lucas wasn't sure which. She took a moment as her face scrunched in confusion at seeing people around her. Then, she registered the scene.
"Take him away," Brooke whispered with urgency, but no life inside her.
"Brooke!" Sam cried, wanting to run up to her and hug her but feeling so afraid to touch her because of the fear of causing her more pain.
"Take him away now!" Brooke yelled more forcefully this time, her face concentrating solely on Jamie, who was screaming and crying in fear.
Sam and Lucas seemed to be too afraid of her and followed her instructions this time. They hurried to Jamie's room and tried to focus on him.
"Hey, shh! It's okay!" Sam cooed, taking Jamie from Lucas' arms. Lucas didn't complain. After all, Sam was the expert when it came to Jamie. She had more experience than Lucas in taking care of him and handling his fears and tantrums.
"Mommy!" he cried.
"Shh. Nothing has happened to Mommy. She is okay," Sam lied.
"But, Mommy!" he wailed. "I want my Mommy! I want my Mommy! Where is Mommy?"
"Jamie, listen. That was Mom out there, okay? But Mommy is dressed up for Halloween. Nothing else," Sam lied to the kid to appease him and get him to stop crying as she cuddled him in her arms and bounced him to get him to stop crying.
"Huh?" Jamie asked, failing to understand.
"Yeah, don't you remember. When we were in New York, you went to preschool dressed as a Mummy. We covered you in toilet paper, and everyone was dressed as monsters, and you got to eat all that candy?" Sam reminded him.
"Yeah?" Jamie replied, feeling extremely confused.
"That's what Mommy is doing. She is dressed as a monster," Sam said, but hated the fact that she had just called Brooke a monster. Brooke had been attacked and hurt, god knew what else. She did not want to let her mind go there.
"But why? Is it Hannoneen again?" Jamie asked, unable to pronounce the word.
"It will be soon! Mommy is just practising, okay. So, don't worry. Let's go back to sleep, alright?" Sam said, not even caring that Halloween had gone by not too long ago. She pulled the covers to help Jamie into his bed, hoping that it was enough to calm him down. He gave her a wistful look, but Sam began to stroke his hair again to calm him down.
Lucas was worried about Brooke, but he knew that she would kill him if he left Jamie while he was scared. So, he stood next to her while she ruffled his head and hummed Haley's song Halo to soothe him to sleep.
"I remember seeing a picture of Jamie dressed as a Mummy in the albums Brooke gave me," Lucas whispered to her.
"Yeah, it was a cheap and easy fix. Brooke, the great seamstress, had no money to buy new fabric to sew him a costume, and he went to a preppy school so he couldn't show up without a costume. She used the money she had saved to buy candy for the trick-or-treaters in the building. Some of them never get to even see candy. So, I improvised. Only took me two rolls of toilet paper. The kid's a midget," Sam replied while continuing to soothe Jamie.
"Oh," Lucas said, feeling his stomach lurch.
"I don't mean it that way. Brooke is great, and Jamie still had it better than I did. My foster parents gave me garbage bags and cut holes for my head and arms and got some sadistic pleasure dressing me up that way for Halloween saying I was trash anyway so it wasn't even a costume to begin with," Sam said so casually that it took everything in Lucas to not grab her in his arms and never let go. How could humans be so cruel to other humans? Young children who had done nothing wrong?"
"I am really sorry, Sampson. This Halloween, we'll get you whatever costume you like," Lucas said.
"Thanks, but I am a little too old for trick-or-treating," Sam replied. Her face had an expression that asked Lucas, 'Are you really serious?'
"Oh, right! Yeah, sorry. Sometimes I forget that you're fifteen," he replied.
"Yeah, I am only 6 years younger than you guys. Anyway, Jamie is out. Time for Brooke," Sam said and stood up from where she was sitting to go to Brooke's room.
When they re-entered Brooke's room, she was fully clothed and moving about. She was collecting her make-up and dumping it into an overnight bag.
"What happened to you?" Sam asked as soon as she had crossed the threshold.
"Is Jamie okay?" Brooke asked hoarsely while looking at Sam with her purple beaten eyes.
"Yeah, he's fine. What happened?" Sam asked, more emotionally this time.
"Norma came by and said Sam's a bitch." and I said Sam is not a bitch. And she said, yes, she is and I said well, maybe you're the bitch, bitch and... but you should see her face," Brooke joked.
"Brooke…" Sam said emotionally, her voice cracking.
"Nothing, I just… I was at the store and there was a nail by the stairs and I slipped on it and I fell face-first down the stairs," she replied, deadly.
"Oh, I am so sorry," Sam said as she approached Brooke to hug her. However, Brooke stopped her instantly.
"No, it's okay. Really, I'm too sore to hug," Brooke replied.
"Okay," Sam said, feeling stupid for trying to hug her in the first place.
"Sammy, why don't you go get her a bag of frozen peas or something from the refrigerator," Lucas said, not breaking eye contact with Brooke.
Sam nodded her head. She looked at both of them and quietly left the room. Lucas moved to close the door so any lingering thoughts that she had about eavesdropping were botched.
"Tell me the truth, Brooke," Lucas said in a no-nonsense voice.
"I am. Listen, I can't be here. Not while I look like this. I scared Jamie. I know this is too much to ask, but could I crash at your old house for a few days? Until my face heals? Please can you drop me there? I know that I'm dumping Jamie and Sam's responsibilities on you, but please, can you take me?" she asked. Brooke's face scrunched up while she made her request and Lucas could hear her choking back tears but she held them back.
Lucas inhaled and exhaled deeply while looking up as if asking for Patience from God. "What really happened, Brooke? The store was a mess, there was glass, broken mannequins."
"Please, can we go? Please. I - Sam can take care of Jamie," Brooke begged.
"Fine, let's go," Lucas said and went to grab the bag that Brooke had packed. He knew he had to coax the answers out of Brooke slowly. This was going to be just like the night he got her to confess that Jamie was his son. It would be a slow and long and tedious process, and it was better if Sam wasn't around. He opened the door and allowed Brooke to pass by, a stoic expression on his face. They met Sam at the landing who was carrying a bag of peas.
"Sammy, take your phone from where it is and keep it with you. Sorry, but I need you to take care of Jamie. Call me if there is an emergency. I am taking Brooke to my old house," he replied quickly. Swiping the bag of peas from her hand, Lucas didn't stop for a response. Brooke gave Sam a weary smile and gratefully followed Lucas out of the door.
Sam raised her hands in surprise but didn't complain much. She was getting her phone back, which meant that she could text Quentin. She was quite certain that he was still at the party at Duke. She knew that she couldn't go. Not only did she not have a way there, she also couldn't leave Jamie alone. Besides, she was scared. Brooke looked so terrifying, and she did not want to be out navigating the streets alone. Though, she could probably live vicariously through Quentin.
She collected her phone and then checked on Jamie once before going to her room. She kept the lights on and the door open in case Jamie woke up. She didn't want him to run to Brooke or Lucas' room and find them empty and think that he was abandoned.
'Hey, how is the party?' she texted him and bit her lip while she waited for a reply.
'Ooh! Hello, Coach's Girl! Why? You you want me to break you out of prison?' Quentin replied not too long after. 'I was just heading there. Text me your address, I can pick you up'
'Aren't you fifteen? How are you driving? Also, I wish, but I can't leave the house.' Sam texted back.
'I turned sixteen a month before you got here. I can legally drive, don't worry,' he said and sent her a picture of his driver's license for Sam to verify. 'Now, where can I pick you up?'
'I really can't come'
'Are you afraid of Coach and his wife, Coach's Girl?'
'No! They aren't even home!' Sam replied.
'Ooh! Text me your address, I'm coming!' Quentin hastily texted.
Sam bit her lip, but she knew this opportunity would not return. Lucas would take at least an hour or maybe more. She would stick to the back of the house and let Quentin escape from the yard if she heard Lucas come in. He would turn on the foyer lights. Sam squeezed her eyes, sending a prayer up that her plan would not land her in trouble and texted Quentin her address.
'Ooh! Coach lives in the bougie part of town! I'll be there in fifteen.' Quentin replied.
Sam could not believe what was happening. She went up to her room to change into something better and fix her hair and face. She did not have a lot of time. She changed into a pair of skinny jeans and a black crop top. She brushed her hair and tried to make her bangs look voluminous. She put on some eyeliner and lip gloss. Then, she went to check on Jamie. She smiled, seeing the little boy resting obliviously. Jamie's innocence was the most precious thing in the world to Sam. He had grown up with a difficult life, around drugs and strippers, in cold and frugal conditions with paltry food and limited toys and thrift store clothes. Yet, the kid was always happy. Everything was a fun adventure. He didn't have a father, suddenly he did; he smiled through it all. He moved states, changed schools, and he did it all too happily. Sam loved that kid so much. She went and kissed his cheek softly when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Quentin was at the door.
She quickly made her way down the stairs and let him in. "You live in this mansion? How much are teachers getting paid these days?" Quentin asked, looking around.
"You're forgetting that Lucas also has a book that is being published," Sam reminded him.
"Still, it's weird being in Coach's house," Quentin said, looking at Brooke and Lucas' high school pictures that were strategically placed around to trick Lorelai.
"Where are all his trophies?" Quentin asked.
"I don't know. We're all still moving in, kinda," Sam replied. She couldn't let Quentin know that Lucas had just moved in the night they went sneaked to Tric.
Quentin nodded his head, and they got into a sweet rhythm. "You look nice."
Sam blushed instantly. "Thanks. You do, too! Sorry, uhh, that I stopped you from going to the college party, though."
"It's fine. They have parties out there almost every night. Once I get my scholarship to Duke, it's going to be Party Central!" Quentin said with a mirthful smile.
"Oh Wow, you uhh, want to go to Duke?" Sam asked, her stomach doing a flip that Quentin had a college plan.
"Yeah, well, at least I hope. Duke is close to home, so I can still check on my mom and my little brother. I really hope to get a scholarship. Then I can play ball, study business and get into the NBA," he replied.
"Oh, you're following Uncle Nathan's track?" Sam asked.
"No, I am here to break Nathan Scott's records!" Quentin replied with another smirk. His pompousness also had a sweetness and liveliness to it. "What about you?"
"Oh, I, uh, I-I don't know. Foster care never gives kids the luxury of dreaming about college. We are just grateful if we have food on the table," Sam shared and then cupped her mouth because she knew she had overshared. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that."
"I am so sorry, Sam," Quentin said seriously, but he couldn't keep the optimism far. "But it's got to be different now, right? I mean, if Coach can afford this place, I am sure that college is going to be an easy breeze," he said.
"I don't know. Years of living in the system have trained me not to expect an extra day in any place, even if things look good. Nobody is to be trusted, and nobody but you is looking out for you. Be prepared and vigilant, and don't dream, don't hope, just keep your head down. All we could dream of for our futures was to get minimum wage jobs at McDonald's. But Brooke and Lucas are great. Brooke has been using the word college with me ever since she met me, and I know Lucas would want me to go, too. It's just that, uhh, Lucas is still very new in my life."
"Hey, it's alright. All I know is that you wouldn't survive working at McDonald's for a week!" Quentin joked.
Sam couldn't help but blush again. "So, where's Coach?"
"He's, uh, taking care of some work with Brooke, my foster mom. I guess he'll take an hour or so to get back," Sam said, not wanting to give too much information away.
"Sounds like Coach took his lady to get some!" Quentin joked.
"Firstly, eww! Secondly, ewwwww!" Sam said, scrunching her nose. As she moved her head to show her disdain, her bangs covered her eyes. Quentin stopped and smiled, using his fingers to brush away Sam's hair and tuck it behind her ears. Their eyes suddenly fixated on each other. Quentin tried to read Sam's expressions, looking for consent in her eyes to lean in. Sam gave the smallest of nods. Quentin blushed this time as he began to lean closer to her face.
"Ewww!" came a high-pitched cry. Sam and Quentin instantly parted and were surprised to see Jamie standing there, disgust written all over his face. He was wearing his pyjamas and had a red cape tied around his neck.
"What! Is that Little Coach!" Quentin yelled.
"Yeah, he is," Sam said to him, finding it pointless to hide who Jamie was when he was a spitting image of Lucas.
"Whoa! Who knew Coach had a son?" he said, still staring at Jamie.
"Sammy, who is that?" Jamie asked, running closer to his sister.
"That is a friend of mine. He is also on the team that your dad coaches. His name is Quentin," Sam explained.
"Hi, what's your name, Little Coach?" he asked.
"Why are you calling me little?" Jamie asked.
"Because you're short," Quentin replied,
"I'm three. What's your excuse?" Jamie shot back.
"Nice. So, what's your name?" Q asked with a laugh.
Jamie looked at Sam, asking if he was allowed to give his name to the stranger. Sam smiled and nodded her head approvingly.
"My name is James Lucas Scott!" he said proudly.
"Uh, my man. What's up, boy? Give me a high five!" he said, kneeling to Jamie's level. "Oh, there it is." Jamie looked excitedly at Sam, seeing Quentin's lively energy.
"I said they call him J Luke, so put up your duke, is the boy blowin' up and the boy done shook us, hey!" he instantly began to rap and started doing a little dance. Jamie's eyes shone with excitement as he watched Q with deep fascination. "Hey, baller, come here. Yeah, boy. Come on, you ready? All right, do what I do, all right?" With that, Jamie began to copy what Q was doing. Sam couldn't believe what was going on as she watched Jamie have the time of his life with the boy she kinda liked. She wasn't even upset in the faintest that Jamie had completely ruined her kiss. Jamie began to laugh as he tried to copy Quentin, but his little feet made it extremely difficult. The boys danced for a while as Quentin sang the rap lyrics.
"Give me some. Man, it looks so much cooler when you're rocking that cape, man." Quentin said as he rapped and danced with Jamie.
Jamie showed him his red cape excitedly, pulling it ahead for him to see it spread out.
"Yeah, I see. I like that, man. I wish I had me one of them. That's hot," he said to Jamie.
"I'm practising for Hannoeen like Mama!" Jamie said like it was the most obvious thing on the planet. Sam's eyes widened as she understood what Jamie meant.
"And what are you doing out of bed?" Sam asked.
"Oh, I wanted water. Can I have some, please?" he asked.
"Yes, of course. Come on," Sam said and took Jamie to the kitchen. "Listen, Mom and Dad don't know that Quentin was here, okay? So you can never ever ever tell them that he was here, okay?"
"Why?" Jamie asked.
"Because I am grounded, remember? They can't know. Please," Sam begged.
"Q is cool!" Jamie said as Sam handed him water in his sippy cup.
"Yes, but do you pinky promise me that you will not tell Mom and Dad about him? I will be triple grounded if they come to know," Sam pleaded, needing to know that Jamie understood.
"Yeah, alright. Where is Mama?" Jamie asked.
"She is just trick or treating," Sam said, making something up.
"Even I want to go!" Jamie whined.
"This one is only for old people. They don't even give out candy, they give out broccoli," Sam said. Jamie made another disgusted face as he continued chugging his water.
"Come on, let's get you back to bed," Sam said and lifted Jamie in her arms.
"You mind staying here while I get him settled again?" Sam asked Quentin. "Actually, no, come with me, in case Lucas comes back."
She led the way up the stairs and saw Jamie was half asleep in her arms. She carefully put him in bed and patted his head gently for a few minutes. Smiling, she tiptoed out of the room, beckoning Quentin to follow.
"You were really good with Jamie. I appreciate it," Sam said, feeling really good.
"I'm telling you, man. Jamie, that kid right there, he is gonna be the man. I'm serious. He already got some things going for him," he said, believing every word he had uttered.
"Well, I think he likes it, that my good friend makes him feel special," Sam replied.
"Good friend, huh?" Quentin said, teasing her and leaning closer to her.
"Great friend?" Sam asked coyly.
Quentin laughed, "Well, I got a little brother his age. Yeah, he always watching me and copying me and whatever. I ju... I don't know. I just try to keep it fun for him before he grows up and life gets harder."
"Quentin, what do you want to do with your life? Besides basketball?" Sam asked the hard-hitting question.
"Besides basketball... I don't know, I guess, uh... get married, raise a family," he replied, uncomfortable at getting vulnerable.
Sam exchanged a smile with him. "Yeah? You want kids?"
"I mean, I think about it sometimes. When I look at my little brother or when I saw J Luke, I don't know. I think maybe I'll have a son of my own someday or, you know, a little girl. That'd be all right. Yeah."
"Well, Jamie certainly likes you," Sam said.
"What about you?" he asked.
Sam leaned in and placed her hand on his cheek, pushing his face to meet hers, and she sweetly pecked his lips. "Does that answer your question?"
Quentin grinned and nodded his head. Just then, Sam felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw that it was a text from Lucas asking her whether she and Jamie were okay. She hastily replied with a thumbs up.
"I really hate to do this, but Lucas might be on his way, and I am grounded. I will be dead if they saw you here," Sam replied.
"No, I get it. I'll be on my way, Coach's girl," Q replied as he made his way to the door. Sam smiled as she saw him walk to his car and get in. She waited as she saw him pull out of her driveway.
Lucas opened the car door for Brooke and helped her settle in. She winced as her body moved even the slightest. Lucas handed her the bag of frozen peas as he put her bag in the backseat and went to the driver's side. He knew better than to try to coax the truth out of her in the car. For now, he would follow her commands. He would let her guard come down by allowing her to feel she was in control. He drove in complete silence to his house, making sure that Brooke was nursing her wounds.
Brooke was in shock and fear. Lucas and his actions were miles away from her mind. She kept her eyes on the road as if the hooded figure was going to jump at her out of nowhere. The bag of peas stung and the prickling pain was unbearable, but she tried to power through.
Once Lucas parked his car in the driveway, he helped Brooke out of the car and grabbed her things. Opening the door, he led her in, feeling strange in the house he had called his home for the longest time.
Turning on the lights, he put Brooke's belongings in his bedroom and got her a glass of water.
"Thanks," she whispered, accepting the drink and tilting the glass to her lips, which burnt from the cuts and bruises.
"I got you here, but I should have taken you to the hospital. Please, can we get you checked by the doctor?" Lucas requesting.
"No, I am fine. Everything is fine," she lied through her teeth.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I already told you. I'm really tired," Brooke replied and went to stretch herself on the couch. Lucas went ahead and sat on the couch by Brooke, putting a cushion on his knees and resting Brooke's head on it. Brooke did not complain. She was honestly too scared and too far away to comprehend what was happening. She just lay there and continued to stare straight ahead.
"B, what really happened?" Lucas asked again, stroking her hair gently.
"I told you, I fell down the stairs," she answered robotically. The conviction in her voice almost had her fooled.
"Thank you," he said randomly as he continued to pet her.
"For what?" Brooke asked, not expecting to hear that. She was ready for another round of interrogation.
"For moving to Tree Hill so that I could be a part of Jamie's life and being a trooper with all the life changes and crazy adjustments regarding fostering Sam and... For being such a good friend. You really are a good person, Brooke Davis."
"And what do I get out of it?" Brooke asked, her voice deep and hoarse.
"Great friends... Great life... Good karma," Lucas replied, struggling to respond.
"I don't believe in karma. I try to be a good person, and bad stuff happens anyway," she said all too quickly.
"Like what kind of bad stuff? Like Stripping in a club alone in New York or like falling down the stairs?" Lucas asked.
Brooke felt tears sting in her eyes. "Yeah, something like that." Her life truly was a series of unfortunate events. It was like she was born into bad news and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape.
"Uhm, let me ask you something. If you don't believe in karma... What do you believe in?" Lucas asked.
"Justice."
"Do you want some ice cream, or do you want to watch something?" Lucas asked, needing Brooke to get out of the dark hole she was in.
"No, thank you," she replied quickly.
"Brooke... I lived a lot of years feeling powerless and alone. I was pissed off and scared to death because of Dan. That's not going to happen to you... Not if I can help it," he said. "Now, what really happened?"
"I told you, I fell down the stairs," Brooke repeated.
"Yeah, then why didn't you call me? Actually, where is your phone?" Lucas asked, grabbing Brooke's hand and squeezing it.
As she felt Lucas squeeze her left hand, she realised something. The spot where she had been feeling unfamiliar because of the new metal she was adorning was feeling unfamiliar because it was gone.
"Your Ring!" she yelled, and an animalistic cry erupted from her body as she broke down. She did not even realise as she curled herself into a ball in Lucas' arms and cried. "He took your ring. He took Keith's ring. I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" Brooke continued to wail as guilt, shock and fear finally let loose, and her body fell apart.
"Shh, it's okay. It's okay," Lucas said, holding on to her and rocking Brooke's battered body gently in his arms.
"Karen! I begged him not to. I begged him to please let me keep Keith's ring. I am so sorry!" she cried. "I am so sorry! Karen!"
"Brooke, it's okay," Lucas said as he tried to calm her down. Suddenly, Brooke's breathing got erratic, and she was choking on air. She clutched her chest as the world began to spiral. Lucas watched her struggle helplessly as he tried to hold her and ground her. Without realising what he was doing, he arched his face closer to hers and kissed her lips.
Lucas kissed Brooke deeply and strongly, not letting go. It was soft and gentle, yet long and full of love. He realised as soon as he touched Brooke's cherry red lips that they were as soft as they had felt all those years ago. Brooke's eyes widened, but her body was in so much shock and her emotions were running so high that Lucas' kiss was exactly the comfort she needed. It was like Lucas' lips had anchored her and shut down her brain. Brooke's face was still swollen and bruised. Her lips were deeply cut as well, so Lucas tried to remain careful. Nevertheless, he continued to kiss her softly. If he was being truthful, he could not stop even if he wanted to. Brooke's lips felt magical to him
Suddenly, Lucas' phone rang. He broke the kiss and saw that it was Sam calling.
"Hey Sam, is everything okay?" he asked, breaking the kiss with Brooke and answering without thinking.
The call seemed to have awoken Brooke from her anaphylactic shock as well as she realised what she had done. She could not believe that she had made out with Lucas as she touched her lips as if checking that what had happened was real.
"Lucas! Help! I think he is dead!" Sam cried on the phone.
"Hey," Quentin said, picking up Sam's phone as he continued to drive home. "Miss me already?"
"I was used to living alone in New York, but I haven't done a lot of that in Tree Hill, and this house is honestly a little too huge," Sam answered truthfully, letting her guard down. She really liked Quentin and she was trying to be vulnerable, the thing she sucked at the most.
"Is Coach on his way?" Quentin asked.
"I don't know. It's complicated," Sam repeated.
"Why don't I stay on call with you until he arrives?" Quentin asked.
"Really? You would do that?" Sam could not believe that she was acting like such a girl, but she was grateful for it. Tree Hill was a little intimidating for her after seeing Brooke's state and hearing about their horrendous stalker stories.
"J Luke still tuckered out?" he asked. "We got to make him meet my little brother Andre. I think they will be great friends," Quentin said to her. Conversations with him were always so light and breezy.
"Yeah, I think he will like that. Tree Hill has been really good for him."
"What about you, Coach's girl?" Quentin asked.
"Depends on the context. I miss New York's public transportation system and it had better food," Sam taunted.
"What about the company?" he asked boldly.
"I had great friends in New York," Sam replied, remembering Liz.
"How many of them were boys? Wait, I got to get gas," he said.
Sam heard some shuffling at his end as Quentin parked his car in front of the pumps of the gas station. He exited his vehicle and Sam heard the thud of his car door. Walking into the shop, Q looked at the man, placing his phone atop the counter ass Sam waited patiently at the end of the line. The man at the counter stared at him manically and Quentin felt a strange feeling surge through his body. He shook away his jitters and pulled out his wallet.
"Hey. Can I get twenty on pump number 1, please?" he asked, placing twenty dollars on the counter.
The man behind the counter continued to look at him as if he was going to skin him alive. Quentin suddenly realised just how empty the shop was. His eyes fell on the traces of blood behind the counter as the feet of a dead man behind a partially open door came into his line of sight. Quentin wanted nothing more than to run out of there. He pretended that he hadn't seen what he had seen and casually turned around to walk outside the store. He forgot all about his cell phone that was still perched on the store counter.
Quentin tried to keep his gait as slow and normal as possible, but he knew that the man had seen his eyes linger towards the back room.
Just as slowly as he walked out, the man pulled out a gun from below the counter. He straightened his arm and took one clean shot. Quentin did not even have time to scream.
"Have a nice night," he said to Quentin's corpse.