made by mickei
Enjoy!! :)
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That's When It All Changed
Chapter 2: In Walks You
Did you ever look at a picture of yourself and see a stranger in the background? It makes you wonder how many people have pictures of you, how many moments of other people's lives we've been in. Were we part of someone's life when their dream came true, or were we there when their dreams died? Did we keep trying to get in, as if we were somehow destined to be there? Or did the shot take us by surprise? Just think, you could be a big part of someone else's life, and not even know it...
~One Tree Hill
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Lucas
From the moment I set eyes on the place I know I don't belong, that feeling increases once I am inside. The Fulham Medical Centre for Children is a branch of Tree Hill Memorial Hospital for the treatment and recovery of children and teenagers battling cancer, all in all the place is depressing. Sickness and death haunts the overly cheery halls, not even the brightest colours and pages of artwork scattered around can hide the pain and sadness on the faces of the patients as I walk the halls.
They look tired, even the ones with big smiles look completely exhausted, and being here makes me feel guilty. I thought having an asshole of a father was hard; at least I had a childhood.
"What am I meant to do?" I ask the receptionist who is leading me, when all I want to ask is why the hell would they let someone like me near these children. What can I do but make it even worse?
"You're supervisor will explain everything but don't worry, you're main job is just to keep the kids occupied and happy. Some of them are on bed rest, all they need is someone to talk to, maybe read them stories, stuff like that. Some of them are well enough to play some games and we need supervises for group activities-" she… uh, Yasmine… stops and turns around before adding, "-can you use a play station?"
"Uh… yeah"
She nods and smiles, "then you'll do fine" and straight away she starts walking again, it's another moment before I follow and I have to stretch my legs further to catch up.
She's talking but I barely hear her, my focus is on my surroundings with each room we pass.
"At lunch the volunteers deliver the meals but your supervisor will show you the way, everyone who starts here is paired with another volunteer who has been here longer, in your situation the pairing will be permanent until your time here is up. Any questions?" and again she stops, I nearly barrel into her.
I shake my head.
"Good. I'll just introduce you to Brooke, your volunteer, she's been in and out of here for years and knows the place well" and she knocks on a door before popping her head in. Their voices are muffles and then I hear my name and the door opens wider, "come on in" Yasmine says and promptly abandons me.
And when I see her perched on the hospital bed everything else fades away, I can't believe it. She is here, the girl who turned me down, and in the split second before she recognises me I see her smile. That full dimpled grin that can light up a room, the picture Peyton drew didn't do it justice, it didn't show the way it reaches her eyes and made them sparkle, or the joy that radiated from it like sunshine. Though the moment everything connects in her mind the grin quickly fades and I'm left with the sullen girl who dumped a milkshake in Rachel's lap.
"You" she hisses.
Acting nonchalant I shrug one shoulder, "me"
She snickers, "community service, should have guessed. What did you do, DUI? Possession?" she clicks her fingers "I got it, a crime against fashion" and her eyes go up and down my body. A shiver racks me, I feel the way she looks at me almost in disgust but there's something else there I can't place.
I try not to be self-conscious but I can't help but give my outfit the once over, "my mom got me this shirt" I lie.
As if she knows it bullshit her brow kinks up.
From the bed a voice pipes up "would you like me to leave the room, give you two some privacy?"
"DEVON" Brooke gasps and I laugh as she blushes, her face getting redder and redder, "don't insult me with the thought"
Devon puts down his notebook and pen and I study him as the two start going back and forth with friendly banter. My guess is thirteen; he's skinny, too skinny, with pale dusky skin, his olive tone an unhealthy shade closer to yellow with red rimmed eyes the colour of mahogany that were the largest feature on his face, and a black beanie with a red D stitched on it placed atop his head.
"… You gonna introduce me to your friend?" Devon asks Brooke and she huffs but gives a grumbled, "Devon meet Lucas Scott, Lucas this is Devon Ackles"
"Just the coolest kid here" the boy tugged at his shirt and gave Brooke the nod, in the minute I've seen them together I know the child has her wrapped around his finger. Maybe I should get tips from him.
"Yeah, yeah, you keep telling yourself that, hot stuff"
"At least you admit I'm hot" Devon poked his tongue out.
The urge to join in makes me speak, "would you two like me to give you some alone time," I repeat Devon's earlier sentiment.
Not skipping a beat Brooke glares at me, "yes" while at the exact same time Devon chuckles and says "no"
Looking from one to the other Brooke wiggles her finger between us, "how bout you two stay here and I go" she gets up and says quickly "be back in a sec"
Unable to stop myself I follow her, everything inside me says back away, to not risk her sharp tongue again but there is this other part of me that just wants to get closer and at the moment that is the part winning.
Digging my hands in my pockets I jog to catch up to her, "so… what are you doing here?"
"I volunteer, it's called being a decent human being, look it up" she doesn't bother to look at me as she walks faster and faster to the front desk, skirting around it with a smile to Yasmine, Brooke knocks on the office door and walks straight in.
From where I stand I can hear everything she says, or at least every few words and it's enough to know she wants me away from her. If I had the ego she thinks I have it's severely dented now.
Yasmine sends me a pitying look but continues to file paperwork, with my hands still in my pockets I quickly return to Devon's room.
Once again the boy is writing in his notebook, hesitant I walk over to him and wait by the bed, I feel awkward and large in this room.
"You can sit, if you like, cancer isn't contagious promise" he says offhand never once looking at me but I feel like his eyes are on me. Though I'm sure I haven't done anything wrong I still apologise before sitting.
After a few minutes, or what feels like it, the silence starts to grate, "whatya doing?"
"Writing" he shrugs, and I just continue to stare at him. Like duh, got that. He sighs and looks at me "it's something they get us to do, to help 'deal' with what is happening to us" and he adds the air apostrophes with it.
"Doesn't help?"
And Devon kinks his brow, "kinda like an unneeded reminder" but then he shrugs "sometimes it's good, I guess… so you know Brooke?"
"Not really" unless you count a few years of bullying that we put her through, god knows what the others did to her and Haley after I left, whatever they did and what I did she sure as hell remembers. Changing the subject away from me I ask casually though inside I'm waiting impatiently to hear more news, "how long you known her for?"
"A year I guess, she comes in all the time, everybody loves Brooke, and she's not like the others"
"Why?"
Again he shrugs, "dunno, she's real good and understanding and shit" which I would appreciate if I thought I could get her to ever willingly listen to me.
As if thinking of her conjured her, Brooke breezes into the room, her face still pinker than usual "arghh, of all the…" she stops when she sees me and places her hands on her hips, "I'm stuck with you but I want you to get one thing straight, this - you and me - isn't fun, we are not friends, I don't want to hear about your day, or what party you went to and who you-" she looks at Devon and lowers her voice "s-c-r-e-w-e-d at it-"
"I'm fourteen, I can spell" Devon rolls his eyes.
Holding up her hand Brooke shushed Devon, "so not the point right now"
"Brooke, look I don't know what you know about me-" I begin but she cuts me off, getting close her nose almost touches my chest "I know what everyone in this town knows. I'm not like the other girls, so your moves aren't going to work, try anything like that time at the café and Rachel won't be the only one to have an unexpected accident, get me?"
"Clear as crystal"
"The less you talk, the more we'll get along" she pats my cheek and then smiles, its small but it's the first genuine one she's given me. So I smile back.
Looks like community service isn't going to suck as much as I thought.
Brooke
Was this some kind of cruel joke? Some twisted karmic way to get back at me for all the horribly things I've done in my life?
When I first heard that I would be supervising someone that was doing community service, the last person I ever expected I would see was Lucas. I was expecting some misguided teen that was just trying to seek attention. Instead I got him. Someone that doesn't care what they do or don't do as long as the outcome serves themselves in the end.
So far, despite my warnings, Lucas' main pleasure is bugging me. He finds it funny to get on my nerves, and unfortunately he has brought Devon to the dark side with him.
"Time for lunch" I usher Lucas to follow me.
He eagerly stands up, "finally, I'm starving."
"Not for you dumb ass, for the patients." I roll my eyes. "When we get down to the cafeteria, there will be a cart for you with trays on them. Each tray will have the room number that it's suppose to go to. After your carts empty, take it back down to the cafeteria and if I'm not already there, wait until I am. This should even be easy enough for you."
Lucas chuckles, "I'm not so sure about that. Who knows I might just give the wrong tray to the wrong room or worse get lost. I think my supervisor should accompany me, ya know, so I don't mess anything up" I glare at him, "it is my first day after all."
Do you see what I mean by bugging the living daylights out of me? He gets some kind of sick pleasure from it.
I muster the fakest smile I can give, "of course…" I see his cocky grin widen, when I place a hand on each shoulder as I lean up to whisper in his ear, "…when hell freezes over" and I realize I am having extreme difficulty removing myself from him, when I finally do I leave him there standing motionless.
Take that Mr. Big shot. 1 Brooke…wait…damn it, 6 Lucas.
Why does he have to be such a cocky jerk? Why can't he just be a decent human being? Someone that cares about someone other then himself.
After I first saw him enter Devon's room, I finally realized that he had this strange hold over me. Like when he enters a room, its like everything and everyone else disappears, like its just me and him. I knew I couldn't put my self into that kind of situation again. So I went to try and see if some other poor schmuck could take him off my hands. Jeff, the director for all the volunteers, said that there was nothing he could do, I was stuck with him, so I should try and make the best of my circumstances. When I tried to object he wouldn't hear it, instead he sent me off. I usually like Jeff, he's a good friend, after this, I'm not so sure.
Once I arrive in the cafeteria, I see Lucas sitting at one of the tables smugly. If only I could wipe that annoying smirk off his damn face, but instead I decide to suppress the urge and make my back up to Devon's room with Lucas close on my heels.
"Devon why haven't you eaten any of your food?" I point over to his untouched tray.
"I'm not hungry" he says flatly, "hey, Luke" I grimace at the friendly nickname.
Lucas gives a head nod in greeting, while I go over, pick up Devon's tray and put it in front of him, "I don't care if your hungry or not, you have to at least try to eat."
Devon smirks, "sorry Brooke, no can do…I think I would like to go and play some play station though" he looks over at Lucas, "Luke you game?"
Lucas hesitates, "yea, why not."
"Well I don't care if Lucas is 'game' or not, you are not leaving this room until you at least try and eat."
When he places his hand on my shoulder I recoil at his touch, "Brooke ease up. If he doesn't want to eat, he doesn't have to e-"
I push him off of me, "That is exactly why you are a self centered asshole!" I poke at his chest, pushing him towards the wall, "It doesn't matter if he doesn't want to eat, if he's lost his appetite, if right after or while he's eating he's going to vomit it right up. What your doing is telling him to give up, not to try. And that Lucas Scott is the exact reason why I can't stand you. You don't care about the outcome of your actions. That your mom cried on my shoulder, cause she didn't know how to get through to you anymore. You don't care about anyone but your fucking self!"
When I finally finish my little rant, I look over at Devon and see the shock and fear covering his face.
Oh My God, what did I just do?
I try to hold back the tears that want to come spilling out of my eyes, "I'm soo sorry…so sorry" desperately I make my way out of the room as fast as I can.
After I finally get outside, I make my way over to my favorite picnic table at the hospital and bury my head into my arms.
What was that?
He probably hates me now, both of them probably do.
"Is this seat taken?" I tense when I hear his voice. I look up and see electric ocean blues staring down at me.
He stands there awkwardly, with his hands shoved into his pockets awaiting my answer, "What do you want?" I ask nervously.
"I'll take that as a yes."
Instead of prodding me with questions about what was that, Lucas just sits beside me in complete silence. Brooding. He's Broody, I can't help but find that I like that quality about him.
After a few more minutes of sitting in silence, I start to speak, keeping my head down, "I really am sorry. Wh-" I take in a heavy breath, as he puts his hand underneath my chin and lifts my head up, so he can stare into my eyes. Ignoring the tingles he sends through my body, I continue, "-what I said…it wasn't right. If you don't forgive me, I'll completely understand." I try to remove my head from his hand, but with no avail his grip stays firm.
"Can you stop?" he asks rhetorically, staring at me intensely. When I finally register what he's about to do, my eyeballs nearly bulge out of there sockets, while he moves his face closer to mine.
My heart starts to beat uncontrollably and my breathing becomes erratic, "W-what are you doing?'
And before I know it, his lips touch mine.
made by me
