Starting Over (RiRiishtar)

Drake did not mean to upset her. He sighs sadly and continues to endure his school day after she left. He knew she felt guilty about something but he wasn't sure what. When the day is over he drives his friends home and sulks in his room. Cursing his gift to be able to read people's souls. He says to himself, "I have chased her away already and its only been two days."

After a few hours, when school would be out Brook was bored so she decided to go for a walk. She left a note for her father to let him know that she was just out for a walk and that she had her cell on. The phone that he had given to her when she moved here she also took the bear mace. Her farther was cautious almost too cautious but Brook didn’t mind, it showed that he cared.

She left her yard and just started roaming around the town, she had no where really in mind to go she just wanted to clear her mind. She noticed a pond with ducks, went into the grocery store and bought some duck food then walked to the pond and sat down at a bench and started to throw food to the ducks who all came up to her. It seemed the ducks were people friendly so they ate right out of her hand.

Drake got bored of staying in his room and decided to go for a run. He needed to clear his mind of Brook. He could not help but speak his mind around her. He runs through the woods until he spotted Brook feeding some ducks on the pond. He says as he comes out into the light, "Hi um I am sorry about earlier today." He sits down beside her.

When Drake approached she didn’t even look up. “Its alright, it wasn’t you, I over reacted.” She shrugged and she would leave it at that and would just hope that he didn’t push it. She wasn’t ready for him to know her whole story, even though he probably knew it already.

She silently continued feeding the ducks and with her focus still on the ducks she asked “So what did you mean by the hunting going on?”

Drake says calmly as he looks at the water, "Well hunting season has begun here for one thing and lasts longer here than most states. The animals do what they have to survive and well they are growing aggressive because of the surplus amount of hunting." He also didn't want her in the woods while his family was out hunting. He looks at the ducks a moment as they come to him unfazed by his scent.

Shaking her head Brook spoke “I hate people who hunt for sport, hunting for food is one thing but to hunt just for the hell of it is disgusting” She threw more food for the ducks. “These ducks seem less scared of people then ducks I am used to” She still hadn’t looked up at him. He seemed to be able to read her too easily and she didn’t like that she liked wearing her masks and being able to appear strong.

To change the topic she spoke again “So beside killing animals for sport what else is there to do for fun here? I mean I used to come as a little girl but I dont think hiking through the woods and running through sprinkilars is something to do this close to winter”

Drake says, "Well there is a movie theater here now. And in a few weeks there will be a new bookstore in town. There is several other things too but I can't see you doing such things." He sighs as he knew why she wouldn't look up at him. He says softly, "I will go if I bother you so much." He gets up and starts to leave.

The movie theater perked up her attention, that was something that could work for her, darkness being able to be with people but being able to be quiet at the same time. And at the sound of a bookstore she smiled. “Well I do love to read” It was true, she had done a lot of reading in the hospital, it enabled her to escape into an other world for a while.

When he stood and started to walk away she stood up quickly. “You don’t have to go” She looked up at him. “I mean unless you want to, sorry I am bad company I just…” She paused. “What you mean by several other things that you couldn’t see me doing?”

Drake says as he looks back at her, "There is cliff jumping and other extreme sports you could do." He did not attempt to sit back down beside her. He says, "I am sorry I put you on edge so much today." He stands next to her calmly thinking about something. "I want to change Brook. Be a better more open person." His words were soft and distant.

Brook couldn’t help it but she started to laugh. “Cliff Jumping?” She grinned “Well I was on my schools diving team. Plus I used to ATV and there was a zip line.” She shook her head. “You said that this town might surprise me but you might be surprised by me”

She froze, why was so being like this with him? As he apologized she turned her back on him and started to hug herself. Even though her marks were covered it was like she could still feel them. Slowly she turned back to him.

He wanted to change? She looked up at him. “You change?” She was clearly confused but worried at the same time. Her story was nearly screaming to get out. If he was more open he would except her to be open with him…wouldn’t he?

But she took a deep breath and sat down and waited to see what he would say.

Drake looks at her as she hugged herself. He says, “How do I explain this…My whole life I have been closed off to everyone. I don’t want to be like that anymore. I want to be able to be open with people.” He looks in her eyes as she finally turned to face him again. He says, “You don’t have to tell me what you are hiding if you don’t want to, Brook. I understand how hard it is to let people in. I just want you to know I am here if you finally do want to let someone in.”

When he looked into her eyes it felt as if he could stare into her very soul. But it seemed that he had secrets too it seemed. Maybe the quote was right, maybe the world was but a stage and maybe they all were but players. She felt oddly comforted by him. She smiled. “Well I am going to have to remember that”

She then shook her head “But really I am fine, just getting used to living in a small community. She smiled and looked up at him. Wondering what he would have to hide. But it wasn’t her place. “So did I miss anything after I left? I am sure it is going to be the talk of the school tomorrow”

She thought for sure his friends would have something to say about it, not only about him sitting with her, but her bolting, she had noticed they way that they stared at her the first day it was different then the other stares, and she wondered why.

Drake says with a soft smile, “You did not miss too much, mostly just writing assignments that will be easy for most people to make up.” He could see that she was curious about him now. “I am just glad that you are okay.” He did not mention his friends comments about what she did to him. She was having a bad enough day as it was. He did not want to make it worse.

"Yeah that is easy enough" Nodding Brook took a couple steps closer to the pound and threw more food into it watching the ducks swim for it and quack at her more more. She giggled "Doesnt anyone feed these guys?" She said it out into the air, but not really excepting an answer. She continued to throw food into the pound.

Then turning to him again. "I am fine" She smiled "But I must confess I am a little confused, I am the new kids why are people in this town so concered?"

Drake watches her feed the ducks with a smile. He says once she is done speaking, “Well I am concerned because you look like you want to open up but you won’t. Others still see you as the little girl they once knew and they want her back. That sort of thing.” He leans down and pets one of the ducks gently as he waits for her response.

Sighing Brook wipped her hands on her jeans and stood. "I am fine really but I thank you Drake" She sighed. "About the other people, its just well, we all grow up right? And we all change" She shook her head. "I used to come here every summer, it hasnt changed much, just the people I guess, some families I dont see anymore but...." She trailed off when he started to pet the duck.

"Huh and I thought I was just special that the ducks liked me but I guess they like everyone" She smiled, "Guess you showed me"

Drake laughs softly and says, “Yeah well I am in these woods a lot during the day so I think they are just use to me I guess.” He looks at her a moment and says, “Yes everyone has to grow up but not everyone has to accept it.” The duck quacks at him as he stops petting it. He smiles looking at the duck and says, “Well I am sorry but I can’t stay here and pet you all day.”

Watching the duck and Drake interact she felt a little more at ease, animals had a way with people, they sensed things about people and she figured since the ducks seemed okay with him then maybe he was alright. She shook her head why did she care anyways? She hadn’t opened up to anyone in the hospital, only telling the doctors what she knew they wanted to hear. And no matter what Drake said nothing could make her open up

She smiled at the duck then looked at Drake. “So where is the cliff jumping place?”

Drake says as he looks around a moment, “The beaches have cliffs in certain areas. People jump them for the fun it all the time. They jump in groups just in case someone gets hurt, the others can get help. I have heard it is a rush but I never done it myself. My father would lose his head with me if I were to get hurt.” His face looked pained for a moment.

The thought of cliff jumping appealed to her. Maybe that would make her feel alive. Ever since the Accident she had felt as if she was a zombie. Here in body but not in mind or spirit. She chewed her bottom lip gently. She would defiantly have to check it out. She was certain her father would have her head if he caught her doing it but she was willing to risk it to have the chance to feel alive again.

At Drake’s comment she turned to him. “So your father would pitch a fit too” She shook her head “Some fathers are over protective” She sighed and shrugged and then crossed her arms on her chest. “Guess it’s a father thing. My father is even more protective since” She froze she had almost gave away her story. “Since I moved here, worried about me getting lost in the woods I guess, makes me carry my cell phone and my bear mace everywhere I go” She shook her head again. “But I think if I came face to face with a bear I would faint before I could pull out the mace or call for help, but it helps him relax”

She shook her head again. “Well since both of our fathers seem to be against cliff jumping I guess it’s a no” She wouldn’t bring up swimming though she didn’t want anyone to see her scars that littered her arms.

“Well I guess I better get going, I like to make dinner for farther” She stood and walked home with not another word then she walked home and made some tacos for dinner. She started to brown the meat and added a bit of spices to it and onion. She then started Cutting up the lettuce she was distracted by a noise outside and ended up cutting her thumb. Crying out in pain she immediately ran it under the water then bandaged it up. Then she continued with making the dinner cutting up tomatoes and grating the cheese It all took a long time but she made it.

She was just finishing when her father got home.

“Hey Brooke, heard you left school early you okay?”

Brook greeted her farther. “Yeah just felt a panic attack coming on”

Her father nodded. “Okay well I want you to take a sleeping pill tonight”

Brook froze. “Uhh I guess”

Then they both ate in peace and her father told her that he would clean up so Brook went upstairs, had a shower then sitting on her bed in a tank top and pj pants she started her homework. Around midnight she was done enough again for one night and decided to take a sleeping pill.

Soon she was fast asleep on top of the covers her arms in plain view her homework spread around her.

(Sorry I just got home from a week long visit to my aunt’s.) Drake watched her go calmly before he went on to his hunt. He so badly wanted to tell her what he was and who he really was. He hunts calmly with his friends ignoring the questions they had about how Brook responded to him. His father looks at him feeling betrayed by his strong feelings for one mortal woman. Drake did not care though. This one woman was now his only reason he was to exist in this world.

That night Drake went into Brook’s room without waking her. He looks over her scars thoughtfully with a sigh. He says softly, “So that is true. You still blame yourself for the accident.” He leans over her and kisses her forehead softly. He says in her ear before disappearing, “It was not your fault.”

Asleep on the bed Brook was none the wiser about anyone in her room. Comet had awoken and stared at Drake but Comet seemed to sense that Drake meant his master no harm so simply looked at him with a swooshing tail. He snuggled back to Brook and went to sleep when he disappeared.

Brook’s alarm went off at 650 and she hit the snooze and snuggled into her blankets Comet climbed under the covers and nipped at her toes. “All right I’m up” She groaned. Turning off the alarm she stood, put the cream on her scars then dressed herself. In long selves as always then a hoddie then jeans packing up her homework she went down stairs. Her father was gone again, she had a quick breakfast, took her pills then jumped in her truck to go to school

Making it to school she sighed. People were staring, seemed her story had gotten around. She put on a brave face and entered the school to her locker and sat on the floor near her locker.

She couldn’t get a dream out of her head, Drake in her room, kissing her forehead and whispering something to her. She closed her eyes trying to remember. It was not her fault? Why was she dreaming about him? She shook her head and opened her eyes looking around people were pointing at her and talking. She sighed, everyone would know that she had left early yesterday and she was sure now that she was branded a freak the fact that Drake could have been seen with her at the park never crossed her mind. Just that everyone would know now that she killed her mother and sister in a accident.

Drake walks into the school hoping that his message to Brook about it not being her fault got through to her in her dreams. He looks around show everyone a deadly glare for talking about Brook like she was some sort of freak. He goes to her side with a smile and asks, “So Brook how you feeling this morning?” His glare had shut everyone up and walking to class quickly.

Although her IPod was blaring she felt a chance in the air and looked up. She noticed Drake walking into the school she cocked her head to the side as the crowds seemed to obey a silent command and dispersed from the area and started heading towards their respective classes. She winkled her brow curious on how he was able to do that. She was beginning to wonder a lot about Drake. Like why he seemed to care for her so much? She felt oddly more alive with him near. Less hurt. Like he was able to fix the wounds that were invisible. She watched as he came to her and turned off her IPOD and stood.

“I am fine thanks” She moved her hair from her face. “I actually slept last night, took my pills father’s request after my mini breakdown yesterday” She slammed her locker shut she wasn’t about to admit that she last night she had a dream about him. Fearing that he would think it as creepy.

As the bell rang she grabbed her bag and slammed her locker shut. “See you next class” Then quickly made it to her first class sitting with Kelly and the girls they all looked at her.

“Is it true?” They demanded right away. Brook became to get panicked

“Is what true” She asked her eyes darting for the door.

Kelly shook her head “That you and Drake were at the pound together?” Brook sat down. She wasn’t sure but she though that one of Drake’s friends were in this class but she bent down to whisper.

“Yeah I was feeding the ducks and he showed up” She paused “But that’s not all” All the girls leaned in “I had a dream last night, it felt so real, I was in bed sleeping, my books all around me… my scar…I mean… well he kissed my forehead, and then he whispered that it wasn’t my fault” She felt safe saying it with these girls, when she had come here as a child she had played with them, and they already knew about the accident.

All the girls got love struck eyes Brook nodded and then the class started, it was over soon and she walked into her second class, she took her seat then handed in her homework and waited. She thought this was the class that she shared with Drake but she wasn’t sure. So she simply opened her book and started to read.

Brook knew that he any of his friends were in her first class it wouldn’t be too long before Drake knew about her dream. Then things would get very really awkward but she couldn’t do anything about it now, she would just have to wait and see.

Drake smiles some as Brook told him that she exactly slept last night. “That is great Brook.” He smiles again as she seemed to be able to go to class without being so edgy today. He goes to his first class feeling his friends glaring at him from behind. The twins were in Brook’s first class and they were not too happy hearing about her dream. They stomp out of the class feeling pissed off. Drake sees them and glares at them in warning. He gets to his next class and sits beside Brook calmly.