Times change...people shouldn't, chapter 17
The phone rang in her ear as she shook her foot impatiently. "Hello." A woman's voice said from the other line. Just as Brooke was about to greet her back, Joey walked in on her and she snapped the phone shut. "Hey baby, what did Jimmy want?" she asked as if nothing happened. "Um. Him and Ray are going out to grab something to eat they wanted to know if we wanted to go with them." Joey said, he took a seat next to her. "Oh, okay, lets go." Brooke said pushing herself out of the relaxing chair. "Aww baby, I thought me and you could just hang out here for a while... We have a house to ourselves." Joey said temptingly as he got up and pulled Brooke into him. "I know hun but what if my mom comes home and finds us?" Brooke said as she wriggled out of his grasp and headed back into the house. The truth was that if she never slept with Jimmy or Joey at least knew.. She would be all over him... But for both of their emotions... She decided not to get too carried away with Joey for awhile. Besides she could always just blame the baby and her not feeling well as an excuse to not want to fuck him. "I guess you're right..." Joey sighed, a little disappointed. "Come on, we better go now." he added as he grabbed her keys and headed to the small café where they were meeting.
**
"Hey Brooke!" Ramona said as she hugged her hello. "Hey Ray. What's up?" Brooke said adjusting her shirt. "Not much... Hey Jim... Why don't you and Joey go run in and grab us the food and Brooke and I will grab the seats?" Ramona suggested as she started to pull Brooke towards an available table. "Umm... Ok. Come on Jim." Joey said as he dragged his friend onto the line.
"So.. How are you feeling?" Ramona asked very friendly. "Okay I guess... Hey Ray?" Brooke asked after a long pause. "Yup?" Ramona asked, cocking her head to the side. "Can I tell you something that you swear not to tell anyone?" Brooke asked cautiously. "Of course!" Ramona said, still supportive. "Well, I kinda sorta... Cheated on Joey.. Over the summer... With Jimmy." she said biting her lip. "YOU WHAT?!" Ramona exclaimed, gaining a few stares from surrounding tables. "Ramona! SHH!" Brooke said worried. "But why?" Ramona asked still shocked, "I don't know.. I'm just so overwhelmed with everything going on... The baby.. My mom.. I don't know.. Jimmy was like.. An outlet for my problems for that night." Brooke admitted. "Does Joey know?" the still confused friend asked.
Brooke sighed and shook her head. "You have to tell him Brooke!" Ramona yelled. "It will break his heart, Ray. If Jimmy doesn't tell and I don't... No one gets hurt." Brooke snapped just as Joey and Jimmy walked over with drinks and food. "I guess you're right..." Ramona sighed as Jimmy sat next to her. "Right about what?" he asked curiously as he shoved his hamburger in his mouth. "Nothing.. Don't worry about it." Ramona said as she dumped some sugar into her unsweetened iced tea. She looked over at Brooke and Joey as they laughed and occasionally hugged. 'She can't keep this from him. ' she thought silently. Little did the girls know that their whole conversation had been heard by Jinny, and Lauren who were only a few seats away.
**
After the group had said their goodbyes, and Brooke dropped Joey off at home, she made her way home to her mother. "Hey honey." her mother said unusually kind as she walked in. "Um.. Hi." Brooke said not really wanting to play along with her sudden mood swing. "You hungry?... I made some dinner." her mother asked as she continued to act sweetly. "No.. I ate." Brooke said making her way back up to her room to finish some homework. "Brooke." her mother called after her.
Brooke turned around and waited on the stairs. "I just wanted to let you know that I start my rehab next week... I'll be there for about 6 ½ months." she said. "6 ½ months?!" Brooke asked shocked. "Well.. Yes. I want to beat this Brooke." her mother admitted. "But mom that's about the time I'll be having the baby!... I can't be home alone while I'm 9 months pregnant!" Brooke exclaimed. "Well Brooke, here's when keeping your legs closed would have been smart." her mother sighed. "But we can't change this situation so maybe you can have Joey's family come here and help with things." she continued. "No mom! I'm not their burden. They have their own lives.. They can't just come over here and help their son's knocked up girlfriend!" Brooke's mother got off the couch and began to walk into the lounge. "Well then Brooke... You think of something better. I'm just letting you know that I leave next week and I'm coming home around mid- March and maybe the holidays." Brooke just shook her head stormed into her room where she stayed for the rest of the night.
**
"Good morning Oakland High!" the all too cheery voice said over the intercom at school the next day. Brooke sat quietly in the front of the room as she eagerly waited for them to be over, her and Ramona were going to cut first period and hang out for a little while. "That's the end of them... Have a great day!" the girl finally concluded as the bell rang and the class filed out. Brooke stood up but found herself pushed hard on the floor. "Slut." the school's quarterback scowled at her. "Excuse me?" she said dusting herself off and getting back up. "You heard him you whore." his friend said from behind as they shoved her against the blackboard before walking out. "What the fuck is going on?" Brooke wondered. She wasn't showing so they couldn't possibly know that she was pregnant or anything... Unless someone told...
Brooke squeezed her way through the mass crowd and the occasional calling out of "Whore!" "Slut!" or even "Bitch!" as she walked over to Ramona, waiting by the door. "Ramona do you know what's going on?" Brooke asked confused as they snuck out. "What do you mean?" Ramona said as they continued to walk. "Everyone keeps calling me a whore and slut." Brooke said hurt. "O.." Ramona stared "Yea everyone is talking... They know that you're pregnant with Joey's baby, but that you slept with Jimmy..." she drifted off. "WHAT?!" Brooke yelled, "How?!" she added. Ramona shrugged. "You told them didn't you?!" Brooke said suddenly halting and grabbing Ramona's arm. "Brooke get the fuck off me! I did not!" Ramona yelled. "Jealous Bitch!" Brooke spat before she ran back inside the school to look for Joey.
She ran over to the music wing and waited eagerly for Joey outside. She felt like her heart was pounding outside of her chest and her stomach dropped to her toes went she saw him coming. "J.. Joey." her voice trembled as he approached her. "What do you want?" he asked angerly. "I just w-wanted to talk.." she said still shaking from nerves. "Oh, so you wanna talk now?... You didn't want to talk the night after you fucked Jimmy?" Joey snapped back at her. "I deserved that..." Brooke said hanging her head and then reaching for his arm. "But baby you have to listen.. We have to talk." she begged. "Brooke you're making a scene!... I'll call you later or something." Joey said pushing her off him and walking into his class. Brooke stood there as the bell echoed through out the hallways, she was heartbroken, confused and alone.
She stood there not moving, the hallways were empty and first period had started, she took a deep breath and ran back outside and into her car. She couldn't last in school today, she couldn't see Joey, Jimmy, and the rest of the school that hated her, she needed to be alone.
Brooke climbed into the SUV and slammed the door, she placed her forehead against the steering wheel and cried her eyes out. The only thing she heard was her own sadness, that was until her phone rang from the bottom of her bag. She looked over at it, not wanting to talk to anyone right now, but she calmed down and regained composer as she flipped the phone open and forced a muffled hello out. "Hi, is this Miss. Caliway?" a polite voice said from the other line. "Yes.." Brooke said confused.. "Who's this?" she asked back. "Oh I'm sorry, this is Sally from the young mother organization." The women said, still acting professional. 'Oh the abortion clinic.. ' Brooke thought in her head "Yes.. How can I help you?" Brooke said clearing her throat and starting the car. "Oh, well, we have your file here and it seems we were disconnected the other day and we were just making sure that we were going ahead with our scheduled "surgery" for Friday."
Brooke fell silent as she sealed her eyes shut, all sorts of thoughts swirled through her mind, and then she snapped. "NO!" she screamed, slamming on the breaks, and shutting her phone as hard as she could before she threw it across the car floor. "God what's wrong with me?" she whined as she tossed the back of her neck against the cool leather headrest and held her stomach as she cried silently as more of her heart broke.
**
"Hey Brooke!" Ramona said as she hugged her hello. "Hey Ray. What's up?" Brooke said adjusting her shirt. "Not much... Hey Jim... Why don't you and Joey go run in and grab us the food and Brooke and I will grab the seats?" Ramona suggested as she started to pull Brooke towards an available table. "Umm... Ok. Come on Jim." Joey said as he dragged his friend onto the line.
"So.. How are you feeling?" Ramona asked very friendly. "Okay I guess... Hey Ray?" Brooke asked after a long pause. "Yup?" Ramona asked, cocking her head to the side. "Can I tell you something that you swear not to tell anyone?" Brooke asked cautiously. "Of course!" Ramona said, still supportive. "Well, I kinda sorta... Cheated on Joey.. Over the summer... With Jimmy." she said biting her lip. "YOU WHAT?!" Ramona exclaimed, gaining a few stares from surrounding tables. "Ramona! SHH!" Brooke said worried. "But why?" Ramona asked still shocked, "I don't know.. I'm just so overwhelmed with everything going on... The baby.. My mom.. I don't know.. Jimmy was like.. An outlet for my problems for that night." Brooke admitted. "Does Joey know?" the still confused friend asked.
Brooke sighed and shook her head. "You have to tell him Brooke!" Ramona yelled. "It will break his heart, Ray. If Jimmy doesn't tell and I don't... No one gets hurt." Brooke snapped just as Joey and Jimmy walked over with drinks and food. "I guess you're right..." Ramona sighed as Jimmy sat next to her. "Right about what?" he asked curiously as he shoved his hamburger in his mouth. "Nothing.. Don't worry about it." Ramona said as she dumped some sugar into her unsweetened iced tea. She looked over at Brooke and Joey as they laughed and occasionally hugged. 'She can't keep this from him. ' she thought silently. Little did the girls know that their whole conversation had been heard by Jinny, and Lauren who were only a few seats away.
**
After the group had said their goodbyes, and Brooke dropped Joey off at home, she made her way home to her mother. "Hey honey." her mother said unusually kind as she walked in. "Um.. Hi." Brooke said not really wanting to play along with her sudden mood swing. "You hungry?... I made some dinner." her mother asked as she continued to act sweetly. "No.. I ate." Brooke said making her way back up to her room to finish some homework. "Brooke." her mother called after her.
Brooke turned around and waited on the stairs. "I just wanted to let you know that I start my rehab next week... I'll be there for about 6 ½ months." she said. "6 ½ months?!" Brooke asked shocked. "Well.. Yes. I want to beat this Brooke." her mother admitted. "But mom that's about the time I'll be having the baby!... I can't be home alone while I'm 9 months pregnant!" Brooke exclaimed. "Well Brooke, here's when keeping your legs closed would have been smart." her mother sighed. "But we can't change this situation so maybe you can have Joey's family come here and help with things." she continued. "No mom! I'm not their burden. They have their own lives.. They can't just come over here and help their son's knocked up girlfriend!" Brooke's mother got off the couch and began to walk into the lounge. "Well then Brooke... You think of something better. I'm just letting you know that I leave next week and I'm coming home around mid- March and maybe the holidays." Brooke just shook her head stormed into her room where she stayed for the rest of the night.
**
"Good morning Oakland High!" the all too cheery voice said over the intercom at school the next day. Brooke sat quietly in the front of the room as she eagerly waited for them to be over, her and Ramona were going to cut first period and hang out for a little while. "That's the end of them... Have a great day!" the girl finally concluded as the bell rang and the class filed out. Brooke stood up but found herself pushed hard on the floor. "Slut." the school's quarterback scowled at her. "Excuse me?" she said dusting herself off and getting back up. "You heard him you whore." his friend said from behind as they shoved her against the blackboard before walking out. "What the fuck is going on?" Brooke wondered. She wasn't showing so they couldn't possibly know that she was pregnant or anything... Unless someone told...
Brooke squeezed her way through the mass crowd and the occasional calling out of "Whore!" "Slut!" or even "Bitch!" as she walked over to Ramona, waiting by the door. "Ramona do you know what's going on?" Brooke asked confused as they snuck out. "What do you mean?" Ramona said as they continued to walk. "Everyone keeps calling me a whore and slut." Brooke said hurt. "O.." Ramona stared "Yea everyone is talking... They know that you're pregnant with Joey's baby, but that you slept with Jimmy..." she drifted off. "WHAT?!" Brooke yelled, "How?!" she added. Ramona shrugged. "You told them didn't you?!" Brooke said suddenly halting and grabbing Ramona's arm. "Brooke get the fuck off me! I did not!" Ramona yelled. "Jealous Bitch!" Brooke spat before she ran back inside the school to look for Joey.
She ran over to the music wing and waited eagerly for Joey outside. She felt like her heart was pounding outside of her chest and her stomach dropped to her toes went she saw him coming. "J.. Joey." her voice trembled as he approached her. "What do you want?" he asked angerly. "I just w-wanted to talk.." she said still shaking from nerves. "Oh, so you wanna talk now?... You didn't want to talk the night after you fucked Jimmy?" Joey snapped back at her. "I deserved that..." Brooke said hanging her head and then reaching for his arm. "But baby you have to listen.. We have to talk." she begged. "Brooke you're making a scene!... I'll call you later or something." Joey said pushing her off him and walking into his class. Brooke stood there as the bell echoed through out the hallways, she was heartbroken, confused and alone.
She stood there not moving, the hallways were empty and first period had started, she took a deep breath and ran back outside and into her car. She couldn't last in school today, she couldn't see Joey, Jimmy, and the rest of the school that hated her, she needed to be alone.
Brooke climbed into the SUV and slammed the door, she placed her forehead against the steering wheel and cried her eyes out. The only thing she heard was her own sadness, that was until her phone rang from the bottom of her bag. She looked over at it, not wanting to talk to anyone right now, but she calmed down and regained composer as she flipped the phone open and forced a muffled hello out. "Hi, is this Miss. Caliway?" a polite voice said from the other line. "Yes.." Brooke said confused.. "Who's this?" she asked back. "Oh I'm sorry, this is Sally from the young mother organization." The women said, still acting professional. 'Oh the abortion clinic.. ' Brooke thought in her head "Yes.. How can I help you?" Brooke said clearing her throat and starting the car. "Oh, well, we have your file here and it seems we were disconnected the other day and we were just making sure that we were going ahead with our scheduled "surgery" for Friday."
Brooke fell silent as she sealed her eyes shut, all sorts of thoughts swirled through her mind, and then she snapped. "NO!" she screamed, slamming on the breaks, and shutting her phone as hard as she could before she threw it across the car floor. "God what's wrong with me?" she whined as she tossed the back of her neck against the cool leather headrest and held her stomach as she cried silently as more of her heart broke.
