Brooks Scott

"Hey, Brooks, look at this!"
"Come on, let's fucking go!"
"Oh, no! They're coming! Shit"
"Run!"

Thousands of words batter inside my brain, making it ache even harder. My eyes open up and I'm blinded by a bright, white light. Oh, Jesus. Is this the end? I'm fucking dying.

With the way my head aches, it certainly feels like it. Blurry vision clouds my brain even more. What is that light? And why is it so fucking bright? I lift an arm and it hurts to do so but I need to wipe my eyes. When my vision finally clears, I recognize the ceiling above me all too well.

A weak chuckle escapes my lips. That chuckle turned into full-blown laughter. If someone walked in here right now, they would probably think I'm crazy. Staring at the ceiling and laughing. Who does that?

Me. I do.

The mighty interesting gray ceiling is dirty. There's probably more lint on it than there is in Gary's belly button. Brown blotches stain the ceiling. Probably from rain. How old is this place? I've been here three times now and it's always looked gross. Only this time, I'm too drunk to even process anything.

Besides the ceiling.

If I move my head down, it'll start to throb. Hell, it already is. I feel like someone's smashing Thor's hammer against my temples. A cigarette right now would be killer.

The sound of metal panging against metal makes me flinch, causing my head to move and my brain to swell. "Ah," I winced. "Thank you so much, Gary. We're so sorry this had to happen again." Is that my momma's voice? I finally turn my head toward where I hear voices. Gary stands right outside the small cell, holding it open for me. Mom and Dad stand next to him. "I'll make it up to you. Thanks, Gary."

"Lucky your parents came for you, kid," Gary rumbled, that same scowl on his face. His comment makes me smile. Yes, momma and dad, my saviors once again! It takes all my will to stand on two feet. "Nice seeing you too, Gary Berry," I teased as I walked out of the cell. Stumbling over my own two feet, Dad catches me by the arm, holding my limp-feeling body up.

"Let's go," Momma whispered and Dad pushed me forward gently. "Ouch," I whined as he let go of my arm. He was grabbing it so hard that I felt a mark forming. My parents are on a mission as they walk quickly towards their car. Momma got a new car two weeks ago. A sweet G-Wagon. It's nice as fuck. "Oh, I forgot my friends," I slurred, remembering the people I left behind.

"Get in the car, Brooks," Dad demanded, tone firm. He steps in front of me and opens the door. The glare in his eyes is real, man. It scares me a bit but I grin at him, patting his arm. "Thanks, old man," I say before hopping into the backseat. God, my head is still throbbing. Dad slams the door and the sound doesn't do me any good.

No more loud noises, please.

When Dad gets in the driver's seat, he and Momma begin to talk in hushed whispers. I don't even bother to hear what they're saying honestly. All that's on my brain is my bed and the harsh pounding feeling. My world goes dark for a few seconds and then light up again when my eyes open. Dad's voice echoes in my ear. "Alright, get up. We're home," he boomed.

Alright, his voice isn't that loud but with the massive headache I have going on, it sounds like he's yelling. Sleep would get rid of my headache but so would a cigarette. Only problem is I forgot to buy some after my last pack ran out so I'll have to sneak into Kayce's room to steal one.

My legs lead the rest of my body, hopping out of the car. When I look up, I don't see mine and Kayc's apartment complex. I see my childhood home. "Uhm, pid stop?" I asked, staring confused at Dad. Momma comes over from the right side and grabs my arm, pushing me toward the house. "You're staying here tonight where we can watch you," she informed me.

Oh, great.
There are no cigarettes here!

Back in freshman year when my parents would catch me sneaking out, I'd come home and hear this whole lecture about how much of a bad boy I was. Thinking this is exactly what's about to happen, I plant my ass on the first marble step of my parent's house.

"Brooks, get up and go to your room," Dad said, his voice tight. My brows pinch together. "What?" My words are still a slurring mess. "Go to your room. We'll talk about this in the morning," Momma added, walking over to me. She tried her best to lift me to my feet again but she failed, so I helped. Holding onto the small of my back, she opened the door to my old room for me and I didn't hesitate to fall face-first into my bed.

It was a bad idea. My brain felt like it was rattling all over my head. "B?" Momma said, catching my attention. "Hmm?" I moaned, not even lifting my head to look at her. "This decision is for your own good. You're getting out of hand." Her words sounded far away now as my eyes begged to close. Whatever she was saying wasn't registering with my dead head.

It wasn't even a couple of seconds later that my eyes finally closed and darkness overcame me.

***

Pounding.
Hard pounding.

My eyes opened very slowly but I hissed and closed them again when I saw how much sunlight was peaking into the room. What time is it and where the fuck am I? Turning away from the light, I open my eyes and my surroundings make me panic for a second until I realize that I'm in my old room. My old room but nevertheless my room.

Thank Jesus.

Last night's memories are foggy but I know I was drunk.
Or high.
Or both.

"Brooks, is this really a good idea?" Jameson questioned. I stopped abruptly, turning around slowly to look at my friend. Jameson and I had been friends since freshman year. He moved to Highland Preparatory from Oak Hill Junior High after his parents won the lottery. He's always been fun. Until tonight.

Why was everyone being lame?

The other three idiots behind him were also my friends. Joey, Alex, and Killian. I met them before Jameson in middle school. They had the same look on their faces that Jamie did, all stopping in their steps when I did. "You said he was talking shit, right? And he messed with Arion last night." None of them said anything so I continued to walk.

That's what I thought.

"So he can kiss his stupid little Camero goodbye," I said more to myself. Their footsteps besides me never stopped. My head was spinning but the joint I had smoked thirty minutes ago was kicking in. I wasn't so much on alert anymore.

Colin Logan thought he could get away with being a piece of shit dickhead. This isn't the first time he's done something to piss me off. I thought kicking his ass in sophomore year taught him his lesson but he's still running his disgusting mouth. He also tried hitting on Ari when she clearly told him to 'fuck off' multiple times. She's a friend of mine and has been for years now.

Yeah, he's not getting away with shit for any longer.

It's almost two in the morning. The wealthy neighborhood is quiet at this time of night. Not much criminal activity goes on around here since it's a gated area. Not until now at least.

Lucky for me, Killian lives in the same neighborhood as Coli meaning we get free entrance to mess up his pretty little car. The lights inside his house are all off as imagined. There's a huge party happening in the city tonight. It's where the boys and I just came from. Colin happened to be there so I know he won't be a problem trying to stop me.

My mind starts to feel foggy all of a sudden, body calmer than it was twenty minutes ago. Nooooo. This is a drunk decision. I can't be high! Not yet, at least. "Here," Jamie said, handing me the bat I stole from Katie Morison's house. She was the one throwing the party at her parent's mansion of a house. I think she turned eighteen tonight.

Taking the bat from him, I admire the sexy, black Camero sitting in Logan's driveway. He left it home tonight, probably catching a ride to the party with a buddy. Bad idea. Chuckling, I pull my phone out of my pocket and hit the record button. "Ohhh, Coli, I thought you'd learn your lesson when I kicked your skinny ass last year," I told the camera.

"What are you doing?" Joey whispered but I ignored his comment and kept talking. Showing the wooden bat to the camera, I smirked like a madman. "Seems like you need a little more convincing, fuckface. I'm about to lessen your chances of getting pussy," I chuckle, dropping my phone onto the grass.

Two seconds later, I'm swinging the bat all over his hood. The car dents inward instantly and I move all around the car, hitting every single door and even the back. "Don't worry, I'll leave your windows alone. Consider it a gift, asshole!" I shouted for the phone to catch my voice. The next thing I know, I'm hearing sirens and seeing red and blue lights.

Shit.

Dropping the bat, I run as fast as I can through the dimly lit neighborhood. My legs ache from how fast I'm running and with this amount of alcohol in my system, it isn't the easiest task. The guys are way ahead of me as the sirens get closer and closer. "Stop right there or we'll have you arrested!" A shout comes from the police car and I come to a halt.

Yes, a halt. Because I recognize that voice already.

This isn't my first run-in with cops.

Two men hop out of the car as I hold my hands up, squinting at the bright flashlights that shine on me. "Alright, you caught me," I stated, holding my hands up. Immediately, Gray puts me in cuffs. "You're done this time, Scott," he rumbled in my ear, hurting me with the cuffs. That's going to leave a mark.

The next moments happen in slow motion.

Colin's parents shout from their house.
Neighbors come out and see what's going on.
Gary shoves me into the backseat of the police car.
I pass out.

I'm still dressed in what I wore last night. If mom and dad picked me up from the station again, I'm fucking screwed. By the looks of it, that's exactly what happened. My head pounds terribly as I make the trek downstairs. Momma and Dad are in the living room, sitting on the couch as they whisper to each other rapidly. "Morning," I yawned, passing by them to get to the kitchen.

I need some protein in me.

"Brooks, come here really quick," Momma called out. Fuck. I thought they'd avoid me like the plague until I found my way back to the apartment later. Slowly, I walk back into the living room. My brows furrow when I notice my older brother in the living room with my parents. Was he here two seconds ago?

Kayce has his hands resting on his hips, avoiding all eye contact with me. "Yes?" I questioned, looking around the room. This was weird. It kind of felt like an intervention. They already screamed my ears off last night, right? What the hell is this about? My head hurts too much to process all of these thoughts. "Got you a gift," Dad spoke first, a smile on his face as he handed me a paper.

Momma smacked his arm but he didn't budge, holding the paper out still. Is this some kind of joke? What kind of parents give rewards to their kids after getting handcuffed? Oh shit. Is this what I think it is? Those Deftones tickets I've been wanting? Taking the paper from Dad quickly, I glance over it with a smile.

My smile slowly falls as I read what's on the paper.
This isn't Deftones tickets. Definitely not.

"What?" The words barely escape my lips and I glance up at my parents. Suddenly my heart raced rapidly. This has to be some joke. Momma looks disappointed and Dad has his arms crossed over his chest, face stoic. Kayce is still trying his best not to look at me. He knew?

"It's time, Brooks. We've given you more than enough chances," Dad replied again. My dad is a lot of things but he's not a liar. His calmness scares me. "No, Dad. Please. You can't do this! You can't send me away. Momma," I turn to Mom and her eyes soften. "You're not going to let him send me away, right?"

C'mon, momma. You've always had my back.

She looks away for a second and when her dark hues meet mine again, she's completely serious. "We've given you so many chances, Brooks Scott. Enough is enough. There has to be change."

"Okay! I'll make a change, I promise. Just don't send me away. I promise Momma, Dad. Please I'm begging you," I added quickly, looking around the room at my traitor family. "No more begging, Brooks. You're making a change whether you like it or not." Dad was the speaker for this whole thing I'm assuming. No one else was saying much.

Mom was betraying me.

"It's my senior year, dad! Are you really sending me away my senior year?" I fought back. Dad shrugs his shoulders. "It only has to be a semester. If you're good, they'll send you right back to us. If you want to keep acting up out of resentment then you'll stay there your whole senior year. It's your decision, Brooks," he retorted, voice hard.

"You're about to be eighteen, Brooks. If you get yourself in trouble with the police again, we won't be able to do anything about it anymore. Then it'll stay on your records and it'll affect your whole life. We're just trying to help you, not send you away. You smashed someone's car!" Momma followed up, whisper-screaming that last sentence.

Wow. Sending me away is exactly what they're doing.

And who cares if I destroyed someone's car.
That someone is a fucking shithead.

My eyes shift to Kayce who stands there quietly. He hasn't said anything this whole time. Before I can say anything to him, the sound of the front door opening catches all our attention. Five seconds later, my older sister storms into the living room with her boyfriend in tow. At six three he seems to be struggling to chase after her. What's her deal?

"What do you guys think you're doing with him?" Nola grumbled, stepping in front of me. She's here for me? A smile pulls at my lips. "Thank you someone with some sense!" I stagger behind my sister. My savior. Dad ignores me and focuses on my older sister. His weak point. His undeniable favorite child. "What?" he queried.

Nola scoffs. "You're sending Brooks to some delinquent school in London?! Where is the thought process behind that, respectfully?" Miles steps up next to Nola, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What she means is she's confused by your guy's decision and wants to know if it's the best decision for Brooks," he tried to mediate.

Dad looks at Miles like he's not buying his words. "We're sure we know what's best for our kids. Your brother is getting out of hand. You've been too busy training for the Olympics to know that but here's me telling you, Granola. We're not changing our minds." Nola turns to me and her eyes soften slightly. Yeah, it's been a couple of weeks since I've seen my sister.

She used to come down with Miles more frequently but both of them are busy. Miles with hockey and Nola with figure skating. Trying to become an Olympic skater has taken up her time. "I'm sorry, B. Are you okay? What's been happening?" Nola asked. "No, I'm not okay. My parents are sending me away even after I promised to stop my antics. I'll even move back in if you want to keep an eye on me!" I pleaded.

"He'll move back in, Mom. Brooks doesn't need to be sent to London to learn how to behave. That's a waste of money and his time. He'll be better. You realize the kind of crazy kids who get sent to those schools right? He'll be in unfamiliar territory. No, it's not a good idea at all," Nola pushed but Momma and Dad didn't look convinced. Not one bit.

"The decision is made. We won't hear it," Dad added and I began to lose hope. Well, that's it. I'm about to be thrown into a school full of freaks. Nola looked toward Kayce who was still dead silent. "Kayc? Help me out here will you? Tell Mom and Dad that this isn't a good idea!" she said. My older brother ran a hand through his blonde tame and shrugged. "It's not the worst idea. It could really help out our brother."

Just when I thought I couldn't get any more betrayed by my family. My own brother. Someone I consider a best friend. "Kayc?" I breathed. He can't even look me in the fucking eyes. "Seriously?! No. No, all of you. You're so wrong," Nola choked, looking at Miles. Jesus. The look on my sister's face cracks my heart. Times like this I realize how much she cares about me.

"It's not my place, babe. Brooks is your mom and dad's kid, not mine. They have all the say at the end of the day," Miles told Nola, moving her blonde hair out of her face. Ouch. Thanks, bro. My sister sniffles and shakes her head before turning to me. She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me down. "I'm sorry, B. I don't want this for you. I really don't but what more can I do?" she whispered in my ear.

Nothing, sis.
There's nothing left to do.

I'm fucking helpless.

"Don't worry about it," I whispered pulling away from my sister as I glared holes into my brother's head. He was about to send me to hell and he didn't even care. "You'll start in August and be there until early December. One semester, Brooks. All you need is one. Get yourself together and come back. No more acting out when you come back either," Dad spoke out again.

Yeah, I get it.
You're sending me away.

"So that's it then? No contact with Brooks for five months?" Nola continued. She couldn't give up on me but it might be time to. They aren't changing their minds. "No. He'll still be allowed to have his phone. This school teaches discipline and doesn't condone acting out. They're not downright cruel. Brooks can talk to us whenever he wants," Dad explained. Oh, thank Jesus.

I can't survive without my phone.
Or talking to my family.

My family. Who betrayed me.

Nola turned to face me then. "That's good," she rubbed my arm in comfort, "you'll be able to talk to us whenever you want. Expect a FaceTime for me every day." I could see it in her face that she was being honest. The thought of not seeing my family for five months was haunting me. How was that even going to be possible? I'm going to go insane. "We have to go, babe. Em & JT are waiting in the car," Miles whispered to my sister.

Nola hugged me one more time, standing on her tiptoes to reach me. "Love you, B. I'm on your side always. I'll call you tonight, please answer." My sister kisses my cheek and doesn't say another word before she stalks out of the living room with Miles. It's dead silent after she leaves until Momma talks quietly. "School in London starts in two weeks so we have to get your stuff ready, B."

For the first time in my life, I glare at my mother. "Thanks for ruining my life, parents. I'm not coming out of my room for two weeks, goodbye," I protested. "Don't be audacious," Kayce speaks for the second time today. His voice irks something deep inside my bones. "Fuck off, Kayce," I responded nonchalantly.

"Brooks!"
"Hey, don't speak to your brother like that!"

Whatever. I'm already in enough trouble.
What's a little more?

My bedroom upstairs didn't even feel like mine anymore. Probably because it was half empty. I didn't bring everything from home with me to Kayce and I's new apartment. My old bedding was still on here and the trophies and medals on my wall from soccer too. Who knows when the last time I stepped on a pitch was? It was so long ago that I don't even remember what it felt like playing soccer.

I was good at it and my grades were good enough to play.

A lot changed since my freshman year though. I had changed.

Soccer wasn't a thought in my mind.
My grades were not the best.
I prioritized my social life more than anything.
Alcohol and smoking were what I craved most nights.

Coming into high school was only the beginning for me. I turned into someone completely new but I wasn't mad about it. To me, my life was going about just fine. Did I get into trouble a couple of times? Yeah, but what kid doesn't? This was my time to live my best life. College wouldn't be as fun. Who even knew if I wanted to go to college?

I've always been a live-in-the-moment type of guy and that's why people thought I didn't give a fuck. Life is short. Why waste it spending time thinking about what you'll do in the future?

The decisions I've made have led up to today. Last night was my parent's last straw with me. Now they're going to make me miserable by sending me to some dumb fucking disciplinary school. Who even goes there? A bunch of pricks that's who.

It's too extreme. Even for me.
There's no reason to send me there but if they believe that this is what I need to change then fine. I'll show them how much I can change.

But... I'm doing it for myself more than anything.
There's no fucking way I'm staying there for more than a semester. My senior year won't be wasted across the country with a bunch of thoughtless people.

I'll be back in Oak Hill by December.
No doubt about it.