Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~64~

Brighid the next morning walked into school to find Tim scouring the halls.

"Brighid. I most definitely was your pick. So what's our date going to be like?" Tim asked winking at the guys next to him. Brighid shook her head in disbelief of his naiveness.

"In your dreams Tim. I picked Jake" Brighid commented back causing a frown to appear on his face. Brighid clinging to her bag walked through the halls to her locker. As she shuffled her books in Jake came up next to her.

"Heard I was picked by you" Jake said leaning on the locker. Brighid couldn't tell if he was happy about it or not.

"Guilty as charged. Did you hear about the date thing? I'm grounded right now but I think I can manage to sneak out to the River Court so we can talk" Brighid said.

"Ah Dan Scott ground you for throwing punches?" Jake asked.

"No, the cheerleading part can you believe it. So 8pm River Court tonight?" Brighid asked shutting her locker.

"Deal" Jake said walking away.
———
"Dad?" Brighid called out as she walked down the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dan asked sneaking out from behind the wall.

"I know I'm grounded but I need to get out and stretch my legs. I was heading to the river court to practice a little" Brighid explained showing him the basketball she had in hand.

"Fine" Dan said. Brighid weakly smiled not wanting to seem to happy. She walked out the front door and hopped into her car speeding off to the court.

She pulled up to find Jake already there sitting on the bleacher.

"I thought we were talking not playing basketball" Jake joked seeing Brighid dressed to practice.

"I had to play the part. Talk and play?" Brighid asked shoving the ball towards Jake. He took it, dribbled it and tried to score a basket.

"So what happened?" Jake asked all serious. Brighid stood there trying to gather the right words.

"Jake, you have to understand when I say that I can't be distracted if I want to leave this hell hole, make a name for myself. High flyers taught me that I have a real good shot, I just can't let things get in the way" Brighid began.

"Jenny and I are a distraction?" Jake asked confused.

"No, I didn't mean it like. I realized when I came back I was wrong. I was doing this for you, Jenny, for me. I just got lost along with way. Please, forgive me?" Brighid pleaded.

"Is Tree Hill really that bad? It's home for you, for me, for Jenny. It can't really be something that horrid you need to escape" Jake argued. Brighid began to cry. She wasn't understanding how Jake could love this place so much.

"It's my dad" Brighid muttered.

Suddenly a car pulled up blinding the two with its head lights.

"Practicing are we?" Dan asked as he opened his driver door. Brighid rolled her eyes at the sight of her father.

"Home! Now!" Dan barked. Brighid without saying goodbye collected her basketball and followed her father home.

She walked in behind him getting lectured.

"Practice, I knew better than that. Meeting up with that boy again. For what? To get pregnant again?" Dan asked all mad. Deb came rushing over to see all the commotion.

"Brighid? What's going on?" Deb asked concerned. Ignoring both of them she headed up to her room, stomping her foot on each step before slamming her bedroom door.

"Ground! Again!" Dan yelled.

"Whatever" Brighid muttered under her breath falling back onto her bed.