Warning: PG-16
Once Faith was back in Tree Hill things fell in to a rhythm for her and Lucas. They had three classes plus free period at the end of the day together. They took turns picking up each other for school and they both had basketball practice. After tutoring in math for almost a month Faith ran into an Afro American football player, Larry, who didn’t like her choice of boyfriends. She reminded him that she was his tutor him but that her business was her own with her usual bluntness. He surprised her by slamming her against the wall in the hallway, since they never made it inside the room, but she kneed him in the crotch and ran like crazy back down the hall. She hid in a broom closet locked the door behind her but sat there shaking, and tried to be quiet as she heard someone come down the hall. When she believed the coast was clear she speed dialed Lucas to tell him where she was.
Once they were safely in his car she explained what happened as he held her; he told her she should let the principal know but she was afraid of repercussions from the football player and even those who knew him. Lucas checked her head for the third time and was concerned because she had a bad headache.
“I don’t see or feel any blood; but we need to let your aunt check it,” he said as they drove up to her house.
Aunt Arlene agreed with Lucas about her telling the principal; but she doesn’t see any blood either. After she finished checking her Arlene left the room to give them time alone. Lucas sat back on the sofa with his arm around Faith as she closed her eyes to relax. “Thank you Lucas, for being there for me.”
“Don’t thank me, I love you and I am going to the office with you in the morning.”
She finally agreed.
They talk for a while about why someone would hurt her for her choice of boyfriends.
“You know this is how it works; people who don’t even know are the one's that strike out at you because of your decisions.”
“I’m sorry, this happened to you.”
“It’s not your fault, it just makes me angry Lucas, it’s just life in our society; I hope it doesn’t influence you at all,” she said as she ran her fingers through his hair.
“No, not a chance I’m with you because I want to be,” he replied as he leaned in to kiss her again.
They were on the way to the principal’s office the next morning when Faith saw, Larry, the guy that hurt her; she turned her head with the hope that he wouldn’t see her, though she was sure he saw Lucas. She stopped walking.
“Lucas, I don’t know, he just saw me.”
“You will be fine; you need to do this to help you move on and so he will get the punishment he deserves.”
They made the report and went to their first class. During class Lucas noticed Faith had her head on her desk. Oh no. The person next to Faith shook her but she didn’t move. Lucas was out of his chair before he thoroughly considered the options. While he was on the way to Faith’s desk he instructed the teacher to get the nurse. She hesitated.
“She had a head injury yesterday; please hurry,” he said as everyone gathered around her he asked them to move as he tried to awaken her.
Once the teacher saw that Lucas was serious she finally sent one of the students to get the nurse.
He gently shook her and kept saying her name until she looked confused at him. He helped her out of the seat as he walked her to the nurse’s office; they met the nurse in the hall. The nurse suggested that Lucas take her to the hospital to be checked out. Faith didn’t want him to miss school but he insisted he would take her right away.
“You know you can charge this guy with assault if your injury is serious?” he told her in the car.
“I know I just don’t want things to get worse,” she replied as she lay her head on his shoulder.
Luckily, they didn’t think the injury was serious and they told her to get some rest for the next few days. Her aunt picked her up from the hospital and Lucas promised to phone her later.
Back at school Brooke was looking for him to find out what was wrong with Faith.
“Why do you care?”
“That’s what you think of me? I certainly don’t want your girlfriend to be sick.”
“Her name is Faith,” he said with barely restrained anger.
“The doctor said she should be fine in a few days as long as her neck doesn’t start aching and so far it hasn’t,” he said as he walked away refusing to give her anymore information.
He did phone Haley to tell her what was going on.
After basketball practice he went to see Faith at home. She was in her room lying down.
“Hi,” he said as he sat beside her on the bed as she sat up to talk with him.
“Hi, I’m glad you came by.”
“I want to take care of my baby, plus I brought your homework,” he said putting his arms around her while kissing her.
“That helps,” she replied with a grin as she leaned in for another kiss.
Arlene knocked on the door when she saw them kissing.
“Okay, everything stays buttoned and zipped if you plan on staying in that position,” she said with a smile.
They agree as she walked away.
“I won’t be able to play this week since I missed practice today,” she said with emotion.
“But you will be able to go to my game, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
She was still concerned about his condition too but he let her know with the medication he was doing well. Karen called to find out when he was coming home and to check on Faith; he gave her an update and told her he would be home in a little while.
When Nathan and Haley arrived Lucas and Faith are back on the bed kissing; Lucas had his back to the door kissing her while massaging her back. She was only wearing a tank top with shorts under her robe they are surprised when they hear a tap on the door.
“Hey you two,” Haley said grinning.
Nathan showed up a few minutes later with a cookie and a napkin.
“How’s it going?” he asked enjoying his snack.
“We just finished our homework,” Lucas answered with a grin.
“I’m feeling better,” Faith said adjusting her clothing.
“We are going to visit Deb this weekend if you want to stop by our place for some privacy,” Haley commented giving Lucas the key.
“We appreciate it,” he said thankfully.
Arlene came by the room to let everyone know the cookies were hot and ready to be eaten. Lucas, Nathan and Haley head to the kitchen while Faith made herself more presentable. She was delighted to see everyone around the table talking and eating cookies and milk. She had missed her friends over the years and to be with them is priceless to her. Lucas saved her a seat beside him and he put his hand on her leg as she sat down. They chatted for another half hour before they got ready to leave.
“I should get going,” he added getting up to leave with Nathan and Haley.
On the way to the car he told them that Faith was meeting with Larry’s parents, her aunt, and the principal the next day plus he was going along for support.
At the meeting Larry apologized and admitted he was out of line. Faith accepted his apology emotionally as Lucas squeezed her hand.
That Friday the Ravens won their game so the team went out to celebrate. Lucas and Faith rode with Peyton and Jake to the restaurant. Peyton hadn’t been around much since they started dating and Lucas felt a negative vibe; he wished he and Faith had brought her car. Jake walked and talked to Faith when they get out of the car and Peyton gave Lucas an earfull.
“I can’t believe someone would start dating you right after all your drama with Brooke; of course you chose someone who hasn’t been around the last year, which I guess was smart. I hope she is as forgivinb as I hear because boyfriend you have issues,” Peyton said as she walked away.
Lucas didn’t try to explain himself he just figured this was his cross to bear for acting unpredictable. Faith came up behind him and grabbed him in a hug; she could tell something was wrong but he told her they would discuss it later as he took her hand.
