"Who is it?''
''My name's Lucas Scott and this is my sister Blake. I was wondering if we may talk to Abby.'' Luke tilts his head at the woman at the door.
''There's no Abby here. You have the wrong address.''
''Well, no, no, no! I was just... ''
The old hag shut the door.
''Thanks for nothing.'' I scoff, turning around and walking away.
''You see that?''
Luke nodded his head up to the upstairs window, where I saw a person behind the curtain.
''So much for the wrong address.'' I scoffed.
''Yeah.''
''Well well well, what do we have here? No more Clean Teen?''
Chase shook his head.
''Nah, things change.''
''Like you want sex?''
''Not exactly...''
''Ah, you want Brooke.''
''Can you stop being nosy? I just didn't want to be part of Clean Teen, where most teens are no where near clean.''
''I feel you, there were some kinky freaks in there.''
''How would you know?''
''Hey, I study people, and that one meeting I was in, well I studied some freaky kinksters.''
Chase shook his head.
''I can't with you.''
''Eh, neither can most people.''
''Anyways, I came over here to see when you're free. Study session?''
''Tomorrow evening? My house? The twins will be there, so I hope you can study with it being noisy.''
''I totally can. Its a study date then. I'll bring the m&ms.''
''And I'll bring my brain.''
Lucas and I are watching from his car as the woman who slammed the door on us the day before, leaves her house.
''You're going to get us sent to prison.''
''We have to do this B.''
''I know.''
We made our way into the house and see Abby sitting down.
''I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We didn't mean to scare you. I didn't mean to scare you. My name's Blake Scott and this is Lucas Scott. We... We go to school together at Tree Hill. Do you know us?'' I ask the frightened girl who shook her head.
''Our uncle was Keith Scott, and I know that you were in the tutor center that day, and I know that Jimmy let you go. So... Listen... I have to know what you saw, Abby. Okay? You got to tell me. Did Jimmy Edwards... kill Keith?'' My brother looks soulfully at the younger girl, who once again shook her head.
''What is this? What the hell is this?''
I look at Luke to explain as Abby's mother storms into the room.
''Look, Mrs. Brown, I can exp...''
''Get out. Get the hell out of my house, or I'll call the police!''
''And tell them what, huh? That your daughter knows the truth about my uncle's death?''I snap, as Luke shook his head.
''Your uncle was Keith Scott? I'm very sorry for you, but my daughter has been traumatized since then. She hasn't been to school. Her life has become very difficult, and that is why I lied to you last night.''
''Listen, Abby told me that Jimmy Edwards didn't kill my uncle Keith.'' Lucas looked at Mrs. Brown, hand going out to hold mine.
''Did she? Honey, is your name Abby?'' Abby shook her head.
''Am I your mother?'' Abby shook her head once more.
'' Are you sure?'' The girl once again shook her head.
''Now, I'm very sorry for your loss. That day changed all of us... and none of us for the better. But I'd like you to leave. And Lucas,Blake, don't come back. Abby has been through enough.''
My brother and I nodded our heads before we left the house in silence. .
''What the hell is wrong with you?''
I tilted my head as I walked down the rest of the stairs. The twins were down for the count and I was headed to get ice cream.
''You're welcome.''
I made my way into the kitchen and seen Nate and Luke.
''Screw that, Luke. We said we weren't gonna say anything. We agreed.''
''So what?'' Luke looks at our younger brother, as I stayed quiet, not interrupting.
''So what did you do?''
''I went and saved your stupid ass so you could play college basketball and have everything you've ever dreamed about.''
''You know what? That's a bunch of crap. We could have beat this thing, man.'' Nathan let out a breath of air.
''Sounds like you're feeling a little guilty to me.''
''Yeah, of course I'm feeling guilty, but you shouldn't have said anything to Whitey, man. That was a stupid thing to do.''
''You know what? I don't care. I'm not going to college to play basketball anyway. It doesn't matter.''
''It doesn't matter that for the rest of time, people are gonna talk? They're gonna say you disgraced the game, Luke. That doesn't matter to you?''
''Let them say what they want to say about me. It's what they say about Jimmy Edwards. That matters to me. And what they say about Keith. But this? At least I know the truth about this.''
''Peyton thinks I'm a martyr. I can't stop this, Luke. I just... I'm this close, man, and I got the baby. I can't. You shouldn't have said anything.''
''Blake... B. Wake up.''
I groan before looking at the clock on my bedside table.
''What do you want at 1 o'clock in the morning, Lucas?'' I moaned, laying back down.
''Its Abby. She's in my room.. Says she wants to tell us what happened.''
''What.''
''Come on.''
With that I followed Lucas down stairs after checking on the twins. I see Abby sitting on Luke's bed as I sit at his desk.
''So?''
''I know what my mom said, and I'm sorry she lied, but I need to tell you some things.''
''You were hiding in the hallway.''I stated, looking at her.
''I got scared, and I ran, but I was worried about the others and Jimmy, too. I saw it in his eyes when he let me go. He was just scared, too.''
''You came back. And what happened after that? Huh? Abby? Come on, you got to tell me. Please.'' Luke all but begged.
''Your uncle Keith... he tried to help Jimmy. But he couldn't. And Jimmy...''
''Jimmy what?''
''Jimmy what?''I repeated after my twin for Abby didn't answer him right away.
''Was my uncle Keith still alive when Jimmy shot himself?'' Lucas asked as Abby nods.
''Who shot him, Abby? Please.'' I leaned forward, towards the girl.
''I thought once he realized someone knew the truth, he'd come forward, so I stalked him with messages and threats. I thought he'd turn himself in. I thought I'd be safe. But he found me.''
'Who?! Who killed... Who killed out uncle?''
''Your father. It was your father... Dan Scott. He killed Keith. He was there... and he picked up the gun... and you know I'm right, don't you? You know it in your heart.''
My heart stops at her words. Dan killed Keith. The man who has been holding my babies killed the only father figure I had.
''You have to come forward. You got to tell somebody, Abby.'' I demand as tears fill my eyes.
Abby stood up and began to leave.
''Abby, you have to tell somebody!'' Luke yelled, as Abby shook her head.
''I did. I told you. I'm sorry.''
With that the girl was gone.
''Luke?''
My brother pulled me into his arms and held me tightly.
''How could he? To his own brother? Luke, he held the twins. He held my babies with the same hands that killed Uncle Kieth.''
"Shhh, I know.''
Luke held me closer, tears falling from his own eyes.
''When I was 2 years old, I made my first basket. When I was 6, basketball went from being a game to a sport. Since then, I've played 7,072 official minutes... probably 20,000 or 30,000 unofficial. But for 32 minutes this season, over the course of two games, I did not compete to the best of my ability. I regret this. And I regret that the fear of losing the opportunity to continue playing the game that I've always loved prevented me from standing up and taking full responsibility for this sooner. I apologize to my coach and to my teammates and to all the kids who look up to me... especially to the kids. And while I never lost a game on purpose, the truth is still the truth. And you can spin it and shade it and bend it, but there's still right and wrong, and I was wrong. And the truth is, I've forsaken a game that's always been incredibly good to me and teammates that have been like brothers... and a brother that was a teammate. To my coach... my wife... my father, and my family, I apologize for the burden I know this will bring. I know that the integrity of the game cannot be compromised. I regret that my own integrity was not as steadfast. I'm deeply remorseful for the choices I've made, but I will accept whatever consequences there might be. I love this game. I'm sorry I betrayed it.''
I shook my head sadly, Nathan once again stepped up and did the right thing. I just hope he didn't ruin his life with all this point shaving nonsense.
''Have a seat. Hope you don't mind the mess.. My room's usually cleaner than this.''
"It's alright.. I mean its cleaner than one would think, you know with two toddlers running around. They're cute as hell, by the way.''
''Flattery will get you every where Mr. Adams.'' I smile at Chase as I set the twins in their play areas in the corner of the room.
"Will it get me an 'A' in Calculus?''
''If you try hard enough, princess.''
''Don't call me princess, Cupcake.''
''Fine. I'll call you Sweet pea.''
''If I'm Sweet pea then I'm going to keep calling you Cupcake.'' Chase gave a cheeky smile.
''Let's get to some math, Sweet Pea.''