Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~60~

Brighid was about to head home after shooting some hoops in the school gym. She exited the locker room freshly dressed, minding her own business when she walked by the gym, hearing some sort of commotion.

Being the nosy self she was, Brighid walked closer to the doors, glancing through the small glass windows to see Dan arguing with Lucas and Peyton. She quietly opened to the door to see her father strangling him. She dropped her bag as she sprinted over.

"Dad what the hell!" Brighid yelled rushing over. She and Peyton pushed Dan off of Lucas. Lucas flew back onto the gym floor gripping his neck, gasping for air.

"He saved your life" Peyton shouted.

Peyton checked on Lucas while Brighid stared at her dad.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Brighid asked all pissed off.

"Lucas, please you have to tell him" Peyton whispered.

"I'm calling the cops" Brighid muttered trying to pull out her cell phone.

"Don't" Lucas muttered standing up from the floor. "I was there... but not to kill you... to save you" Lucas continued. Dan's vengeful look shifted to a more worried look.

"This is our little secret" Dan said looking at all three of the them his finger pointing towards Peyton and Lucas. "Got me?" He asked. Lucas and Peyton shook their head but Brighid stood still.

"Brighid!" Dan said staring at her.

"Whatever" Brighid stated mad. She chucked the ball that was on the ground at him before scooping her bag off the floor and stomping out of the gym.

She angrily pushed the doors open, walking outside into the sunlight. She dug through her bag fishing out her car keys. She could see her father coming to approach.

She clicked the unlock button and threw the keys into the ignition, pulling out of the parking spot without putting her seatbelt on.

Dan stood on the sidewalk watching his daughter pull away.
———
Later that night she walked downstairs to grab a snack when she ran straight into her dad. She tried to walk past him but he moved sideways blocking her.

"Can you move" Brighid mumbled.

Dan laughed.

"Good news, I'm running for mayor. I'll be running this town before you know it" Dan said giving her a cunning smile. Brighid pushed past him emotionless, grabbing the chips out of the pantry and heading up to her room.

She fell onto her bed a photo once taped to her wall fell down next to her. She shifted over from her back to her stomach, glancing at it.

It was a picture of her and Jake. Frustrated Brighid threw it on the ground. She huffed loudly, counting down the days until she was away from Dan Scott, and Tree Hill. She knew she had to keep her eye on the prize, basketball, far away from here. Far away from the hell hole she had been raised in, forced to live in and pretend to be happy in.

Tree Hill would shortly be a place of her past. A place where she can leave all her troubles behind in hopes of finding new, better and brighter beginnings.