Breaking the Playbook [COMPLETED]

Chapter 39

LOLO'S POV

I woke up to the screech of my alarm clock blaring like a fucking fire drill. It was 6:30 AM, and the usual calm of the early morning had been replaced by a knot of anxiety that had lodged itself in my stomach. I blinked groggily, trying to remember if last night had been a dream, if maybe Brooks and I had been caught up in some kind of nightmare that would dissolve with the first light of day. But the stark reality of the clock on my bedside table confirmed it wasn't a dream; it was just another goddamn day.

Dragging myself out of bed, I stumbled into the bathroom, the cold tile sending a shiver up my spine. The steam from the shower was a small solace, its warmth momentarily banishing the chill of the morning. I stood under the spray, my mind racing through the labyrinth of problems that seemed to have conspired against us.

Today was supposed to be a fresh start, a new beginning, but the weight of everything seemed to press down harder with each passing minute. I needed to focus to clear my mind, but every time I tried to do that, my thoughts kept spiraling back to the mess that was my life.

Once I was dressed, I picked up my phone, hesitating before checking the latest news updates. The media had been insatiable, turning our personal lives into tabloid fodder. I knew it would be bad, but the headlines were even worse than I had imagined. Phrases like "Public Meltdown" and "Relationship Drama" screamed from the screen, and I could feel the heat of embarrassment and frustration flare up in my chest.

Fuck. I tossed the phone onto my bed, fighting the urge to throw it across the room. I had to stay grounded, and remain focused, but it felt like every step forward was met with two steps back. My father's ultimatum was still fresh in my mind. He'd given me a choice: Brooks or the family name. It was an impossible decision, one that seemed to rip at the very fabric of who I was.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Today was the day we'd scheduled a family meeting, a desperate attempt to bridge the gap that had widened between my father and me. I wasn't sure how it would go, but I had to try. For Brooks. For me. For whatever future we might still have.

As I arrived at the meeting location—a small, nondescript conference room that had been set up by my father's assistant—my heart pounded in my chest. Brooks was supposed to join us later, but the thought of facing my father alone made my palms sweat. I took a moment to compose myself before stepping inside.

The room was stark, its white walls reflecting the cold fluorescent light overhead. My father was already there, seated at the head of the table, his expression as stern as ever. I could see the weight of the world in his eyes, and I knew he was feeling the pressure just as much as I was.

"Lolo," he said, his voice clipped but not unkind. "Please, have a seat."

I nodded, sliding into the chair across from him. The silence between us was thick, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved issues. I could feel the tension crackling in the air, and I knew this conversation was going to be anything but easy.

"How are you?" he asked, his gaze softening just a fraction.

"I'm fine," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Or I'm trying to be."

He nodded, his eyes scanning my face as if searching for any hint of deceit. "We need to talk about this whole situation with Brooks. I want to understand what's going on, and I want to figure out a way to resolve this."

My heart leaped at his words. It was the opening I needed—the chance to explain everything, to make him see how much Brooks meant to me. "Dad, it's not as simple as it seems. Brooks and I—we're not just in this for fun. We're serious about each other."

He sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to stave off a headache. "I know you're serious, Lolo. But this situation—it's affecting more than just you and Brooks."

"It is worth it," I said firmly. "Brooks and I—We've been through so much, and we're trying to make it work despite everything."

My father looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and sadness. "I'm trying to protect you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know that," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "But this is my life. This is my choice. And I need you to understand that."

 The door opened, and Brooks walked in, his presence immediately bringing a new kind of tension to the room. He looked exhausted, his face drawn and tired, but there was a determination in his eyes that made me feel a surge of hope.

"Hey," he said, his voice steady but not without a hint of nervousness.

"Brooks," my father said, his tone more formal than I was used to.

Brooks sits down next to me. He reached out, taking my hand in his, and I could feel the familiar warmth of his touch. It was a small comfort in the midst of all this chaos.

We spent the next hour talking, discussing, and trying to find some semblance of common ground. There were moments of sharp tension where it felt like the walls were closing in on us, but there were also moments of unexpected understanding. My father was trying, and I could see that he was struggling with his own feelings and his own doubts.

By the end of the meeting, we hadn't reached a perfect resolution, but we had made progress. My father had agreed to give us a bit more time, to try to understand our relationship better before making any final decisions. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was something.

As we left the meeting room, Brooks squeezed my hand, his grip firm and reassuring. "That wasn't easy," he said, his voice low.

"No, it wasn't," I agreed, looking up at him. "But we made it through."

"I'm proud of you," he said, his eyes meeting mine with a mixture of admiration and love.

I feel a lump in my throat. "Thank you for being here."

BROOKS' POV

I was a goddamn mess by the time I arrived at the meeting with Lolo's father. I'd barely slept, the stress of everything weighing down on me like a lead blanket. I knew this meeting was crucial—my last chance to make things right, and prove to Lolo's father that I was worth the trouble. But the tension in the room was suffocating, and it was hard to keep my focus.

As I walked in, I could see the strain in Lolo's face, the way she was trying to hold it together. It made me want to pull her close to shield her from all this shit. But I had to stay strong and keep my cool, even as my nerves threatened to unravel.

When I saw her father sitting at the head of the table, his expression unreadable, I felt a wave of unease wash over me. I knew he had every reason to be skeptical and doubt me. But I wasn't about to let him see how much his disapproval was affecting me. I took a seat next to Lolo, trying to keep my posture relaxed and my demeanor calm.

The conversation started out stiff and formal, with Lolo's father asking questions and making his concerns known. I could feel the weight of his scrutiny and the way he was assessing me, evaluating whether I was worthy of his daughter. It was like being under a magnifying glass, with every move scrutinized and every word weighed.

I tried to stay focused, to answer his questions honestly, and to show him that I was serious about Lolo and our future. It wasn't easy. Every time I spoke, I could see the doubt in his eyes, the skepticism. It was clear he wanted to believe that I could be the right person for his daughter, but he wasn't willing to take that leap without solid proof.

But I wasn't going to back down. I couldn't. Not after everything Lolo and I had been through. I needed to make him see that our relationship was real and that it was worth fighting for.

As the meeting went on, I could see Lolo's father starting to soften, his stance becoming less rigid. It wasn't an immediate change, but it was there—a flicker of understanding in his eyes. He was struggling with his own feelings and with the idea of letting go of his control, but he was trying. And that meant a lot.

When the meeting ended, I felt a mix of relief and apprehension. We hadn't solved everything, but we had made progress. It was a small victory, but it was something. I reached out, taking Lolo's hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her touch. It was a grounding force, a reminder of why we were fighting so hard.