[COMPLETE] The Boy Next Door - A Luke Brooks FanFic

Chapter 2 - Hello Penola

"You look fine!" Luke tried to convince me as we trudged to the bus stop.

I was starting a new school today, and boy was I nervous! Being the centre of attention was always my biggest fear ever since I was young, I was scared that I was going to be stared at and whispered about and it made me feel sick. I would have given anything to stay at home that day, but my mum said I had to go and Luke didn't even back me up! But still, he was important to me, and his opinion mattered, so I can't stay mad forever.

"I look hideous! I really don't want to go!" I whaled on the verge of tears.

"Look at me," he said stopping in his tracks. He stared deep into my eyes and gripped my shoulders comfortingly, I felt protected. "If any one says or does anything to you, I will beat the living shit out of them. Chrissy, you have to keep your head held high and stand up to bullies. You'll make lots of friends!" He pulled me in for a warm hug. It couldn't have been a better time because I really needed one and for the past few weeks I had been feeling down because I missed my friends and Luke was always there for me.

I stayed in his arms until we got to the bus stop and noticed Jai, Skip and James where already there. Oh, and if you were gonna wondering, Skip A.K.A. Daniel and James are close friends of the Brooks brothers, they are both really funny and they cheer me up all the time.

"Hey Chrissy, nervous?" James asked me when we joined them at the bus stop.

"You could say tha," I sighed.

"Everyone at Penola is welcoming apart from the odd one or two, you'll make friends in no time! Plus, you have one of us in all of your classes, so at least you wont be alone!"

After about five minutes of the boys trying to convince me that everything will be okay, the school bus arrived and that was when my heart felt like a ticking time bomb.

Luke slipped his hand in mine and gave it a comforting squeeze. Suddenly all the pressure eased off and I took my seat next to him.

I got a few stares and whispers but I held my head high and spoke with the boys the whole way there.

"Are you the new girl?" a feminine voice asked from behind me. I turned to face her and she was smiling at me. She had brown wavy hair with sparkly clasps in it, she had crystal blue eyes that twinkled in the sun and she had pearly white teeth.

"Yeah, I'm Chrissy, I moved here from England a few weeks ago," I smiled back at her.

"Oh cool! I'm Harper. I can show you around if you like?" Harper suggested. "But if these guys are already showing you around, can I tag along too? I have some other friends I could introduce you to."

"Sure!" I agreed.

I turned back around in my seat and continued my conversation with the boys.

"Lets see your time table then Chrissy," said Luke. I reached into my bag and took out a crumpled piece of paper which held my lessons and what time they where at. I flattened it out on my lap and skimmed through the page.

"Oh cool! You have English first period with me!" Daniel said cheerfully. I held my hand up for a high fave and went back to examining my time table.

"You have Science and Geography with me and Luke then the rest of the lessons you have are either with Jai or Daniel," James explained to me.

I was so happy that I didn't have to go into boring lessons and sit by myself.

-----------

"Okay, we will see you at break," Daniel said to Luke, James and Jai when the bell went for Prep to be over.

We walked down corridors that seemed to go on forever until Daniel broke the silence.

"Do you like Luke?" he asked me out of the blue.

"Yes, he's a really good friend, why wouldn't I like him?" I asked, pretending to be a little bit confused.

"No! I don't mean it like that! I meant... Would you ever date him?" he blurted out in my face, a blush of red overcoming him.

"Why,'what has he said exactly?" I asked suspicously.

"Okay, but you have to promise not to tell Luke I told you this," he said and I agreed. "He likes you Chrissy. I was at his house a couple of days ago and he didn't stop talking about you for a second. It was just, Chrissy this and Chrissy that all night. He really likes you. He even told me."

"This is just another one of your dares isn't it?" I chuckled looking all around me trying to find a secret camera hidden somewhere in the corridor.

"Chrissy! This isn't a prank, I swear!"

I thought for a second. He is the nicest person I know, he is so down to earth and wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone. He is also really good looking and he can get pretty much any girl he wants. Why would he pick me? I'm just a normal girl that isn't even that pretty.

"Do you like him then?" Daniel repeated.

"Well, yeah, I guess so. But I've only known him for a couple of weeks so I can't really be straight with him about my feelings just yet." I admitted.

"Well, why don't we go camping or something this weekend and that way it would break the ice with you two?" he suggested as we neared our English class.

"Sure!" I agreed as Daniel opened the door to a class full of people throwing paper around. Thankfully they didn't notice us enter the room.

"Sir, this is Chrissy, she has just started Penola," Skip said to a man which was obviously the English teacher.

"Ah, I was expecting you. How do you know each other already?" he asked.

"She lives next to the Brooks brothers, we are all friends."

"Well in that case, you can sit in the empty seat next to Mr Sahyounie," he smiled at me.

We took our seats next to each other and talked about the school during the entire lesson.

*********************************************************************************************