Chapter 28 La Vida Loca.
"Mum, can you help me with my hair?" Brooke yells from her position in her room. She's sitting in front of her dresser, staring at her reflection in the mirror with a curling iron in her hand.
"I'm coming dear." She hears her mum yell back.
Her mum strolls into the room a few seconds later.
"Let me get this done for you and you'll be ready," her mum says as she touches Brooke's hair from behind her.
Brooke hands her mum the curling iron and she begins work on her hair.
A few minutes later, she's done. Brooke and her mum stare at their reflections in the mirror, having a lot of similar features. Her mum rests her hand on one of Brooke's shoulders and squeezes it gently in assurance. One of Brooke's hands reaches up to hold hers.
"You look stunning dear. Cole is one lucky guy."
"Thanks, Mum," Brooke blushes.
"Cole would be here any minute from now," her mum announces.
"Yeah."
As if on cue, they both hear the sound of a car pulling onto their driveway.
"Oh my gosh! It's him," Brooke exclaims.
Her phone on the dresser buzzes. It's a text from Cole:
'I'm here.'
She reads the text, stands, and faces her mum. "Mum, I'm kinda nervous."
"There's nothing wrong with that. He's probably a little nervous too. Just be calm and enjoy your night," her mum says softly.
Brooke hugs her mum. "Thanks, Mum."
"Now wear your shoes and let's head down before your Dad decides to interrogate Cole," her mum chuckles and Brooke joins her.
After getting into heels to match her black dress, her mum hands her a purse and her phone. Brooke puts her phone into the purse and then they head downstairs together.
As they descend the stairs, they both hear her Dad's voice.
"So Cole, what are your intentions with my daughter?"
Brooke and her mum share a look before halting at the bottom of the stairs. Brooke smiles at the sight of Cole in formal clothing. She's definitely gonna tease him about it but damn, does he look good!
"Wow! He's quite the catch," her mum whispers to her and Brooke smiles.
He's seated on a couch, opposite her dad who is busy scrutinizing him. Cole looks uncomfortable from her dad's gaze and he's yet to answer her dad's question.
"Do you want me to repeat myself?"
"No, not at all sir," Cole swallows the lump in his throat.
"Dad!" Brooke speaks up, dragging the word.
Her Dad and Cole turn in their direction and only then do they notice her and her mum standing there.
"What? I'm just looking out for you," her dad says.
"By trying to scare away my date?" Brooke retorts as she walks over to Cole. She pulls him to his feet and holds onto one of his arms.
"I wasn't. We were having a little chat," her dad says in monotone.
"Sure Tom," her mum says with a smile. She loves when her husband acts all protective of their daughter.
Brooke realizes she hasn't introduced Cole to her mum.
"Mum, this is Cole," she tells her mum.
"And Cole, my mum."
Cole smiles, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Dawson. Now I know where Brooke got her beauty from."
Brooke's dad narrows his eyes at Cole but he doesn't notice.
Brooke's mum places her hand to her heart as though she's flattered.
"Why thank you, Cole. You're such a sweetheart," her mum says, sparing her husband a glance at the end of her statement.
Cole takes her hand and kisses it which causes Tom to rise to his feet and appear beside his wife.
"That's enough. I think it's time to go," Brooke's dad declares as he pulls his wife closer to himself, sending a warning glare in Cole's direction.
Brooke's mum chuckles at her husband's behavior and wraps her hands around his torso.
Brooke laughs. "Cole, go ahead. I'll be out in a minute."
"Okay," he answers then brings his mouth closer to her ear. "You look hot."
Brooke blushes.
"I'll be waiting," Cole winks at her before addressing her parents.
"It was nice meeting you Mr and Mrs Dawson," he bows slightly.
"The pleasure's ours," Brooke's mum smiles but her dad says nothing.
Cole turns around and heads out. They watch him quietly and immediately he shuts the door, Brooke speaks up.
"Dad, what was that for?"
"What was what for?"
"Don't mind your father. He's just being overprotective and a pain in the ass. He's lucky he met me in college. My dad would have killed him with questions if it was in high school," her mum says with a smile.
Her dad scoffs. "Didn't he?"
"Run along dear. Cole is waiting. I'll deal with your dad," her mum smiles at her.
"Thanks, Mum," Brooke grins and kisses her mum on the cheek before heading out.
"Enjoy your date," Her mum calls out before she shuts the door.
Brooke finds Cole leaning on the passenger's side of his car. He sees her and straightens his posture.
"I see you cleaned up well," Brooke smirks.
"Just for you babe and you look absolutely breathtaking."
He grins at her as he opens the passenger's door for her.
"Milady," he bows for dramatic effect with an outstretched hand.
"Why thank you," she takes his hand and gets into the car.
He shuts the door, goes to the driver's side, and gets into the car.
"Your dad is kinda scary," he mutters as he buckles his seatbelt.
Brooke laughs. "No, he's not. You're just a wimp."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. So where are we going?" Brooke asks with a beam.
"Somewhere," Cole answers as he starts the engine.
"Uh...that's so specific," Brooke rolls her eyes.
Cole grins before pulling out of the driveway.
Saturday evening comes and Stephanie is in the kitchen when her phone rings.
"Hi B," she says after answering.
"Hola Steph!" Brooke says, her voice sounds chirpy. "What's up?"
"The sky," Steph deadpans as she leans on the kitchen counter.
"Smartass," Brooke scoffs and Steph imagines her rolling her eyes.
"Are you excited for the party?"
"You know I'm not," Steph mutters. "By the way, what time is it?"
"Didn't I tell you? I'm pretty sure I told you."
Steph shrugs but remembers Brooke can't see her. "Oops, I've forgotten."
"It's two hours from now. At eight," Brooke asserts.
"But I don't want to go," Steph groans.
"You are going. You might get lucky with Luke like you did with Chris," Brooke says and it's obvious she's grinning.
"Not happening," Steph deadpans. "You're picking me up, right?"
"Of course, I am....except you're planning to walk there," Brooke quips. "I'll come over early so we can get ready."
"No probs. See you soon."
"Bye, baby girl," Brooke coos.
"I am not-- " Steph starts in a chiding tone but gets cut off by Brooke ending the call.
Steph stares at her phone and shakes her head slightly. She drinks a glass of water before heading for the living room. She finds her dad watching a basketball match. Her mum isn't home and she has no idea where she is.
She calls her dad as she settles on a couch.
"Yes sweetie," he answers but doesn't peel his eyes from the TV screen.
"Can I go to a party tonight?" Steph inquires, realizing she hasn't asked for permission.
Her question gets her Dad's attention.
"Huh?" He stares at her.
Steph stares back, waiting for the information to sink in.
"You know for a moment there, I thought I heard you ask if you could go to a party," her dad chuckles and goes back to watching the TV.
"Dad," Steph groans, trying to regain his attention.
"Yes sweetie," he turns to look at her again.
"Can I go to a party tonight?" She questions.
Her dad's eyes widen and he stares at her as if she's grown another head. He studies her face for any sign that she's joking but finds none.
"Pardon?"
"You want me to repeat that?"
"You want to go to a party? A high school party?" He does a double take.
"Duh!" Steph looks at her dad in bewilderment. "Or is there another party you'd want me to go to? A frat party?"
"No, of course not. I'm just flabbergasted. I thought you said you hated parties," her dad speculates.
"I did, I still do but I'm going to this one," Steph shrugs.
"Why?"
Steph exhales and begins to twirl her phone in her hands.
"It's senior year Dad. Everyone- well, Brooke- has been telling me to loosen up. Enjoy senior year so I guess I'm ready to live la vida loca, you know, enjoy the rest of senior year." Steph replies with another shrug.
Is she really ready? She mentally asks herself. Nope, the answer comes almost immediately.
Her father stares at her incredulously.
Stephanie, his daughter, living wild and enjoying life? He can't imagine that happening, not even in college. That's just how she is. But it seems she wants to live that life.
"So you want to enjoy senior year to the fullest, eh?" He asks.
"Yes, Dad. Did I stutter when I said it?"
Her dad narrows his eyes at her and she shrinks in her seat.
"Sorry," she mumbles.
"Your mother must hear this," her dad remarks which causes Steph to facepalm with a sigh.
"What's the big deal? It's just a party." She can't believe she just said that.
"Yeah, a party." Her dad emphasizes. "You've never been to one."
I have, Steph thinks. But you don't need to know.
"Can I go or not?"
Her dad ponders on her question before sighing.
"Let me ask your mum," he decides.
"She's not home."
"I'll call her," he tells her and picks up his phone from the top of the coffee table.
He dials his wife's number and she answers on the second ring.
"Hey honey," he hears her voice from the other end.
"Hi."
"Is there a problem?"
"Steph wants to go to a party tonight and I need to know if you're okay with it," he says into the phone. There is a slight pause before his wife exclaims.
"OMG! That's good news. I'm glad she has decided to stop being antisocial. Of course she can go, you don't need to ask."
"I'll tell her."
"Wow! Just wow!" His wife says with surprise evident in her voice before hanging up.
Her dad looks at Steph who has been watching but didn't hear her mum's response.
"You can go."
"Thanks," she says and rises to her feet and heads for the stairs.
"Wait," he calls after her.
"No drinking," his dad warns.
"I won't."
"No smoking or doing drugs of any kind."
"You of all people should know that I won't do any of that, Dad."
"Yeah, I know. I'm just taking precautions," her dad tells her.
"Uh huh," Steph shakes her head as she begins to ascend the stairs.
"And try not to make life-changing mistakes like getting pregnant," her dad adds.
"Dad!"