Complicated Love

We were apparently all going to meet at Matt's house to have what everyone called a "Brooke Birthday Bash". They had been called that for years.
After my little scene with my mother, I hadn't wanted to do anything for my birthday, but Jimmy wanted to celebrate so I would give him that.
When we pulled up to Matt's house, I could smell meat cooking and heard lots of laughter and talking from the back yard. It may not start out as a pool party, but somehow we always ended up in the pool so I had worn my bikini under my clothes.
I grabbed Jimmy's hand as we walked up to the door. "Is Matt barbequeing for me?"
He shot me a smile. "Of course, Babe. He knows how much you love his ribs."
My stomach growled at the mention of that. It was true, I really did love it when Matt grilled.
We made our way to the backyard and I stopped to marvel at all the people who were here. Some people I kind of knew, some I had grown up with, and the others I just didn't know at all. And they were all here for me. I looked up at Jimmy with wide eyes.
"Jimmy, you said it would just be us and the guys." I said.
He shrugged and kissed my forehead. "I guess the guys invited a few more people."
Still holding my hand, Jimmy pulled me through the crowd and over to where Matt and Zack were standing beside the grill. They both looked up as we got closer and Matt waved his tongs at me. "Hey, Brookie. I'm making your favorite. Just for you, birthday girl."
Zack came up and hugged me. "Happy Birthday, Brooke!" He grinned and leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "Remind me later to give you birthday spankings."
Jimmy had heard him and punched Zack's shoulder. "Like hell you are, Vengeance."
I laughed at the two of them and suddenly I was grabbed from behind and being spun around. I screamed and that only made my attacker laugh. I knew that laugh.
"Brian, you son of a bitch!" I yelled as I kicked backwards and felt my foot connect with his leg. He yelled out and dropped me. I stumbled a bit but landed on my feet.
Everybody who was around us was laughing while Brian hopped up and down on the unhurt leg and tried to rub the other one.
At that time, Johnny ran up and hugged me tightly. "Hey there, birthday chick. We're gonna have a blast right?"
I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Of course, Johnny."
Jimmy must have seen me with Johnny because next thing I know, Johnny is being picked up and placed over Jimmy's shoulder.
He was bouncing Johnny up and down. "That is my woman! You shall not take her from me!"
Johnny was pounding on Jimmy's back and screaming and cussing. I was laughing so hard I had to lean on Brian to keep from falling over.
"Brooke!"
I turned to see who had called me and saw Jason Berry headed towards me. I grinned as he reached me and pulled me into a huge hug.
"Jason! I've missed you!"
He looked at me. "Why didn't you tell me you were back? You thought only the guys missed you?"
I shook my head. "Of course not. But Jimmy said that you and your brother were out of town when I got home."
Jason nodded. "Oh yeah. Hey speaking of Jimmy, I heard you two were officially together now. It's about time."
I turned back to look at Jimmy and I saw that he was now being wrestled to the ground by Brian, Johnny and Zack. "Yeah," I said to Jason. "I don't know why I never saw it before, but I'm in love with the big goof."
Jason hugged me again. "Well I'm not going to lie, I used to have a giant crush on you, but never made a move because I knew how Jimmy felt."
I smiled at him. Jason had always been a great friend to the guys. "Aww. You're so sweet. Hey, where's Matt?"
"He couldn't make it. Got sick, the wuss."
I laughed. "Well I'll call him later to say hi."
Jimmy had come up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. "Sup, Jason?"
"Talking to the birthday girl. We've all missed her," Jason said spreading his arms out to mean everybody in the yard.
"What? I don't even know half these people" I said looking around.
I saw a familiar face headed towards me and my heart sunk. I pulled Jimmy's arms closer around me. "Jimmy? Why is Drew here?!"
He looked up and his smile disappeared. Sure enough, Drew was headed our way and he was anything but happy.
"A mass text was sent out. I guess somebody has his number," Jimmy was saying as he moved to stand in front of me.
Drew reached us and gave Jimmy a "go to hell" look. "Hey there, Sullivan. You mind letting me talk to the birthday girl for just a second?"
Jimmy shook his head. "Not a chance, Carter."
Jason had now moved to block me from Drew's view and I had to look around their arms to see what was going on. Why did I have to be so short?
I saw Brian, Zack and Johnny stand around Drew until he was in a circle made up of my closest friends. But Drew kept his eyes on Jimmy.
"I just want to talk to her. Besides, Brooke is Twenty Four today. I'm sure she can make up her own mind about who she can and cannot talk to. She doesn't need her friends to control who is in her life." He said the word friends as if it was the dirtiest word he had ever heard.
I put a hand on Jimmy's shoulder and moved around him. I really did not want any violence today.
I turned to look at him. "It's fine, Jimmy. I can talk to him. You know I can handle myself."
Jimmy gave me a sad look but kissed me on the cheek and pulled the guys back with him. They were all giving me doubtful looks.
I love them all, but I really can fight my own battles.
I turned to see Drew giving me an amused look.
"What?" I asked him.
"Oh nothing," he said. "Come on. Let's go where it's a bit more quiet."
I followed Drew around to the front of the house and we stood beside his car. He leaned up against it, crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at me.
I rolled my eyes at him. "So? What did you want that was so important you had to crash the party?"
Drew laughed and stood up straight. "I'll have you know I was invited here. The mass text said anyone and everyone was invited."
"Ok. But that doesn't give you the right to make a big ass scene." I said.
"I didn't make the scene. I just wanted to talk to you. It was those friends of yours that tried to make a big deal out of it." He gave me a weird look. "And speaking of friends, what's up with Sullivan? He was protecting you like you were his child now. Like I was going to steal you from him."
I sighed. Of course he didn't know about Jimmy and me. I had kind of been avoiding him. "You going to tell me what you wanted anytime soon? I can smell the food and I'm getting really hungry."
Drew stood so close to me, I could feel his body heat. I tried to back away but ended up hitting a car.
"I remembered it was your birthday and I wanted to give you this," he said as he turned and grabbed something out of his car. He came back out with a small black box in his hands. I looked up at him in suprise but I took the box from him.
Inside it was a beautiful silver necklace that had purple beads hanging down from the chain. In the middle of the necklace was a small silver heart shaped locket. I opened the locket to find an old picture of me and Drew back when we had been together.
I closed the box and saw Drew's hands come up and hold mine, keeping the box in my hands.
When I rose my face to look at him, he was leaning down so close I could feel his breath on my cheeks. I tried to pull away but he wouldn't let me.
"Please, Brooke." He said. "I want you back so bad. I never stopped loving you. The whole time you were away, I never dated another girl. All I ever wanted was you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Ok, this was definately not how I had pictured my birthday. "Drew," I began.
He cut me off. "I know you said you didn't want a relationship right now, and I will respect that. But all I'm asking from you is that you wear this necklace to show others that we may not be in a relationship right now, but if you were it would be with me."
I kept trying to pull away from him, but Drew had me pinned in between him and another car. His entire body was pushing me against the car and he was holding my hands tightly. I was stuck.
"Drew, I can't wear this and I can't be with you. You may love me but I don't love you. I'm sorry"
His face went blank and then turned angry. "It was that fucking Jimmy Sullivan wasn't it? I always knew he had a thing for you but I didn't think he was stupid enough to actually try and get with you."
Drew was holding my hands even tighter now and I cried out in pain but he continued as if he didn't notice. "Tell me you don't feel anything for that no good, second rate drummer! TELL ME!"
At that point, the anger was boiling over. "Second rate drummer? No he may not be some stupid fucking lawyer but at least he loves what he does and people love him for it. Including me! Yes Drew! I feel for Jimmy what you wish I would feel for you. I am in love with Jimmy Sullivan and there's nothing you can do about it!"
Drew was staring at me with wide eyes. I couldn't read the look on his face, but it was scaring me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see somebody tall and skinny runningtowards us.
Jimmy.
He reached us and grabbed Drew with the back of his shirt and pulled him away from me. Drew let go of my hands in suprise and Jimmy all but threw him.
Now I could see Matt, Brian, Zack and Johnny all surrounding us ready to beat his ass.
Drew stood up straight and pointed a finger at Jimmy. "You took her away from me! Brooke is all I have ever wanted and now I can't have her because of you! She could have a good life with me but now that's ruined because some stupid son of a bitch brainwashed her!"
I could see that Jimmy was using every sense of control he had to try not to knock Drew out. I wished he would.
"Nobody did anything to her," Matt said. "Brooke loves who she loves and you can't do anything about it. If you knew her at all you'd know how stubborn she is. Now I suggest you get off my property before I personally come over there and kick your scrawny ass."
"Fuck you, Sanders." Drew spit. "I will have her."
I snapped. "HEY! She is standing right fucking here! And no, you will not 'have her'. I'm not a piece of property you asshole!"
I could see that Jimmy and the rest of the guys were trying not to laugh. They knew how I could get when really pushed to the edge.
I threw the box at Drew and he caught it and looked at me with a hurt look. I didn't really care if I was hurting him.
"Besides," I continued. "I can love whoever the fuck I want to. And you will NEVER speak to my friends like that again. Understand?! Now get the hell away from here before I give Jimmy the ok to beat your ass to a bloody pulp."
I could see that Jimmy would really enjoy that, and so would the rest of us, but Drew only turned, got in his car and without another word, drove away.
Jimmy pulled me into a hug and I heard the rest of the guys start laughing.
"Whoo! Brooke has got some fire in her," I heard Zack say.
"That's why her hair is so red," Brian said and they all laughed.
Matt turned to us. "You gonna be ok, Brooke?"
I nodded against Jimmy's chest. Jimmy laughed softly. "She's shaking Matt, and I don't think it's because of the cold. Let's go inside and enjoy her party." He looked down at me. "Is that ok with you?"
I nodded. "But I don't wanna be around all those people. Can't it just be us?"
"Yeah," Matt said. "I'll send them all home. You go inside with Val and calm down." He leaned over and kissed my forehead.