Brooke Davis stepped out of her hotel room and into the bright sunshine of the early afternoon. Locking up behind her, she buttoned her coat against the fall cold. She began to walk through the familiar streets of Tree Hill that had been her home for eighteen years. After college, she once again spent the summer with her parents in Los Angeles before returning to the small town.
On a whim, she walked up the street where she knew Karen's Café had been. She hoped that the little coffee shop was still there. She smiled to herself as she spotted the sign that hung above the doorway. After being in the hectic world of fashion, it was a bit of a relief to be back in the quiet town. She pushed open the door and entered the shop.
It was busier than she remembered, but she supposed that was good for Karen's business. Walking up to the counter, she fished in her purse for some dollar bills. There was a bored-looking girl behind the counter and when Brooke approached, she dropped her magazine and said, "Can I help you?" in a voice that didn't sound very helpful at all.
"Hi, can I get a small coffee to go?"
"Sure." The girl turned away to get the drink, and Brooke leaned against the counter to wait.
Lucas Scott walked into his mother's café, wanting a cup of coffee before he headed over to the school for some oh-so-fun back to school paperwork. He got in line behind a brunette girl and gave the girl behind the counter a wink, "Hey Jess."
She waved at him, "Hi Luke!" she said, blushing slightly.
Lucas looked down at his Sidekick and pressed a button. It was new, a present from Haley, and he was still trying to figure out which buttons didn't make it eat everything that he had put in it. When he looked back up, the woman that had been waiting had turned around and was looking at him.
"Hi Lucas." She said with a smirk. Lucas did a double take. He would recognize those dimples anywhere.
"Brooke!" Lucas said, shocked, "I didn't realize it was you! You look good."
"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."
"It's good to see you, Brooke."
"You too." She waited while he got his coffee, and they walked out the door together. "Hey, Luke? You want to take a walk with me? I'm just kind of roaming today. Getting to know the town again."
Lucas glanced at his watch, "Well, I really should be over at the school…"
Brooke's face fell slightly, "Oh. You go, I'll catch you later."
"But I think I they can get along without me."
They grinned at each other and strolled down the sidewalk. "So what's been going on with you?"
"Well, as you probably know, I spent the summer with Peyton. That was fun, almost like old times."
"From what I hear, all your dreams have come true."
"Yeah, I guess they kind of have. All except one."
"What's that?"
"I don't know if you heard, but I'm kind of single now. No, actually, not kind of. I am. Single, that is."
"Haven't found the right one yet?"
Brooke sighed, "Not yet. Maybe I'll just give up looking. But enough about me, tell me how you've been, Mr. Bigshot-Writer-Man."
Lucas laughed, "I've been good. I published the book, and I'm coaching at the high school. Which was weird at first because some of the guys I was coaching were on the same team as me."
"How are you and Peyton? She was kind of quiet about you."
"We're…in transition. We were on a break, I guess, and we're sort of easing back into the relationship. It's a work in progress."
"Is this awkward? Me talking about relationships with you?" Brooke asked out of the blue.
Lucas considered it, "Surprisingly, no."
"Good."
"You know, I haven't seen you in so long, but I'm still at ease with you."
"Well, it's like you said before everyone left. Even though four years have passed, we're still friends, and that won't change. I still love them all as much as I did the day I left."
"Me too. I miss them."
"I miss them too." Brooke thought for a moment. "Remember what I said to you when we broke up?"
"You mean when you dumped me?" Lucas interrupted.
She elbowed him, "Fine. Do you remember what I said when I broke up with you?" she said, her eyebrow raised as if to say, Happy now?
"Yes. Believe me, I don't think I'll ever forget that day."
"I didn't lie. I think there's still a part of me that loves you and always will." They walked along in silence for a minute, then Brooke spoke again, "Now is it awkward?"
"Maybe a little. But to tell you the truth, I feel the same way." Lucas put his arm around Brooke, "Is this awkward?"
"Only if someone sees us." She said, but he could tell from the tone of her voice that she really didn't mind all that much. "So what's with that Jess girl?" Brooke asked.
"She works for my mom at the café. Why, are you jealous?" Lucas said playfully.
"No! It's just…she made sexy eyes at you. And that was kind of our thing."
"Ahhh. So we are jealous."
Brooke rolled her eyes, "Please. Me, jealous over you? You must have gotten hit in the head with one too many basketballs if you think that."
Lucas said nothing, an amused look in his eyes. He was waiting for what he knew would come next.
"But it was our thing. And you winked at her! Did you see the way she blushed when you said hi?"
"Come on, Brooke, just admit it. You were a little jealous. Admit it and I'll leave you alone."
Brooke glared at him, "You are a butthead, you know that?"
Lucas put his hand over his heart, "Ouch. That was harsh. You cut me deep by calling me a butthead. I think you scarred me for life with that."
Brooke smacked him in the arm, "Fine, be like that." She turned and stalked away from him.
"Oh, Brooke, come on. I'm sorry!" Lucas ran after her. When he caught up, he put his hand on her shoulder. She faced him, her expression angry, but Lucas could see in her eyes that she was joking.
"Did you want something?" She asked in a snotty voice.
"This is the first time we've seen each other in years. A little catching up would be nice. I missed you."
Her features softened and she gave him a genuine smile now, "I missed you too. Life was less interesting without you around."
"So that's what I am to you? Someone that makes your life interesting?"
"No. You're so much more than that to me, and you know it."
Lucas looked into the eyes of the girl he had loved so much, "Yeah, I do."
"Sometimes I wish we could go back to that time at Rachel's cabin. Everyone was happy then."
"Who says everyone's not happy now?"
She shrugged, "I don't know. With all this stuff going on around Nathan and his basketball, I can't imagine what he and Haley must be going through. And you and Peyton, that was supposed to last forever, remember? But now…"
"Some things just aren't meant to last forever. And even though Nathan's going through a rough time right now, he's got Haley to pull him through it, not to mention our godson. But I do think my life just got a little better."
"And why's that?"
"Because you're back in it."