Hi, it's Brooke! Sorry i couldn't take your call but leave your name, a brief message and your number and I'll be sure to return your call when I can. Thank you. Have a great day!
Haley let out a deep sigh as she slammed the phone down into the receiever in annoyance. She couldn't believe that Brooke was ignoring her phone calls. Actually, she couldn't believe that Brooke was in hiding ignoring everythin and everyone in Tree Hill. It had been four months since Brooke had packed a suitcase and disappeared into the night without so much as a phone call or even letter to explain her whereabouts. All Haley knew was that one day Brooke was working at her botique happy and bubbly as ever, even while still dealing with her mother and the having to give Angie back and the next day she was nowhere to be found.
At first everyone was worried. They didn't know whether she had been abducted or somewhere hurt or what was the case and after 72 hours they reported her missing. The police did a thorough investigation only to confirm that not only had Brooke taken some of her belongings and car with her but also that she had used her cards to draw money from the bank. Since Brooke wasn't a minor their investigation stopped there with them telling everyone that Brooke just probably needed to get away for awhile. A lot of people did it. Haley, however, was refusing to believe this. It just wasn't like Brooke to pick up and leave without telling anyone anything. Especially since she was now so close to Jaime. But the fact of the matter was that Brooke had picked up and left without telling anyone. And there wasn't a thing Haley could do but try to somehow get in touch with her.
"Hales, are you still trying?" Nathan asked as he made his way into the house, wiping his bare wet feet on the welcome mat Haley had placed near the door to the backyard.
Haley turned to her husband before sighing again and nodding her head. "I just can't seem to understand it Nathan. She just left. No word. No warning. No anything. She just left." Haley said turning back to the phone and staring at it as if somehow magically Brooke would call any second.
It was Nathan's turn to sigh. He tightened the wet towel around his waist before walking over to Haley and putting a comforting hand on her back. He knew how worried his wife was for their friend and he was worried for her too but he was more angry at Brooke then he was worried. Not only had she put them in a fit of despair these last couple of months but she had also destroyed Jaime who asked for his bubbly godmother every day. "I know Hales but Brooke obviously doesn't want to be found. At least not right now. You know how Brooke is though. We're her family. She can't stay away for too long." He told her trying to convince both himself and his wife. He honestly didn't know if Brooke would be returning this time.
"I just miss her," Haley turned and hugged her husband. Ignoring the fact that he was dripping wet from the swimming pool.
"We all do." Nathan mumbled hugging Haley back and kissing the top of her head. He trned his head to look out the window into the backyard and saw Lucas, Peyton, Skills, Jaime, Mouth and even Millie hanging out by the pool and he felt Haley's pain. Brooke truly was missed. If only she knew.
Brooke let out a deep breath and closed her eyes in relief as the phone that was sitting in front of her stopped ringing. Haley had been relentless in her attempts to get in touch with her. She had called every single day for the last four months. Peyton and Millie called every other day. Lucas called almost every two weeks. And Nathan, Skills and Mouth had given up trying to reach her after a few weeks.
She opened her eyes after a moment and stared down at the phone, a guilty expression coating her face. She knew it wasn't the right thing to do. Run away and shut out all her friends. All the people that cared for her. But Brooke didn't know what to do. She had been so scared the night she had run away. So scared with the news that she received and although she knew her friends loved her she wasn't sure how they would of taken the news. Especially her curly haired best friend and blonde ex-boyfriend and also one of her closest friends.
The news had come unexpectandtly and at a huge time in Brooke's life. She had just sent Angie back to her birth parents and she was fighting her mother about the company that she owned when she found out. Not knowing what to do or who to tell Brooke had packed a suitcase and took off. No destination in mind. No anything. Just open road and her thoughts. Now four months later and Brooke knew she had made a huge mistake but she couldn't turn back now and she wasn't sure she wanted to. She had the urge to go back to Tree Hill more than twice a day but she wasn't sure how her friends would accept her or what she had to tell them now after so many months. She was sure they'd be mad, hurt, confused and betrayed. Maybe relieved that she was safe and no harm had come to her but probably not happy.
It hurt Brooke to run away. It really did. She missed home. And her store. And her friends. And especially Jaime. She knew he probably didn't understand what was going on or maybe he did and he was probably hurt that she had left without saying goodbye and that killed her. She never meant to hurt anyone. Even though her staying would of probably still hurt a couple of people. She just couldn't win.
"Are you ever going to answer their phone calls?" A deep voice asked from behind her causing her to jump as she was scared out of her thoughts. She turned her head and glared at the person who the voice belonged to.
"You know that isn't an option," She answered briskly as she glanced back at the phone which now sat silent on the bed she was sitting on.
"You're going to have to go back and face them at one point. You can't run from this Brooke. That's never the option." The male told her walking into the room and sitting himself beside her, even though she didn't invite him in.
"You know Jake I liked you more when you hardly talked," Brooke told him, a smirk playing her lips as she stared right at him. He, however, didn't seem amused by this and just gave her the look she knew all too well by now. The look that told her she would have to face this whether she wanted to or not. "I know I know but just a few more weeks. Just let me clear my mind and figure out how to break this to everyone." She sighed rolling her eyes and falling against the pillows behind her.
It was Jake's turn to roll his eyes at this. It was the same thing Brooke had been saying since the moment she arrived on his doorstep three and a half months ago looking for a place to hide out for awhile. She had told him it was only for a couple of weeks until she got herself together and could face everyone. A couple of weeks had turned into three almost four months and Brooke didn't seem like she was going anywhere anytime soon.
"Yeah, well I hope you figure it out soon. The longer you hold it off the harder it is to hide." He told her quietly pacing a hand over hers. "You know if you want I'll go back with you and help you tell them. I'll back your back no matter how they take it." His voice was soft now.
"I know, Jake. I just need to prepare myself for the battle that comes along with this confession." She said quietly, looking down at their hands with guilt writted all over her face.
"It'll be a bigger battle now that you ran away than it would have been if you had just stayed," Jake told her. Not because he was trying to be rude or wanted her out but because it was the truth. This whole thing would of eventually blown over if Brooke had just stayed instead of ran.
Instead of saying anything Brooke just nodded and let out a quiet sigh because she Jake was right. It would have blown over. "I have to make sure I'm strong enough to handle this. For the both of us." She rubbed her belly with the hand that held Jake's over it and looked up at him. Jake let out a sad smile and nodded in agreeance with her as he let her guide his hand over the tiny pudge of stomach she already had. It would be hard to hide this much longer.