Season 2, Brooke moves to California with her parents. Lucas has told the Pretty Girl that he wants another chance to love her. Will they make it work this time around, or will she find another love before senior year begins?
Her parents made it to their new home in California the week before Brooke. The fighting had sopped since Ted Davis found work again. Victoria's drinking had slowed down and the three of them finally felt like a family again. She found a sense of belonging that she had lost long ago.
Junior year started off rough for the beautiful brunette. She fell in love for the first time with a boy named Lucas Scott, only to discover he was cheating on her with her best friend, Peyton. She had felt so alone, heartbroken. She promised to never trust anyone, let alone them, again.
Tonight was the wedding of Keith and Jules. Rather, they were supposed to be married, but Jules left him at the altar. Everything was crashing around the residents of Tree Hill.
After Jules left, Brooke sat outside the church reading Luke's best man speech over and over again. He was brilliant with words and reading what he had to say about love made her heart ache for him. He destroyed her months earlier, made her feel worthless, like she was nothing. But seeing these words, his thoughts, those old feelings resurfaced. She never let herself get over him. He had broken her heart, but she was still in love with him. She still wanted him. She couldn't shake the feeling that she needed him in her life.
"Brooke, we're taking off," Peyton appeared with Jake at her side, "Do you need a ride?"
The girl's friendship had been mended while Lucas had been away with Keith in Charleston. They had been through too much together, too much to let one boy break their decade-long friendship.
She used the sleeve of Luke's jacket to wipe away her tears. "No," her voice broke, even raspier than usual, "Thanks, but um, I think I'll have Luke give me a ride." She did her best to smile, to show that she was okay, but Peyton saw through her.
The curly blonde kneeled beside her friend and hugged her. "You still love him, don't you?"
Brooke put her hands on Peyton's arms to hold her closer. "Yeah, P. Sawyer, I do. Is that okay? Because it scares the hell out of me."
"Of course it's okay, Brooke. He still loves you, too. I know he does. Go get him. I'm here for you," Peyton kissed Brooke's cheek then locked hands with Jake.
"Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always," she read those words a million times and she ran her fingers across his perfect cursive writing until she could feel him writing each letter. Lucas Scott was both the best, and the worst, thing to happen to Brooke Davis.
The April wind blew her hair from her face, sending a wave of calm through her. She was going to do this. Brooke Davis got what she wanted, it was that simple. And Lucas is what she wanted.
She found him inside with Karen and Keith. The sullen expression on Keith's face is how Brooke's heart felt. But Keith would get through this, and so would she. They were stronger than most thought.
Her heart beat faster with every step closer to Lucas. She could feel her stomach in her throat. There were no words. Her thoughts and ability to speak escaped her when the boy of her dreams smiled at her. Their eyes locked together even as she stood beside him, breathing him in. His scent was intoxicating. She didn't need alcohol to be drunk, she was tipsy on love.
"I'm going to take Keith home. Are you kids okay on your own?" Karen asked, a hand resting on Keith's arm.
"We're fine," Brooke told her, breaking her gaze from Lucas for just a second.
Karen held onto Keith as they exited the church. Brooke knew they were destined to be together, even if they didn't know it yet
"Walk me home?" She asked Luke, her eyes danced with sparkles.
"We drove your car," he corrected her as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "But I can drive slow."
Brooke had been staying at Peyton's since her parents left for California. She wasn't ready to say goodnight. They parked outside of her childhood home, but neither one bothered to unbuckle.
"I'm going to miss this," she softly said as she looked away from the house, "And you."
"I'm going to miss you, too, Pretty Girl," his hand cupped her face and she smiled as her eyes closed. She never wanted to leave that moment. "It's just for the summer, right? You'll be back."
That was the original plan. She would spend the summer with her parents and research colleges. Then she would return to Tree Hill for senior year. She feared falling in love with California. Her parents promised that she would make friends, that had never been a challenge for Brooke. In Tree Hill, she had Peyton and Lucas, but if Luke rejected her feelings, she would not be able to come back to this town.
"We don't have a place," she slowly opened her eyes. "Peyton and I have the perfume store in the mall. You and Haley have the rooftop of Karen's Café. But me and you, we don't have a place."
"Sure we do," he released the parking break and drove. Brooke had no idea where he was taking her or what it meant that they did have a special place.
'The river court?" Confused, she glanced at him, "Luke, this is your place. How do I fit in here?"
He opened her car door for her, took her hand and led her onto the cement court. "Remember that night you and Peyton crashed that Duke party?"
Not knowing where he was going with this, she asked, "Yeah. Why?"
He took his phone from his pocket and started a playlist. Stopping on "Perfect" by Burn Season, he pressed PLAY and held his hands out for her. "Dance with me."
She took his hands and twirled her. "The next day, you came to watch me play. You sat on that bench with Mouth and stayed all day. You're the only one who has ever done that. This is our spot, Brooke. I can't come here and not think about you."
"Lucas-"
"No, Brooke, let me finish," she let herself fold into his body. His arms felt so warm around her. "I know we're friends now. I know that, but I can't stop thinking about how much I hurt you."
"Don't," she interrupted him, "I love you, Lucas. I never stopped loving you."
A happy sigh left him as he pulled her into a deep, romantic kiss. "I love you, too. I promise I'll never hurt you again."
"But I'm leaving tomorrow," she cried against his chest.
"Then I'll wait for you. I want you, Brooke. I want us. I'll wait for you."
"Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always," she whispered and held onto him, not wanting to ever let him go.
