Empty Apartment

Back To Where We Lasted...

5 years ago...

"Nathan! Brooke!" Deb called out from the kitchen window.

"Hold on Mom," Nathan yelled back as he dribbled the ball and then turned to Brooke, "I won that game."

Brooke rested her hands on her hips, "Yeah, but you so cheated!"

Nathan threw his hands up in defense, "How?"

"You pushed me," Brooke pouted.

Nathan sighed and reached out his arms for a hug, "I'm sorry."

Brooke accepted the hug, "It's okay..."

"I'm sorry you're such a sore loser!" He teased and then ran inside.

Brooke followed him, and when she got inside she punched him in the arm, "Deb," she fake whined, "Nate was being mean."

Deb smiled, "Nathan Scott, you're grounded for eleven years."

Brooke laughed, and Nathan stuck his tongue out, "Yeah right Mom."

"You two are too cute," she cooed as she walked over to the two 12 year olds and put her arms around them. They all laughed and broke the hug, "Are you staying for dinner tonight Brooke?"

"Of course," Brooke squealed.

About a half an hour into dinner Dan walked in pissed off and frustrated as usual, "Those god damn S.O.B's," he muttered to himself as he sat down.

"Bad day?" Deb asked apprehensively.

Dan poured himself a glass of wine, "That is an understatement!"

Brooke looked at Nathan and saw that he was looking down at his plate and just playing with his food. He looked up at Brooke, and she flashed him a comforting smile; he smiled back.

"So Nate," Dan began, "Are you still working on that jump shot?"

"Yeah Dad," Nathan answered annoyed. Dan always asked him that same question every single day.

"And how are you doing?" Dan asked Brooke.

Brooke put on a fake smile, "I'm fine."

Dan took another sip of wine, "How's your dad?"

"Good I guess," Brooke answered uncomfortably.

"You guess?" Dan asked with a cynical laugh.

Nathan took Brooke's arm, "We're full," he said before leading her out into the backyard where they sat on the swing.

"Thanks," Brooke said as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself to keep herself warm.

Nathan took off his sweatshirt and threw it over to Brooke, "My dad's a jerk..."

Brooke nodded in agreement as she linked arms with her best friend, "I'll sleep over again if you want me to.

"Okay," Nathan said as Brooke rested her head on his shoulder, "You should honestly just live with us."

Brooke laughed, "That would be awesome...Except for the whole Dan thing."

"True," Nathan said as he looked up at the sky, "Sometimes I wish I had a different dad."

Brooke sighed, "Believe me, I'd rather have Dan then not have my parents around at all," she said sadly.

Nathan shook his head, "No you wouldn't..."

"I'm sorry that you're dad is a butt hole," Brooke said as she brushed a lock of auburn hair out of her eye.

Nathan laughed and rested his hand on Brooke's thigh, "He always wants me to be like him."

Brooke looked towards the house and could faintly hear Dan and Deb fighting, "If you ever end up like him then I will honestly have to kick your behind," she joked.

"I hate him," Nathan said with anger in his voice.

"You can't hate him," Brooke said, "He's your dad."

Nathan scoffed, "He sure as heck doesn't act like my dad. He just acts like my coach, and notice how he never asks how I am. All he cares about is stupid basketball!"

Brooke hugged Nathan, "Why don't you just quit?"

"Are you crazy?" Nathan exclaimed, "He'd kill me if I quit!"

"Well, the reason he's riding you so hard is because of basketball. If you didn't play basketball then he'd have nothing to yell at you about..." She suggested.

Nathan shrugged, "I can't just quit Brooke. I really like basketball."

Brooke sighed, "I just can't stand the way he makes you feel so down on yourself..."

"I'll be okay," Nathan assured her, "As long as I've got you then I'll be all good."

"Awe," Brooke said sarcastically, "You're such a charmer."

"You know it, baby," Nathan teased.

Brooke laughed, "You wish!"

Nathan started tickling Brooke, "Oh yeah?" He said as he tickled Brooke so hard that she fell off the swing and he got her on the ground.

"Nate," Brooke squealed, "Honestly stop! I will pee myself!"

Nathan stopped tickling Brooke and laughed at her, "Okay I stopped, you little wuss."

Brooke scoffed, "You know I hate being tickled!"

"I know," Nathan said with a devilish grin, "That's why I do it."

"Jerk," Brooke teased, "I'm going to beat you up one of these days."

Nathan laughed, "Right Brooke, when I'm in 9th grade and on the Varsity team you won't be able to touch this," he said as he flexed.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Okay stud," she said sarcastically, "What about me? I'm going to be a cheerleader!" She said as she did a kick.

"Go fight win!" Nathan mocked her.

"Shut up," Brooke said as she stuck out her tongue, "Me and you are going to be King and Queen of Tree Hill High School just watch."

"You think so?" Nathan asked as he lay down on the grass and looked up at the sky.

Brooke lay beside him and he put his one arm around her, "I know so," she said with a wink. Brooke and Nathan sat there looking up at the stars and talking until they both fell asleep.

Present...

Nathan walked into school with his best friend Tim Smith as they talked about the girl Nathan had just gone out with that night.

"Did you sleep with her?" Tim asked instantly.

Nathan smirked, "Of course I did," he said in a cocky tone, "She couldn't resist me."

"Are you going to actually settle down and date this one for awhile?" Tim asked with a laugh.

"Why would I?" Nathan asked, "It's fun just sleeping around with different girls. I hate that whole commitment thing."

Tim laughed, "How would you know? You've never tried that 'whole commitment thing'," he said. Tim's eyes went from Nathan to down the hall, "Brooke Davis at 9:00. Roger that fine ass!"

"Whatever Tim," Nathan said as he got his books out of his locker, "It's just Brooke."

Tim rolled his eyes, "You two were best friends like when you were 14 or something right?"

"Eleven," Nathan answered a little too quickly, "What does it matter?"

Tim shrugged, "It doesn't...What happened between you two? I mean, it's freakin' Brooke Davis!"

Nathan watched as Brooke flirted with a senior and they ended up leaving school together, "Things changed," he said softly. He looked at Tim, "But who cares?" He said trying to cover up his true feelings.

"So Matt," Brooke said to the senior as she rubbed his thigh playfully as he drove, "Where are you taking poor old me?"

Matt smiled, "Back to my house...My parents are going to be away for the week and all the liquor is out in the open."

Brooke's face lit up, "Yay!" She said as she clapped her hands.

"I'm going to have fun with you Brooke Davis," he said as he ran his finger along Brooke's jaw line.

Brooke giggled, "And I'm going to show you things you never thought could be done," she whispered.

"Looking forward to it," Matt said as they pulled into his driveway, "Let's go..."

Peyton walked down the hall listening to her music and was holding on tightly to her sketch book. She was walking with her head down and ran into someone causing everything to fall, "Watch where you're going!" She yelled as she bent down to pick up her stuff.

She looked up and saw a boy with shaggy blonde hair and blue sparkling eyes holding her sketch book, "I'm sorry," he said; his voice soft and gentle.

"It's okay," Peyton said, a smile forming on her face, "Sorry I flipped out."

He brushed it off, "Don't worry, I hate when people run into me, too."

Peyton laughed, "I'm Peyton."

"Lucas."

"Are you new?" She asked.

Lucas nodded, "Unfortunately...Seems like the best thing that has happened today is getting bitched at by you," he said with a laugh.

"Should I take that as a compliment?" Peyton asked with a chuckle.

Lucas smirked, "Compliment. Definite compliment..."

Peyton blushed and put her head down, "Thanks..."

"Do you draw?" Lucas asked as he held onto her sketch book.

"Yeah," Peyton said as she took it from him, "A little bit..."

Lucas looked intrigued, "Are you any good?"

Peyton opened up her sketch book and once she got through all the appropriate pictures she closed it, "I think they're good," she said confidently.

"So do I," Lucas said. He looked at his watch and cursed at himself, "I got to go," he said, "I hope to see you later," he said hopefully.

Peyton laughed, "Definitely.

-Call me out-
-You stayed inside-
-One you love-
-Is where you hide-
-Shot me down as I flew by-
-Crash and burn-
-I think sometimes you forget where the heart is-

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