Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not oth and not Howie Beck's song (which is the title of the story)
This is quite a long oneshot, please R&R. I hope it's better than my other story, Happy Man (but feel free to check that out too, it's a lot shorter!)
Before the bottle even started spinning, I knew it was going to be her. She stood there all alone, brown hair flowing and looking vulnerable. Who knew that Brooklyn Penelope Davis would get teary over a high school graduation? Most people would think she would be glad not to study again, she would have more free time to party and live off daddy Davis's bank account. But I knew all along, even though she has changed so much these few years, to some girls she is still just Brooke Davis, slut party girl extraordinare. To me, and all her close friends, she is Brooke Davis, gorgeous girl with a heart of solid gold.
I have watched her transform from this bitchy cheerleader to a girl with a sensitive heart which can be broken just like anyone's. That's what most people say; that they have seen the transition of Brooke Davis. However, as someone who has been watching from afar, I always kind of knew she had the caring side to her.
The first time I met her in kindergarden (yes, kindergarden, can you believe I've known her for that long?) she was wearing a light pink ralph lauren polo and a denim mini skirt with light pink flipflop with butterflies. Her hair was messily tied up into a pony tail and her eyes were so pure, only to be corrupted by thoughts of alcohol and boys in many years time. My grandfather Mel had dropped me off that day, because my parents had to work. I shyly walked in, my clammy hands grabbing my grandpa Mel's tightly. She walked right towards me, considering it was also her first day she seemed pretty confident. 'Hi', she said, her voice wasn't as raspy as it is now, but it had an edge, already I felt as if she was different than the rest of the perky kids in the room. Before I could stutter a reply, she took hold of my hands, not caring if they were clammy. 'I'm Brooklyn, like after the place' She stated, as if it was common knowledge. I shook my head. Brooke smiled, and that was when my hands got even clammier, I dug my finger nails in her palm, Brooklyn had the prettiest smile, she had dimples that dug deep into her cheeks. 'That's okay', she was still smiling, 'you can call me Brooke, that's my nickname'. I nodded okay, feeling relieved. She then dragged my hand to the other side of the room where a blonde girl was sat. The blonde girl gave me a slight smile as she clutched her black crayon. 'This is Pey-ton', she announced, dragging the two syllables of the blonde girl's name. I smiled for the first time, 'I'm Marvin'. Brooke nodded happily and sat down on the orange chair, she handed me a blue crayon. 'This is yours, boys can't use pink', she ordered. I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous again. Brooke adjusted her hair and grabbed a yellow crayon, 'I'm going to draw you a picture'. And I can't help but chuckle at my memory of this, because at the tender age of five, Brooke Davis had me whipped.
Fast forward to us at twelve. We were all at tree hill elementary. Brooke Davis had shorter skirts and apparently a much shorter temper. She walked along the corridor with her best friend Peyton in tow. The duo sat with Bevin, who even at twelve was slightly behind, but had nice hair, so that was okay. There were a few other girls who sat with them, and they all grew up to be clones of eachother, so they're not worth remembering. I was standing in line, waiting to have my lunch at the canteen, looking at comic books with Junk and Fergie. Brooke Davis and her twelve year old barbies walked along, Brooke's pink glitter handbag accidently hit this girl's book, causing it to fly to the floor. The girl was Haley James, and ironically unknown to both Brooke and Haley, Brooke was to become the godmother of Haley's child, with Nathan! But that's meant for later. Haley had big glasses and often wore ugly hats, her best friend Lucas Scott stood firmly beside her.
Lucas was a different story, he had friends in middle school but once the secret that shattered his and Nathan's world, he retreated into his shell and hung around with this weird girl Haley. 'Whoops', Brooke said, but not doing anything about it. Everyone was staring, and Haley's face grew red, 'it's okay', she whispered. She bent down to pick it up. Lucas suddenly stood infront of his best friend and glared at the tween plastics. 'Don't Hales, you didn't drop it'. His eyes darted to his crush Peyton, and gave her a slight smile. Brooke pulled Peyton's arm away before she could respond. 'Come on PS'. And with that they walked away. Haley sighed, embarrassedd. Lucas gently bent down and picked up her book, blowing off the dirt for her. 'I don't know why Peyton hangs out with her', he mutters, he never told anyone his plan of whisking Peyton away from the pre teen airheads and placing her in his gang with Haley instead. Haley gave a small laugh, 'Luke, you don't get it, they're the same. Peyton just pretends to be different, that's all'. I was observing the scene before me and came to the conclusion that the cheerful girl in my class at kindergarden has dissapeared, just like her drawing of the sun that I threw away when she refused to sit with me on the first day of junior high.
Peyton's mom passed away when we were ten years old. During class one day when we were fourteen, Peyton walked into class, her eyes swollen from crying. Everyone knew that her mom died today, four years ago. Brooke Davis was sitting on her table, laughing and flirting with Tim. This was before Tim turned into an idiot and before Brooke started attracting older guys. Brooke's eyes immediately darted to Peyton's, she brushed Tim's hand from her own and walked to Peyton and gave her a fierce hug. The whole class, including Lucas, Haley and me watched as no words were exchanged between the two friends. No one has really seen the soft side of Brooke Davis, and Lucas shrugged as Haley watched, maybe she's changed. But Brooke Davis didn't like to be stared at, she let go of Peyton softly and flicked her hair, 'what are you staring at dork?' she asked, the question firmly directed at Haley. Haley sunk deeper into her seat and squirmed. Brooke Davis could never change, they all thought. But I was the only one who noticed that Peyton's tears had made a puddle on Brooke's shirt, and for once, she didn't even flinch.
She got bitchier and sluttier as the years went on. When Brooke Davis turned sixteen, the near graduating senior Chloe Simmons handed her the position of Cheer Captain, even though there were seventeen year old Juniors waiting/drooling over that position. Brooke took this job seriously, her name changed from Brooke Davis, to Brooke Davis: Cheer Nazi. Girls who weren't her cronies, were terrified of her, and guys, well, guys just wanted to get with her.
The most astronishing transition of Brooke Davis was when she felll in love with Lucas Scott. Everyone bet it wouldn't work, the guys said he wouldn't be able to keep her around for more than two weeks. The girls wondered what she saw in that handsome, but lonely broody blonde. They didn't last for too long, as predicted. No one was surprised. But when the news got out that he was cheating on her with her best friend, Peyton Sawyer, the news took over the school. Guys congratulated Lucas for bagging two hot girls at once, but some of them, myself included, wondered why Brooke wasn't enough; she was sparklier, prettier and had more charm. But I guess it was right that Lucas and Peyton were always meant to be, and if someone like Brooke Davis couldn't even stop them, then no one would. There was even more gossip when Brooke got back together with Lucas, girls criticized him for being indecisive, and past conquests of hers were shocked, Brooke Davis never put up with cheaters, or dated them twice. Lucas blew his second chance, and when he nearly got his third, Brooke put a stop to it, by saying they were better off as friends.
She lost her way for a little while, and seemed to retreat back to the old Brooke Davis. But then she saw love in a skate boarding clean teen named Chase Adams. His love was pure, and Brooke fell for him as hard, if not harder than when she fell for Lucas. When things were going well for her, a sex tape from the past was revealed. Brooke and Nathan hung their heads in shame, the duo were the same back in the day; slutty, hot and arrogant. People wondered why they never got together, well, I guess they did in a way. But the duo have changed, both have found a steadier way of living life, and both revealed their hearts of gold. Brooke handled the scandal so gracefully and perfectly and was forgiven. Peyton forgave her because Brooke was the one who saved her life, even putting her own life in danger.
Even now as I prepare to jump off the roof, my hands were clammy, just like that day in kindergarden. Brooke was hugging herself and looking vulnerable. I grabbed a beer from a random and drank it all in one gulp, I took a deep breath. 'Brooke', I whispered. Brooke was completely unaware and flashed me a smile. I then connected my lips with hers, and I could have sworn she kissed me back a little, and as the kiss was happening, memories of her flooded my eyes, from her pink polo shirt to her cheerleading uniform. She tasted of beer, spearmint, and something else which I assume is all her. I didn't dare to insert my tongue, this was more than enough for me. When we finally pulled away, I saw the twinkle in her eyes again, my eyes darted to her flustered cheeks. I waited until she was out of sight before reaching over to touch my own cheeks.
Needless to say, it was burning.