Brooke Davis quickly threw her things in the suitcase as she prepared to leave in less than 30 minutes. She ran through her bathroom, picking up almost every hair care product a girl could need. Even though she'd only be gone for a week, she packed as if it would be a year. That's just how Brooke Davis is. Always prepared for any fashion show at any given time or place. There's never a moment she wasn't ready. Well except- now.
"Ugh, I knew I should've packed yesterday." She groaned. Another thing about her; she's a huge procrastinator. Instead of doing the responsible thing and getting it out the way, she watched America's Next Top Model reruns all day long while eating junk food. Oh, to top it off she went to a party that resulted in a hang over, causing her to get up late and have to rush.
There was a knock at her bedroom door then the appearance of her bestfriend, Peyton Sawyer. "Little late aren't we?"
"Oh, shut up and come sit on this suitcase." Peyton did as told and plopped down on the luggage, putting all the weight she had on it, "Chad will be here in less than 10 minutes and look at me." Brooke was wearing a jumpsuit with her hair in a messy bun and without make up.
"You're going to be in a car for 9 hours. You're fine." Peyton stated shaking her head. "I can't believe he's taking you to Paris."
"I know right. I've dreamed about going for so long and now my boyfriend is taking me there for Spring Break! I didn't even know guys like Chad actually existed, sweet and sincere, and hot. He's like a unicorn!" She laughed and then a horn honked, "That must be him."
"Okay come here." Brooke walked into Peyton's embrace and the two shared a hug. "I'm gonna miss you. I can't believe you're ditching me on Spring Break."
"I know we always spend together and I promise I'll make it up to you."
"Don't even worry about it. You just go to Paris and have fun. Most importantly, be safe! Teach me some french when you get back." They hugged one last time before grabbing the luggage and leaving the house. They handed it to Chad as he put it in the trunk of the car. "Hey, you take care of my girl."
"I got it." Chad responded.
~ooo~
"You hungry?" Chad asked as he glanced at his girlfriend as she began to wake up before focusing his attention back on the road. They were on their third hour and Brooke had been asleep for one. Chad didn't mind it though. He thought it was adorable the way she slept.
She shook her head before stretching, "No I'm good. I could go for a car quickie though." Chad turn his head to Brooke and she smirked. She began to undo her seat belt as he chuckled. She leaned over and began to bite his neck. "Pull over." she whispered. Chad faced her, giving her a kiss on the lips, while still managing to drive. Brooke pulled her face away when she saw a car coming in the corner of her eye. She quickly separated from him, "Look out!"
The car was speeding towards them and before they could do anything, the two vehicles collided. The car began to flip and did this five times before landing on it's side in a ditch. Pain shot through her entire body as Brooke begin to move.. Screams echoed around her but her focus was on Chad who was yet to show any sign of life.
She managed to get closer to him, "Chad? Chad can you hear me? Say something. Baby, please just move your hand. Chad. Chad!" Tears filled her eyes as she continued to yell his name. Sounds of sirens roared and she stood frozen, staring at the body of her boyfriend.
"Miss, miss! We're gonna get you out of there." She heard a male voice say but she didn't care. She was just worried about Chad.
~ooo~
"You should be fine. You have a slight concussion and a broken leg of course but it should heal in no time." The nurse told Brooke as she prepared her medication.
"I just wanna see Chad. Where is he?"
The nurse turned to face Brooke with a sympathetic expression. She cleared her throat before beginning to talk, "In the accident, the car hit the driver's side and when the car flipped.. it also landed on that side. Causing more damage to Chad than you. He was actually more effected."
"But he's okay, right?" Silence filled the room and Brooke got very agitated, "Look just tell me where he is. I have to see him. Where is he? I need to see him! Tell me where he is!"
"He didn't make it! He died instantly. There was no way he could've been saved."
Brooke covered her mouth and tears heavily formed in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she heard. She shook her head, "No. No he can't- he can't be gone. Your'e lying. No. No!" She placed her face in her hands and began to cry uncontrollably.
"Brooke!" Peyton called as she rushed into the emergency room with their friend and Chad's brother, Nathan. "Oh Brooke. What's wrong?" The nurse left out the room and let the three have their privacy.
"It's all my fault. I distracted him and now.." Brooke started before crying into Peyton's shoulder and clinging to her.
"Sweetie, everything will be okay. Chad loves you, he isn't gonna blame you for this. I know it. Now, where is he? Hm?"
"He died in the accident. Nathan I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I just-" Her sentence was cut short when Nathan left out the emergency room and guilt hit Brooke harder than before. Not only had she lost her boyfriend.. but now one of her best-friends as well. "Peyton."
"Shh." Peyton whispered while holding her best friend and trying not to cry along with her. She always had to be the strong one, she never allowed anyone to see her break down. She knew it Brooke saw her cry it would only make things worse.
~ooo~
Brooke woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She pressed ignore and rolled out of her bed. She stood in front of the mirror and every emotion she felt in the hospital began to flood her; depression, guilt, anger, hate. She went from being pale to being as red as a tomato, and her eyes being bloodshot to tears streaming down her face. In an instant she pushed everything off her bathroom counter and began to pull everything off her walls. She fell to the floor, started shaking, and began to drown in her tears.
"Brooke?" She heard someone say but between her crying and screaming, she couldn't make out the voice but she could tell that it was growing closer. After the figure bent down to her level she was seeing something and knew that the guilt she felt had gone to her head. "Hello? Brooke?"
"Chad?" She began to shake her head and got up from her position, rushing to get around she ran into a corner and the figure familiar to her as Chad continued to come closer, "What the hell is this? I must really be losing my mind."
"Brooke, it's okay. It's me, Chad." He explained continuing to move closer until now they were only a foot apart from each other.
"No, you're not. Chad is dead." It killed her to say those words, she was still trying to admit it to herself so hearing it said aloud, from her own mouth, made things worse.
"I'm Chad's spirit. You know, like a ghost. When you were in the car accident you didn't necessarily come out the way you went in."
Brooke looked confused, she didn't understand what he meant. The accident did change her but she still couldn't make out what he was saying, "What are you talking about?"
"Listen.. clear your head, just relax. Now picture a moment from the past. Anything." Brooke exhaled and closed her eyes, "You're picturing your mom." Her mom died in a plane crash 5 years ago on her way home from a business trip in New York. Brooke missed her like crazy, she use to have nightmare every night after her passing.
She quickly opened her eyes, "How'd you know that?"
"I can read and see everything that's going on in your head. And after the accident, you can too."
"Okay then why can't I read yours?"
"Because I'm dead. You have that ability over every living thing in this world. You also can see things no one else can. You can see what's gonna happen before it occurs and you can see true intentions as well. You have what people call, a third eye. It's quite an amazing gift."
"Okay, you know what? This is crazy. I don't have a gift. I don't have a- a third eye. So you know what? You go back to whatever supernatural world you came from and stay there." She attempted to push him but was quickly annoyed when her hands went through his body. She sighed, "Can you please escort yourself out?"
"This isn't like those gifts you can return. You can't give it back." He responded and in a flash he as gone. She looked around and he was nowhere to be found. 'Wow' she mouthed before leaving out the bathroom.
She climbed into her bed and pulled her covers over her, and tried to forget that last 20 minutes. She closed her eyes and drifted asleep.
"Chad, Chad I'm scared, this is so not cool! Come out here right now!" Brooke whispered loudly while walking through the graveyard. She was turning around when Chad jumped out in front of her and she punched him.
"Damn it Brooke, jeez you're gonna kill me. You know Houdini died like that." He groaned while holding his stomach and bending over.
"Yeah, well you deserve it dumb ass! I told you I didn't want to take this shortcut." She complained while pointing her finger and still continuing to whisper.
"What are you whispering for?" He asked with a confused look on his face. They were the only two in the area and people barely came around here.
"Because..."
"Brooke, these people, they're dead." He laughed and shrugged.
"Yes, but if you keep yelling the freakin' zombie's are gonna hear us!" Brooke was easily scared and could get paranoid off the smallest things. She had a pretty crazy imagination but Chad found it funny, which annoyed her because he made her feel like a ridiculous kid.
"I gotta tell you something." He said in a serious tone and Brooke turned to face him; full curiosity plastered on her face, "I have to go away."
"What are you talking about?" She asked and at that moment blood began to stain his shirt and he started to have trouble breathing. She couldn't understand what was going on. He fell to his knees and she went down along with him. "Chad!"
"Brooke.." Before he could continue his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his hands fell to the ground. Brooke closed his eyes and laid against his chest, tears flooding and at that moment, rain began to pour.
Brooke woke up from her dream and sat up in her bed. She pulled her hair back from her face and rubbed head, she had already started having nightmares. She sighed, "Here we go again."