Disclaimer: I own neither Twilight or One Tree hill.
Spoilers up until around Ellie's departure. And set around Bella arriving.
'Don't you just love this time of year' Brooke had raved consistently without fail at the same time every year. When the seniors would mix with the reservation. The rez school only went so far, then they joined ours for college. I didn't really pay much mind to them, I appreciated the style, their long hair was pretty ripped but Brooke was the one obsessed with all the hot tanned guys.
'Get a grip Brooke, before someone locks you up' I say laughing.
Attempting to get to class we wrestle with the masses to get down the corridors, being elbowed by some scrawny junior trying to escape the new seniors I drop my sketches all over the floor. Not taking a care in the world for my hands I got on my knees picking them up, before people stand on them. Someones fervent hands gather them up and hand them to me, his long hair falling across his face as he leans down to get them.
'Thanks' I say taking them from his oversized hands.
'Hi, we're seniors' Brooke winks at the guy who blushes as he seems to be assessing whether she's serious or not. Settling on serious, he stifles a smile looking firmly at the floor. 'Hi, I'm Jacob.'
He looks up from the floor to meet my eyes and a blush creeps up his face. Guys see a long pair of legs and become mute. Rolling my eyes I hold the sketches firmly and stifle ironic gripes.
'Right, well we're going,' I say as I grab Brooke and drag her away.
'Wow, ice queen much?' Brooke says once we're a corridor over and she can spin around to face me.
'I don't know Brooke, it's another guy. I'm sick of guys.' I'm not cold, the stuff with Lucas hurt and much as I doubted Brooke would go for the tanned rez kid I didn't want to go there. Running my fingers exasperatedly through my erratic curls I shrug and go off to my class leaving a protesting Brooke.
'Quil! Wait up,' I shout as I came through the doors to the car park. The suns blazing and the breeze feels good after a day stuck inside. It's a completely different school, nothing like the rez. The only thing they get that impatient about back home is the food.
Jumping into the truck next to Quil I roll my neck to loosen it up. Dads not in tonight, family friend coming back into town with his daughter. So I'm heading out to a start of the year party. Probably not the best study aid idea, but I said I'd help build the fire.
After heading home and throwing on a clean hoody for the cool night I run up the paths to the cliffs. The air's so clean here with the sea blowing it's salt across into the woods. Coming onto the site for the party it seems that a lot of the none rez kids have decided to come across. I notice a familiar flash of blonde curls but lose it almost straight away. Hoping to see her again I make my way to the brunette shouting out orders. Her friend is as forward now as this afternoon apparently.
'Look people, it's just a fire. How hard can that be?' Brooke was trying to pull a party together, again. People were probably pretty capable of doing it without her, and probably faster. But she was in the midst, giving orders. Lucas trailed behind her offering apologetic looks to those she had finished with. Taking her around the waist he hugged her as he whispered in her ear. 'Perhaps you want to lay off the new kids, if we're gonna make any friends at all this year,' pausing she smiled and relaxed against him.
'I just get carried away. I'm ordering so that they'll like us, cause the party will be so frickin awesome.' She pouted but relented to stand back a bit if he'd hang around and talk to her. Peyton walked back to the set up music deck and Brooke wondered how she was doing. Losing another mum, she couldn't imagine.
I pull the headphones back on to hear the heavy hum of 'I Don't Wanna Be' soaring through it's final flight. Feeding it through the system I see the change in people, like a web floating down to connect them. It comes down to it's end and I flip the disc over for something heavier. It may not be the mood Brooke's hoping for, but it sure fits mine. Amping it up I lock the levels and head off towards the more secluded cliff edge.
Rain is falling lightly and I shiver against it, venting up the aggression over Ellie's absence. Pent up in my heart is so much love for this woman who left so quickly. Love, how does that work when the other person leaves? A text comes through on my phone and I take it out to read the message.
You okay? - Lucas
What does he want? What does he think? I feel a tension headache and my chest feels tight.
Feeling about as okay as a car crash I pull back and launch the phone off into the ether as hard as I can. Watching it spin through the air is almost satisfying, but the splush as it disappears under the water is definitely helpful. Sensing someone behind me I spin around glaring.
'I guess I shouldn't bother asking for your number,' he says. Getting a blank look he nods towards the water.
I laugh, for what feels like the first time in weeks. 'No I guess not,' but sadness rests back on me and I tense knowing tears are threatening to replace my laughing. 'I should get back to the music,'...the songs about to finish.
He reaches for my arm and I almost pull back but his touch is so soft that I pause.
I'm stumped, standing here holding her arm like this. Well done Jacob, not exactly the forward moving, pro active type. But her sad face looks bottomless in it's empty damp eyed way. I want to take away her pain. Overcome with something akin to courage I pull her into my arms. Hugging her against my shoulder gently I wonder how awkward this is. But she doesn't move and for an instant we stand joined that way.
Her hair smells faintly of vinyl records and pine trees, and I wonder how low the branches are hanging over the music desk. Her slim frame shudders against me but seems to find it's balance after a moment and step back. 'Thanks,' she says, strength slammed back into her stance, confidence of needing no one, but a weak tilt to the way she stands. But sincerity in her thanks stops me assuming she didn't need it as she walks away.
I'm broken out of watching her by the sounds of Quil's shouts.
'Dude! What was that?' he bounds up to my side, all animated back and forth looks. 'Who's she?' he says waiting for some kind of reply.
Then I realise, I'm still not entirely sure. 'Err, a girl from school.' I guess he thinks I'm being coy cause he scowls. 'Fine, don't tell me who your mystery girl is.'
'She's not mine,' I whisper in thought, though Quil doesn't hear it.
Reviews make chapters guys...plus this couple needs some closure :P
Hope I did both worlds some justice!