Disclaimer: I don't own Brooke, Jake, One Tree Hill, or anything of that nature.

Summary: A late night prompts Brooke to correct the biggest mistake she ever made.

Author's Note: Thanks so much to everyone who read and/or reviewed. It means a lot to hear your comments and makes me all giddy inside. Everything in italics are thoughts not said. This chapter's a bit longer and hopefully you'll enjoy.

A Single Taste of Honey
Chapter 1

It was a steamy July afternoon when the Tree Hill High van pulled into the parking lot. Twenty very irritated cheerleaders quickly piled out and headed for their cars or their parent's cars as fast as their feet could carry them. Everyone that is, except for Brooke Davis. One of only two freshmen that made the squad.

"You need a ride?" Peyton called back to her friend as she loaded her last bag in the back of her neighbor's Saturn.

"No, my dad's coming." Brooke replied and waved good-bye to Peyton as she left the parking lot. "Or at least he's supposed to be," she mumbled under her breath and pulled her cell phone out of her purse. She dialed the familiar number once again. She had already called three times on the ride home to make sure he was going to be there when she arrived. Each time, he promised and the last time, he told her not to call again. If he could win international lawsuits, then certainly he could remember to pick his fifteen year old daughter up from camp. She spent the next several minutes trying to track him, her mother, or even their house keeper down, but had no luck.

"Having problems, Davis?" A familiar voice called from behind.

"Not now, Jegelski," she huffed.

"So, you hang out in parking lots often?"

"Do you?" She countered as she shoved her cell back in her handbag.

"Fair enough," he replied and continued his walk through the parking lot. Brooke let him walk a few feet, before her curiosity got the better of her and she called after him.

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Practicing."

"For what? It's summer." He pointed to the basketball resting between his side and left arm. "Oh...Well, where are you going now?"

"Home."

"How?"

"My feet."

"Oh." Brooke ran her fingers nervously through her hair. She was still stranded. Jake started on his way again, but realized maybe she didn't want to be sitting in the parking lot on a Sunday afternoon.

"Are you waiting on someone?"

"No," she supplied quickly. She didn't want Jake, or anyone else for that matter, to know she had been forgotten. She worked hard, since a very young age to make sure no one really knew what happened in her home life. Even Peyton only knew bits and pieces.

"Brooke?" He questioned when he saw something different flash in her eyes. He couldn't be sure of what, but it looked like shame. Something he never associated with Brooke Davis before. But to be fair, he didn't really know her, at least not anymore. There was a time where they had been close, but school, sports, and boys had changed all that. They talked, but never really paid that much attention to her. He'd heard things, lots of things actually about her and how she'd changed since he knew her as the ten year old who always had candy at recess. But if he'd learned one thing from his parents and their relationship it was that things aren't always as they seem.

Brooke could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't going to give in and a bit relieved that she wouldn't be stranded, gave in. "Fine. My dad's a no show again and I don't have a way home."

"Well, if you're willing to walk the half a black to my house, I'll get my car and give you a lift." He offered. Brooke's face lit up in relief. "Really?" Jake nodded and walked back to her. "You need some help with those?" He questioned, gesturing at the two extremely large suitcases resting on the sidewalk next to her. She nodded. "Thanks so much Jake."

Each grabbed a bag and started the walk to Jake's house. The conversation between them flowed extremely smoothly. Brooke had questioned Jake a bit more about his summer practice and was surprised to find out that Whitey had told him he wasn't short of a starting position next year if he just worked on perfecting some of the basics. Jake asked about camp and congratulated Brooke when she told him the team had won for Most School Spirit, saying he could see why, her dimpled smile gave off a light very few people ever saw, much less had. She couldn't help but smile. No one ever realy listed to her when she talked and they certainly didn't give her compliments without expecting something in return.

As they approached Jake's house, Brooke felt a pang of disappointment run through her. She didn't want to go home. Her prior phone calls already cemented the fact that her gigantic house was empty and to be perfectly honest, it felt nice to have a real conversation with a guy where she was 100 percent positive he wasn't thinking of getting in her pants.

"Earth to Brooke," Jake said snapping his fingers, bringing her out of her daze.

"Uh..Yeah...What?" She asked, shifting her weight. Jake laughed at her confusion. "I said are you ready to go?"

"Oh yeah, I guess," she mumbled.

"Is something wrong?" He questioned, taking the suitcase from her hands and lifting it into the back of the truck. "No, let's go." Brooke walked to the passenger side and got in. A now confused Jake followed.

The ride to Brooke's house was uncomfortably silent. Both teens running through thoughts of their own.

Why are you acting weird, Davis? You're great around guys, that's what you do, who you are. Why are you so nervous? So worried. About Jake Jegelski, none the less. Sure, he's a hottie and a basketball player, a good one at that, but he's so not the type of guy you usually go for. And why is that, exactly. Oh, that's right, because he's too good for you. He's parents may not be loaded, but he's nice and Brooke Davis does not do nice. And why not? She wondered, sneaking a look Jake's direction.

There is definitely something up with her. She seems nervous, maybe scared. I may not know her well, but I do know her nerves are in good shape, great shape. Hell, she managed to make Dave Sanders cry last year. He was the football captain and she was in eighth grade. Eight grade. Oh Jegelski, what are you thinking. She's just a kid. Well, she doesn't look like a kid and she certainly doesn't act like one. That wasn't the point of this whole little run down, anyway. She's acting weird and not the girl wants boy weird, either. So then what's up? He wondered, stealing a quick glance at the brunette cheerleader sitting ever so quietly beside him.

"So, here we are," he said pulling in.

"Here we are," she repeated quietly.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're acting kind of weird."

"Yeah, I'm..." Brooke paused. "Do you want to come in?" She could tell by the look on his face that he thought she was propositioning him. It made her stomach churn. No wonder I don't have a real boyfriend, everyone really does think I'm a slut. "I meant..." His eyes widened. Brooke did have a reputation, there had to be at least some truth behind it. "For lemonade, or tea, or whatever." She started to ramble. "You know what, never mind. Thanks for the ride and I guess, I'll just see you around," she rattled quickly and exited the truck. Stupid...stupid...stupid. What was that Brooke? Now he's going to think you're a slut and an idiot. Jake cut his truck's engine and got out. There was definitely something up with her, and it wasn't sex. Something was wrong. "What are you doing?" Brooke asked.

"Helping you with your bags and taking you up on that offer of lemonade, or tea, or whatever."

"You know I wasn't..."

"I know," he replied, lifting her last bag from the back of his truck and starting up the staircase.

Brooke stood there for a few seconds and then jogged to catch up with him. She unlocked the door and let them both in.

"Where do you want these?"

"You can leave them there, I'll go through them later."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Jake. And if you ask me that question one more time, you'll regret it."

"Are you..." She threw a glare over her shoulder and Jake silently followed her into the kitchen.

"So, is your house always this quiet?" He asked as he sat down at the bar. Brooke nodded and headed for the refrigerator. "You're parents work a lot?"

"Something like that. What do you want to drink? I've got lemonated, Sprite, tea, water, and kool-aid."

"It doesn't matter."

"You this decisive about everything?" She questioned, pulling the lemonade from the refrigerator.

"Depends."

"On what?" Brooke walked to the cubbard and pulled out two glassed. She had been waiting for him to respond, but he was silent. "On what?" She repeated."

"Lots of things."

"Like?" She sat a glass of lemonade in front of him and settled on the stool facing him.

"The question. My mood. The result of my answer."

"And what you drink isn't of much importance to you?"

"I'd rather let someone else worry about the small stuff. It gives me more time to think about the important things."

"Sounds like a good idea. So what important thing do you have on your mind now?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, since I just picked your drink, I'm assuming that's becasue you're busy thinking of something a bit more important than beverage choices."

"You're very observant, Davis. But I'm sure you've heard that a lot." He said, taking a sip of his lemonade. Brooke's face faltered a bit at his statement. She was observant, but even she knew this wasn't something it took a scientist to figure out. But no one ever really commented or for that matter paid enough attention to comment on the things she did and that saddened her. The only person she had was Peyton and with the roller coaster she had been on ever since she hooked up with Nathan Scott, Peyton couldn't tell up from down. It felt good to be noticed without having to take her clothes off.

Jake watched as the expression on Brooke's face changed. There was definitely something up with her. He knew she lived in a nice house and had just about everything under the sun a girl could want, but there was something missing. She smiled a lot, but it never seemed all that real. But before Jake had the chance to question her about the switch in her mood, the smile was plastered back on.

"So, Jake, tell me something about yourself," she said flashing her dimples before she took a sip of the yellow liquid.

"Like?"

"Anything. I don't know you all that well."

"True." He paused a bit, trying to decide just how much to tell. He wasn't the most complicated guy, but he did have his secrets. Secrets that were starting to build up inside, but was Brooke Davis really the right person to tell those secrets to? That he didn't know yet. Best to start out safe. "I hate ketchup." He smiled when he saw her mouth form a smile, a real one now. The kind that made her eyes dance and skin glow. "You should do that more often," he whispered, unsure of himself for saying it and what her reaction would be to it.

"Do what?"

"Smile."

"I smile all the time, Jake."

"You pretend to smile all the time. Just now, you weren't pretending." He finished his lemonade and walked into the other room, leaving a silent Brooke behind.

How did he know? I never said anything. Is it really that noticeable? Can people tell I'm faking? No one's ever said anything before. Oh god, what if everyone knows it's a facade. They can't. He's just messing with you. But how does he know what buttons to push? What is going on? Only one way to find out. Brooke took a long swallow, finishing her lemonade, and followed the way Jake had left.

"What was that?" She asked, taking a seat on the staircase next to where he was sitting.

"What was what?"

"What you were saying, about my smile, where did that come from?"

"Scared I'm going to break your cover?"

"What cover? I'm happy, Jake."

"And I'm a superhero." He deadpanned. Brooke sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her silky brown hair at his response. "You remember how you asked me what I was thinking about earlier?" She nodded. "I was trying to figure out what was up with you." He turned his head to look at her. His eyes meeting her's and holding them. He wanted her to know he knew what it was like to put up an act and that he knew that's what she was doing everyday - acting.

"And what did you come up with?" She asked softly.

"That I don't know you well enough to figure anything out." She closed her eyes, disappointed in his answer. For the first time today, she'd thought someone was really paying attention to her, but she fooled herself again. Jake felt his heart stop when he saw her sitting there with her eyes closed. She looked like a lost little girl, not the sensual vixen she came across as, and he wanted to help her. He reached his hand out and gently caressed her cheek, he felt a dampness hit the top of his knuckle and saw tears begin to roll down her face. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, hoping he held the answers to questions she didn't even know to ask yet. "I want to, though," he whispered. He saw the confusion in her eyes and elaborated. "I want to know you well enough, Brooke. I don't want you to have to pretend to smile every day."

"Why not? No one else seems to mind."

"Because I know what it feels like to pretend," he answered honeslty. "You can only do it so long before it all unravels and when it does you won't want to be alone."

"How do you know so much, Jake? What happened?"

"Some other time," he said wiping away the tears she had shed.

"Do you think anyone else can tell?"

He shook his head no. "You put up an award winning act, Miss Davis. I wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't of been for the look on your face in the parking lot."

"What look?"

"Don't worry, know one else will notice. But it will get old and one day, you'll have to distinguish what's real from what's not."

"Will you be there? To help me?" He nodded. "You promise?" She questioned her tone serious and her eyes deadly locked on his. "I promise, Brooke." She nuzzled her face into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her pulling her tiny frame close to his athletic one. "I promise," whispered again. Moments later, she fell asleep. Jake sat there the next two hours just watching her sleep. She looked peaceful and content and he cursed the person who made things so hard for her, whoever they were. She didn't deserve it, there was no way she could deserve it.

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