AN: Let me know what you think! Reviews are appreciated :)
She told the taxi driver to stop right in front of the gate and gave him his money. She was so focused on what she needed to do that she didn't even see the two cars parked outside. She walked in and headed for the fire escape immediately. It was best to get this over with as soon as possible, maybe then the memories from her past would stop haunting her.
She swung the bag over her shoulder, took her shoes off and made her way up the stairs. It wasn't easy: bag over her shoulder, shoes in one hand, holding on to the railing with the other, but she was determined. This had to be done. She was confused when she heard voices coming from the rooftop. Why on earth would there be anyone else here but her?
"What in God's name are you doing here?" She asked as she stepped onto the roof. She saw a man and a woman looking at her, both with a questioning look in their eyes.
"We could ask you the same thing." Nathan said.
"Don't be a smart-ass, mister!" She replied with a harsh voice "I'm pretty sure there's no one here on other nights, but on the night I decide to come here there's some sort of tea party going on," she pouted "This sucks."
Peyton shook her head "Yeah, well, life sucks that way. You might as well join us. We're pretty cool once you get to know us."
"So, you guys know each other or something?" She asked while she put her bag down.
"No, not really. We met about-" Nathan paused and looked at his watch "15 minutes ago. We were just about to tell each other all our dirty little secrets but then you decided to interrupt. So like she said," as he pointed to Peyton "feel free to join. What's in your bag anyway?"
The woman shrugged "Just some things I have to get rid off. And a bottle of wine." She opened the bag and took out a bottle of white wine.
"Great, another alcoholic!" Peyton said sarcastically while she looked at the woman. "What's your name?"
"Brooke. Brooke Davis." Brooke put her shoes back on and walked over to the others. "And you?"
4"I'm Peyton and that's Nathan." Peyton said while she nodded towards Nathan. "Hey, just to make this even more creepier than it already is – did you go to school here as well?"
Brooke nodded "Yeah, I graduated ten years ago. Why?"
Nathan looked at Peyton and then smiled while he said "This is strange, because Peyton here and I graduated that same year. I just told Peyton that I don't remember her and I guess I can tell you the same thing."
"Well same goes for me, I don't recognise either of you." Brooke replied.
"It's always nice to know you made an impression." Peyton added, while she looked at Nathan. He smiled back at her.
Brooke opened her bottle of wine and took a sip. There was something going on between those two. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was there. She always sensed those sort of things. "So, did you hear they're going to take this place down?"
Nathan nodded "Yeah, it's kind of sad, I guess."
"Nathan told me. I wasn't even sure if the place would still be here when I got back." Peyton added.
"You left Tree Hill?" Nathan asked while he looked at Peyton.
"Yeah. I left right after graduation, thinking I would never, ever come back here again." Peyton replied while she stared into the distance.
"So what made you change your mind?" Brooke asked while she offered Peyton her bottle of wine.
Peyton took it this time and took a sip before she answered Brooke "Closure, I guess." Peyton looked at Brooke and could see she didn't understand her "I'm dying and I wanted to die at peace with myself. So I decided to go back here one more time. I thought that maybe I could feel some of the happiness I felt when I went to this school. That maybe I could let go of all my issues. I don't know. It seems like a stupid idea now." Peyton rubbed her eyes, she hated it when she became emotional.
Brooke looked at her with tears in her eyes. This woman was strong. "And you?" Brooke asked Nathan.
Nathan sighed "I just wanted to get drunk without anyone interrupting me. So I could try to forget about my life for just one night." Nathan smirked "But then you guys came along and now I'm here talking about my feelings like we're having some sort of therapy session." He laughed.
"Yeah, well, life sucks that way." Peyton said again, laughing. She liked Nathan. "What about you?" Peyton asked Brooke.
"Since we're all so brutally honest with each other I might as well spill the dirt. I'm getting married next week and my soon-to-be-husband thought I was all miss goody-goody before I met him," Brooke paused "Let's just say there are some things from my past I have to get rid off. I guess we all do tonight"
Peyton and Nathan both nodded in agreement.
