Chapter
3
Brooke, shakily, dialed her best friends number. Again, she felt herself getting nauseas and clammy. She felt her forehead break out into a cool, thin layer of sweat.
"Oh God." She murmured, looking nervously around the clean Olive Garden bathroom.
"Excuse me? Are you waiting for a stall?" An obnoxious bleached blonde walked into the bathroom, loudly clomping her heels.
"Um, no." Brooke shook her head and calmly exited the bathroom. She walked out the door into the cool, crisp air.
"Hello?" She heard a low voice on the other line say, uncertainly.
"Peyton? It's…um…Brooke." Brooke told her nervously.
"Brooke, hey, how are you? Oh, I had to tell you, I just found the most amazing bridesmaids dresses at Bloomingdale's. I know you're the maid-of-honor and all but I think you will want to wear one of these…they're awesome." Peyton giggled into the phone, excitedly.
Brooke gulped as her eyes misted over. She had to do this. Peyton was her best friend. She had been since they were eight. She had to know.
"Peyton…I…."
"Hey, Brooke, don't stress the wedding gown, okay? I know you've made two already and that's too much to ask. I could always just buy one." Peyton laughed.
Brooke bit her lip and her stomach dropped. There was no way that Peyton wouldn't hate her for this. Although, Peyton had done the same thing to her years ago. Twice. She'd done this to her twice.
"Peyton, listen, I have to tell you…something. It won't be easy but…I think I have to tell you." She began.
"Okay. I'm listening." Peyton responded, slowly.
"Lucas………I mean, he…..hold on, for one second, Peyton, I'm getting another call." Brooke quickly hit hold and switched to the other line.
"Brooke Davis." She said, coolly.
"Lucas Scott." She heard Lucas chuckle.
"Luke! It's so good to hear from you! I'm at lunch with Haley." Brooke informed him. She felt herself smile broadly, her fears evaporating.
"Wait. With Haley? You didn't tell her, did you?" Lucas asked, anxiously.
"Was I not supposed to?" Brooke wanted to know, worriedly. He hadn't told her not to tell anyone.
"Well, I guess it's fine to tell Hales. I probably would've told her anyway." Lucas laughed to himself.
"Luke….I'm about to tell Peyton. I have her one the other line and---
"Brooke, no!" Lucas interrupted, quickly.
"Lucas, I can't just lie to her. She's your fiancee and I feel awful." Brooke told him, honestly.
"Okay, right. But it's not like anything…I meant….why?"
"What do you mean why? I just told you why." Brooke replied, sharply. What was Lucas trying to say anyway?
"I just don't think there's anything to tell." Lucas responded, smoothly.
"Nothing to tell? Lucas you told me you loved me!" Brooke broke out, feeling tears streaming down her face. She was at the point where nothing was making sense. Her whole world felt like it was crashing down and she was doing nothing to stop it.
"I know but…Brooke, come on. I just don't want to tell Peyton. It would just hurt her." Lucas persisted.
"So, what? You're just going to marry her and forget about me?" Brooke asked, her voice shaking. She was terrified this was exactly what he would do. Break her heart yet again.
"No! I wouldn't ever forget about you, Brooke. I love you!" He protested.
"Wait. So, you'd marry her? Still?" Brooke demanded, angrily.
"Brooke, don't get angry…it's just complicated!" Lucas tried.
"Wow. I really thought," her voice broke, "I thought you loved me this time."
With that Brooke hit the "end call" button on her phone and began to sob.
"Brooke? Are you there?" She had forgotten Peyton was on the other line.
"Um, yeah, I'm here." Brooke sniffled.
"What's wrong?" Peyton asked, gently.
"Um, nothing." Brooke patted her face with the edge of the cream cashmere sweater she'd worn, drying the tears.
"What were you saying about Lucas?" Peyton inquired.
"Oh! That. It's just that he…was talking to me the other day. About the wedding. He's really happy. I think that he really loves you." Brooke lied. It was useless to tell Peyton the truth at this point. Lucas's feelings had been false. He didn't love her. He never had. All he ever did was break her heart and she couldn't handle it anymore.
"That's all?" Peyton laughed, nervously.
"Yeah." Brooke lied again.
"Well, what about the new that "wasn't going to be easy"?" Peyton asked with an mock ominous tone.
"Oh, yeah. It's just…," Brooke stalled, racking her brain for something, anything to say, "your wedding dress. I don't know if I'll finish in time. I'm so sorry. But, you might want to just buy on, in case. Or at least have your eye on one."
"Brooke, it's fine, okay? I believe in you. I think you'll make it in time." Peyton assured her.
"Thanks, Peyton. I just want your wedding to be perfect. You deserve it." Brooke told her, half-heartedly.
"That's so nice of you, Brooke. Listen, I have to go, okay? But, I love you. Goodbye." Peyton replied.
"'Kay. Bye." Brooke's voice shook and she hung up for the second time.
Finally, she was finished being strong for Peyton and Lucas. She let herself cry. Tears rapidly fell from her eyes and streamed down her face onto her sweater. She cried and cried, her arms were wrapped around her torso, keeping herself warm.
"Brooke? Brooke?" She heard someone frantically calling.
"Brooke! There you are!" Haley soon joined her outside, her hair blowing in the cold breeze.
"Haley, hey." Brooke brushed the tears off her face again and smiled, weakly, at her friend and former roommate.
"Oh, Brooke, what's wrong?" Haley asked, concern all over her face.
"I just," Brooke paused and briefly considered lying. "Lucas just called." Tears began flowing again, tears that she couldn't stop.
"Oh, Brooke. What happened?" Haley prodded, gently.
"I'll tell you later. We should get back inside. I'm starving." Brooke managed another wan smile as she delicately walked back inside the restaurant.
"Alright." Haley agreed, skeptically. Her expression was still filled with concern and doubt.
"Really, Haley, I'm fine. I'll tell you everything later." Brooke promised as she rejoined Haley at their booth.
"Hey, I'm Jessica, your waitress. I took her order earlier but I haven't taken yours. What would you like?" The bubbly brunette waitress asked, addressing Brooke.
"I'll have the Chicken Scampi with a bowl of Tuscan soup and a Garden Salad. I'll have a Coke for my beverage." Brooke smiled politely as she recited her order to the waitress.
"Okay, I'll be right back with your drink and some bread." She gave them a serene smile and walked away.
"So. What happened?" Haley demanded as she sipped her drink, a glass of raspberry lemonade.
"I called Peyton, ready to tell her and then Lucas interrupted the call." Brooke paused as the waitress approached with her drink and the basket of bread.
"Thanks." Brooke grinned and accepted her drink. She reached into the basket and pulled a long, thin piece of delicious bread.
"Anyway, Lucas called. Then what?" Haley persisted.
"Well," Brooke broke off a piece of the bread and plopped it into her mouth, "I told him that I was here with you. He asked if I told and I said yes. He said that was fine, he would've told you anyway. Then, I said that I was uneasy with lying to Peyton and said that I was about to tell her. He told me not to. I asked him why. He said that he didn't want to hurt her. I asked if he still planned on marrying her. He replied that yes he would marry her. I told him that he broke my heart yet again and hung up. Then, I told Peyton that the reason I called was because of her wedding dress."
"Wait. Lucas was still going to marry Peyton?" Haley gasped and blinked in confusion.
"Yeah, I guess." Brooke shrugged, feigning that she could care less. But she was blinking back tears as she said it.
"I'm so sorry, Brooke." Haley's eyes were full of sympathy and compassion.
"No, it's alright I'm fine." Brooke lied. She knew that she would not be fine. She didn't know if she would ever be fine again.
