Chapter 3: Stranded

Brooke showed up at Jake's work despite yesterday's occurrences with his mother. She saw Jake, and walked over to him. "Jake! Jake!" She called out.

"I'll be with you in a minute." He told one of his employees. "Brooke, hi. Thanks about last night. I normally don't drink that much." He chuckled.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Completely understandable. I actually wanted to return this to you. You left in my car." She smiled as she handed him his cell phone.

Thanks a lot Brooke. You didn't have to come all the way here."

Brooke chuckled. "You're right, but I also wanted invite you to a party I'm hosting. I know it's a little late, but last night all that talk about new beginnings, and moving on I just thought I'd throw something in honor if of Peyton, symbolizing a new life."

"Isn't that what her funeral was for?" Jake asked suspicious.

"Yeah, but that funeral was just so sad, you know. I think she'd want this. You know, a way to finally say goodbye," Brooke said sincerely. "It's at my house, around 9pm. I really hope you can make it."

"I'm not sure, I'm actually quite busy. I'll do my best. Sorry, I got to go. Bye." Jake started to walk away, leaving Brooke.

Peyton and Lucas were on the road. "So do you know where we're going exactly?" Peyton asked.

"Not really, just where the road takes us. Who really knows right?"

Peyton chuckled nervously. "Right."

"Peyton, you wanted this, remember? No past, just present and future." Lucas reminded her.

"Right," Peyton was reassured. "So you never really told me why you're running away. You know why I am, considering you found me on the road, and I can't remember anything. So what's your story?"

"Not really a story, just tired of people living my life for me, you know?"

"Parents?" Peyton asked.

"Everyone. I'm just tired of people telling me how to live my life. I want to live my own life, make my own choices. Stop planning every detail, and just deal with what life throws at me when it does."

"I think that's how everyone wants to live their life." Peyton told him.

It was 11pm and the party already started. Brooke was with her friend Haley. "So what's your plan with Jake anyway? You said he wasn't over Peyton yet? What makes you think he'll just fall in love with you?"

"Jake said it was time to move on, have a new beginning. Once he sees that I'm a decent person, he'll befriend me." Brooke smiled at Haley.

"You're not Peyton, Brooke."

"Who says I'm trying to be Peyton." Brooke said.

"Well, your plan isn't really working, he's doesn't seem pleased by this 'farewell Peyton' party you're throwing." Haley pointed over to Jake.

Brooke walked up to Jake. "Jake, I'm so glad you could make it!" She smiled.

"What is this, Brooke?" Jake said in an angry tone.

"What do you mean? It's a farewell party." Brooke looked behind her, pleased.

"I should've known. Everyone told me you're just looking for a decent party. This is just a poor excuse to drink and have fun. Peyton would be so disappointed in you." Jake turned around.

"Excuse me?!" She grabbed his arm. "How dare you try to speak for Peyton. She's gone Jake and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Exactly, Peyton's gone for a month now, and you're back to your old ways. Wasting your life on booze and partying. You're her cousin, Brooke. I'd expect a little more respect from you."

"Respect!?" Her angry flared, that Haley had to come and hold her back. Eyes began to turn towards them. "Don't even try to talk to me about respecting Peyton! You never respected her when she was alive, and now you're talking about respecting her. A little too late don't you think?"

Jake was repulsed by her words, and he went up to her, "You don't deserve Peyton as your cousin."

"Right, because you're just a saint, right? We're the same Jake; at least I can admit it." Jake turned around and walked away. He couldn't stand being around Brooke. Brooke exhaled, and got out of Haley's grip. Brooke went into the house, and into the kitchen, and took out a bottle of vodka, and started pouring it into a cup.

"Brooke, what the hell was that? He just lost his fiancée." Haley told her.

"Oh, right, his fiancée, Hales I lost my cousin. How dare he say those things to me? Try to speak on Peyton's behalf. Who the hell does he think he is?"

"Brooke, can you blame him. You wanted to throw a party for Peyton, and you invited people who didn't even know who this Peyton was. And he comes and sees people drinking, and dancing, hardly paying their respects to her portrait. You seriously can't blame him for that." Haley sighed, trying to talk some sense in her friend. "Brooke, he doesn't need an enemy, he needs a friend, and you could be it. Help him get through this time, and, your plan: of him seeing you as a decent person, may work out. Maybe even become more than friends."

"I hate it when you're right." Brooke exhaled deeply.

"So what now?" Haley asked.

"Would you hate me if I left? This is kinda weak party." Brooke laughed.

Haley pushed her away, and Brooke walked away.

They stopped in Savannah, six hours and twenty-four minutes away from Tree Hill. They rented out an apartment fit for two people, just enough room for Lucas and Peyton. But the apartment was more for a couple, since there was only room.

"You could stay in here. I'll sleep on the couch in the living room." It was pretty pricy since the apartment already came furnished, but it ended up being worth it. Plus, they needed a place to stay more than anything else. And Lucas had more money stashed away for some essential needs, for instance food. They both agreed that it was best that Lucas went out looking for a small job, since Peyton couldn't remember any of her information needed for a resume. And if worst comes to worst, Lucas had a couple of friends down in Savannah.

Brooke came onto