AN: Thanks for all the reviews. They were greatly appreciated :) Oh, bonus points if you can tell me what line is borrowed from OTH
Hmm. That would be sunlight. Oh how I hate sunlight. I glance towards the alarm clock and it reads 6:30 in the morning.
Huh. And Rachel is out of bed already. I would have pegged her for a late sleeper. I stretch and decide to go to the bathroom when a smell hits me. Cookies? Whatever it is, it smells good.
I make my way into the kitchen and the sight that greets me is inviting. Rachel's sitting on the countertop, clad in only tiny shorts and a tank top. Obviously thrown carelessly over her "pajamas". Let me tell you, the girl's looks have not changed since high school.
I can hear her talking to someone on the phone. I take the moment to eavesdrop a little.
"I know, Haley. It's just…yeah. She's been acting weird lately…You're right. It's probably just from the stress of making her new designs…Thanks Hales. I'll see you soon."
She hangs up and I decide to enter the kitchen like I didn't just hear her talking about me.
"Morning." I greet her.
"Morning." She replies. "You might want to go take your shower or we're going to be late."
"Late for what?" I groan as I join her on the countertop, my shoulder against hers.
She kisses me briefly. I could get use to that. She jumps off the countertop. "Work, duh. But first we have to pick up Jamie. We promised to watch him, remember?"
"Ah, so it that what the cookies are for? To keep him entertained?"
Rachel looks at me with that smirk of hers. She walks in between my legs and drapes her arms around my neck. "Yes. And how will I keep you entertained?"
I raise an eyebrow. We keep a heated stare for a moment before I turn away and smile.
"Ha. Beat ya!" Rachel playfully sticks her tongue out.
"Oh yes, Rachel is now ultra cool because she beat me in a staring contest. I'm still hotter."
Rachel smirks. "You wish, Penelope."
"So, what? Do I have my own personal Betty Crocker?" I ask as I try to steal a cookie.
Rachel slaps my hand away. "No touching! Sure. I'll be Betty Crocker. And you can be Mr. Clean."
I laugh. "What?"
"I cooked..." Rachel seductivley walks her fingers up my thigh. "...so you clean."
"But it's so early!" I whine. A minute goes by and Rachel kisses me again.
"Stop whining. It's not attractive."
"Rach…" I just wanted to say something about yesterday. Maybe it's not a good idea to bring it up again but I feel like I owe it to her. "I'm really sorry about yesterday."
"You're not perfect, Penelope. I know that. Nothing is ever perfect." Rachel picks up one of the cookies and takes a bite. She sighs. "Strike that. These cookies are fuckin' perfect."
BD
Oddly enough, the day flew by. Either I colored with Jamie or I was working the cash register and helping customers. At least fashion is something I will never forget how to handle.
"You want to close up an hour early? Head to the Laley household for dinner?"
"Do we eat there a lot?" I ask without looking up from the register.
"If every Sunday and Monday is a lot, then yes. I'd consider it a lot. Not my fault your fatass doesn't like my cooking." She walks over to me. "Here, can you do the receipts?" She asks me as she hands me sheets of paper.
"Uh…" I gawk at the papers. It just looks like a bunch of random numbers.
"Fine, Ms. Cute-But-Not-So-Smart. I will do the receipts and you can pull out the extra stock for tomorrow."
BD
We end up at the Scott's about an hour later. Rachel is currently playing footsie with me under the table, and let me tell you, it is VERY distracting. The dinner is going along smoothly and I'm really starting to enjoy my life here, even though there's a lot I wish I could change.
The door bell rings and confusion sweeps the table. "Who could that be?" Haley asks.
No one answers her so she gets up to answer the door. A moment later we hear her shriek and we all run to the doorway. There stands Nathan Scott. He looks like a mess, possibly drunk.
"What the hell are you doing here, Nathan?" Lucas shouts as she stands in front of Haley.
"I have a right to see my son!" Nathan is slurring his words at this point.
"He's not your son. He never was." Haley says it boldly and a look of pure pain and anger takes up Nathan's face.
"Don't you dare…" Nathan says. He stumbles towards Haley and this one movement causes Luke to push him out of the house and down the stairs. Nathan is lying on the ground mumbling but he makes no move to get up.
Lucas sets his jaw. "Get out of here, Nate. You aren't welcome."
And with that Lucas slams the door shut. Lucas and a crying Haley make their way back to Jamie in the kitchen. I look at Rachel. She looks sympathetic.
"I'm going to go talk to him."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I don't want him to hurt her.
"I'll be fine."
She opens the door and I watch as she sits next to the broken man. He's sitting up on the bottom step, tears rolling down his face.
"I just want to see my son." He cries to Rachel.
Rachel drapes her arm around his shoulder. "If you really want to Nathan, this isn't the way."
Nathan says nothing so Rachel continues. "I know you feel like you made a mistake, but it's been seven years, Nate. You can't just stroll in expecting to have Jamie as your son. He thinks Lucas is his father."
"I know that. I know that. I just want to spend time with him. Know him."
"And maybe you can. You'll have to come back sober and talk to Haley and Lucas about it. But it can't happen like this." Rachel turns so that Nathan is crying in her shoulder and she gently comforts him.
Suddenly I feel all this emotion towards Rachel. I think I can feel and see why twenty-five year old Brooke loves her so much. She's smart, funny, sexy and although it didn't seem like it at first, she has a huge heart.
And most of all, I know she cares about me more than anything or anyone else. I go to bed with her that night feeling whole.
BD
I open my eyes to pure darkness. What's going on?
"Hello, Brooke."
"Auntie Melanie?" She died when I was six but I loved her fiercely. She was the closest thing I had to a real mother.
She doesn't answer my somewhat question but continues to speak. "You have a choice to make, sweetie. Do what will make you happy."
"What do you mean?" She doesn't answer me and fades into the darkness. "Wait!"
BD
And there is that familiar pounding headache again. I'm sick of waking up to the unknown. Fearfully, I open my eyes and look at my surroundings. I'm in my car but I'm in the woods. It's then that I notice that my car is smashed into a tree.
I guess that explains the headache. Other than the headache, I have a few scratches here and there but I seem to be okay. I pull down my mirror and notice something about myself.
I'm eighteen again! Oh thank God!
After the initial excitement wears down I realize I'm going to miss what I had in the future. I guess what I wanted came true. I drove into the future. That's what Auntie Melanie meant. It's my choice on where I go to next.
I pull out my cell phone and notice that Rachel's number somehow got into my speed dial, just above Lucas.
I click Rachel's number.
I hope I can help Nathan make better choices and keep Lucas with Peyton. Just like it should be.
Even if I can't help them, I know what I want to do with my life.
I've accepted that my happiness comes in the form of a redheaded cheerleader.
THE END
