Thanks guys for all the amazing love. I'm sorry for the small cliffhanger at the end of this chapter, but I just couldnt resist. Please continue to R&R! they mean the world. So without further ado...
Chapter 7
"I love you Brooke" he whispered into her ear. At first, she didn't think she heard him correctly. Could he really love her already? Did she love him back?
She looked over at him, and he smiled at her.
"It's ok if you cant say it yet. I just wanted to let you know" he smiled as he kissed the top of her. She smiled next to him. How could she not love him. He was so sweet to her. But she just couldn't say it for some reason.
-------------------------------
"first game tonight, are you excited?" Peyton asked as her and Brooke lied on the grass outside.
"Yeah I am" she said softly. Peyton got up on one elbow and looked at her friend.
"What's the matter?" she immediately asked
"Nothing" Brooke tried to convince her
"Haven't you learned by now that I can tell when you're lying?" Peyton laughed
"it never huts a girl to try" Brooke side-smiled
"so spill"
"well I told you about Nathan and I"
"yeah" Peyton answered
"well last night, we…." Brooke tried to hint at it
"Gotcha" Peyton laughed. The old Brooke would have bragged like crazy after she had sex, but this time, she was so cautious, and it made Peyton laugh. She was glad that her friend was maturing.
"well, afterwards….he said he loved me" Brooke admitted
"oh. Wow" Peyton answered
"yeah"
"well what did you say?"
"I didn't say anything. Peyton, don't you think it's a little early for that. I mean he just lost his wife for goodness sake" Brooke stammered
"Yeah but I know Nathan, the new Nathan. And I don't think he would say something he didn't mean."
"I know. But I just think it's a little early"
"How do you feel though?" Peyton asked
"I mean I could love him. He's so sweet to me Peyton. I just….." she trailed off
"what?"
"the last person I said I loved was Lucas, and that really didn't go so well" Brooke smiled. Peyton put her head down.
"Yeah, my bad on that one" she said as she looked at Brooke. The two of them just laughed. "but that doesn't mean every guy you say you love is going to do the same thing"
"I know. I'm just being silly aren't I?"
"kind of" Peyton smiled "just follow your heart" she winked as she lied back down to get some more sun before they had to go to the game.
------------------------------------
"good evening ladies and gentlemen" Mouth's voice came over the loud speaker. "the first game of the season will begin shortly" he finished.
Inside the locker room, the team was getting a lecture before the game.
"Ok boys. For you seniors, this is your last year to make a make a name at this school. Just play smart and we might just be able to do something" Whitey smiled
The boys got off of the benches and huddle together.
"Come on guys. Lets start this season off right" Nathan screamed
The boys clapped their hands to get pumped up as they began to walk up to the court.
As they ran by the cheerleaders, both boys looked at their significant other. Both Brooke and Peyton smiled as they continued on.
"He hates me" Brooke whined
"he doesn't hate you" Peyton laughed. Sometimes Brooke just didn't have a clue.
"yes he does"
"Just tell him how you feel"
"I cant"
"why?"
"Because then it will be true"
"what will be?"
Just then the buzzer went off to signal the start of the game. Brooke turned her attention to the game and ignored Peyton's last question. She began to cheer as the boys' names were announced and they ran on the court.
Nathan jumped as high as he could to retrieve the ball at the beginning of the game. He tipped it off to Lucas who ran down the court. He dribbled as he looked for an open man. He passed it to Nathan who shot a three-pointer.
"And with that, the ravens are up by three with just 10 seconds into the game" Mouth announced as the crowd went wild.
--------------------------------------
"great game babe" Peyton smiled as she leaned up and gave Lucas a kiss.
"thank you. Do I get a reward for my awesomeness" he smiled
"we'll see" she laughed as she gave him another kiss. They began to walk out of the gym when she turned around.
"What?" he asked her
"I was just making sure Brooke was ok, but I guess he left already" she said, turning back around to leave
"why wouldn't she be ok?"
"I have no idea" Peyton chuckled. Lucas wrapped his arm around her as they left the gymnasium.
---------------------------------------
Nathan walked into the apartment to find Brooke standing in the doorway of the bedroom. She simply had a sheer robe on. He couldn't help but smile.
"I looked for you after the game" he said as he dropped his stuff by the door.
"I wanted to beat you home" she smiled as they moved closer together. "listen Nathan"
"Brooke, it's really ok. I meant what I said, but I don't need you to say it back for it to be true"
"But Nathan, I do feel it, I do" she admitted as they continued to walk towards each other.
"then what is the problem."
"if I say it, it just makes it all real"
"what all real?" he asked her so confused
"Us." she said simply.
"and what is wrong with that?" he kind of chuckled.
"I loved Lucas with all my heart, I gave my heart to him, and he broke it" Brooke began to get teary-eyed
"Brooke"
"I know you're not Lucas, but it still hearts all the same. If I say it, it will mean that that love for Lucas is no longer real, and that we are truly over. And that scares me because Lucas was such a big part of my life. He changed me, just like Haley changed you. I mean, don't you feel like we're moving on rather quickly?"
"Brooke, both of them have moved on"
"I know, but if I move on, then I know it's truly over. Nathan, I never want to hurt like that again, and I don't ever want to be that vulnerable again." she almost cried
"Brooke" he walked up to her now and put his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me, I am not Lucas. I am not going to hurt you Brooke." he smiled at her, trying to reassure her. "it hurt like hell when Haley left, but the day I realized she had moved on, I had to move on too. Or I knew I was going to die inside. Fighting for someone who doesn't want to fight for you will literally kill you. And then you moved in, and I never thought I would love someone again. But I do. Brooke, I love you, and if that means Haley and I are finally over, than I'm okay with that, because that means that you and I are finally together" he smiled at her, as she began to cry. "Brooke?"
She wiped the tears from her eyes. "you're perfect, you know that?" she laughed. "Nathan, I want us. I want to be with you." she smiled as he leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. They walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind them.
Brooke lied in his arms, tracing his arm with her fingertip. The only thing that could be heard was his breathing next to her.
"Nathan" she whispered, trying not to break the silence. When he didn't budge, she said it a little louder. "Nathan" he still didn't move.
"I love you" she whispered and curled up next to him. Nathan all of a sudden wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too" he whispered back
------------------------------
Peyton walked through the halls of school the following day when she spotted Nathan and Brooke holding hands as they maneuvered through the halls. She smiled at them as she made her way towards them.
"Hey guys" she smiled as she moved closer to Brooke. "So I see everything's ok?" she whispered in Brooke's ear
"I love him" Brooke laughed as Peyton joined with her.
"What's so funny?" Nathan asked
"Brooke's mind" Peyton joked
"well that's true" Nathan laughed as Brooke playfully hit him. Peyton noticed Lucas at his locker and dismissed herself from the lovely couple.
The two of them continued down the hall as they got a lot of stares. Nathan just moved closer to Brooke and wrapped his arm around her. She looked up at him and smiled and he gave her a kiss as they continued to walked through the staring faces. All of a sudden Nathan stopped dead in his tracks. Brooke looked at him confused as she followed his gaze across the hall. He immediately dropped Brooke's hand from his own when he saw Haley standing across the way. Brooke looked at Nathan one last time before walking away.
