Chapter 7
Brooke just stared at Chase for a second, and couldn't believe he was standing right in front of her. He looked a little different then he did three and a half years ago, his hair was a little longer, and he had grown some facial hair. He was wearing a pink dress shirt with a black wife-beater underneath. He knew that Brooke liked that bad boy look, but what was Chase doing here? Brooke realized that if she wanted answers she had to speak.
"W-w-what are you doing here?"
"Well, I heard about the wedding, and thought it would be appropriate to say congratulations."
Brooke nodded, but she found this situation a little awkward. Chase could see that Brooke was feeling a little bit uncomfortable, "The truth is Brooke, that I knew you would be here, and I just needed to see you."
Brooke turned around to face the water. Chase walked closer to her to the point where he was right behind her. She could hear him breathing on her neck. There was a tear in her eye, but Brooke wiped it away. He whispered in her ear, "You know you look absolutely beautiful in that stunning dress."
Brooke turned around to face him; he was really close to her. Brooke could feel a kiss coming, but she couldn't. She couldn't let herself have feelings for Chase again; it was too complicated and too hard. Brooke saw Emma crossing the street with Haley and James. Brooke tried to signal Haley not to cross the street with Emma, but it was no use, Haley and Emma had already crossed the street and they were a couple of steps away from Chase and Brooke. Haley brought Emma to her mom, as Chase turned around. Haley raised her eyebrows; Chase was the last person she would have expected to see.
"Mommy," Emma said, "Owen's looking for you."
"Darling," Brooke replied, "I'll be there in a second."
"Yeah, I'm gonna take her back inside" Haley said, "James needs me."
"No, it's okay." Chase replied, "We'll bring her back inside to meet Owen."
Brooke glared at Haley. Great, that's exactly what she needed, Chase and Emma bonding. Haley didn't know what to do, so she just turned and walked back to the hall.
Brooke went in front of Chase and bent down to Emma's eye level and gave her a hug. Chase too, got on his knees, "What's your name sweetheart?"
"Emma." She replied, "What's yours?"
"That's a beautiful name.' He told her, "My name's Chase."
"I like that name." She told him.
Brooke was feeling uncomfortable and asked Emma if she wanted to go back to the party. Emma nodded eagerly as Brooke held her hand.
"She looks like someone I know" Chase told Brooke, "Funny huh?"
Chase continued walking, and Brooke told herself, "Nope, not that funny"
Lucas found Peyton crying in the back of the hall. He hated seeing her like this. Peyton felt Lucas's hand rubbed against her shoulder. She had always loved it when he did this. Lucas still loved Peyton, that was obvious, but he felt so guilty having these feelings for her when he was trying so hard to stay faithful to Lindsay. But he couldn't keep his feelings hidden anymore; he turned Peyton around and kissed her passionately.
Lindsay was curious on what was happening so she had followed Lucas outside. She poked her head around the corner and saw the guy she loved kissing another girl. Lindsay's heart broke inside. She put her hand up to her mouth, and started crying as she ran back inside.
Brooke, Chase and Emma had gotten back into the hall. Owen spotted them and rushed over to them, "Hey are you okay?" he asked Brooke.
Brooke smiled when she saw his face and heard his accent, "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about before, I just had a lot on my mind."
Owen nodded, "I understand."
Chase was just standing there waiting to be introduced, "Hey, Owen?"
"And you are?"
"Long story, but I'm Chase."
"Nice to meet you," Owen said with a smile, "Brooke, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Well, I should stay with Emma." Brooke said.
"No, no. Go with Owen, I'll look after her." Chase told her.
Brooke couldn't just say, "No you can't take care of her," or else he would get suspicious.
"Alright, fine." Brooke said, but didn't want to.
Owen took her hand and walked with her outside. They sat down on a bench. He looked straight in her eyes and told her that he liked it. It was a little forward, maybe a little too forward. But Brooke felt like she liked him too and told him. Owen smiled when he heard the news, and kissed her again. Brooke let him, and this kiss was an improvement from the last one. "I'm sorry about running out before, I just … haven't done this is so long?"
"What?" he asked, "kiss?"
"Yeah…Been too busy with fashion, and when I did have spear time I would try to go out with guys, but no one wants to date a single mom."
"It doesn't bother me." he told her.
Brooke smiled, "This might seem a little awkward, but how was I?"
Owen laughed at the question, "Fantastic" he replied shyly and kissed her once more.
Emma had gotten hungry and told Chase that she wanted something to eat. Chase asked her where her table was. Emma pointed to one and ran to it, Chase followed her. He sat in Brooke's spot and watched Emma eat her chicken nuggets. He smiled when she got ketchup all over her face. He took a napkin and wiped it off. Emma giggled and ate another chicken nugget. "So how old are you?"
Emma put up three fingers up.
"Three years old?" Chase said, "You're practically a lady."
Emma laughed and offered Chase a nugget. Chase told her that he already ate.
"So where's your dad?" Chase asked her.
"I don't know." Emma replied, "Mom never talks to him."
"Wait a second you don't know who your dad is?"
Emma shook her head. Rachel had been talking with Nick when he had a little break from singing, when she spotted Emma talking with Chase. "Babe, hold that though, I'll be right back." Rachel said as she went to go back to the table.
"Hey pumpkin," Rachel said trying to think of an excuse to get Emma away from Chase because she knew that that was what Brooke would have wanted, "How about you go see Lily?"
Emma nodded with a big smile and jumped off her chair. She ran to Lily who was eating cake, and sat next to her. Rachel sat in Emma's spot and exhaled. "So how you been Chase?"
"Not so good" Chase said taking a sip of water, "I miss Brooke."
"You know, Brooke and you could have still been together if you hadn't cheated on her."
"I didn't cheat on her" Chase stated.
"Yes you did. Brooke didn't want to move on Chase." Rachel said, "She wanted you to follow her."
"How was I supposed to know that Rach?"
"You just are Chase." Rachel said, "I just can't believe she still loves you after the pain you put her threw."
Chase jumped when he heard the words "she still loves you" He wasn't expecting to hear those words. Rachel realized what she had just said and put her hand over her mouth. Chase got up quickly and headed out the door of the hall. Rachel stood up, "Chase, I didn't mean that." even though she did.
Chase spotted Brooke and Owen making out on the bench. He headed over to them and cleared his throat right in front of them. They both looked up at him, seeing an angry Chase starring at them, "Brooke" Chase said, "Can I talk to you for a second. It will only take a minute."
"Well, I'm kind of in the middle of something here Chase." Brooke said looking at Owen.
Chase grabbed her hand and pulled her away, "Hey Chase let go of me."
He brought her to another bench and sat her down. "You and me, have to talk, right now."
Chase looked furious, had he found out that he was Emma's father?
"You still love me?"
"What?"
"Yeah, Rachel told me you still loved me."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Brooke, come on."
"Alright, fine. I still may have feelings for you, but I can never love you again, not after what you put me threw." Brooke screamed at him.
Brooke remembered what had happened to her. She had come to visit Chase one weekend, when she got thirsty and headed to Karen's Café. Karen was really happy to see her and poured her coffee. Brooke looked around the café and saw a young couple hugging. Brooke smiled at them, but that smile turned to a frown when she saw that it was Chase who was hugging the girl. Brooke rushed up to them and smacked her hand on the table. Chase reacted quickly and told her it wasn't what it looked like. She didn't wait for his explanation and just ran out of the café. Chase kept calling her, but she would never pick up.
"Brooke, I never cheated on you." He told her.
"How can you just lie to my face Chase?" Brooke said, "I saw you, with my own two eyes. I said I was going to be gone for one month, you couldn't have waited for me."
"I could have waited more then year for you Brooke." Chase told her, "Because it's you."
"Then why didn't you?"
"I did." Chase said, "You saw me once, judged me, and never let me explain."
"You have my attention, tell me right now." Brooke said, "Why were you with another girl."
"I was with another girl" he told her, "but she wasn't my girlfriend. It was my sister."
"Your sister?"
"Yeah." Chase said, "I never brought her up because she was living in Pittsburgh and she came to visit me."
"Why didn't you ever tell me Chase?"
"Did you give me the chance?"
Brooke shook her head, "I'm sorry."
"I thought you would have known by now, I only love you Brooke. I don't love anyone else." Chase said as he leaned in.
Brooke pushed back, "You're too late."
