Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
"What Lies Ahead Of Us" - Chapter Nine
"Alright, Chase," The doctor said as she walked in. "Your cast will be on for a while. We will let you know when it's time to take it off. Your will walk with crutches for several weeks until you can walk on your leg again. Don't do much activity this week. You should come into the hospital for therapy for your leg. Any questions?" The doctor asked.
Chase took a deep breath. "No, doctor." He said, trying not to let the dissappointment in his mind show in his voice. At that moment, he realized how hard it was going to be the next couple of months; having to deal with his pregnant fiance while he was on crutches.
"You're free to go." The doctor said. Brooke smiled to the doctor as she helped Chase out of the room. She noticed Chase sighing and whispered, "You'll get used to them."
Brooke and Chase walked into the apartment, slowly. Brooke put her purse on the granite counter top and called for Peyton. "I don't think she's here, Chase." She laughed, and Chase looked around the room, soon finding a spot on the couch. "You feeling okay?" She asked.
"Oh, I'm fine. Thanks babe." He whispered. "I think I'm gonna take a nap." Chase said, getting up and closing the door to the bedroom. Brooke nodded, and then grabbed her phone from her purse to dial Peyton's number.
"Hey." Brooke whispered, trying to be quiet so that she wouldn't interrupt Chase from falling asleep. She walked to the fridge, taking out a bottled water and taking a sip.
"Hey, Brooke." Peyton said as she was driving. She was about to do something very dangerous, and she tried to hide the nervousness in her voice. "Is Chase home yet?" She asked.
"Yes, Chase is home, thank god." She whispered, smiling to herself. "But, where did you go? We were thinking about going out to dinner later tonight." Brooke questioned.
She was scared she was just going to open a can of worms, and she didn't really want to address the issue to Brooke. But, at the same time, she didn't wan to lie to her best friend. "I am driving to Luke's." Peyton said, nervously.
It took a while for Brooke to process it. "Wait.. You're driving to.. Luke's?" Brooke said slowly, completely shocked, and she soon heard Peyton start laughing on the other line. "Are you serious? When the hell did you decide this? Peyton, are you really sure that you're ready to go and do this?" She rambled on and on, like she always did when she got nervous. Especially with these hormones, she overreacted to many things lately.
"Well," Peyton said, nervously. "We'll find out." She said, hanging up the phone. Brooke spit out the water that she had just drank.
"Shit."
Peyton knocked on the door to Lucas' apartment, her hands slightly shaking of thought that this could turn out really horribly. She knew that she didn't know how to handle this, but she did it anyway. She was starting to regret it. The door opened, and there was Luke. He shook his head the moment he saw her.
"Peyton-"
"Luke, just listen to me, please." She began, and then waited for a response. He sighed and nodded slightly. "I need you to know a few things." She exclaimed. "I didn't realize that you were thinking of marrying me. I mean, I had thought of it in the future, but I sure was not ready for marriage any time soon." Peyton said, not stopping so he could say a word. "But, when Jake came back last week, it brought back so many things that I cannot even begin to explain. When I kissed him, I just wanted to know if there was anything there for us. I wanted to know if the feelings I had for him were still there." She said, and Peyton looked up to see his face. He would not look in her eyes, and she continued talking.
"But, the truth is, Luke, that there was nothing there for me with him. The kiss; it meant nothing. I was coming to the high school to tell you all this last week, with hope that you could try and forgive me for what I had done. But, then you proposed. Something that was so unexpected, I had no time to think, or what to even say. So, I said the first thing that came to my mind. I told you that I kissed him." She rambled. "I ruined your dreams, Luke. I broke your heart. I know that by the look that you are giving me right now," Peyton said with tears in her eyes, and he looked away from her. "But, my heart is broken, too. At the time, I did not want us to be over. That was never what I wanted, never what I planned. But, I was scared. You proposed to me, and I ran. I didn't know what to do or say and I ran." She whispered, her voice breaking. "I just need you to know. You can choose to ignore me, or hate me. I don't blame you if you do. But, I need you to know that I still love you, Lucas. And I am so sorry." She said, tears now streaming down her face as she walked away from him, running again. All Lucas could was just stand in the hallway, shocked and overwhelmed by what he was hearing.
Peyton walked into the apartment, setting her keys down on the countertop. She sighed. It had been a long and hard day. Brooke and Chase's bedroom door closed, she figured that they were both probably sleeping. She sat on the couch, turning on the tv and switching through the channels. She heard something strange, and got up to see what it was. The sound was coming from the bathroom, so she opened the door and gasped at what she saw.
Brooke, clutching her stomach, looking as if she were in major pain. "Peyton," She managed to say. Peyton looked at her, eyes wide-eyed, fear running through her body.
"Oh, god, Brooke."
