This is a two parter. Hopefully you enjoy it. I sense there was some confusion about the last chapter. Yes they were going to get married, but Brooke wanted to elope and escape the pressure. She realised she loves him and asked him to marry her and he rejected her. SO she was heart broken when she left. The next part will be the really cute, romantic stuff……..
Chapter 10
Brooke POV
As I drive onto the bridge that joins onto Tree Hill, I feel a lump in my throat. My stomach is doing summersaults and I feel like I'm going to vomit. Inside of me, cracks were forming but on the outside, I have a smile plastered on my face. Tears were forming in my eyes; I could hardly see the road. My eyes were a blur, everything was a blur. I am heading back home, a place that's unconditionally welcoming, so why do I feel like I have done something wrong?
Driving into the driveway, the house was still the same, it seemed that the day I left, everything had remained the same, with the only exception, and I had been replaced. As I put the car into park, I look up in my rear mirror, taking in my appearance, my eyes were red from crying, and my cheeks were flushed. I get out of car, but for some reason, my legs didn't want to move, maybe my fear subsided to all parts of my body.
I look up to the sky for assurance, but it's a cold sky. I don't bother to get my luggage; everything I need is still in my bedroom.
"Hello? Anyone home?" I take in the appearance of the house, the curtains were closed, the lights were off, and the limited amount of sunlight that came in reflected the dust. The house was lifeless, it almost looked abandoned. Maybe Peyton moved in with Luke, which left dad on his own.
I make my way up the stairs; I glance around to see if there are any new ornaments hanging around. The house use to always have fresh flowers in the hallway, all I see now, is dead lilies, my favourite flower.
I open the door to my room, to my surprise, it's immaculate. It's clean and smells of lime and lavender. The curtains are open to let in the natural light. Fresh pink lilies garnish the bedside tables. I close my eyes and treasure the warmth I feel from the condition of my room. Lucas still has his stuff in my room, his books, and his clothes; it was like he never left. I walk into my bathroom and still see his toiletries, and then it hit me, he was still living in my room. A better question was why? I'm too consumed by thoughts that I don't bother phoning anyone to see where they are so I decide to take a power nap.
I hop onto my side of the bed and rest my head on the pillow. There was no smell, it was blank, and I couldn't help but take his pillow. I could smell his moisturiser, his shampoo, and his perfume, all on his pillow. His perfume still mystifies me, yet it's the only thing that comforts me. I drift to sleep content, being in my sanctuary.
LUCAS POV
Ever since she left, I can't help but wonder if I made the right decision letting her go? However I do know that she did love me. Ever since my mum left my father and I, I have never trusted anyone they way I trusted Brooke. In ways, we were the same, motherless with trust issues. We both had built walls around our hearts and our feelings. Slowly, our walls perished and we came to an understanding. Letting her leave that night was a mistake, but it's been a year today and she still hasn't come back. I can question it all I want but I know why she hasn't returned, she put herself out there for me, she put down all her barriers and wanted to let me into her heart. That fateful night I let her down, I let her walk away without a goodbye, I didn't give her one last hug, one last kiss or one last goodbye.
I have been trying not to fall apart, I keep holding onto her memories but the memories don't hold me, and they don't kiss me goodnight. I never searched for her, I never even tried calling her, and I know for a fact, she thinks I don't love her, but I do! There's only one thing I can do to get her back for good.
PRESENT TIME
I walk into the house. There's a car parked in front of the house, but where's the owner. I look around the bottom floor and no one is in sight. Deciding it might be Edwards's friends, I go to my room, our former room. I didn't have the will power to remove myself from her haven and move out. I had lost her and living in her room was like a refuge for me. Every night, I can't help but wonder what if? What if I told her the right words? What if I told her I love her when she needed to hear it? Would everything be different?
I can't believe what I'm seeing, my angel sleeping in our place of safety. Tears form in my eyes; I'm so overwhelmed with joy at the same time sadness. All I wanted to do was hold her. I slowly make my way over to the bed and climb in careful not to wake her up. I slide my arm under her neck and pull her closer to me. She snuggles into her new position. I hold her so firmly scared she might slip away from me again. I kiss her head softly, thanking the heavens that she returned to me.
I play with her hair tucking them behind her ears, the sun came out and it was starting to heat up the room. I open the bedside draw to get out the hand fan. I swing it softly creating a little breeze. She looks exhausted that it doesn't even wake her up. When I get up to close the curtain, her hands pull me closer to her, "Don't leave me" she mumbles. I kiss her nose and run my thumb over her eyebrow. I take in her beauty, her long eyelashes, and her perfect love heart shaped lips, her cute little nose and her beautiful porcelain skin. Her skin was like silk, her arms, her legs, her chest, she was a gift from heaven.
I need to speak to her so I caress her face "Brooke. Brooke. Wake up…" I say into her ears. She stirs slightly, opening her eyes slowly. She takes in her surroundings and sits up. Confusion is written all over her face.
"What are you doing here Luke? How long have I been out?" she questions. I take her hand and kiss it.
"You've been asleep for about 6 hours now. I missed you so much" I couldn't help but peck her cheek.
" Where's everyone, the house is so quiet" she's trying to avoid my last comment. She keeps looking down at her hands, a sign that she's nervous.
"Well your dad and Peyton went on a business trip together, they'd be back in a week's time"
"Oh…. I'm sorry I never called" I didn't know why she felt like she needs to apologise, it was anything but her fault.
"Don't be, it's not your fault" the silence is awkward. I didn't know what to say or what to do, so I asked her "Can I hold you tonight?"
"I don't think it's a good idea…" I cut her off "Please…. Having you here makes me so happy, I know the way we left things were horrible but…."
"Okay" she says it unsurely but I see the passion in her eyes.
"Did you miss me while you were away?" I ask her out of the blue. I just wanted the girl that wore her heart on her sleeve that night, I just wanted her back.
"Did you think I didn't miss you? Because I did" her response was distant.
"I don't know if it still means anything to you Brooke but I wasn't man enough to speak up that night. I'm sorry that the world was on your shoulders and I couldn't help you take it all away, the way you helped me" I'm being sincere, I wipe away the tears that roll down her cheek.
"It's okay Luke, you weren't ready, you needed to be your own person" she spoke with sincerity and concern. She didn't sound angry or vengeful.
"I love you Brooke" I wait in anticipation to hear her response and I put myself in her position that fateful night and I now know how it feels. I almost crumble before her, anxiety takes over me and I can't wait any longer. "Don't you love me anymore Brooke? I know you do! Those feelings don't just fade. Just open your heart to me again, please. I'm sorry I didn't chase you and bring to back into my arms where you belong. The moment you left me, I was stripped of the warmth you bring into my life. It was like the sun had disappeared and I living my life in the darkness. Rescue me out of this darkness, please, forgive me and love me the way I love you." My eyes beg her for an answer and in my head I ask god for a sign that I didn't ruin everything.
"I'd never stop loving you"
"You don't know how happy you make me, I feel like my heart is overflowed with love that it's dripping into my stomach" I bring my nose to hers and close my eyes to relish the moment.
"You don't know how long I've waited to hear that, but you hurt me so bad Luke, my hearts still bruised" her words are like daggers of truth, of reality because love is not a fairytale. "You can't just tell me you love me and all the pain vanishes, because I'm so angry at you for letting me go and you didn't even try to stop me"
"I thought you would come back, I waited for you, but you never came Brooke, you left me. Maybe I was hurting just as much as you. You're here now, I'm here now, and that's all that matters. Just close your eyes and let me love you, because I do love you" I pull her closer and hold her tighter. The silence was no longer awkward, it was calm and with every breath that went in and out of her body, she gave me hope all over again. As her breathing became steady, I knew she drifted off to a peaceful surrender, which relieved my soul.
