Chapter 9
She took a deep breath as she stood in front of the hotel. She looked up at the large building which inhabited the one person she was dying to talk to since she heard about his presence in Tree Hill. While walking through the doors and hallways in the hotel she didn't hear anything or anyone. All she could think about was what she gonna say. She had been practicing a few lines in her head as if she was going to audition for some movie role. Finally arriving at her destination, she took in another deep breath before raising her hand, which was now formed into a fist, to knock on the door. After doing just that, she waited a few seconds, seconds that seemed more like hours, for someone to answer the door.
After it finally sunk into her that he was actually standing in front of her, she opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by him speaking.
Dean: Peyton. What are you doing here?
She'd be lying if she said that that question didn't hurt. Usually, if someone even bothered to ask what the other person was doing there, the other person wasn't really welcome.
Peyton: I, um... I heard you were back in town, so I thought maybe we could talk?
Dean: Um... sure, come in.
Peyton carefully walked into the hotel room as Dean closed the door. She went to sit on the bed while Dean remained in his spot in front of the door.
Peyton: So... long time no see.
Dean chuckled.
Dean: Yeah.
Peyton: But I understand. I mean, considering the way you left things --
Dean: You told her, didn't you?
Peyton stared at him, a little taken aback.
Peyton: What? I -- I don't know what you're talking about.
Dean: Cut the crap, Peyton, I know you told Brooke about the kiss.
Peyton: Oh. That.
Peyton looked down, guilt overcoming her. Dean then buried his face in his hands and groaned.
Dean: Look... I'm not gonna yell at you. I mean, you did the right thing. God knows I should've told her a long time ago.
Peyton: Yeah... then again, if I hadn't told her, maybe I'd still have my best friend right now.
Dean gave her a sympathetic smile and went to sit next to her.
Dean: Yeah, but then you'd be living with this lie like I've been all this time and, believe me, you wouldn't want that.
Peyton nodded. She looked at Dean who was staring aimlessly into space. It seemed like he was trying to look in every direction but hers, which only confirmed her thoughts that going to see him was a mistake in the first place. She stared at him for a moment, wondering if she should ask that question. The question he's probably been getting from almost everyone he knows in Tree Hill. The question that Brooke and Lucas have probably been wondering since he had arrived back in Tree Hill.
Peyton: Dean, why'd you come back?
Dean sighed, knowing this question was coming.
Dean: Why do you think?
Now it was Peyton's turn to sigh. She then nodded, realizing that she had been pretty pathetic holding on to a guy that didn't even love her for so long. It was her. It was always gonna be her and no kiss would ever change that. All of a sudden, she regretted ever even asking him that question.
Peyton: You came to win her back.
Dean nodded sadly, his hope being a little low at that moment. Even though he knew that Brooke wasn't completely happy with Lucas, it didn't change the fact that she was still with the guy. And obviously his presence alone wasn't enough to get her to leave him. But he was hoping something else would be.
Dean: Could you do me a favor?
Peyton: Yeah, sure.
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Karen's café.
The place had started filling up with guests almost an hour ago, just when it was supposed to. It seemed like everyone forgot about the term "fashionably late" and invented the term "fashionably early". The whole space was emptied out as only a large table found place in the café. The place was filled with guests who were only family, and only the family members that were of importance to Brooke and Lucas. The only person there that wasn't officially family was Peyton.
Brooke looked around at all her family members and her husband's family members gathering around the table. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She didn't really have any reason to be nervous, yet she was. She was nervous about the fact that the moment the rehearsal dinner would begin, she wouldn't be able to take it anymore and blurt out that in reality, she didn't wanna marry Lucas. That she wasn't in love with Lucas nor did she think she would ever fall in love with him. And then came the wave of guilt. It seemed like the moment those kinds of thoughts would come into her head, a wave of guilt would wash over her.
She then shook those thoughts out of her head and took another deep breath, as if preparing herself. She then walked over to the table and took a seat next to Karen. She looked at the seat where her fiancé was supposed to be sitting and wondered where he was.
In the back room, Lucas was standing in front of the mirror, fixing his tie. He looked at his reflection and sighed, wondering if everything would change after today. After Brooke would get a taste of what it would be like to be married, to have dinner with her in laws and to act like they had already said their vows and exchanged rings. A part of him was hoping they could kinda skip all of that and just head straight towards the married couple part. That way he wouldn't have to worry about her changing her mind and abandoning him at the alter.
Back at the dinner table, Brooke sat there, flashing a fake smile at almost every person on the table who was talking to her. It was like she had made a routine for herself, her reactions only existed out of nods and fake smiles. She was then surprised when she saw who came to sit next to her. She looked at the curly haired blonde who took a seat next to her and smiled.
Brooke: Hey, Peyton.
Peyton: Hey.
Brooke: I'm sorry, but this is --
Peyton: Lucas' seat, I know. I just came to tell you that you might want to go and break that up cause it might get ugly.
Brooke's eyes then followed Peyton's finger in the direction of her two sisters standing at the bar in an obviously heated argument. She rolled her eyes and sighed.
Brooke: Yeah, I probably have to go play buffer again, huh?
Peyton chuckled.
Peyton: Yeah, I think so.
Brooke smiled what seemed to be her first genuine smile that evening.
Brooke: Thanks for the heads up.
Peyton: No problem.
She watched as Brooke stood up from her seat and made her way towards her two sisters. She then kept looking to check if Brooke was into the conversation enough so she could make her move. When it seemed like Brooke was completely preoccupied with having to play buffer between her two bickering sisters, she took a note out of her purse and quickly slid into Brooke's, which was hanging from her chair. She then stood up and sighed. She looked down at the purse that contained the note and smiled slightly, finally acknowleding the fact that he wasn't going to be hers and never would be. And for the first time, she seemed to be okay with that.
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When Brooke arrived in the bathroom, the first thing she did was head towards the sink and turn on the water. She then splashed the cold water in her face, trying to refresh herself. At that moment she didn't really care that she ruined all her make-up cause she had alreay ruined more then just make-up. Not only had she ruined her relationship with the love of her life, she had also ruined the relationship with someone who was once such a great friend to her. Someone who was supposed to be and stay just that and nothing more, yet she let it go too far.
As she rummaged through her purse, trying to find the make-up she was going to use to reapply, she felt the piece of paper brush against her skin. Not having noticed this piece of paper before, she took it out and started to read. At first she was wondering how this piece of paper got in her purse and who put it in, but those questions quickly changed to "how was she going to get out of there?".
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When Brooke arrived on the rooftop, her eyes were surprised by all the beautiful lights and flowers she saw. As she walked further, she noticed the song playing on the background and couldn't help but smile at it.
Brooke: Our song.
Dean: Yeah. Our song.
She then turned around to see him standing there. He looked as handsome as ever and stood there with his signature smirk. Truthfully, she had hoped it would be him, she had prayed that he would be the one to set this up so beautifully and to her luck, she was right.
Brooke: Dean.
Dean: Look, I know what you're gonna say, okay? You're engaged, to Lucas of all people, but... I didn't make you come here to have sex with you or to make you commit any kind of betrayal or something. I just wanted to dance with you.
Brooke smiled, showing off her gorgeous dimples as her face lit up. She then took his extended hand and they started to slowly dance to their song. It was in that moment, while dancing to that song, that she had felt safer than she had in a very long time. This had been what she needed for so long and it was with just the right person. No words, no arguments, no insults or bargaining chips. It was just them and the music, just like it was the day they had first declared this song "their song".
It was like time had stopped and everything was right with the world, if only for that short moment. And then he spoke.
Dean: I've missed this.
Brooke: Me, too. You have no idea how much I've missed this.
Dean: Then why can't we have this all the time? Don't marry him, Brooke.
And then the moment was over.
Brooke sighed, releasing herself from his arms. She took a step back and looked up at him, tears already rolling down her cheeks.
Brooke: God, why'd you have to speak?
Dean: Brooke --
Brooke: No, everything -- everything was perfect until you spoke.
Dean: I'm sorry, Brooke, but we have to talk about this. I mean, you know how I feel about you --
Brooke: You know what, Dean? Honestly, I don't.
Dean: You don't know how I feel about you?
Brooke: No. Not anymore.
Dean: Well, then let me tell you. You know why I chose thing song to be "our song". Because every single word in this song describes how I feel about you, Brooke. You're everything to me. You -- do you even know how much you mean to me? How much "we" mean to me? I've been away for two freaking years and I'm still not over you, Brooke.
Brooke: Yeah, and that's just it, Dean. You left! You packed your bags and you left me!
Dean: After you dumped me!
Brooke: So you left?! Because I dumped you, you decided to leave everything and everyone in Tree Hill?!
Dean: Well, there wasn't much keeping me here, was there?
Brooke: What about me?
Brooke knew that was probably a pretty selfish question to ask, but, truth be told, she didn't care. At that moment all she wanted was an answer to her question.
Brooke: Was I not enough for you? Was I not enough to make you wanna stay?
Dean then looked at Brooke, wondering how she could even be asking that question. Of course she was enough for him, she was more then enough. But then again, him leaving gave her reason to think otherwise.
Dean: Of course you were enough, Brooke. But you --
Brooke: Broke up with you, I know. I just... God, you're making this too hard!
Dean: I'm making this too hard?!
Brooke: Yes!
Dean: How am I making this too hard, Brooke?! I mean, you're the one who invited me to your wedding and --
Brooke: Because... you didn't have to come! You could've ignored that invitation and just not come!
Dean: Brooke, how can you say that? Of course I had to come.
Brooke: You shouldn't have come... not when...
Dean: Not when what?
Brooke: Not when I was just starting to get over you.
All Dean could do in that moment was stare at her, wondering if it was true. Was she really starting to get over him? And if so, what did that mean for them now? Did she even still love him? All those questions plagued his mind and he was dying for an answer. But he wasn't sure he would get one, at least not that night, cause before Dean could even open his mouth Brooke had already turned on her heels. So he just stood there. Stood there as he watched the love of his life walk away from him, again.
And then the moment was definately over.
