Thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter, I know it's angsty, but I'm really trying to make the story seem realistic. This chapter is a little shorter, but only because I needed it to end where it does... Next chapter you will get the full back story of Brooke's side, promise :) I really hope you read and review, reviews are like Christmas presents for writers :) Enjoy!
It's been a week since I've heard your voice now
You know it seems like a hundred years
It's hard to sleep, it's a bit alarming
I'm a mess when you're not here
And it's a simple curse
I'm not the first oh but it's a vicious hurt
And it just gets worse
"Wait… You what?! I've listened to you bitch and moan every single day about Brooke for almost the last two years… now she's practically throwing herself at you and you walk away? What the hell Peyton?" Mia shouted at me from across the studio.
"I'm gonna have to agree with Mia on this one… I know she hurt you Peyton, but I really think you should just give her a chance to talk about it whatever it is she wants to talk about. She's brought it up like three times now. It must be important." Jake said back, agreeing with Mia strumming along on the guitar, my aggravation with the two of them growing intensely. Instead, I focused my attention on Jenny, who could care less about our conversation as she was in her own world playing with her dolls on the floor. She was so beyond adorable, definitely got that from her father thank God not her horrible bitch of a mother. Couldn't they have just LISTENED to my dilemma instead of throwing their two cents in like normal?
"Come on, who's side are you guys on any way! What the hell! And you-!" I said as I pointed at Mia, "I am not even THAT bad!" I said annoyed pacing back and forth as Mia rolled her eyes. I hadn't slept last night after my talk with Brooke and despite the progress we had been making, the car ride back to the hotel this morning was awkward and silent, other than both of us making conversation with Sam as though our lives depended on it. It was pretty pathetic actually.
"We are on your side Peyt… obviously. But we both know Brooke, too. Maybe you should just hear her out. It might not change anything, but it could give you that closure you've been looking for so you can finally move on." Mia added.
"She kissed me… Last night, at Tric, and then at the house…" I blurted out.
"Well, well Sawyer you seemed to have forgotten to mention that part… how convenient." Jake said with a grin, "So maybe closure isn't what's on your mind?"
"I don't know guys…. It was just so…. I don't know…. I don't even know what I'm doing, I'm a mess…." I added not being able to find the right words I wanted to describe it to them.
"Electric?" Mia eyed me carefully as she walked over to me and looked me in the eyes studying my every expression.
"How did you know that?"
"Peyton, you guys may've been apart for a long time. And I'm no Haley James Scott when it comes to being smart, but that girl loves you. And I know you love her. And before all of this happened, you guys were best friends. You need to hash out whatever happened almost two years ago and either move past it or don't move past it because you've got to stop hiding." Mia said moving away from me to pick up another guitar. Defensive Peyton was about to come out.
"I'm not hiding!"
"Sawyer…I've known you a long time buddy. You're hiding. You've completely immersed yourself in work, Red Bedroom took off into a huge multimillion dollar corporation that you are practically the headliner for… You've got to come out of this shell you are hiding in and the only way you're going to be able to do that is to talk to Brooke about what happened, as much as it may hurt." Jake cautiously added, knowing how I could be when I got my defenses up.
"Fine, whatever, maybe you guys are right…" I softened a little.
"We are just trying to look out for you Peyton… We only want what's best, and this could be a step in the right direction…"
"Alright, whatever. If I run into Brooke and she brings it up again, maybe we will talk about it, deal?" They both sighed and nodded, knowing that this would be the best they were going to get from me. "Good, now. Onto much more important things, the show next week. It's an important one…." Important was putting it lightly. I'd been doing this show annually at Tric for Ellie ever since she died for Breast Cancer Awareness, every year it was a HUGE turnout. Last year, Haley did the event in my place seeing as how I'd refuse to come back to Tree Hill. But this year, I was back and we'd been working out the details on this for several months, just like we always did. We had lots of bands lined up, including Mia, Jake, and Haley. It was going to be a great night. "Now, I talked to my people this morning and it looks like Maroon 5 will be able to come, so we need to make sure everything is perfect since they are headlining. We've also got to get you guys set up with your set lists, and Mia – I think it'd be a good opportunity for you and Hales to perform the duet, what do you think?"
"This all sounds awesome, Peyton, it's going to be a great night."
"Perfect. You good with this plan Jakey?"
"Sounds perfect! Maroon 5! I'm going to be so star struck!"
"You'll get used to it soon, once you become a big famous rockstar and all" I said to him with a wink. "Alright, Mia let's work on "Heart in Chains", I think that'd be a good time to announce that as your new single, but we need to finish the album version with that last verse."
Jake had joined me in the studio as we were listening to the playback and making adjustments, Jenny was still content as ever. "I think we need to get rid of the drums on that and just go acoustic guitar on that part, let's do it again Mia." Jake added, him and I made a great team in the studio sharing much of the same ideas and bouncing them off each other to see what worked and what didn't. Mia sang it again from the top, I couldn't help but hone in on all the words she sang.
Oh because you know me well Your attention is my addiction
Like a child knows a mother's face
Oh and I don't have to tell you, you've got my heart
You've got my heart in chains
Tears on my pillowcase yeah yeah
I don't want it any other way
A roller-coaster of highs and lows
I need your venom, it's been in my system
Since the second we said hello
You love me deep but I'm incomplete
Baby every time you leave I get so weak
"Peyton….what'd you think?" Mia said through the headphones breaking me from the lyrics.
"Let's do it one more time at least and then we are going to have to edit the drums if you want to listen to Jake's idea, what do you think?" Mia nodded and started again making me go deeper into thought. You know me so well. You love me deep but I'm incomplete baby every time you leave I get so weak. I had my head down and eyes shut completely listening to Mia, this was something I always did in the studio, it helped me to listen to every detail of every lyric to make sure everything was perfect. I felt Jake nudging my shoulder but kept brushing him off, he knew not to bug me when I was in my work mode. But then Mia stopped singing… my eyes shot up to figure out what could've possibly made me stop. We needed to get this right.
"Mia—What the hell? Why'd you stop we've got to get this right, we've got a deadline!" I said to her harshly, maybe a little too harshly, without Mia for the past two years I would've drowned, she's one of my closest friends and without Brooke she's been my lifeline in helping me try to get by and figure things out, but when it came to work, I was all about getting the job done and Mia knew that.
"Uhhh… I think someone is here to see you?" She said pointing behind me, I turned to look at Jake who was also looking behind me.
"Brooke?!" I said surprised.
"We need to talk. And I'm not leaving here Peyton until we talk." She said sternly with her arms across her chest. She wasn't going anywhere without a fight, I could see that Brooke Davis fight in her eyes.
Don't leave me helpless Oh because you know me well
Don't leave me lost
Don't leave me waiting
You're all I've got
Don't leave me helpless
Don't leave me lost
Don't leave me waiting
You're all I've got
Like a child knows a mother's face
Oh and I don't have to tell you, you've got my heart
You've got my heart in chains
Tears on my pillowcase, yeah yeah
I don't want it any other way
You know me well
I don't want it any other way
You know me well
I don't want it any other way
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