Author's Note: Well, I can definitely say the responses are mixed for this story. I mean, mixed. A lot of people kind of want me dead, but a lot of you are sticking with the story, even though you don't exactly agree with what's going on. I want to thank all those people, because seriously, what I have planned out is mind-blowing. Well, at least I think so. Anyway, keep up the reviews. Whether you hate it or love it, or whatever, I want to know. It helps me write and I like to know what's going on. Enjoy.
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Movie Script Ending
Chapter Twenty-Five: Tell Me Sweet Little Lies
A month had passed since the start of their torrid affair, and now the leaves were beginning to grow back on trees, and it was almost mid-February. Valentines Day had gone and went, and the next holiday children had to look forward to was Saint Patrick's Day, just weeks away.
Brooke closed her eyes as she felt Lucas stir beside her, pretending to be asleep. She could always somehow feel when Lucas was awake, even if she had her back turned to him, she just always knew. It was strange. Now, she could definitely tell he was awake, and she pretended that she was just stirring.
"Hey," He said warmly, and she smiled uncomfortably. For the past month, she and Lucas had begun to drift farther and farther apart, and she had to admit that it was mostly her fault. She knew that she was acting distant, but for some reason, she just didn't have enough energy to make an effort not to be.
"Hi."
She wasn't sure if Lucas could sense their distance, but if he couldn't, then she couldn't really see why it would make sense for them to be together anyway. Either way, her love for him had yet to falter. Nathan just made her less lonely.
Nathan. The elephant in the room. Or so she supposed. They'd continued their affair illicitly for the whole month, and now she could hardly feel guilty for it. Sure, she knew it was wrong. It just felt so natural now.
Lucas still knew nothing, and what killed her most was this very fact. That he assumed they were all living happily under this roof together. That Nathan was just his brother, and Brooke was just his wife. That there was no sneaking around.
It was kind of funny, when Brooke thought about it. When December had come, she'd been happier than she'd been in a long time, and starting this affair with Nathan, although supposed to fulfill her, had nearly brought her back to her previous depression. This was just not right. It was not how it should be. But she was addicted, it seemed. And nothing could go back to how it was before, so why even bother to try?
Lucas reached a hand out to stroke her face, and she smiled softly, mentally cringing. Nathan had done something similar to this yesterday, and the fact that they were brothers made her feel sick to her stomach.
"We better get up," Brooke said softly. "You know what today is."
"Oh, right." He had forgotten. She however, had not. It had been all she could think about. She had dreaded this day for weeks.
She couldn't help this. She knew that in reality, this very thought was a lie, but still, she told herself that this was the way it was, and there was no use in changing it. Whatever she felt for Nathan was returned, and sure, she was hurting Lucas behind his back, but even worse, she was hurting herself to her face! Maybe this was not a smart move, and she wasn't sure how it had happened, but there was no going back now. She would always tell herself this.
With a sigh, she proceeded to sit up, pulling on her nightgown. She could feel Lucas' eyes on her back and shoulders, the cream-colored skin so silky and smooth he wanted to touch it.
"Hey, it's early," She heard his voice from behind her, soft and begging. "Why don't we stay in bed a little while longer?"
She forced a smile, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "We can't. I have to get breakfast ready. Nathan's got a lot to do today."
He was disappointed, she knew, but so was she.
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Nathan grabbed the last box from the room, eyeing what had been his home for months now. It was strange to imagine that this had been his bedroom for so long. It was just a guest room, and that much was obvious. He had done little to personalize it, and he was sure he wouldn't miss it much.
He made his way slowly down the stairs towards the front door, where his car was being loaded up with the rest of his stuff. Brooke was in the kitchen; he could hear her shuffling around. Lucas was outside by the car, helping organize his stuff.
Nathan avoided eye contact with his brother as he slid the box in his arms into the seat beside him, firmly closing the passenger door. He looked up towards the front entrance of the Scott household, where Brooke now stood, arms crossed over her chest. She wore just a nightgown - one he'd told her once was his favorite - and Ugg boots, her small feet warmed while he could tell her heart was slowly turning to ice.
Lucas reached over to pull his brother into a hug, and Nathan felt himself relax in his brother's arms. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he did love his brother. His relationship with Brooke had nothing to do with Lucas, and he'd convinced himself of this. He just found it so sad that after all these years, Lucas thought of him as a changed man, and here he was, ruining the guy's life behind his back. He hated himself, but he would not let even himself fully grasp this realization.
"I'm gonna miss you." His brother said, and though he was sure he would, Nathan couldn't help but think that Lucas was happy to finally be alone with Brooke again.
When he pulled away, Nathan walked slowly towards Brooke, opening his arms tentatively for her to walk into. She took a second, tears flashing in her eyes. When she did finally hug him, it was with all her force. She inhaled the scent of him, a combination of deodorant and Nathan's natural scent, which she had always found alluring.
She stood on the tips of her toes, wishing so badly that she could kiss him but knowing that Lucas was a few feet away and would notice.
"I wish you wouldn't go." She said to him, innocently as it could be said but meaning something so not innocent at all.
"I have to go." He argued silently, allowing himself to smell her hair for just a moment before pulling away.
"I'll miss you guys." He said to the both of them, but he was staring at Brooke and Brooke only.
Brooke nodded, a tear now running down her cheek. Lucas put an arm around his wife, and though Nathan could see her visibly tense, she allowed herself to relax into him, eyes trained upon him getting into his car.
Nathan revved up the engine, taking one last look at the large house he'd grown to know as home, before backing out of the driveway and taking the streets towards the apartment he'd purchased.
Honestly, it had been time to get out of there. This would be better. He needed to not see Brooke so much, and he needed to not see Lucas ever, really. He couldn't stand the guilt he felt, and living on his own would give him a chance to a normal life, and maybe a normal relationship with his brother and sister-in-law.
When he'd told Brooke he would be getting an apartment, she had looked betrayed, like he was ending things with her. And maybe he was. Maybe this would be the end of them. They wouldn't have sex anymore, they wouldn't kiss, they would just be co-existing with a secret that was eating them both up. Though that didn't really seem fair to him, he couldn't help but think of Lucas and think that that was what really wasn't fair.
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Brooke and Lucas stood together, watching the car until Nathan had turned a curve and was out of sight. As they filed back into their house, Brooke felt how empty it was and she shivered.
When her husband looked down in alarm, she pretended she had shivered because of the cold.
The days would go by much slower now, she realized. And though she told herself everything would be fine, she could not help but believe that this was just another lie.
