The Scars Behind My Mask
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from one tree hill.
A/N: Hey, I know you all want to know what is going on with the whole Dan/Brooke thing and that if Dan is being genuine. But you are all going to have to wait and see lol. Although in this chapter it shows some of Lucas's thoughts on the whole Dan situation and what he really thinks about Brooke living there, so…I will stop rambling now and let you get on with reading the chapter lol
Brooke continued walking away with Lucas by her side until she found a bench to sit on in the quad
"I don't get it" Lucas said confused "Why would you choose to stay with Dan?"
Brooke shrugged her shoulders "Part of the deal of me staying with him was that I wouldn't just leave when something better came along, I have to keep a promise"
"So that's all this is about? A deal you made with your dad…or is it something more? Are you mad at Rachel? Do you like living with your father? I don't get it Brooke" Lucas said confused
"It's not a big deal Luke, I am sticking to my promise, that's all"
"So you and your father are getting along?" Lucas asked wanting to know what was going on in his girlfriend's life
"No, I mean at the end of the day he is still Dan, but I am starting to see a different side to him. I don't know" Brooke sighed also confused by her own actions "Maybe it's because Nathan isn't around, that he is finally going to want to spend some time with me, you know?" Brooke said
Lucas sighed "Brooke…I am happy that you and your dad are sort of getting along and are beginning to talk more…but don't you think…" Lucas started but wasn't sure if he should continue
"Think what Lucas?" Brooke asked
"That…that if Nathan was still living there that he would be wanting to spend time with you, that if he was there then things wouldn't have changed between the two of you" Lucas explained trying to express his opinion
"What are you getting at Luke?"
"I…I just think that…maybe, he is just using you" Lucas said reluctantly
"What? You think that just because we didn't get along before means that he doesn't love me? That he doesn't want to me a part of my life?" Brooke asked getting angry
"No!" Lucas defended
Brooke looked at him skeptically
Lucas sighed in defeat "Ok, I do think that…but do you blame me? After everything that you have told me about him? I just think that maybe he is using you to try and get back into Nathan's life again"
"Well encase you had forgotten, Nathan isn't talking to me, so if that really is Dan's plan then I have no idea why he is using me as a bargaining chip!" Brooke said annoyed
"I'm just trying to look out for you Brooke!" Lucas argued
"I can look out for myself!" Brooke said coldly "And FYI, its nice to know what you think in this situation but it really isn't any of your business"
"Brooke!" Lucas shouted frustratingly "You're my girl! Of course its my business!"
After Lucas said this Brooke just wanted to kiss, smile, hug him…do something that would show that she was grateful for that. But she couldn't, because Lucas basically just said that she wasn't good enough for her father to actually want to be a part of her life.
"I just want to help you" Lucas continued
"I don't need your help" Brooke answered coldly and she knew that the next thing to leave her mouth, she would regret it, but she was mad at him, and she wanted him to back off, she wasn't ready to let him in yet and if the only way of getting him to leave her to her own business was to say this then she was going to say it. "Because if it wasn't for you then I wouldn't be in this god damn mess anyway!" Brooke shouted "This is your fault Lucas! Don't make me regret picking you over my brother" Brooke said coldly before quickly walking away before she had time to take back what she said
Lucas watched her go in complete shock, he couldn't believe that Brooke was blaming him for this, he was just trying to look out for his girlfriend like any other boyfriend should, couldn't she see that he was just trying to help her? That he loved her and wanted to protect her? Part of him knew that she only said that to try and shut him out but it still hurt, if Brooke was even thinking about regretting her decision of being with him then he knew that they really didn't stand a chance, especially with the likes of Rachel, Dan and Nathan around. Shaking his head angrily Lucas turned around and walked the other wondering what the hell was going to happen next.
Brooke slammed her locker shut, annoyed at Lucas but angry at herself. She knew that Lucas was just trying to be there for her but she didn't want to believe what he thought so she did what she did best, push him away.
Brooke was good at that, with the exception of cheerleading that was probably the only good thing she was good at. 'I'm not good enough to be loved, I only hurt the ones who love me' Brooke once said to herself, so she pushes them away instead. Cooper, her Mom, Nathan, Rachel, Peyton,…even Jake on some level, and now Lucas.
"Someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning" Felix said smirking as he approached her "Trouble in paradise?"
"Go to hell" Brooke said bitterly as she began to walk through the halls, Felix following behind
"Must be bad" Felix chuckled "Did Lucas get bored of you already?" He asked
Brooke let out a dry laugh before stopping and turning to face him "You know, this is really starting to get annoying" Brooke stated
"What is?" Felix asked now confused
"You, stalking me like this…I mean, do you miss me that much? Did Peyton not do a good job in replacing me?" Brooke asked smirking
"Get over yourself" Felix muttered
Brooke gave her a look of fake horror "What? No witty comment back? Cat got your tongue Felix?" Brooke asked laughing at her own little joke (Felix the cat) "Or did I hit a nerve?"
"You don't know what you're talking about" Felix said coldly
"Really? Ok, well why don't you just crawl back into the little hole you came from and die there!" Brooke said bitterly "Because you don't mean jack to me Felix! So instead of trying to interfere in my life, get one of your own" Brooke said coldly before walking away leaving an angry Felix
"This is not over Brooklyn!" Felix shouted down the hall with a wicked smile on his face
Some people turned to face them but Brooke just smiled "Yes it is Felix" Brooke shouted back "It's over" she smirked before continuing down the hall
The other students in the hall looked at Felix with curiosity
"If you want to take a picture then just ask" Felix said to then annoyed before turning around and walking the other way
Lucas sat bored in French, he didn't even know why he picked this stupid subject…maybe because in his old school the teacher was fun, unlike the one they had now. He was pretty sure that watching paint dry would be more entertaining.
Sighing, Lucas just stared down at his textbook thinking of Brooke and what had happened between them earlier, he wasn't really sure what it was but he would find her at lunch and talk to her about it, he needed too, they had both risked too much for this relationship to just argue all the time.
He was interrupted from his thoughts when he received a note that just landed on his desk
Hey man, I can see where Brooke got your nickname 'Broody' from. What's up?Jake
Sighing Lucas wrote back
It's nothing, Brooke and I had a little fight, that's allLucas
Well it doesn't seem like nothing, so what was this little fight about anyway?
I don't want to talk about it right now, I will speak to you later Lucas replied back not wanting to be distracted from his thoughts any longer
Jake took this as a hint to stop writing notes to him so he did, sighing Jake sat back and ran his hand through his hair, since when did thinks get so messed up? Nathan and Brooke weren't talking and he hadn't even had a proper conversation with either of them in weeks, months even for Nathan. They were supposed to be best friends yet he always seemed to get this feeling that they were both hiding something from him.
Lucas continued to brood about Brooke and their conversation they shared earlier about Dan. couldn't she see that he was just trying to help? What if Dan was just using her to get to Nathan and Brooke can't see it until it's too let and then she would get hurt, and Lucas promised Brooke he wouldn't let her get hurt again. But maybe he was wrong, maybe Dan really wanted to try with Brooke…after all, it could actually happen, although he did doubt it, a lot.
It just seemed strange to him, from what he knew Dan was never interested in Brooke's life before so why would he be now? Is he up to something? If so what? Lucas so desperately wanted to know, but how could he? He didn't know Dan Lee, not that he wanted to either but he still wanted to know what his game was and what his intentions are with his girlfriend.
Brooke was sitting alone outside in the quad thinking about the recent events in her life.
"Aren't you supposed to be in health class right now?" a feminine voice said
Brooke looked up to see her fake blonde curly haired ex-best friend looking down at her
"Aren't you?" Brooke asked back
Peyton shrugged as she sat down next to her "I'm running late, what's your excuse?"
"Just didn't feel like it" Brooke said simply
Peyton nodded "You know, normally when people skip classes they tend to leave the school premises, less chance of getting caught I guess" Her former friend stated
"Well if you must know, I wasn't planning on skipping…I just lost track of time that's all, and from what you said earlier I wasn't the only one" Brooke answered
"Lost track of time huh? Does that have anything to do with that new boyfriend of yours?" Peyton asked smiling "I heard all about what happened between the two of you"
Brooke frowned "Not that that's any of your business, but no, it had nothing to do with him"
"So what's it about then?" Peyton asked curiously, she knew she was over stepping the mark here but she just wanted to know what was going on in her life, even after everything Peyton still loved and cared for Brooke, even if those feelings weren't returned
"Why do you even care?" Brooke asked questionably
Peyton shrugged "Because you're my little Brooke" Peyton said giving her a small soft smile
Brooke let out a dry laugh "I haven't been your Little Brooke in a long long time Peyton"
"Yeah I know" Peyton sighed dejectedly
"You know Peyton" Brooke started "We have been through a hell of a lot together, a lot of shit has happened to us Peyton, and sometimes I just wonder…are people like us just destined for bad things to happen to us? Are we going to live the rest of our lives waiting for the next tragedy or heartache that will happen next? Are we going to be miserable until its our time to die?" Brooke asked
"Brooke…don't" Peyton sighed "Sure, a lot of shit has happened to us, but things are getting better for you aren't they? I mean you have Lucas now" Peyton pointed out
"Yeah but for how long? How long will it be for him to realize that he can do so much better than me, that eventually all I will do is hold him back and add drama into his life"
"You know that's not true"
"How can I be sure?" Brooke asked sadly "I don't deserve happiness and I sure as hell don't know how to be happy"
"Can you remember when my mom died?" Peyton asked
Brooke nodded sadly "Of course"
"I can remember you telling me that everything will be ok, because when we grow up we will find someone who will love us just as much as my mom loved me" Peyton said as she felt tears burn in her eyes "And I also remember you saying that my mom would always be in my heart no matter what, and that things will eventually get better for me"
"I can remember"
"So why don't you try using your own advice huh?" Peyton asked smiling a little "Things are going to get better for you Brooke"
"But how do you know?" Brooke asked in an almost pleading tone
"Because I still have that 9 year old little girl's voice in the back of my mind telling me that things will eventually get better, and they will Brooke, you just have to be patient"
Brooke gave her a small smile "Thanks Peyt"
Peyton shrugged "I am just trying to help out, plus, this is much better than health class"
Brooke let out a small laugh "Yeah it is"
"Well isn't this cozy" Rachel said as she approached the two
"Hi Rachel" Peyton said fake smiling "What brings you here?"
Rachel shrugged "I was about to ask you the same thing"
Peyton looked between the three of them and laughed
"What's funny?" Brooke asked confused
"Nothing, I just find this situation rather amusing" Peyton laughed
"Really? And how's that?" Rachel asked annoyed
"Well…this time last year the three of us were best friends, sisters even, yet here we are now, all not speaking to each other yet here together, if someone saw us right now they would be wondering what the hell is going on"
"You actually have a point there blondie" Rachel said "But you did get something wrong"
"Oh yeah? What exactly?" Peyton asked
"I am speaking to Brooke, I'm just a little angry right now that's all" Rachel shrugged
Brooke gave her a small smile "I agree"
"Ok" Peyton nodded "But I still find this situation rather weird"
The bell interrupted their conversation and quickly after students began to appear, some were giving them strange looks as to why the three of them were standing there together without fighting
Lucas and Jake came outside and were also surprised by the sight they saw, slowly walking towards them
"Well what do we have here?" Jake asked curiously
Lucas stood back and gave Brooke a small smile, she slowly returned it still not sure how to approach him after what happened between them earlier
"Not that we have to tell you anything Jakey boy but I was asking Brooke and Peyton the exact same thing when I approached them five minutes ago" Rachel answered
"We were just talking" Brooke shrugged
Lucas looked at her confused, why would Brooke talk to Peyton?
"About?" Rachel asked raising an eyebrow, she was also confused by this. First Brooke chose to stay with Dan, and then she caught her talking to Peyton, what was next? Would she be out partying with Felix?
"That's none of your business Rachel" Peyton replied coldly
"Keeping secrets again are we?" Rachel asked, the question aimed at both Peyton and Brooke
"Give it a rest Rachel" Lucas cut in but receiving a glare from the feisty red head
"Got a problem Scott?" Rachel asked annoyance clear in her voice
"Why don't we just get to our next class" Brooke said cutting in "Rachel, we have calculus together, come on lets go" She said before linking arms with her and they walked away "I will see you later Luke" Brooke said as she walked past him
Lucas sighed and nodded "Ok"
"What was that all about?" Rachel asked Brooke curiously
"What?" Brooke asked "With Peyton?"
"No, Lucas" Rachel stated as they walked into the classroom and took their seats
"I don't know what you're talking about" Brooke answered clearly playing dumb
"Don't play dumb with me missy!" Rachel warned "You both hardly spoke more than two words to each other"
Brooke shrugged "We just had a little disagreement that's all"
"Aww, trouble in paradise already?"
Brooke glared at her "No, and by you saying already, you are implying that Lucas and I have just gotten together, but I think you have forgotten that we have been together for months now" Brooke stated
"Yeah except you decided to keep it a secret, so no Brooke, I didn't forget that minor detail in your relationship" Rachel said sarcastically
Brooke rolled her eyes before saying "Me and Lucas are just fine, but thanks for the concern, it means a lot" Brooke said coldly
Rachel sighed and was about to apologize when the teacher came in
"Silence class!" Mr Brown said sternly "I have your results back from last week's pop quiz, and I have to congratulate the majority of the class who did reasonably well" He said as he handed back their papers "However, there was one or two of you who let me down terribly" He continued as he looked at Brooke as he handed her the test paper back
Brooke looked at the top of the page and groaned when she saw the big fat F on her paper "F me" Brooke muttered
A/N: Well? What do you think? Please review! More reviews equals faster updates! Thanks!