In the parking lot of the hospital
Peyton walked slowly to her car. With every step she took, she wondered how she was going to tell everyone; especially Brooke. Even though they had been arguing, she was still Peyton's best friend, and this news would break her.
Peyton slowly sat down in the front seat of her car. I don't want everyone treating me different, she thought as she started her car. Suddenly her cell phone rang, it was Lucas.
"Hello" she said as confidently as she could
"Are you okay"? He asked immediately
Peyton felt a lump in her throat. She took a long, deep swallow and uttered
"Yeah. I just hadn't eaten so I passed out" she lied convincingly
"You're sure?" He asked with a sigh of relief
"Yeah I'm fine. I stayed up real late studying, and then I didn't eat. The combination of the two just didn't work" She said with a laugh
"So you're feeling better" he asked again
"Yeah I'm fine" she lied again
"You don't need-" he began
"Lucas" she interrupted
"I'm fine. You can tell everyone else that too. I'm just tired" she said quickly
"Okay" he said finally
"Thanks" Peyton said quickly as she tried to hold back her tears
"No problem. Get some sleep" he said cautiously
"I will" Peyton said as she tilted her head back to stop the tears from flowing
She slowly hung up the phone and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.
In Brooke's bedroom
Brooke was examining her closet. Each time she pulled something out to place it in her suitcase, she questioned her decision. Was this trip really a good idea?
"Where ya going"? Rachel asked as she popped her head into the room
"Away" Brooke replied quickly as she continued packing
"Where are we going"? She asked happily
"We aren't going anywhere" Brooke said nastily
"Aww you don't want to go on a road trip with your big sis" She taunted
"Rachel" Brooke shouted in frustration
"Why are you here"? She asked plainly
"You've haven't been to Tree Hill to visit me since we were in eight grade. And since you've been here you're never at home, you come to school like once a week, and the only bonding we did, is when you told the entire class I have a kid" she continued angrily
"I have unfinished business in Tree Hill" she said cautiously
"I'm sure you do" Brooke responded as she continued examining her closet
"By the way whose the dad"? Rachel asked with a wink
"What"? Brooke asked in a confused tone
"Whose the dad, of your kid. You never told me" she replied
"There's reasons Rachel" Brooke responded
"Who is he" she asked
"I'm not telling you. You'd probably run an ad in the newspaper so the whole world could know" Brooke said with a laugh
"Don't be silly" Rachel said seriously
"TV commercials would be so much better" she said with a smile
"This is exactly why we never got along. You always loved embarrassing me" Brooke replied
"When have ever embarrassed you"? Rachel asked defensively
"You mean besides last week" Brooke replied quickly as she dropped a shirt in her suitcase
"I have never-" Rachel began
"Eighth grade" Brooke shot back
Rachel began laughing hysterically
Brooke rolled her eyes and continued packing
"Okay I'm sorry, but you have admit it was-" Rachel began explaining still laughing
"No" Brooke interjected
"Okay well looking back on it-" Rachel began again
"No" Brooke interjected again
"Well in a couple years it will seem" Rachel continued
"No" Brooke concluded
"Fine you want to bond? There's a frat party tonight. Get dressed" Rachel said
"Rachel I can't. I have school" Brooke responded in a matter of fact tone
"Since when did you become Ms. Honor Roll"? Rachel asked with a laugh
"I'm going out of town for a couple days tomorrow. Don't burn down my house" Brooke instructed as she zipped her suitcase
"Okay fine. I've got a date tomorrow and it just works out that we'll have the house to ourselves" Rachel said with a wink
"We'll in that case I'll go lock up my valuables" Brooke said with a smile
"Very funny" Rachel said sarcastically as she left the room
"I thought so" Brooke mimicked
Brooke felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. It was a text message; from Peyton.
"Thanks for checking up on me. I'm fine, just a little tired. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow"
Brooke breathed a sigh of relief. After a while she wrote back.
"I'm glad you're okay"