Can't be Anyone Else
S01e43, part 2
Episode: …revealed
Reviews/shoutouts:
thibbs65: love the naley interaction great chapter update soon
i.bergin.94: Great updates these past two days, love this story. Can't wait to see what's gonna happen next. Poor Haley is falling in love and doesnt realise it.
thibbs65: Awesome start can't wait for part 2 you are such a talented writer I lovw reading your Naley and friends stories
Eve (guest): Yay, two updates in a row! I really like these chapters. Can't wait for the NeXT update.
Guest: It was really funny and good I really enjoyed it
A/N I think this is the most reviews i've ever gotten! :O And it's cool to see some familiar faces among them ;)
You guys make me smile *VirtualHug
::::::::::::
"There are no secrets that time does not reveal"
-Jean Racine-
Halimah Bob James was on a mission. She marched down the school halls with her destination in mind.
Her dirty blonde hair, bounced with every ferocious step she took: She was angry, she was frustrated and most of all… she was concerned, confused and sadden that her best friend in the whole entire world were keeping her at arm's length.
Karen had never returned the day before, and Haley had managed to keep the café in check… her emotions on the other hand… not so much! She was worried sick about Karen, about Brooke. And now – now it was time for some answers.
Whatever secret they were keeping, whatever they were hiding from her, she wanted to know. Nothing could feel as bad as the not-knowing, right? The not-knowing made her doubt and question everything she had said and done. Doubt everything Brooke had said and done. It was as if every little action had been bread crumbs, clues, as to what the hell was going on. But where they were leading were still a mystery to her.
Haley had been chiming Brooke down since had return from the café, asking her what was going on? No answer.
Asking if she was alright? No answer.
Asking if she wanted to meet up the next day to talk things through? No answer.
It was literally the silent treatment!
Haley was just about to call the police - thinking that Brooke had been in some sort of accident since she wasn't answering – when she received. One. Lousy. Text:
I can't. Cheer practice.
Haley gritted her teeth together as she remembered this. Cheer practice? Cheer practice?! She had been worried sick, and all Brooke was thinking about was cheer practice (once again)?! But if Brooke thought she could avoid her again, she would be dead wrong. If she didn't want to answer her questions over text – then she would be forced to answer them face to face!
Haley could feel the anger being fueled as she thought of all this: A fire burned within her, and Brooke was about to get burned - Or rather grilled - for information!
She almost reached her destination as only the blue double doors kept her from going: with one big pushed they flew open and the giant gym came into view. She almost immediately regretted such bold actions as she saw she was greatly outnumbered: Cheerleaders were running around like little ants in the spacious gym.
Haley could feel the fire within her starting to fizzle, as the familiar anxiety filled her up instead. She wiped her clammy hands in her jeans and commanded herself to pull it together.
She commanded herself to get a grip: this wasn't about her -it was about Brooke. She took in a quiet breath as she headed further into the lion's den. She found it almost ironic that she had to face her own demons to make Brooke face hers.
She felt herself tip toe along the side lines as her brown eyes scanned the cheerleaders for a very dark haired, emerald-eyed girl. The scan was quick as most of the cheereladers were blond!
Brooke wasn't there?
Haley scrunched her face together in confusion. Maybe she just hadn't come yet? Haley took out her phone on looked at the clock: 16.15? She should have ended her last class a long time ago.
Irritation then began to fill her. It was like Brooke knew she was going to be there waiting for her, and she just wanted to further her torment. Well, if she thought she was going to get rid of her that easy, she was mistaken. Haley sat down on the sideline and waited for Brooke to show up.
Haley crossed her arms defiantly, and sunk into the chair as a (pathetic) attempt to avoid being seen by the cheerleaders.
5 minutes.
10 minutes.
15 minutes.
Every minute passing felt like a life time and she felt more and more restless. Her leg bounced up and down as the anxiousness and irritation of the situation wanted a release. She shook her head and bit her lower lip as she tried to make sense of it all. The problem was, that she couldn't: She couldn't make sense of it because it didn't make sense! Non of Brookes actions made sense.
Non. Nothing. Not one.
The only person she could talk to about this with was Nathan – but she doubted he would care for this girl on girl drama!
"Screw this" she mumbled sadly as she quickly rose from her seat and headed dejectedly towards the exit door.
Her sudden movement must have caught the cheerleader's attention; cause suddenly a voice from behind called her name:
"Halimah?"
A chill ran down Haley's spine as she heard her maiden name being called out. Her whole body froze though she wanted to do nothing more than bolt.
"Halimah is that you?"
The voice sounded closer.
Haley's breath started to become erratic as she stared helplessly towards the exit door.
This can't be happening, this can't be happening. This can't be happening.
Against her better judgment she turned around and was met with a familiar blond-looking girl. Familiar was a vague term since she hadn't met her face-to-face for several years. Yet there she was standing in front of her, as if she had been taken out of her nightmares:
Peyton Sawyer.
Her blond locks had been cut shorter since the last time she saw her; now it barely reached her shoulders. But the familiar princess curls was still evident. Her blue cheerleader outfit clung to her very slim, long body. Her big green eyes were wide in surprise and joy- though Haley couldn't figure out what she was so happy about!
"Oh my God, it is you! How are you?" Peyton exclaimed and hugged her… actually hugged her! Haley felt like crawling out of her skin as she touched her, however brief it might have been.
Haley cursed her bad luck and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why Peyton all of the sudden would noticed her? She had attended school for months now! She had even attended a couple of basketball games and still managed to stay out of everyone's radar. So why here? Why now? What had changed?
Her mind ran a thousand miles per second as she searched for the answers.
In her frazzled state, she almost forgot that she should probably answer her back:
"Hello Peyton. I'm fine. How are you?" Haley finally managed to say but her answer sounded almost mechanically as she tried to regain her composure. Her heart pounded hard in her chest, and her body felt like it was working into overdrive – but she refused to let it show. She refused to have Peyton Sawyer have that kind of power over her… again.
"I'm good, I'm good. It's so good to see you!"
Haley wanted to role her eyes at her "good'ness". Her cheerleader outfit must have infected her with cheerfulness, because it was far from the Peyton Sawyer she once knew. She starred questioningly at perky, smiling, blond Peyton before her, and that's when it hit her: Haley's hand immediately flew up to her own newly blond locks. What had changed, she had asked earlier? She had. When she decided to go back to her natural hair color. To color she had had when she knewn Peyton.
She felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach as she realized it.
"Wow I can't believe it…" Peyton continued, seemingly oblivious to Haley's distress.
"… You look so good! Have you lost weight?" Peyton gave her whole body a once over, which made Haley squirm in uneasiness.
"… no, not really…" Haley mumbled, as she avoided her gaze, and wished she could escape this hell.
"Well, you look good! Guess you grew into you puppy dog fat after all!" Peyton giggled, as if it was the funniest thing ever. Haley on the other hand felt herself shrinking even further into herself.
Haley's eyes flickered towards the exit and wanted nothing more than to bolt through those blue doors and never look back… all she had to do was find an excuse:"…Listen I have to-"
"Hey are you still friends with Brooke Davis?" Peyton interrupted her - her green eyes looking quizzically at her.
"Sort of…" Haley relented. She didn't want to say anything that could damage Brooke's good reputation.
"I feel so bad for her…" Peyton admitted, and for the first time she didn't sound cheerful. She actually sounded sincere.
Apon looking at Haley's confused face, Peyton elaborated:
"You know... her aunt Liv…" She almost whispered as she looked around. "I just talked to Brooke from the hospital and it didn't sound like Liv had a lot of time left…"
Peyton continued rambling about some sort of gift basket the cheerleaders were throwing together for her, but Haley couldn't listen to anymore: It felt as though the whole world was spinning madly around her, as she tried to grasp onto into only fragments remained.
Aunt Liv was in the hospital? Aunt Liv was dying?
Haley knew aunt Liv well from when she was growing up. Liv used to live in Tree Hill and her and Brooke would visit her all the time. Haley had even started to call Liv for her auntie too… and now she was dying?
This couldn't be right. Peyton must be mistaken. Liv couldn't be dying? She was one of the sweetest persons Haley had ever met.
Haley tried to grasp onto all the little clues that were spinning around her: All the little clues that Brooke had given her and Karen's sudden hushed call. Somehow it all started to make sense now:
"…you never see anything but your own problems!" She remembered Brooke telling her during their fight.
"… open your eyes and you'll realize you're not the only one with problems!"
Brooke's voice echoed in her head, louder and louder.
Brooke had been crying out for help for weeks, but Haley had been too blind to see it.
Nausea started to build up, and this time she felt like she was literally going to be sick.
"Excuse me" Haley mumbled to Peyton, as she bolted abruptly towards the door. Her legs felt like jelly, and her head pounded with guilt, shock and exhaustion over the whole ordeal.
"… Alright, so I'll talk to you later?" she could hear Peyton shout out from behind as she opened the double doors. Haley ignored her and stumbled down the halls.
Only as she reached the outside, she allowed herself to breathe and slow down.
She sat herself down on the cold concrete steps, and was thankful that no one was around. The cool air felt calming, but she didn't feel like she deserved any comfort:
She had blamed Brooke! She had been so angry with her, and all this time Brooke had been hurting so much already.
Why hadn't she told her? She would have been there for her. She could have helped her.
Haley allowed a single tear to run down as Brooke's voice, once again, rang as clear as day:
"…not everything is about you!"
::::::::::::::
Secrets are meant to be revealed... or so it would seem. Sooner or later the truth always has a way of showing up. Brooke had kept this life-altering secret from her. Why? Haley didn't know… And why she had chosen to confide in Peyton Sawyer of all people was beyond her.
But none of that mattered. This wasn't about Haley. She wouldn't let this be about her. All she wanted was to help Brooke. All she wanted was to make this right.
She just had no idea how to…
::::::::::::
