This Is Just The Beginning.
"Okay I feel completely stupid and ugly," Brooke said, scrunching her nose as she looked ahead of the photographer who was changing it's lens. It was bad enough her hair had to be completely down and hidden by her cheap cap, her gorgeous sundress was covered by the cheap fabric of her gown.
"Brooke, you really just need to calm down," Peyton said. "Everyone's wearing the same thing, Nathan, Haley, Rachel, Kyle, we're all wearing these god forsaken things and as much as I just want to rip it into pieces and throw it into the river, I can't because we just graduated, and like it or not we have ties to this sorry excuse for a graduation gown."
"Why thank you P. Sawyer, you just summed up my entire feel for these things," Brooke smirked, her eyes scanning everyone else behind her. Right next to Nathan was Kyle, who were both talking enthusiastically with their caps swinging in the breeze.
"Brooke! Can you like, not be staring at Kyle for more than five minutes please?" Haley asked jokingly.
She shrugged, "Whatev Tutormom, if I remember correctly you coudn't get enough of Nathan when you guys first started dating."
"Alright fine. But when we hit that road trip in August, you guys better be ready and over it," Haley said pointedly.
Brooke sighed, "I don't think I'll ever be over it."
"That's a good thing," Peyton added.
"Okay everybody, look towards the front and make sure that your cap is on right and you're smiling. Remember, this is your graduation picture no more redos!" Principal Turner yelled as all the students stood ready.
"It's times like these when I wish this school actually had some money," Brooke mumbled.
"Well maybe we would've had some if you hadn't have spent so much of the budget money on the DW not I vehicles and a whole bunch of other stuff," Peyton said.
"What is this? 'Bag on Brooke Day?'" she asked before a flash was heard and everyone looked at each other relievingly, ready for the reception, and then the real party later on in the night.
"Well now that's over, I really need to change out of this," Kyle said, walking over to the group with Nathan and Jake.
"I know right!" Brooke exclaimed. Leave it to her boyfriend to take her side. "So what time are we all meeting at Tric?"
"Um, I think it's like in an hour or so to give everyone time to run home or change or, take pictures or something," Peyton said, already unzipping her gown.
"We have to go take pictures with James, so we'll probably get there on time," Nathan said, helping Haley out of her gown also.
"Okay we'll all meet you guys in a little bit then," Kyle said as they parted from the middle of the gym and made their way outside.
"So what do we do now?" Brooke asked. "Everyone else has something to do and I really don't feel like helping set up for the reception do you?"
"Nope, but I can think of one place we could hang out at until then," Kyle said as he unlocked the car doors to his truck.
"Really? Where?" Brooke asked, climbing into the truck and shutting the door.
He shrugged and smirked, "You're just gonna have to wait and find out."
--
As Kyle pulled out of the parking lot, he couldn't help but think of a time when things were so stable and solid. From the time he got to Tree Hill there was chaos and just complete misunderstandings and drama. Time was still and their days were fun and joyful, but there was always that little nagging feeling in the back of his head that things wouldn't always be that way. That their time of being happy and careless were limited, and he didn't know when time was gonna run out.
"Come on Kyle please tell me!" Brooke begged.
"Brooke come on, don't you want this to be a surprise?" he asked, laughing.
"No," she answered bluntly. "If we're just going to hang out then what's the point of even keeping it from me?"
"There really isn't a point, but I just thought that this would be fun, and if I told you in advance then you'd be all bummed that it wasn't somewhere extravagant," Kyle explained.
"You know you're lucky I love you," Brooke mumbled, crossing her arms.
"I know I am," Kyle said thoughtfully
Brooke smile slightly and sighed quietly, wondering when things ever got this perfect, or even could be this perfect. Naley had a beautiful baby boy, whom Brooke was the proud godmother of, Peyton was enjoying her life with Jake and Jenny, her and Lucas were becoming friends, Rachel had gotten her life together and was cutting back on the partying, and Brooke got to enjoy her summer with her boyfriend who she was so in love with.
She looked up in time to see them crossing the bridge, and noticing Kyle coming to a stop right in the very middle. It struck her as kind of surprising since Brooke hadn't returned to the bridge since her and Kyle's reunion almost three months ago.
"So this is where we're going," Brooke said knowingly.
"Yup, I know it's nothing special, but I figured we could hang out, plus it's close so Tric so we won't be late or anything," Kyle said, cutting the engine.
"You know, I remember that day so clearly," Brooke said, standing on the barrier where she had thrown all the little pieces of her doubts into the river, never to be seen again.
"Me too, it's crazy how that was only a couple of months ago."
"And look where we are now."
"I know," Kyle said, his hand in his dress pants, "which is why I kind of got you something."
She raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? You're not gonna pull a Naley on me are you?" Originially she was joking, but she really wouldn't have been bothered if he did.
He chuckled nervously, "Ahh no, sorry. But I got something kind of close." He pulled out a silver ring. "It's a promise ring. I'm not exactly sure the purpose of them, but I just got it to let you know how much you mean to me and how serious I feel about you. It's not exactly the most expensive..."
"I love it," she murmured, watching it closely being held between his fingers. He was right, it was a simple band, but she was willing to where it wherever she went, so that everyone would know that she had someone who loved her.
"I had some stuff engraved on the inside," he added, shifting it to the inside was visible. Brooke leaned her head forward and saw the words, 'No one will love you as much I do' engraved around the inside of the ring.
"Dont you get one too?" Brooke asked, looking up at him.
He nodded, "Yeah, I already got one too."
"Yeah well we're going to engrave something in yours also," Brooke declared.
"But that defeats the purpose. I got the ring for you, why should I have something put on mine, for me?"
"Because I'm going to fix it up for you because I love you, and I already know what I want engraved on yours," she added mischeiviously.
"Alright, but nothing dirty," he said, pointing at her.
"Fine, I have to think of something else now," she said sarcastically as they sat down on the bridge barrier. "Thank you thought, for the ring. It just gives me another reason to love you."
"How many reasons are there?"
"Alot," she said, kissing him shortly before leaning her head on his shoulder.
"The feeling's mutual," he added, looking over the river.
"I can't believe we're not in high school anymore," Brooke said, reading Kyle's thoughts.
"I know, I wish I could've came back sooner or something. But I think college will be fun, plus we're all going to be together, so it can't be that big a drastic change, except from the fact that we won't be in Tree Hill."
"Maybe that's the point," Brooke said. "Maybe the fact that we won't be here anymore is what's so sad about it all. No more Karen's Cafe, not Rivercourt, no bridge."
He shook his head smiling, "You're talking like we're never going to come back here."
"Well we might as well not be. Sure we have holidays and stuff, but it still sucks. I mean, barely anything eventful happens here. All there is are drama and lies, and with the occasional happiness here and there. But still, I don't want to have to leave."
"We're going to have to leave anyway. So instead of being all depressed and sad, just enjoy the summer until we all have to pack up and leave. That way all you'll have are good memories. Plus that road trip to Duke will be fun."
"Oh I know. All of us driving up there, that should be fun."
"Exactly, so let's enjoy this summer with our friends and then it'll just get even better when we get to Duke," Kyle said, trying to cheer his girlfriend up.
"Do you think it'll always be this way?" she asked all of sudden, her 'what if' voice coming into play.
"What?" he asked.
"Being happy and just enjoying time with our friends. Do you think we'll always be as close as we are now. I mean I always hear about people losing touch when you get to college and all, I just don't want that to happen to any of us."
"I think it could happen," he began, "but it won't. If you look at you and all your friends, you've been through alot of crap to just all of a sudden not be close anymore. That just doesn't make sense. Plus you're James' godmother so I don't know what you're talking about, losing touch with everybody, please."
"Well I was just saying," she said. "If that were ever to happen, it would really suck."
"It would, but it won't. So like, please stop worrying about it," he said, nudging her head.
"Fine," she said. "So when's the whole basketball camp thingy that you have to go to?"
"Hmm I think it's sometime in the middle or end of July, and it's only for a week," he added. Since Kyle and Nathan were already interviewed and cleared to play basketball, there was this conditioning before the semester even started. Basketball wasn't until the fall, but the coaches 'wanted to see what they were working with,' so to speak.
"I know, but it's like a whole week without you. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"Umm, what you already do, shop, hang out with the girls, and corrupt baby James."
"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes. "Haley's there basically the whole time I hang out with him, and so far I haven't gotten yelled at so there."
"It's only a matter time Brooke," he said, checking his watch. "We still have a couple of minutes."
She nodded, staring out at the sunset forming in front of her. It was times like this when she thought that she could die that very second and be okay with it. She felt like everything would be okay, and if they weren't, it would all work out because she had all her friends and the boy of her dreams.
It occurred to her plenty of times that maybe her and Kyle wouldn't work out. Things like that were always her biggest downfall, she always thought the worst of things, along with her 'what ifs.' When she really thought about it, she didn't think her and Kyle would ever break up, not unless it was somthing terrible, like if one of them screwed up. It scared her more than anythin, but she didn't like to think about it.
"Promise me something?" she asked softly.
"Promise me that if something goes wrong with us, that we'll work it out and that we won't stop loving each other despite the mistakes that we may make?" she asked.
"You're scared of something happening aren't you?" he asked understandably. He didn't like to think of stuff like that, but Brooke always worried about stuff, so he automatically did too.
"Yeah, it's just that, with you it's different than being with Lucas or any other guy. We're completely committed to each other, and I just don't want something happening and things just completely changing," she explained.
"I can't tell you what will happen if something like that does occur, because I don't think it will. Brooke, you have me and I'm not gonna turn my back on you and if somewhere down the road something happens, then I wanna deal with it together because I love you, not because I made this promise to you," he answered back.
"But you still promise me that right?" she asked.
"If it makes you feel better, yes, I promise to work it out if something may happen," he said.
"Good, because I'll sick Peyton on your ass if you don't," she said seriously.
--
"Rachel, were you serious when you said this house was deserted?" Mouth asked as he unloaded all the music equipment out of her Denali.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be joking?" Rachel asked, pointing out to two guys where the kegs of beer went.
"Well how'd you score a house? Won't we get in trouble?"
"I don't see why, we just graduated, we have a right too. And no one's living here. Seriously Mouth, chill out. This is our last night of being seniors, being high school students! Let's make the most of it and just stop worrying about getting in trouble," Rachel explained, patting him on the back.
He nodded, "Yeah you're right Rachel. I'm still in student mode, that's all."
"That's acceptable," Rachel said just as Haley and Nathan came up.
"What's acceptable?" Nathan asked.
"Nothing, just the fact that this is a deserted house and I just saw some guys come in with paper bags with spray paint," Brooke added, walking up to the group.
"Well, no one lives here right?" Kyle asked.
"Exactly! Gosh, I'm so glad I slept with you," Rachel said, winking at him before leaving to set up the cups.
Brooke glared at her back, "Sometimes I question my friendship with her."
"I'm sure she was joking," Kyle shrugged. "It's about having fun tonight, so don't give in to Rachel's comments alright? She hasn't said anything like that in awhile right?"
"You know what? You're absolutely right boyfriend," Brooke said, all of a sudden turning cheery and bright.
"Thank you. Now, where do you think all the alcohol's at?" Kyle asked, craning his neck for any sign of a keg.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, smacking his arm. "Why would you wanna get drunk?!"
"Calm down, I don't wanna get drunk, just a beer or two," Kyle promised.
"Alright, but remember the last time you got shit faced?" Brooke asked, a grimace both creeping onto their faces.
"Yeah, thanks for reminding me," Kyle said, rolling his eyes.
--
It was a couple of hours into the party, and a bonfire had already started. Guys were holding girls upside down as they drunk from a keg, seeing who could tip the most. Upstairs in the house, people were spray painting the walls and sitting around getting drunk and being careless, for probably the last time.
"So did you guys want to go get breakfast as the Cafe tomorrow?" Haley asked, standing with Nathan.
"Yeah I think we could do that. Not too early though, some of us may still be hung over," Kyle said, nodding over to Mouth in the corner, trying to do the Lean With It, Rock With It.
"Oh god," Brooke laughed. "We might as well enjoy this moment, it'll probably be the last time we'll ever see Mouth this drunk."
"Yeah you're right, but it's somewhat sad," Haley said thoughtfully, looking over the whole yard, trying to annoy all the chaos and just admiring it.
"Sure, knowing that we'll never get to see Tim streak butt naked ever again is a bad thing," Nathan joked.
"Noo, not that," Brooke said. "After tonight we're not longer high school students, we're not part of THH anymore, and now we have to start all over again in college, and there's never gonna be more of these," she explained, gesturing to all the crazy people running through and tipping shot glasses everywhere. "This will probably be the last time we'll all be together in one place."
"Brooke's right," Kyle added. "Of course all of us are going to keep in touch, but even these people that we've never met and will probably never see again are here, and it's all our last night as a graduating class to just be crazy and do stupid stuff."
"Well, I've been remarried twice and had a child all within two years, I think that's crazy enough for me," Nathan said.
"I think we've all had our fair shares of chaos and drama to last a lifetime," Peyton added, everyone nodding in agreement.
"Like my mom says, 'there's only one Tree Hill,'" Lucas said. "I don't think we'll ever get tired of this town, but I don't think we'd wish it any different. Alot of bad things have happened, but it's made us better and closer, which believe it or not are things we need when we get to Duke."
"I hate talking about the future," Brooke said. "It's a scary thing to think about."
"The future won't be scary," Kyle said. "If we're smart and look out for each other, we'll be right where we are now."
--
The kegs were empty, the spray cans sprawled around the house and on the grass. The music had long died out the liveliness of the people had reduced to a group of people sitting on the steps, not bothering to acknowledge anything but the starry sky and each other.
"Well, that was a kickass party," Rachel said proudly, looking at all the trash that she would not clean up.
"Yeah, Mouth definitely had a good time," Brooke said, pointing over at Mouth who was curled up in the grass snoring.
"I don't know guys, I feel like we should help out or something. This place is a mess!" Haley exclaimed.
"Seriously Hales, who cares. We shouldn't have to, our life as high school students ended an hour ago," Nathan explained.
"Yeah, an hour ago, we should've considered cleaning up, but now we really don't have any obligation to do anything," Lucas added.
"If anyone does though, it's Rachel," Brooke said simply, everyone nodding in agreement.
"Hey, this party was awesome, so I shouldn't have to," Rachel said, rolling her eyes. "I think Mouth should, since he kind of drank away the whole party, but since he's sleeping it off, we'll just leave it."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Kyle said.
"I don't know about you guys, but I am so ready for summer," Peyton said relieved that she would never have to step into those halls every again.
"I know, are there any Tric parties in store Peyt?" Kyle asked.
"Oh hell yeah!" Peyton exclaimed. "Maybe get some bands to perform or something..."
"Okay guys well as fun as this is, if we're all gonna meet for breakfast tomorrow, we should get going," Haley said, standing up.
"Make that brunch, seeing as it's 1:15," Kyle said, glancing at his watch. If he knew himself and Brooke, there was no way in hell they would wake up before 11.
"Fine brunch," Haley said. "I guess we'll see you guys tomorrow."
"OH MY GOSH!!" Rachel exclaimed, all of a sudden looking to the sky.
"Rachel, what the hell?" Brooke yelled.
"Guys look, it's a shooting star," she answered dreamily, like it had just captured all her attention.
The group turned and looked towards the sky as the star made it's way across the sky.
"Aren't we supposed to make a wish?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, so hurry up guys before it goes away," Lucas warned.
I wish for love.
I wish to find my purpose in life.
I wish for a big family.
I wish for a healthy family.
I wish for a family.
I wish I could stick around this time.
I wish I wasn't so hung over.
I wish to keep the person I love.
I wish that he'll love me forever.
"Do you guys really believe in that whole wish thing?" Nathan asked as everything tore their eyes away from the shooting star that was soon out of their sight.
"I think that if you wish it, dreams come true," Brooke said.
"Look at it this way, if wished really do come true, then good thing you wished on something. But if they dont, it's no loss right?" Rachel said.
"If you wanna put it that way," Kyle trailed, wanting nothing more than to go home and sleep. "Hmm well tonight was nice, but I think I'm gonna head out."
"Shouldn't someone wake Mouth up?" Brooke asked, peering over at Mouth's sleeping form.
The group looked down at Mouth, then one another.
"I think he'll leave when he wakes up," Rachel said as everyone agreed and headed out to their cars. Before leaving, Kyle walked Mouth's bike over next to him. If he knew his alcohol, Mouth would definitely have trouble finding it behind the bush in the lawn.
--
"Gosh, it's like this day has gone on forever," Brooke commented as she sat comfortably in the passenger seat.
"I know, but it was fun to hang out. I just, I have this really weird feeling that things aren't going to be the same after tonight," Kyle said seriously, hands gripping the steering wheel.
It was that feeling, that tingling in the bottom of your stomach, and not that nervousness thing, that sinking feeling like everything was about to change. And he was right, things were changing, but for some reason he didn't know if it was a good thing or bad thing. And frankly he didn't want to know.
"Of course it's not going to be, pretty soon we're all gonna be gone from this place and starting somewhere new, I bet it's normal to feel that way," Brooke said.
"I hope you're right because I just can't shake it. It didn't really hit me until we got to the party and started talking about leaving and everything. Maybe it's good, but maybe it's not. I just don't know why I feel this way, but it's starting to get me thinking about stuff, and I just, I don't wanna lose them," Kyle explained.
Brooke looked at him. He had this serious, almost scared look on his face. It made her scared for him and scared for everybody else. Normally Kyle wasn't so sketchy over the future, but right now he was and she didn't know if it was something to look into.
"It's gonna be okay though, right?" Brooke asked, just needing him to assure her that it would all be fine.
He was silent for a moment. Whatever it was that had him to tweaked could be alot of things. Maybe he was scared of losing Brooke, or maybe he was scared of losing other people in his life. But he prayed to God that it wasn't what he really didn't want it to be. The last thing he needed was so relive those months over again.
Slowly, he nodded. "Yeah, it'll be fine."
She leaned back, half satisfied, half wondering what could possibly be going through his mind at the moment. But with Kyle, she would probably never know.
Brooke felt the bump of her driveway as Kyle pulled into the house, well Rachel's, or whatever it was called. Rachel would be pulling in with her car in a matter of minutes, and she didn't want to let Kyle go without saying what she had to.
"Here we are," Kyle said, putting the car in neutral. He sounded tired, worried, like something was on his mind.
She nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt. "You know, I don't know what it is that you're so scared about, or what it is you think will happen. But I want you to tell me anything that you're scared of. Lucas didn't let me all the way in, and he had all of me, but I never really had all of him. I don't want that to happen with me and you. So if there's something you're worried about, I want you to tell me, not because I'll feel better that I know, but because I want to face it with you, together."
Kyle reached forward, burying his face into her hair. He didn't want to fail her, or hurt her like Lucas had so many times before, and he sure as hell didn't want to face whatever this was or whatever was coming without her. But that was just the problem, he didn't know what it was that was.
"Thank you, its good to know that you're with me in this. And when I find out just what that thing is, you'll be the first one to know," Kyle said.
She nodded and smiled, "Sounds like a plan."
