Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to One Tree Hill or it's characters.
Notes: Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and especially those who've reviewed. I love reading what people think of the story, even if they hate it.
Fall Into Me
Chapter 5 - Understanding
When Brooke got home from school, the house was empty. She said a silent 'thank you' as she walked to her room. The truth was she missed the quiet. It gave her time to concentrate and focus on her school work. She was fine with the image she put off, but that wasn't all she was. The slut part may be somewhat true, but she wasn't stupid. She did well in school, very well, actually. If you were to go down the GPA roster, you would find her name within the top ten. Brooke enjoyed her classes and doing her homework. It was like cheerleading. They both gave her a sense of accomplishment, of worth. Sometimes, she thought school was the only thing that really saved her from completely losing control anymore.
She sat her books on her desk and changed into her favorite track suit before settling into her studies. As she went to open her bag, she noticed a note on top of her desk.
Samantha will be in Paris for the week.
- Dad
Brooke smiled at her father's gesture. She didn't have a real relationship with her father, but she was happy to know he cared. She was sure he had paid a pretty price to get her step-mother out of the country.
Knowing now that she didn't have to worry about Samantha for the next week, Brooke relaxed a bit. She pulled her Pre-Cal book from her bag and got started on the night's assignment.
-----
As much as Nathan didn't want to go home after practice, he knew that his father's visit this morning meant he had to. His mom was waiting in the living room when he walked in.
"Nathan, we need to talk," she instructed seriously.
"About what?"
"About a lot of things. About the fact that you lied to me about where you were, about the three phone calls I've gotten this week from your teachers because you're failing, and about why you don't want to talk to me. There's plenty to talk about, Nathan." Her voice remained calm as she talked, but it still unnerved him. He didn't like his mother passing judgment on him.
"What do you want me to say?"
"Okay, I see you're not going to make this easy. First off, where were you last night? I called Tim's and his mother said she hadn't seen you in weeks."
"I spent the night at the beach house."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to. Look, I don't know what you want from me," he said, his voice rising.
"I want you to talk to me."
"I don't know what you want me to say."
"I don't care, Nate. Just say something," she pleaded.
"Fine. I'm leaving."
"NATE!" She called after him, "Why are you like this?"
"Because I can be," he said opening the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To study."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not. You wanted me to fix my grades, so I got a tutor. I'll see you."
"Are you coming home?"
"I don't know," he answered and left the house, slamming the door behind him.
-------
Brooke had just finished her history paper when the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. She wasn't expecting anyone, but that didn't really mean anything. People, especially guys, had been stopping by a lot more since her break-up with Lucas. No one ever came for her parents. Occasionally, she'd get a phone call, but most people knew they weren't at home.
The bell chimed again.
"Coming!" She called from the stairs.
She opened the door and Nathan was standing there. He looked completely rattled.
"Nathan," she said, worry seeping out in her voice.
"Sorry I didn't call first."
"It's no problem, come in." She opened the door and he came inside. "Do you want something to drink or something?" She knew he wasn't okay, so she didn't want to ask that, but she wanted to do something.
"I'm fine, thanks."
"Okay. Are you ready to study?"
"I guess."
"All my stuff is upstairs, so we can go up there." He nodded and followed her up the stairs. He sat on the bed quietly, stretching his body out, and resting his head against the headboard. 'He looks so sad', she thought. This morning he looked peaceful and now he didn't. She knew moods could change, her's certainly did, but she was still confused. Especially by the fact that it bothered her so much to see him like this. "Nathan," she whispered as she sat facing him, hoping it would make him talk to her. He sat there silently, playing with his fingers, for a long time.
He looked up at her for a moment and he saw how scared she was and something else. There was something else in her eyes, but he couldn't recognize it. Then he looked away, because of what he saw. He knew she was hot, but for the first time he realized just how beautiful she was. Beautiful in a way he had never seen anyone be beautiful before.
"Have you ever wondered why we do it?" he asked looking at his hands again.
"Do what?"
"The parties. The booze. The sex," he replied and turned to her.
"Because it's fun." She lied.
"Is that really it?" He asked, already knowing the answer. She shook her head. "Then why?"
"I know why I do it."
"So do I."
"To forget," they both whispered. Their eyes both wandering around the room, remembering what it was they were always trying to forget, but never seemed to succeed.
"But it doesn't work," he said.
"No. It doesn't. Sometimes I think that there's nothing that will make it stop hurting. That this is just what life dealt us and we have to learn to survive through it."
"But are we really surviving?"
"I don't know, Nathan," she answered honestly, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her. A few minutes past in silence. Both of them thinking about how well the other understood.
"I do know one thing, though."
"What's that?"
He turned to look at her. She saw the pain in his eyes, but there was something else. Something she couldn't make out. "It hurts a little less when I'm with you," he said earnestly.
"I know," she whispered. "Me too."
She crawled into his arms, laying her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and took one of his hands in hers. For the first time in months, they felt their muscles relax and their bodies melting into one another. It fit.
-------
For over an hour they lay there, just soaking up the feeling the other gave them.
"I do still need help with Mr. Rowe's class," he said breaking the silence.
"Oh, yeah," she said almost forgetting the reason he had come there in the first place. "What don't you get?"
"Any of it. I haven't read."
"What?" She questioned sitting up. "You haven't read any of it?"
"No. I tried once, but it was so boring."
"Nathan, you do realize that there's almost fifty different works that we're going to be tested over."
"Are you saying you can't help me?"
"No. It's just going to take a lot more time."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing. But you're going to have to give up your weekend."
"Which means you are too," he added.
"Not like I had any big plans."
"Me either."
"Well, we better get started. I'll get some drinks. You try and figure out which book is your Lit book."
"Very funny," he said throwing a pillow at her as she left the room. She turned giving him playful smile as she picked up the pillow. She threw it back, hitting him smack in the head and ran down the stairs. He followed after her, taking two stairs at a time, he quickly caught her. "Don't mess with me, woman," he said wrapping her in his arms.
She kicked him in the shin. "Crap, that hurt, Brooke," he said rubbing the spot she'd jus kicked.
"Don't call me woman," she scolded.
"You don't like it?"
"About as much as you like getting kicked in the shin."
"Never call Brooke Davis woman. Got it."
"Good. Now, what do you want to drink?"
-------
It was almost midnight when Brooke closed her book.
"I think that's enough for tonight."
"Thank god," Nathan said closing his book as well. "This shit is boring."
"It's not shit and you just don't appreciate it."
"Whatever, I don't like it." He paused, wondering whether or not to ask what had been on his mind for a few hours.
"What?" she asked seeing his face.
"I just was wondering...about your parents. They're not here?"
"No. They left for the week."
"So you're here all by yourself?" She nodded. "Are they gone a lot?"
"Yeah. Business and stuff."
"I wish my mom would go away on business."
"Having mommy at home, not turning out to be all peaches and sunshine?"
"Not in the least. She thinks I'm still a little boy. Just because she wasn't around for it, doesn't mean I didn't grow up."
"I'm sorry."
"So am I. About your parents and all."
"I'm used to it." There was a brief silence.
"I better go. Maybe if I start coming home, she'll leave me alone some."
"I'm sure she just wants what's best for you Nathan."
"I know. I'm just not sure she fits into that picture anymore."
Brooke smiled in understanding. "Well, I'll see you at school."
"Okay."
They hugged and then she watched him walk down the stairs. "Good night, Brooke," he said turning around just as he opened the door.
"Night, Nate."
They both smiled and he left.
------
When Nathan got home, his mother was asleep on the couch. The book she had been reading lay open on the floor. He picked it up and sat in on the table. Then he shook her gently.
"Nathan, you're home," she said sitting up.
"I'm home," he replied simply and started to the stairs.
"Nathan," she called after him. He stopped. "I love you."
"I know, mom."
He collapsed on his bed a few seconds later. His brain ached just as much as his body did tonight. Then, Brooke's face floated into his memory and he smiled. A few moments later, he fell asleep.
------
Brooke fell onto her bed. She could still smell Nathan's scent on her sheets. She could still feel his arms wrapped around her and the calmness they brought. She pulled the blankets down and turned off the lamp. She held her pillow tight and closed her eyes, falling asleep immediately.
Notes: Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and especially those who've reviewed. I love reading what people think of the story, even if they hate it.
Fall Into Me
Chapter 5 - Understanding
When Brooke got home from school, the house was empty. She said a silent 'thank you' as she walked to her room. The truth was she missed the quiet. It gave her time to concentrate and focus on her school work. She was fine with the image she put off, but that wasn't all she was. The slut part may be somewhat true, but she wasn't stupid. She did well in school, very well, actually. If you were to go down the GPA roster, you would find her name within the top ten. Brooke enjoyed her classes and doing her homework. It was like cheerleading. They both gave her a sense of accomplishment, of worth. Sometimes, she thought school was the only thing that really saved her from completely losing control anymore.
She sat her books on her desk and changed into her favorite track suit before settling into her studies. As she went to open her bag, she noticed a note on top of her desk.
Samantha will be in Paris for the week.
- Dad
Brooke smiled at her father's gesture. She didn't have a real relationship with her father, but she was happy to know he cared. She was sure he had paid a pretty price to get her step-mother out of the country.
Knowing now that she didn't have to worry about Samantha for the next week, Brooke relaxed a bit. She pulled her Pre-Cal book from her bag and got started on the night's assignment.
-----
As much as Nathan didn't want to go home after practice, he knew that his father's visit this morning meant he had to. His mom was waiting in the living room when he walked in.
"Nathan, we need to talk," she instructed seriously.
"About what?"
"About a lot of things. About the fact that you lied to me about where you were, about the three phone calls I've gotten this week from your teachers because you're failing, and about why you don't want to talk to me. There's plenty to talk about, Nathan." Her voice remained calm as she talked, but it still unnerved him. He didn't like his mother passing judgment on him.
"What do you want me to say?"
"Okay, I see you're not going to make this easy. First off, where were you last night? I called Tim's and his mother said she hadn't seen you in weeks."
"I spent the night at the beach house."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to. Look, I don't know what you want from me," he said, his voice rising.
"I want you to talk to me."
"I don't know what you want me to say."
"I don't care, Nate. Just say something," she pleaded.
"Fine. I'm leaving."
"NATE!" She called after him, "Why are you like this?"
"Because I can be," he said opening the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To study."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not. You wanted me to fix my grades, so I got a tutor. I'll see you."
"Are you coming home?"
"I don't know," he answered and left the house, slamming the door behind him.
-------
Brooke had just finished her history paper when the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. She wasn't expecting anyone, but that didn't really mean anything. People, especially guys, had been stopping by a lot more since her break-up with Lucas. No one ever came for her parents. Occasionally, she'd get a phone call, but most people knew they weren't at home.
The bell chimed again.
"Coming!" She called from the stairs.
She opened the door and Nathan was standing there. He looked completely rattled.
"Nathan," she said, worry seeping out in her voice.
"Sorry I didn't call first."
"It's no problem, come in." She opened the door and he came inside. "Do you want something to drink or something?" She knew he wasn't okay, so she didn't want to ask that, but she wanted to do something.
"I'm fine, thanks."
"Okay. Are you ready to study?"
"I guess."
"All my stuff is upstairs, so we can go up there." He nodded and followed her up the stairs. He sat on the bed quietly, stretching his body out, and resting his head against the headboard. 'He looks so sad', she thought. This morning he looked peaceful and now he didn't. She knew moods could change, her's certainly did, but she was still confused. Especially by the fact that it bothered her so much to see him like this. "Nathan," she whispered as she sat facing him, hoping it would make him talk to her. He sat there silently, playing with his fingers, for a long time.
He looked up at her for a moment and he saw how scared she was and something else. There was something else in her eyes, but he couldn't recognize it. Then he looked away, because of what he saw. He knew she was hot, but for the first time he realized just how beautiful she was. Beautiful in a way he had never seen anyone be beautiful before.
"Have you ever wondered why we do it?" he asked looking at his hands again.
"Do what?"
"The parties. The booze. The sex," he replied and turned to her.
"Because it's fun." She lied.
"Is that really it?" He asked, already knowing the answer. She shook her head. "Then why?"
"I know why I do it."
"So do I."
"To forget," they both whispered. Their eyes both wandering around the room, remembering what it was they were always trying to forget, but never seemed to succeed.
"But it doesn't work," he said.
"No. It doesn't. Sometimes I think that there's nothing that will make it stop hurting. That this is just what life dealt us and we have to learn to survive through it."
"But are we really surviving?"
"I don't know, Nathan," she answered honestly, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her. A few minutes past in silence. Both of them thinking about how well the other understood.
"I do know one thing, though."
"What's that?"
He turned to look at her. She saw the pain in his eyes, but there was something else. Something she couldn't make out. "It hurts a little less when I'm with you," he said earnestly.
"I know," she whispered. "Me too."
She crawled into his arms, laying her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and took one of his hands in hers. For the first time in months, they felt their muscles relax and their bodies melting into one another. It fit.
-------
For over an hour they lay there, just soaking up the feeling the other gave them.
"I do still need help with Mr. Rowe's class," he said breaking the silence.
"Oh, yeah," she said almost forgetting the reason he had come there in the first place. "What don't you get?"
"Any of it. I haven't read."
"What?" She questioned sitting up. "You haven't read any of it?"
"No. I tried once, but it was so boring."
"Nathan, you do realize that there's almost fifty different works that we're going to be tested over."
"Are you saying you can't help me?"
"No. It's just going to take a lot more time."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing. But you're going to have to give up your weekend."
"Which means you are too," he added.
"Not like I had any big plans."
"Me either."
"Well, we better get started. I'll get some drinks. You try and figure out which book is your Lit book."
"Very funny," he said throwing a pillow at her as she left the room. She turned giving him playful smile as she picked up the pillow. She threw it back, hitting him smack in the head and ran down the stairs. He followed after her, taking two stairs at a time, he quickly caught her. "Don't mess with me, woman," he said wrapping her in his arms.
She kicked him in the shin. "Crap, that hurt, Brooke," he said rubbing the spot she'd jus kicked.
"Don't call me woman," she scolded.
"You don't like it?"
"About as much as you like getting kicked in the shin."
"Never call Brooke Davis woman. Got it."
"Good. Now, what do you want to drink?"
-------
It was almost midnight when Brooke closed her book.
"I think that's enough for tonight."
"Thank god," Nathan said closing his book as well. "This shit is boring."
"It's not shit and you just don't appreciate it."
"Whatever, I don't like it." He paused, wondering whether or not to ask what had been on his mind for a few hours.
"What?" she asked seeing his face.
"I just was wondering...about your parents. They're not here?"
"No. They left for the week."
"So you're here all by yourself?" She nodded. "Are they gone a lot?"
"Yeah. Business and stuff."
"I wish my mom would go away on business."
"Having mommy at home, not turning out to be all peaches and sunshine?"
"Not in the least. She thinks I'm still a little boy. Just because she wasn't around for it, doesn't mean I didn't grow up."
"I'm sorry."
"So am I. About your parents and all."
"I'm used to it." There was a brief silence.
"I better go. Maybe if I start coming home, she'll leave me alone some."
"I'm sure she just wants what's best for you Nathan."
"I know. I'm just not sure she fits into that picture anymore."
Brooke smiled in understanding. "Well, I'll see you at school."
"Okay."
They hugged and then she watched him walk down the stairs. "Good night, Brooke," he said turning around just as he opened the door.
"Night, Nate."
They both smiled and he left.
------
When Nathan got home, his mother was asleep on the couch. The book she had been reading lay open on the floor. He picked it up and sat in on the table. Then he shook her gently.
"Nathan, you're home," she said sitting up.
"I'm home," he replied simply and started to the stairs.
"Nathan," she called after him. He stopped. "I love you."
"I know, mom."
He collapsed on his bed a few seconds later. His brain ached just as much as his body did tonight. Then, Brooke's face floated into his memory and he smiled. A few moments later, he fell asleep.
------
Brooke fell onto her bed. She could still smell Nathan's scent on her sheets. She could still feel his arms wrapped around her and the calmness they brought. She pulled the blankets down and turned off the lamp. She held her pillow tight and closed her eyes, falling asleep immediately.