Chapter 20: Blurred in the Heart
"Hey, how are you doing?" asked Haley with concern when she found her friend in the kitchen early the next morning.
Brooke just gave a sly smile, "I can't say I'm good, but I have to say, I don't feel so bad either."
Haley smiled, "Well, that's good to know. I was starting to wonder if we need to get tubs and tubs of chocolate chip ice cream."
Brooke just laughed, "Well...I could sure use some."
"Yeah, me too," remarked Peyton as she joined the girls in the kitchen.
"I guess I could use some too. I'll go grab some later," Haley said as poured her self a glass of orange juice.
Peyton settled into the kitchen table and turned to Brooke, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to wait up for you last night. I just felt so exhausted."
Brooke nodded, "Worrying can really work you up, huh?"
Peyton just laughed, "Yeah, I guess so."
There was a brief moment of silence in the kitchen. Finally, Haley spoke up, "Hey, are you guys watching the game tonight?"
Peyton let out a heavy sigh, "I don't think so. I'm meeting up with Sean tonight."
"What about Luke?" asked Haley with curiosity. As far as she knows, Peyton and Lucas were doing pretty well together. She knew Lucas called Peyton yesterday just to see how she's doing. "Did I misread something here?" she asked in her mind as she tried to read the expression on Peyton's face.
Peyton just gave a sly smile as she shrugged, "I don't know...I think I'll just go with Sean tonight."
"What about you, friend? Got plans tonight?" asked Brooke as she turned to Haley.
Haley just shrugged, "I don't know if I should go to that game either."
Brooke just let out a sigh, "Tell you two honestly, I've got nowhere to go tonight."
Peyton turned to her with a curious expression on her face, "What do you mean? Don't you have plans with Ethan tonight?"
Brooke shook her head as she smiled slyly, "Nah...I'm a free woman again...I guess I'll just be sipping some cocktails and doing some damage."
"Oh Brooke, I'm so sorry. I thought you and Ethan were able to patch things up," remarked Haley with a sympathetic smile.
Brooke just warmly smiled at her friend, "Let's just say that the hole we dug in our relationship was...too deep that we 't get out of it. I don't know...I just told him he ought to spend more time with his family."
Peyton put an arm around Brooke's shoulder, "You can hang out with me and Sean tonight."
Brooke just laughed as she turned to Peyton, "Are you kidding? I'm not your baby-sitter Peyton Sawyer. I'm not tagging along your date!"
"And if Sean had a cute friend?" asked Haley teasingly.
"Then I'm not interested...for now," Brooke answered defensively as she poured herself a glass orange juice.
Haley and Peyton just laughed. "You won't survive this way, Brooke. I'm telling you!" Peyton remarked jokingly as she and Haley knowingly met each other's eyes.
There was a soft knock on the door. Jake wondered who could be dropping by his place at that time. It was very early in the morning and Jenny was still asleep. Jake thought he could shoot some hoops at the nearby basketball court before he would prepare Jenny's breakfast. Apparently, he would have to forego his morning plans. "This couldn't be Nikki," he thought to himself as he headed to the door.
As he opened the door, he was surprised to see Nikki's brother standing outside. "Hey man, can I come in?" asked Ethan softly as he took off his shades.
Jake nodded, "Sure man, I was just making breakfast. You hungry?"
Ethan smiled as he nodded, "Starving actually."
Jake smiled back, "Great, I make killer omelets!"
As Ethan walked around Jake's apartment, he saw a picture of his niece hanging on the wall, "Jenny up yet?"
"No, I'll wake her up in a little while. I think she needs to stay in bed a little longer since we got home pretty late last night," Jake answered as he headed to the kitchen.
Ethan understood what Jake meant and nodded. As he stepped into the kitchen, he settled by the breakfast nook. There was a moment of silence between the two men as Jake cracked some eggs for the omelet. "So, what you do you want in your omelet...mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, onions?"
Ethan just laughed, "You're the omelet man! Just give me your special!"
Jake just laughed as well, "Alright, you got it!"
Suddenly, Ethan's face went serious, "So...how's Brooke?"
Jake continued to slice tomatoes as he answered, "She was quite miserable last night, man. I thought you guys were able to fix things before we left."
Ethan just let out a sigh, "I guess I screwed things up way too much...she thinks there's not much trust in our relationship."
Jake
turned to him intently, "Well, I hate to be straightforward man
but, is it true?"
Ethan took a deep breath as he turned to Jake
seriously, "I wish I could say no man...but I hate to admit, she's
probably right."
Suddenly, Ethan stood up, leaving Jake puzzled. "Hey man, I hope I didn't..." started Jake as he thought Ethan got offended.
Ethan immediately turned to Jake and gave him a grateful smile, "No man, it's okay. It's not you."
Jake gave him a sly smile, "You going to her?"
Ethan laughed as he shook his head, "If I get the nerve to, I just might."
He left Jake's apartment and went straight to his car. Turning the key into ignition, he took a deep breath and drove off...
Lucas was just casually walking down the hallway. He needed a clear head. He had a very important game that night and he has to keep his focus. Nevertheless, there was one person he could not take off his mind. In fact, he found himself looking for her. "Where could she be?" Lucas wondered as he continued to walk around.
Peyton was walking towards her classroom. All morning, one guy was on her mind. She just couldn't stop thinking about him. Her heart was also breaking for what she was about to do to him. She knew where she wanted to be that night...but she was also scared about following her heart. This kept her filled with anxiety from the moment she woke up. Suddenly, she saw a familiar face with a dirty blond hair whose sight of makes her melt. She found herself staring at him as he noticed her too. "What to do now?" she asked herself as she bit her lip and continued to walk towards him.
Lucas' face visibly brightened up as he saw the girl that has always taken his breath away. He hurriedly approached her as she did him. "Hey!" he greeted with a warm smile.
Peyton smiled back, "Hey...so...thanks for calling me yesterday."
Lucas just nodded, "I just had to know if you were alright. I mean, Nikki's got a reputation to leave people...pretty shaken."
Peyton nodded as she laughed, "I bet we all know that now."
Lucas nodded back, "So I was wondering if you're still watching our game tonight. It would really mean a lot us...you know, Jake, Nate...me."
Peyton's heart was melting at this point. With an apologetic smile, she took a deep breath, "Actually Luke...I can't coz..."
"Hey you two!" greeted Sean as he came up to Peyton and Lucas, interrupting Peyton in the process.
Peyton turned to look at Sean, "Um...hey Sean!"
Lucas forced a smile at Sean, "Hey man!"
Sean immediately faced Peyton intently, "So, are we on for tonight?"
Peyton didn't feel good about having Lucas standing there. Nevertheless, she was forced to answer Sean, "Um...yeah, sure. I'll see you at the THE CRIB tonight."
Sean smiled, "Great, see 'ya." Turning to Lucas, Sean gave him a smile too, "Hey good luck on that big game tonight man!" With this, Sean left Lucas and Peyton.
Peyton turned uneasily at Lucas, "I'm sorry...."
Lucas just gave her a sly smile, he obviously looked disappointed, "That's alright, you go have your date. I'll see you around." With that, he went on his way, leaving Peyton looking on.
"She must be out by now," Ethan thought as he drove up the girls' two-storey apartment. Nevertheless, he stepped out of the car and stood outside for awhile.
He suddenly walked towards the front door and left something. A sad smile appeared on his face as he turned to leave. "I love you, I hope you know," he muttered as he took one long look to where Brooke stays and drove off in his car...
Haley hurriedly walked to class. Five more minutes and she's 'gonna be late. She really didn't want to get into trouble especially if a grouchy professor were involved. As she approached her classroom, she was surprised to find a familiar tall figure standing by the door. There was Nathan, tossing a basketball up and down as he leaned by the wall, looking quite anxious. "Nathan? What are you doing here?" asked Haley as she came up to him.
At first, Nathan was startled. It didn't take long, however, before he regained himself and smiled at Haley. "Um...hey Hales, I just wanted to remind you about our game tonight....you watching?" he asked nervously while hoping that she'd say yes.
Haley suddenly took a deep breath and looked intently at Nathan, "Do you think things will change between us if I do?"
Nathan let out heavy sigh as he looked at her with a sad expression on his face, "I guess this is how we're always going to be, huh? Haley, don't you ever 'wanna give me another chance? I don't know how you grew up exactly...maybe you never made a mistake your whole life...so, you just think that there's no such thing as a second chance. Still, here I am...begging you for one...tell me, don't you love me anymore?"
Haley looked at him with a sudden hurt expression on her face, "Tell me Nathan, don't you love basketball more?" With that, she left him standing outside the classroom.
Brooke was just strolling around the hallway when she heard someone calling her. "Hey Brooke," Jake called out as he tried to catch up with her.
Brooke turned around and stopped when she saw that it was Jake. She maybe feeling pretty miserable but nevertheless, she gave Jake a warm smile, "Hey dad of the year! What's up?"
Jake just laughed at the comment, "Well, I was hoping you'd watch the game tonight...see, Jenny doesn't have anyone to hang out with while I play so..."
"Yes Jake, I would love to play with your adorable little girl. You're lucky Jenny's cute. Otherwise, I would have easily refused and booked myself to a 3-hour spa treatment. My miserable self could really use it right now, you know?" Brooke said as she smiled at him in a playfully haughty way.
Jake just laughed, "Well...looks like you're 'gonna have to settle for a 4-year old kid and a very interesting basketball game tonight to take you out of your misery."
Brooke just laughed, "Not really...I also got you!" Without warning, Brooke suddenly leaned over and gave Jake a long, passionate kiss.
As Brooke pulled away and giggled, Jake was just left in shock. "So...I...I guess...we'll stop by your place later and we'll go to the game...together," said Jake as he found himself stammering on his words.
Brooke smiled sweetly as she nodded, "Yeah...later." With that, she walked off, leaving Jake stunned.
