Empty Apartment
Fall
Peyton walked along the aisle of the grocery store looking for a bag of potato chips for her. She looked along the rack trying to find her favorite kind. Peyton found her favorite Mesquite Barbeque chips, and as she grabbed them and turned towards the register to pay for them she saw Jake standing there with a black haired woman, who had tan skin, a lot of eye liner on, and a baby resting on her hip. The two of them looked like they were arguing.
Peyton walked past them quickly, and as she stood in line to get checked out she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and saw Jake standing behind her with his hands in his jacket pockets.
"Hey," Peyton said softly and then turned back around.
She heard Jake sigh, "We need to talk babe."
Peyton paid for her chips, and her and Jake walked outside, "We broke up Jake..."
"I know," Jake said, "I just need to explain some things to you."
"What?" Peyton asked, "Are you going to explain to me why you cheated on me?"
Jake looked down at the ground and then back up at Peyton, "You know that girl in there that I was talking to?" Peyton nodded, "She's my daughter's mother..."
"You have a daughter?" Peyton asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," Jake said apprehensively, "Her name's Jenny and the lady that was holding her is Nikki. It was a stupid mistake and now Nikki wants me to take Jenny."
Peyton's jaw dropped, "And you're telling me all of this now?"
Jake nodded, "I thought it was a good time to tell you...Are you going to say anything?"
"What is there to say?" Peyton said, "You kept this from me, and do you honestly expect me to get back together with you just because you have a daughter?"
"I thought we'd be able to work things out," Jake said with a shrug.
Peyton sighed, "This doesn't take back everything you did to me..."
"I know I cheated on you, and it was a dumb thing to do Peyton," he explained, "I was being an ass that night."
Peyton looked away from him, "I'm sorry Jake," she said and then got into her car.
Brooke walked beside Lucas as they walked to the river court, "What exactly is this place?" Brooke asked as they got closer.
"This is the river court," Lucas answered, "Me and my friends play down here all the time."
Brooke looked and saw three guys playing a pick up game, "And I'm guessing these are your friends."
Lucas called the three guys over, "Mouth, Skills, and Junk this is Brooke Davis."
"You've only been to the school for how many days and you're already with the hottest girl," Mouth exclaimed, "Man, you have to tell me your secret!"
Brooke and Lucas laughed, "I'll sit over here," Brooke said as she sat on the bench, and Lucas walked onto the court and shot around.
Mouth sat beside Brooke and smiled, "I'm Mouth."
"Mouth?" Brooke asked, "Some people call me Mouth too..."
Mouth chuckled, "Really?"
Brooke winked at him, "It's because I talk a lot..."
"I'm sure," he said.
The doorbell rang and Nathan walked to it and saw a very attractive middle aged woman standing there. "Hi," she said, "Is Dan Scott there?"
"Um," Nathan said and looked around the room, "He's at work at the dealership right now. Do you want me to tell him who came by?"
The woman smiled, "Yeah, can you tell him Tiffany Myers came by, and that I was just returning his shirt," she said as she handed him Dan's shirt.
"Sure," Nathan said as he took the shirt and then Tiffany left.
Deb walked into the kitchen and saw Nathan standing at the door and then closing it, "Who was that?" Deb asked.
"Tiffany Myers," Nathan said, "She was returning dad's shirt..."
Deb walked over to Nathan and took the shirt out of his hands. She looked at the collar and saw a lipstick stain, "I'm calling your father," she said and dialed the phone quickly.
Nathan listened as his mom yelled at his dad to come home. He sat in his room and realized his family was falling apart.
Dan walked in the front door a couple of hours later. Nathan and Deb were sitting at the kitchen table, "Sit down Dan," she said before he could say anything.
"You're taking this too far," Dan said as he sat down across from Deb.
Deb hid her tears, "I want a divorce."
Nathan's jaw dropped he was about to say something, but instead he shut his mouth.
"Deb," Dan said softly, "Don't ruin this family..."
"You've already done that yourself," Deb said sternly, "I want a divorce, and I want you out of this house."
Dan's face got red, "You can't kick me out I pay for everything!"
Deb looked down at the table, "Leave or so help me god if I don't stab you in your sleep..."
Dan looked at Nathan and then at Deb, "You'll regret this Deb," he said and then barged out of the house.
"I'll be back later," Nathan said quickly as he got up from the table.
Deb sighed, "Nathan...Please stay and talk to me about this."
"About what?" Nathan asked, "I don't need to talk to anybody about this," he said and then left.
Nathan took a walk to find the place that he and Brooke used to go to when they were little, and when Nathan or Brooke's parents were fighting. Nathan walked back into the woods and there was a clearing where their clubhouse was still built. It was pretty sturdy since Dan and Brooke's dad, Jim, built it for them. He and Brooke once slept in it, and it was comfortable.
Nathan looked at how small the clubhouse looked. When he was eleven and twelve the clubhouse was like a castle to him and Brooke. Nathan sat down at the picnic table they had set up and looked out into the open field that was beside them.
He heard someone coming towards him and saw Brooke's auburn hair through the trees. She walked over towards him and once they made eye contact she stopped. "I didn't think you'd remember this place," Brooke said with a small laugh.
"I do," Nathan said, "Surprisingly."
Brooke sighed, "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.
Brooke crossed her arms and looked around, "Well, you have that look on your face, and you and I never came here unless something was wrong..."
"My parents are getting a divorce," Nathan said softly, "It kind of sucks..."
Brooke sat down beside Nathan, "What happened?"
"My dad was having an affair," Nathan said as he clenched his hands together, "In a way I'm glad they're getting a divorce...I hated it when they fought."
Brooke looked down and saw Nathan was hiding his face from her; he was probably crying, "Me too," she said quietly. She didn't want to ruin the moment.
"That's right," Nathan said looking up; his eyes wet and glossy, "You know what they're like..."
"We both know what it's like to have parents that fight all the time," Brooke added, "I don't see why my parents just don't have the balls to get a divorce."
Nathan sighed, "Believe me. It sucked ass when my mom just came out and told him that she wanted a divorce. I will never forget the look on the bastard's face."
"I'm sorry," Brooke said, "About you're parents."
"Yeah," Nathan said, "But maybe this will some how turn out good. I mean if they're not together they can't fight," he pointed out.
Brooke nodded, "Why did you tell me that they got a divorce?"
"Because I think you deserved to know," Nathan said.
"Why?"
Nathan shrugged, "We used to be best friends..."
Brooke sighed, "Yeah we were..."
"I'm going to head home," Nathan said, "Thanks for...you know..."
Brooke smiled weakly, "Yeah...I know."
Nathan nodded and walked away towards his house. Brooke looked down at where he was sitting and saw a picture of him and his mom and dad. The picture was torn down the middle...
Peyton and Lucas walked down the hall together as they talked about all their favorite music, "I can't believe you like Something Corporate," Peyton exclaimed.
"They rock," Lucas said, "I thought you'd think I was weird if I liked them."
Peyton shook her head, "I'm not into that rap shit."
"Me neither," Lucas said with a light chuckle, "You know they're coming to North Carolina near Tree Hill soon...Do you want to go their concert?"
"Do you have tickets?" Peyton asked.
Lucas smiled, "I just happen to have two..."
Peyton jumped up and down, "I have been dying to see them live!"
"Now's your chance," Lucas said, "They're coming tomorrow night, when should I pick you up?"
"Whenever," Peyton said, "Is this a date...Should I bring breath mints and gum for our goodnight kiss?" She teased.
Lucas laughed, "You might not get one..." He joked.
Peyton scoffed, "That's mean," she said as she laughed.
"I'll see you later Peyton Sawyer," he said as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and walked the other direction.
Peyton felt her cheek and smiled. She saw Brooke coming towards her and Peyton literally ran to her, "Oh my god Brooke!"
Brooke laughed, "What happened?"
"Lucas and I are going on a date," she squealed.
"Congrats!" Brooke said.
"I've never felt this way for a guy before," Peyton said and then skipped to her homeroom.
Brooke looked down at the ground, "Yeah, neither have I," she said softly and then walked slowly down the hall.
Read and Review
So I fall
I don't wanna feel this small
You know I just can't handle this
handle this at all
And I'll just fall
I'll let my heartbeat drop
I falter as the music stops
And you watch me as stall
And wonder when I fall