Chapter Six

The house was empty and the silence was wearing on me. At home I was used to the silence. I felt more uncomfortable when there was noise, rather than quiet. I sat on the edge of the queen size bed I slept on every night. I slowly stood up and starred. I starred at the room like I had never starred at it before. I studied the room.

From the doorway it looked perfect. The bed was always made, thanks to the housekeeper Olga, and the hardwoods maple floor was pristine as if they were mopped and waxed on a daily basis. Nothing lay on the floor like the average teenagers room and the closet doors were closed. It didn't even look lived in.

If you looked real close, there were imperfections.

Six inches above the head of the bed was a small crack in the shape of a y. About three feet from that, a discoloration, of sorts, in the paint stood out so much that it took me by surprise that I had not previously noticed. Chips and scratches in the floor proved that people actually did live in the room before I was here.

I sat back down on the end on the bed and put my hands in my lap. I wondered what everyone was doing back home, whether Owen missed me, whether or not my parents missed me, and if my father had even realized that I was gone.

On my dresser sat a card Haley had given me the day before, the day that I almost got suspended. I picked it up and read the contents.

Davis,

Don't worry. Everything will become normal, or as close as possible, soon enough I promise. If it doesn't then I won't make you go to anymore basketball games. :) Call me if you need me.

Haley

I smiled. It felt nice to know that there was someone in this tiny town that actually cared about my well being.

Throwing myself back on the bed, I heard commotion downstairs. I really didn't want to get up and walk down there so I compromised with myself and walked to the intercom on the other side of the room.

Pressing the buzzer, I paged Olga. "Olga, its Davis. Is there someone down there?"

"No, Miss Davis. Is there no one down here." She said, her thick Swedish accent oozing from the words.

I nodded. Content with the situation I laid back down on the bed and dozed off.

Cheerleading practice was entering its third hour and an annoyed Brooke climbed on top of a chair. "I don't think anyone here is really trying VERY HARD!" She said, screeching the last two words. "Now I want to get out of here as much as the next person, but I refuse to look like an idiot like the rest of you come game day. Now if you are going to try then stay, but if you are going to stand around here and look completely lethargic then we are better off without you."

Brooke glared at Peyton. The anger in her eyes was so present that Peyton quickly turned away. She crossed her arms over her chest and slowly turned around. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Brooke standing in front of one of the freshman varsity cheerleaders.

"Why don't you leave her alone Brooke?" Peyton said. About six girls gasped and watched Peyton approach Brooke. Peyton had known Brooke long enough to know that her bark is worse than her bite.

Brooke whipped her head around. Her ponytail almost hitting her in the face. She put her hands on her hip, "Why don't you stop boning my boyfriend and mind your own business."

Peyton cocked her head to the side and ran her fingers through her messy blonde hair. "Just because you and Lucas are in the off phase and are having problems doesn't mean that you have to take it out of the squad."

Throwing her pompoms in the air, Brooke said, "Don't you get it Peyton? If it weren't for you there would be no off phase." Her hands rested back on her hips, "You are the root of all my problems."

The younger squad member's eyes darted back and forth between the two girls, while the older members were used to Peyton and Brooke's occasional argument.

"Why is it my fault if while you were at the mall Lucas found someone he could actually hold a conversation with?"

Brooke and Peyton were now standing less than six inches from one another, "I never thought I had to worry about my best friend..." Brooke said through clinched teeth.

"It's no my fault he would rather talk to me about literature than to you about climbing the popularity chain..."

Laney Collins, a senior cheerleader, took Peyton's arm and pulled her away from Brooke. "Come on Peyton, leave it alone."

Peyton pulled her arm away from Laney. "Fine." Peyton walked over to the bleachers and picked up her bag. "Have fun and good luck finding a replacement, Brooke."

Brooke's arms were crossed over her chest so tightly that she could hardly breathe. The fact that her best friend had basically called her an egotistical idiot didn't help matters much.

She looked around the gym. Everyone was staring at her. "What!" She screamed. "Like you have never seen Peyton and I fight?" She chewed on her bottom lip. "Everyone get your pompoms."

No one moved.

"I am the damn Captain and I said get your pompoms!"

Quickly, everyone ran to their bags and pulled out the pompoms.

"Teresa," Brooke said. "Start 'Yes We're Back' and no claps. Backhand spring on the first three and back tucks on the rest."

Teresa nodded and the squad started to cheer.

"Yes. We're back and better than before. The ravens are here to rock the floor. So c'mon crowd..."

Brooke could hear the chants continue as she walked out of the gym. When she finally reached the bathroom she broke down. She slid down the wall, curled up into a ball, and did what she had needed to do for so long. Cry.

She didn't know how long she had been there when she heard the bathroom door open.

"Hello?" A voice said. It was familiar but Brooke couldn't distinguish it.

"Down here." Brooke said, sniffling.

"Brooke? Is that you? Why are you in the guy's locker room?"

She didn't even feel like being embarrassed. "Down here." She answered again.

The voice stood over her. It was someone she hadn't expected to see but anyone was better than Lucas or Peyton.

Brooke looked up and Jake looked down at her, confused.

Music played from the bathroom and water accompanied it. "You do not know how much this hurts me. To say these things that I don't want to say. But have to say them anyway..." Maroon Five was being sung from the bathroom.

He walked a little closer. The mirror was fogged and he could see the outline of a body through the clear shower curtain.

Davis wasn't paying attention. She filled her hand with shampoo and scrubbed it into her hair. The hot water running down her back felt so good. She let the water rinse her hair and slowly turned around.

Someone was standing in the bathroom. Watching her... shower.

She peaked her head out through the shower curtain. "Nathan!" Davis quickly turned off the water and yelled, "Get out!"

Stepping out of the bathroom, she almost slid on a puddle of water. She threw her robe on and wrapped her soaking hair in a towel.

Nathan sat in her room, on the edge of her bed, reading Haley's note. "What happened?" He asked her, holding the note in the air.

Snatching it out of his hand, she said with narrowed eyes, "None of your business."

He shrugged his shoulders and lay back on her bed.

She took the towel off of her head and shook it so the water from her hair went all over the room. She looked at Nathan, "Are all Tree Hill Raven's assholes," She combed her hair and turned toward the mirror, "or are you a rarity?"

"Depends who you ask." Nathan said as her adjusted a pillow under his head.

Davis walked toward him and pulled the pillow out from under his head, "Well I am asking you."

He sat up, "Well I am pleading the fifth." He winked at her and Davis rolled her eyes.

Nathan got off the bed and walked toward her dresser. He picked up her sunglasses and put them on, thinking that through her sunglasses Nathan could see Tree Hill the way Davis did. No luck. It still looked like the lackluster, bore-town he had grown up with.

Davis walked into her closet and said, "I feel like I should read you your rights."

He followed her into the closet, "Please do."

She whipped her head around and her hair hit him in the face. "Sorry," She genuinely said.

Nathan leaned in closer to her, "Your eyes... their..."

Davis turned around quickly. "Don't tell okay."

"Turn around." Nathan said with his hand on the small of her back. The terry cloth of the robe felt good on his hands.

Slowly, Davis turned back around. Her eyes were closed tightly.

"No," He said, "Open them."

Davis opened her eyes.

"Jesus, Davis. Those are beautiful."

"Please, don't make a big deal about it."

"Why would I?"

"Why wouldn't you?" She asked him.

"Ah Davis Griffin, this reverse psychology is not going to work on me." He said as he put his hands on her hips.

"I was being serious."

"So was I." He whispered into her ear.

When he pulled away he saw that she was smiling. She walked back into the room and Nathan sat down on the bed. "So do you even need those contacts? Like to see?"

"Nathan, I told you. Don't make a big deal about it."

"I'm not. I'm just curious." He put his hands on his knees. "Lemme see one more time then I sware, boy scouts honor, I won't say anything else."

Davis moved toward him.

He put his hands on her face.

"Gorgeous."

"Okay, Nathan, nothing else about the eyes."

"No," He said with his hands still on her face, "I was talking about you."

Before Davis knew it, her lips were touching Nathan's. His soft lips opened and his tongue slid into her mouth. He pushed her back onto the bed and ran his hand over her collarbone. Her skin was so soft there. His hand slowly moved down and Davis pulled away.

"No, Nathan, I can't do this."

"What's wrong?"

"What isn't wrong Nathan? You love Haley. She is the only friend I have here. I can't do this to her." Davis sat up and looked down at Nathan, "I'm sorry." She put her head into her hands, "I think you should go."

She couldn't even look up to see what Nathan would do, but when she finally looked up the first thing she saw, was the note from Haley. She could only see one part. The part that said, "Everything will be normal, or as close as possible."

Davis lay back on the bed, looked up at the ceiling and said, "If this is normal, then I am screwed."

Author Note: Tell me what you think! I totally love reviews and the more I get the faster the ideas start to flow!