And He's Just Paper
Walking Away, That's My Trademark
Taylor woke up to the sound of Brooke rummaging through her drawers and softly singing to herself. Taylor looked at Brooke's alarm clock and saw that it was 5:30 AM. Taylor groaned to herself and threw the sheets over her head.
Brooke looked at her and jumped on the bed, "We have to get ready for school hunny!" Brooke cooed.
"I'm not going to school," Taylor said from under the covers.
"You have to go to school," Brooke said as she tugged the covers off of Taylor, "You have friends to see and a boyfriend to see…"
Taylor played with her pajama bottom's string, "You got one out of two right," she said.
"What?" Brooke asked and then sat down beside Taylor.
"Nathan and I aren't together anymore," Taylor said softly as she fought back the tears.
Brooke looked at her in confusion, "Wait? You broke up with him?"
Taylor nodded, "Yesterday…When my sister came over, he came over and I told him we needed a break…"
"Taylor!" Brooke said and then put her hand on her best friend's knee, "I thought that Haley thing was over with?"
"I couldn't do it anymore…" Taylor said sadly, "He's in love with that girl; I mean…She was his wife and everything."
Brooke sighed, "I know, hun but…"
"I've got to get ready," Taylor said; cutting Brooke off. Taylor walked into Brooke's bathroom and slammed the door shut.
Brooke and Taylor walked into school together; Taylor looked down at the ground, and Brooke put her arm around her, "You can at least try not to look so glum," Brooke said as she hip checked Taylor playfully, "You're on the market now babe," she said; trying to make light of the situation, "Flaunt it!"
Taylor smiled weakly and looked up at Brooke, "You know that I would die without you right?"
"I know," Brooke said cockily and then looped her arm through Taylor's, "Let's go," she said as the two girls walked into the school together.
Lucas walked into the weight room and saw Nathan in there. Lucas stood in the doorway until Nathan was finished. Nathan looked up and stopped lifting; he sat up, "What's up?"
"Nothing," Lucas said as he closed the weight room door, "I heard about you and Taylor…"
Nathan looked down at the ground and then back up at Lucas, "Shit happens, right?"
"Nate," Lucas said, "Taylor loves you a lot…"
"She thinks I'm in love with Haley still," Nathan said, "What kind of bull shit is that?"
"Are you?" Lucas asked apprehensively.
Nathan sighed and shrugged, "I don't think so, man…"
"You can't be like that," Lucas explained, "You either love Haley like a friend…Or something more," he said.
Nathan stood up and got some water, "Haley and I are just friends…I don't see what the big deal is about us keeping in touch?"
"Same reason you wouldn't want Taylor to keep in touch with Chris," Lucas said, and Nathan looked at him, "Because there's always that chance that something…Some kind of feeling will surface…And with you and Hales it looks like it already has…"
Nathan wiped his mouth and dropped the cup, "She was my wife, Luke…"
"And you got a divorce," Lucas added, "You have Taylor…"
Nathan cut him off, "Had Taylor…"
"You have Taylor," Lucas stated, "Just…Just don't make a mistake Nathan," he said and then left the weight room.
An hour or so later Nathan walked out of the weigh room. Nathan walked out of the school and towards his car; he saw Taylor walking out of the school. She looked over to him and then put her head down quickly. Nathan caught up with her, "Hey," Nathan said as he stood in front of her.
"Hey," Taylor said and then stood there in an awkward silence.
Nathan sighed, "I've seen you in the halls," he began, "You look happy…"
"I'm not," Taylor said and then looked down at the ground.
"I want you to be happy," Nathan said in almost a whisper.
Taylor bit her bottom lip and looked up at Nathan, "I just want…I want to be able to trust you…I don't want to come close to losing you again," she said.
"There was never any doubt in my mind that I loved Haley," Nathan began.
Taylor started to walk away, "I don't want to hear this," she said as her eyes welled up with tears.
Nathan grabbed her arm softly, "Just wait," he said, and Taylor stopped walking away, "I did love Haley, that's why I married her. When she cheated on me I never thought that I would love anyone the way I loved her…But then you came along, and I ended up loving you more that I ever loved her," he said sincerely, "When you said to me a couple days ago that the difference between our relationship and my old relationship with Haley was the fact that I loved her back…I do love you back, I've always loved you."
Taylor cried softly to herself and wiped the tears away, "Then why do you still need to talk to her?" Taylor asked as her voice cracked.
"I can't erase her from my life," Nathan said, "We made a promise…"
"I know," Taylor said, "I know you made a promise about being friends…How do I know that it's not going to be something more?" She asked, "You could easily just board a plane one morning and never come back…"
"I would never do that," Nathan said as he cupped Taylor's face in his hands.
"How am I going to be sure?" Taylor whispered as the tears fell harder.
Nathan kissed Taylor passionately; they pulled back from the kiss and Nathan held Taylor in his arms, "You just have to trust me," he said in her ear, "And love me…"
Peyton walked down to the river court and saw Lucas shooting around. Peyton wrapped her coat tightly around her and walked down to the court, "You're pretty good," she said.
Lucas turned around and smiled, "Don't tell me you're a basketball player, too?" He asked with a laugh.
"Hell no!" Peyton exclaimed, "Sports were never my thing in high school…I was more of the artsy girl…You know, always had a guitar or a paint brush in my hand," she said with a small laugh, and then looked around at the simplicity of the little court, "Wow, it's really nice down here."
"Yeah," Lucas said as he looked around, "I come down here to think…"
"I wish I would've had a place like this in LA," Peyton said as she sat down on the bleachers.
Lucas sat down beside her, "Why'd you have to come see Taylor?"
"My boyfriend and I broke up," Peyton said, "He was kind of a jerk and kicked me out of our apartment…"
Lucas gave her a sympathetic look, "That sucks, I'm sorry…"
"He was an ass," Peyton said brushing it off, "He got me into some things I shouldn't have been getting myself into," she said and then looked at Lucas, "That's why Taylor despises me so much. I was never a sister to her."
Lucas put a friendly hand on Peyton's shoulder, "At least you can admit your mistakes and you're trying to change," he said with a small grin.
"You're a really great guy," Peyton said as the two of them shared a smile.
Taylor and Nathan walked into Brooke's house hand in hand. Brooke walked downstairs and winked at the two of them, "I see hand holding," she cooed, "That's a good sign!"
Nathan and Taylor both looked at each other smiled, "Let's just get to the party," Taylor said as she stuck her tongue out at Brooke.
Brooke, Nathan, and Taylor walked into Tim's house and Brooke grabbed herself a drink, "I'm going to split," she said to the two of them, and then winked at Taylor, "Have a nice time!" She said and then walked away from them.
Nathan smiled down at Taylor and leaned close to her ear, "Let's go in the backyard," he said, and then led Taylor outside.
As they were walking towards the back door Taylor saw Peyton flirting with Lucas; badly. "Hold on, I'll meet you back there," Taylor said to Nathan. Nathan nodded and made his way outside.
Taylor pulled Peyton away and squeezed her arm tightly, "He has a girlfriend," she said in a hushed voice.
"I'm not doing anything wrong," Peyton said as she pulled her arm away from her sister.
"If you mess with any of these people I will make sure your pathetic ass is back in LA…" Taylor warned and then walked away.
Peyton rolled her eyes and made her way back towards Lucas, "I don't feel so good," she faked, "Do you think…?"
"Sure," Lucas said as he grabbed Peyton's hand, "I'll take you home…"
Peyton smiled mischievously behind his back, "Thanks…"
Brooke watched Lucas and the blonde leave together; Brooke stood there and felt her eyes beginning to burn. Brooke took a drink and walked upstairs and cried.
Chris walked into the party and looked around; he walked towards the backyard and saw Nathan and Taylor looking up at the stars together. Chris laughed gruffly causing the both of them to look up.
Taylor looked at him in shock; while Nathan glared at him, "Chris?" Taylor asked, "What are you doing?"
"I need to talk to you Tay," Chris began, "Alone."
Taylor looked at Nathan and then back at Chris, "I can't right now…"
"Then tomorrow," Chris said, "I'll be at my studio," he said simply and then left.
Peyton walked into Lucas's bedroom and looked at his CD collection, "This is wicked," she said and then turned around to face Lucas.
"Yeah," Lucas said as he looked around the room uncomfortably.
Peyton took off her coat and licked her lips seductively, "Can I stay here for the night?" She asked.
"I have a girlfriend, Peyton…" Lucas said.
Peyton walked closer towards Lucas and put her arms around his neck, "Then stop me…" She whispered and then kissed him. Lucas kissed her back and rested his hands on Peyton's back.
Lucas pulled back, "You need to leave…"
"What?" Peyton yelled.
"You need to leave…Just go!" Lucas said; avoiding eye contact with Peyton.
Peyton got her coat and stormed out of the room. Lucas wiped his lips and looked at the picture of him and Brooke staring at him.
Nathan walked into Scott Motor's and started cleaning up a car he had just finished off a week or so ago. He looked up and saw a blonde girl coming towards him.
"You're the famous Nathan Scott?" She said.
Nathan rolled his eyes, "Let me guess," He said, "You're Taylor's sister?"
"Good job," Peyton said with a smile, "Hot and smart."
Nathan scoffed, "Your shit won't work with me," he muttered.
"Chris is back?" Peyton asked, even though she already knew that he was.
Nathan gritted his teeth, "Yeah…" Peyton looked at him intently and Nathan groaned, "What?" He said in annoyance.
"You know," Peyton said as she leaned against the door frame, "I've never heard of two people so in love…"
Nathan looked at her in confusion, "Chris and Taylor?"
"You and Haley," Peyton said with a small a laugh, "Haley's talked wonders about you…"
Nathan sighed, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Peyton said and then lit a cigarette, "It was nice meeting you," she said and walked away.
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On The Next One Tree Hill
(Chris's Studio)
Chris: Haley wants to come back…
Taylor: What do I have to with this?
Chris: She wants to come back for good.
(Taylor's Old Apartment)
Taylor: (Throwing Peyton's clothes in her bag)
Peyton: (Walking into the apartment) Excuse me?
Taylor: (Frustrated) Pack your shit! You're going back to LA…
(Brooke's House)
Brooke: (Angry) You left with her!
Lucas: Nothing happened!
(River Court)
Peyton: I didn't mean to kiss you.
Lucas: I can't talk to you right now.
Peyton: Lucas please!
(Nathan and Taylor's Apartment)
(Knock on the door)
Nathan: (Answers the door) Hales… (Hugs Haley)
Haley: Hey sweetie…
Taylor: (Watches from the background)
(Brooke's House: Nathan and Taylor)
Taylor: (Angry) We have nothing to talk about!
Nathan: I love you!
Taylor: (Crying) Bull shit! Everything you've ever told me is shit, complete and utter shit!
Nathan: (Softly) No it wasn't…
