This is short because I wanted to end it at a certain point, but I'll try to have the next bit up soon. Thank you for all the reviews of the last chapter, I love you all!
Brooke noticed Peyton's absence in her first period of the day, English. Lucas had the class with her but hadn't seen her that morning either, and when Brooke asked around at lunch neither had any of the others.
"Where's Jake," Haley asked, "He'd probably know."
"Have any of you seen him," Brooke asked, getting a little worried.
"They probably just skipped classes together," Nathan said, "I'm sure we'll see them this afternoon."
Brooke was still worried however. It was unlike Jake to miss school; he sometimes had to miss classes because of Jenny and he didn't like getting behind. Maybe Jenny was sick or something, Brooke thought, but Peyton would probably have called her.
"I'm going to go round to her house," she told Haley, as they were about to enter their Math class.
Haley hesitated, "I'll come too."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." They quickly turned around and left before their teacher came, passing Theresa on her way in and telling her to make up an excuse for them.
Haley dialled Nathan's cell as they got into Brooke's car and told him where they were going, and to pass the message onto Lucas too.
When they pulled up to Peyton's house her car was outside, and they exchanged a look as they walked up the path. Haley lifted a hand to knock but Brooke pushed the door open and went inside, pulling Haley after her.
They went upstairs and down the corridor to Peyton's bedroom, Haley noting that none of the lights were on and that Peyton's normally loud music was not playing.
They went into her room, half expecting to find it empty, but saw immediately that Peyton was indeed inside.
She was sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her chest, crying. Her easel was set up in one corner, a canvas on it and a discarded paintbrush on the ledge. There was the beginnings of a drawing on it but a large black line had been put through it.
Brooke rushed over to her, sitting down next to her and wrapping an arm wound her.
"Peyt?"
Peyton said nothing but continued to cry, and Haley came and sat down too, gently rubbing her back, "What happened?" she asked.
Peyton looked up, and they saw that her eyes were swollen and red, "Jake left," she choked.
"Oh my god," Brooke hugged her friend, wishing she could make all her pain go away. "I'm sorry Pey," she whispered.
Haley couldn't believe it. Peyton had been back on track, she had been past the weeks when they had all worried about her constantly. Jake had come back and had made her smile again, and she had opened up to Brooke, been honest about her struggle with drugs and beaten it. She had finally been herself in the last month, happier than Haley had ever known her. It wasn't fair for her to have that ripped away again.
"Why?" she asked.
"Nicki called," Peyton said, "She found out he was back in Tree Hill, and she called and said she was coming to take Jenny," she paused as more tears rolled down her cheeks, "He had to leave right away. He came to say goodbye this morning."
"Do you know where he went?" Brooke asked.
"No," she shook her head, "He didn't know yet, he said he'd call."
Haley and Brooke exchanged dismayed looks. Haley tried to be optimistic, "He'll come back," she said, "He won't be away forever."
"He can't come back, Nicki will find him as soon as he does."
"You can't think that Pey," Brooke said, even though she might be right, "This will all be cleared up soon, and Nicki will go away, and everything will go back to how it was."
Peyton just shook her head.
They stayed with her for another half an hour. Eventually they persuaded her to come downstairs and have something to eat. They sat and talked, and cheered her up a little. Then Peyton insisted they go back to school, and that she'd be fine for a couple of hours. Brooke didn't want to leave her, but she said she just wanted to be alone for a little bit, so they left, promising they'd come round later.
They met up with Lucas and Nathan when they came back, and told them what had happened. They were both sad to hear the news, not only was Peyton now back where she'd started, but they'd lost one of their best friends again.
When school was over, Brooke met Haley outside, "Hey, I was just going to go round to Peyton's, do you want a ride?"
"Brooke, I'm sorry, I have to go to Karen's, I've got a shift."
"Oh my god, I completely forgot. I've got a shift now too," Haley had taught Brooke all the basics a couple of days ago, and Brooke had worked out a schedule with Karen. She and Haley were both meant to be working that afternoon.
Haley hesitated, "I'm sire Karen would understand…"
"No, I have to do it, I only just started I can't miss it."
They agreed to go round to Peyton's later, and headed off to the café together instead.
Brooke went over to Peyton's after her shift. Haley had gone home briefly to see Nathan and get changed, and would meet her later. She hurried through the door, ignoring the doorbell as she usually did and went up the stairs, eager to see her best friend and make sure she was okay.
She opened the door to Peyton's room and was suddenly thrown back in time, seeing once more the image which still haunted her dreams. Her best friend in the arms of her boyfriend.
She turned and left, hurrying down the stairs, her heart racing.
"Brooke!" Lucas' voice called after her, and as she went out onto the porch he caught her arm, "Brooke she was just upset! I came to see how she was and she was crying, I was just comforting her, nothing happened. I would never…"
Brooke cut him off, "It's okay.," she said, thought her voice was shaking slightly, she shook herself, "It's okay," she repeated, "I'm sorry, I just kind of freaked out… I overreacted."
Lucas looked uncertain, "Are you sure you're okay? Because I promise it was nothing, I would never do that to you."
Brooke nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll call you later," she turned and walked quickly to her car. Lucas stared after her, feeling very uncertain.
Brooke lay on her bead, he mind racing. Her heart was still beating at an unnaturally fast pace, and her insides were churning.
Why had she freaked out like that?
'Because you've been waiting for that to happen,' a small voice in her head taunted her. 'You were expecting it, you knew it wouldn't be perfect forever.'
But Lucas hadn't cheated on her. He'd just been comforting Peyton like he'd said, and she believed him. She believed him when he said he would never do that to her…so why did she immediately jump to the worst conclusion.
She rolled on her side, clutching a pillow to her stomach. She closed her eyes tight, and suddenly there it was, the image of Lucas and Peyton kissing on the web cam. She prayed for it to go away; it was in the past, it was over. But she still wasn't over it.
As she realised what she had to do, tears began rolling down her cheeks, and she clutched the pillow a little tighter.
"Lucas?" she entered his room, and found him reading on his bed, like she had so many times in the last couple of weeks.
"Hey!" he put down the book and stood up, his expression suddenly changing as he saw her face, "What's wrong?"
She was shaking slightly, "Um…we need to talk."
"Brooke, what's going on?" Lucas felt his heart grow cold at her words.
"I've been thinking about some things and there's some stuff that I can't get away from. I rushed into this too soon and…"
"Brooke please don't do this," Lucas interrupted, his eyes begging her to stop, "Please, please don't do this."
She struggled on, choking slightly on her words, "I can't do this right now. I thought I was over everything but I'm not, and when I saw you with Peyton…"
"Brooke, nothing happened! I told you I was just comforting her, she was upset about Jake and…"
"I know! I know, and I believe you, and I want to be able to trust you again with all my heart, but…it was too soon Luke. We rushed into this again and it's not fair for you. It's better this way, I just need some time."
"How can you say this is better?" he said, his heart growing cold, "How can us not being together be better? We can work on our relationship together."
"I just need some time," she repeated, shaking her head, "I'm sorry."
He felt like his insides were being ripped apart; they were so happy. She reached a hand out to him, but he stepped away, and the tears began to fall faster down her cheeks. She shut her eyes, summoning all her strength to not break down entirely. She reached out to him again, and this time her let her take his hand.
"You remember what I told you, before your mom came back from Italy last year? Well I still believe that, it's just…it's not the end yet Luke." She gave him one last sad look, and left.
Lucas watched her go, a tiny fleck of hope in his heart as he remembered her words, 'People who are meant to be together always find their way in the end.'
I hope you don't want to kill me right now! Be reassured by the fact that this will be BL again eventually, and you can look forward to many a tension filled moment and longing look in the near future. I thinkthis will work well for the fic andI didn't want togloss over all of Brooke's insecurities.If you need a happy BL fix, I recommend, in a piece of blatant advertising, my other story 'The Ski Trip', which has just been updated! ;)
PLEASE REVIEW with all your thoughts. Thanks for reading!
