so sorry for the big delay. I feel so bad for not updating for a month, I would love to say I'll make it up to you by updating sooner for the next one, but I'm not sure it'll be possible, but I'll try my best. Anyway thank you to everyone who reviewed, it's always appreciate!
now the chapter, and please leave me a review!
The torments of life
Chapter 10
Lucas sat alone in the living room, reading. He heard the knob turned and is mother calling for him.
"Lucas, you're home?"
"in the living room."
He put his book aside, knowing his mother wanted to talk.
"Long day, huh? He said when his mother got in the room."
"Yeah. Deb is pretty distraught. I feel so bad for her."
"It must be hard for her at the moment."
"Yeah, to top it all, she's really worried about Nathan."
"She has reasons to. I'm worried about him to. The way he's been dealing with Dan's death, its not right. For him it's like nothing happened. He rather forgiving it ever happened and just move on."
"That's not healthy."
"No, it's not. Sooner or later it'll get bet back to him."
"It will, like tomorrow for example."
"What's tomorrow?"
"That's the thing I wanted to tell you when I came in."
"What is it?"
"You've been invited to the testimony lecture."
"You've got to be kidding me! Why would I be invited?"
"I've wondered about that to. Anyway, Keith will pick you up at one o'clock, at the cafe."
"ok."
"Lucas, we have something else to talk about. A topic we've been avoiding since you're back."
"What "topic"?" asked Lucas fully knowing what she was referring to: him staying or not. It's like everyone wanted to know.
"You, staying for good or not."
exactly, what I thought! he thought to himself.
"Oh...that one."
"Yeah, that one."
"I don't know what I will do. All I know is that I'm staying for a while. Further than that, it all depends on how things will turn out, but I'm tempted to stay for good. In the two months, I've spent in Charleston, I've really missed Tree Hill and my friends and...my mom."
"I've missed you to, Lucas." Karen put her arms around her son and holded him tight. She was glad he was back even if it wasn't for a long while. She had really missed him during those two months and just talking to him on the phone wasn't enough.
The next morning, Brooke was driving down to Karen's Cafe, where she was supposed to meet Peyton. She parked her car in front of the coffee shop. She pushed the door of the Cafe and got in.
When Haley heard the bell of the door ting, she looked up from what she was doing and saw Brooke coming in.
"Can I help you, Brooke?"
"Yeah, I'm supposed to meet Peyton here. She's not there yet, I suppose?"
"no, she's not."
"Ok then, I'll take a coffee."
"It'll come right away."
Brooke walked to a table close to the window and sat there. Meanwhile, Haley was preparing her coffee, when Lucas came in.
"Hey Hales! How you doing?"
"Hey Luke! I'm fine, you?"
"Could be better."
"Why?" because of the lecture?"
"Kinda, yeah"
"I see."
"How's Nathan?"
"Great actually, which is scary."
"Yeah. Where is he right now?" ask Lucas, somewhat worried about his little brother.
"At work."
"Will he go to the reading?"
"Yeah. Keith will pick him up and then they're supposed to come for you. It's weird that you have to go to this thing!"
"Tell me about it!"
"Wait a sec, would you? I have to serve this to Brooke."
"Brooke is here?"
"Yup, you didn't saw her car when you come in?"
"I guess not, I was pretty hung up in my thoughts."
"you're always caught in you toughts!" comment Haley with a small smile.
"Yeah…just give me the cup, I'll bring it to her. I have to talk to her, anyway."
"Ok."
She gave him the cup and he started to make his way to Brooke's table.
"Miss is served" he said, while giving her the cup.
"Lucas..." said Brooke, surprised he was there, but really she shouldn't have been, she remind herself, because after all, his mother was owning the Café.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, just to start the conversation.
"Waiting for Peyton."
"Peyton is coming?"
"Yeah…you know, don't take it the wrong way if she's acting pissed with you, she's just not ready..."
"it's ok, Brooke, we settled the problem."
"Really? When?"
"Well yesterday night, I went to talk to her to put things straight in between us and we agreed on being friend,"
"She didn't tell me this, this morning on the phone."
"She probably would have, maybe she wanted to tell you in person."
"you might be right. So...You can sit a little before Peyton arrives."
"ok"
"so what are you planning to do, today?" asked Brooke to fill the conversation.
"nothing much, I have to go to the testimony reading."
"Oh... don't you feel weird about it?"
"Yeah, because let's be honest, Dan never acknowledge me and he includes me in his testimony, it just doesn't make sense. Anyway, I'll see what it's all about this afternoon. So what are you going to do with Peyton?"
"Girl stuff, talk about boys, shopping, you know, the usual girl stuff."
"I see. So...I've heard that you and Mouth spent a lot of time together this summer."
"where did you heard that?"
"I just did."
"You're not jealous, are you? Because that would be weird seeing you…"
"What? No...I just thought it was a great thing if you were friends. Mouth is a nice guy."
"I know that. He's a really good friend. He's honest, funny, he doesn't think of me as a slut like most of guys. I like to talk to him and hang out with him."
"That's great. He likes you a lot, you know?"
"Yeah, like a friend like his friend." Stated Brooke.
"...well, yeah."
"He's there something you wanna tell me? I feels like you know something I don't about Mouth."
Lucas saw Peyton making her way to the Cafe.
"Peyton's there" says Lucas just when she opened the door, he didn't want Brooke to learn Mouth liked her in a more than friend way, by him.
When she got in, Peyton saw Brooke and Lucas together. She felt something in the pit of her stomach, something she used to felt when the two were together. This something was jealousy. Peyton get a hold of yourself, they're friends the same way you and him are. So...Don't be jealous, she thought to herself. Peyton smiled to them and walked over to the table.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey Peyton" they both said.
She sat the same side as Brooke and they said nothing for a couple of seconds, until Lucas got up.
"I'll let you girls do your girl stuff. Me, I'm gonna go see Haley. Have a nice day."
Peyton got up right after Lucas left and sat in front of Brooke.
"What were you guys talking about?" Asked Peyton really curious.
"Something weird." Said Brook, giving a slight glance towards the counter where Lucas was with Haley.
"How weird?"
"I don't know. We talk about Mouth and how he's now my friend and I felt like Lucas knew something I didn't. At first I thought it was a kind of jealousy, but then he told me it wasn't that. I don't understand."
"Brooke, you're blind!"
"I'm not blind, I see pretty clearly, ok?"
"Nope. What Lucas knows is what everyone can see, of course he wasn't witness of that, but Mouth probably told him."
"Told him what?"
"You're really are blind. Mouth - likes - you." Said Peyton putting emphasis on each word.
"I know."
"Are you sure you really understand what it's all about? Brooke. He really likes you. He has a crush on you."
"Oh..."said Brooke as it slowly sank in. "But...no you're wrong Peyton. He like me as a friend, that's all."
"Whatever Brooke. We should get going."
"Yeah, and why don't we bring Tu- huh Haley with us?" Said Brooke.
"That's a great idea! Are you warming up to her now?"
"I figured, I had to give her the benefice of the doubt."
"Great!"
Meanwhile Lucas and Haley were talking.
"so what did you have to say to Brooke?"
"I had something to check for Mouth."
"What something?"
"Guy stuff."
"Seriously Lucas, what is it?"
"No, I promise Mouth, I wouldn't say anything."
"If it's what I think, everybody already knows except Brooke."
"Really?"
"You haven't seen them together since you're back, but it's obvious he likes her."
"Oh...well anyway..."
Lucas got cut off by Brooke.
"So Haley, Peyton and me were talking...and we thought you should come with us. We're going shopping and just hang out. Do girl stuff. Wanna come?"
"Well...I have to work." Said Haley, not really knowing why all of a sudden Brooke would like to hang out with her.
"Haley, go. I'll do your job, my mom won't mind" said Lucas.
"But you're mom is not there."
"She only have a class...she'll be back in what? An hour?"
"yeah, but what if her class was running late and you'll have to left the cafe with no one when you'll be going to the reading." Said Haley trying to find an excuse. She thought this invitation was too weird coming from Brooke, she was kind of scare of how it would turn if she did go.
"God, Haley, go! I swear my mom won't say anything and her classes never ran late and even if it did she would come back in time. Ok?"
"Ok." Answered Haley reluctantly.
Haley took her things and left the cafe with the girls.