Chapter Three

"Bleeding Heart"

"Send it home, in a paper bag. Say things change. Maybe it's me. You can't fix me up. You can't fix me up. This bleeding heart. This bleeding heart. Found broke. My innocence. My Innocence. The bleeding heart. Lay me down. It grows cold." Brooke turned up the CD Peyton left in her CD player. Maybe Peyton's music wasn't so bad after all.

Brooke just dropped Peyton off after their night at Nathan's. She was on her way to Karen's. She knew when she got there it was going to be hell. Brooke hadn't so much as called Karen to let her know she wouldn't be home that night.

When she opened the door she saw Andy washing dishes in the sink. "Hi." She smiled at him.

"Brooke," he nodded.

"Is Karen home?" she whispered. He smiled and pointed to the living room. "Great, am I in trouble?"

Andy shrugged. "I think so."

"Thanks," She muttered going toward the living room. She found Karen sitting on the couch waiting for her. "I'm sorry." She said before Karen could say anything.

"Brooke."

"Seriously Karen, I'm sorry. I know I should have called."

"You should have come home."

"I know."

"Brooke, we were doing well before you left for California. I thought we had an understanding."

"We do." She promised. "I'm really sorry. I guess I was just upset about what happened yesterday. I spent the night at Nathan's with Peyton." She said honestly. "I know that I should have come home."

Karen nodded. "Okay."

"So I'm not in trouble?"

"Not this time." Karen promised. "But if it happens again."

"I know." Brooke smiled. "And Karen thanks." She called.

Karen joined Andy in the kitchen. "Brooke," she yelled. "Lucas is in his bedroom."

Brooke sighed. "Here goes" she said aloud. She knocked on his bedroom door.

"Come in," he called.

Brooke pushed the door open and saw Lucas sitting on the bed. Aubrey was sitting in his computer chair with her feet on the bed. Her long brown hair was covering the tiny little tank top she wore. She matched it to the jean skirt that was way too short for her. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said turning around to walk out.

"Brooke wait," Lucas called. "Come back."

"No thank you." She called passing through the kitchen. "I'll be back later Karen." She called storming out of the house.

Lucas stepped into the kitchen just after she left. "Damn it." He muttered under his breath.

Karen and Andy watched them. "Teenagers." Andy left. Karen kissed him and smiled.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Friday night and nothing to do. Brooke drove around aimlessly. She stopped by Peyton's but Peyton didn't want to go out. She stopped by Theresa's. Then she stopped by Bevin's. Neither of them wanted to go anywhere. "So much for partying for the last weekend of summer." She said to herself.

She drove passed the café and saw Aubrey walking down the street in the same outfit she had seen her in earlier. She pulled onto the side of the road and rolled down the window. "Need a ride?"

Aubrey thought for a second before climbing in the car. "You're not going to kill me or anything right?"

Brooke smiled deviously. "I hadn't thought about it until now."

Aubrey laughed nervously. "Look Brooke," she shifted in her seat so she faced her. "I know that you don't like me because I'm dating Lucas. I just wanted to let you know that I care about him a lot. I didn't know about you when we started dating. I actually didn't know much about you until Karen told me about you yesterday at the café. She wanted to warn me."

"Warn you? That's nice to know." Brooke muttered.

"Warn me that you still had feelings for Lucas." She said.

"Listen Audrey." She stopped the car and looked directly at her.

"Aubrey."

"Whatever. I do not have feeling toward Lucas. Lucas was the one who told me he loved me before I left." She lied. Of course she had feelings for Lucas. "I am upset that he didn't tell me about you."

"Okay." Aubrey accepted. She wasn't sure what to think. She was new to Tree Hill and didn't want Brooke hating her. "I'm sorry Brooke." She said climbing out of the car. "Thanks for the ride."

Brooke squealed her tires away from Aubrey and drove to Nathan's house.

"Are you going to make a habit out of this?" Nathan asked opening the door for her.

"No." Brooke remarked. "I just didn't know where else to go. Peyton's drawing, Bevin and Theresa suck, Lucas is, well who cares where Lucas is, and I just had a nice run in with Aubrey."

Nathan nodded. "Thanks for sharing all that with me."

"God Nathan don't be such a jackass. I know it runs in your family, but come on."

"Hey." He grabbed his chest pretending to be hurt. "What do you want me to do about it Brooke?"

"I don't know,"

"You want a beer?"

Brooke declined. "Got in a bit of trouble with Karen last night for not coming home."

Nathan laughed. "That sucks. Why don't you try the whole emancipation thing, it works out pretty nicely."

"Because unlike you Scott, I don't get money from my mommy anymore."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Don't talk about my mom."

"What's up with that anyway? Do you see her? How long is she put away for?"

"I think we should change the subject." He begged. He pulled a pizza out of the over. "Hungry?"

Brooke shook her head no. "I should go I guess. I could go back to Karen's and watch a movie or something."

"You could watch a movie here," he suggested "And you could make it home in time for your Karen curfew."

Brooke thought for a second. Would it be weird watching a movie with her ex boyfriend's brother? They had been friends too, somewhat. Actually when she thought about it, she hadn't been very nice to Nathan. She wished that she could change that. "Okay, let's watch a movie."

"Great." He smiled. "Best of Blowjobs two or Hot Lesbian Schoolgirls?"

Brooke looked at him disgusted. "You're kidding right?"

He laughed. "Wow for being Brooke Davis, you're way too uptight. How about Happy Gilmore?"

Brooke smiled. "Sure." She sat down on the couch next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad hanging out with Nathan after all.

Nathan looked at Brooke lying on his shoulder and smiled. He laughed. Brooke Davis. Always full of surprises.