Chapter Fourteen

"National Anthem"

"Ever get that funny feeling that your future is not going to be bought cheap, and that for sale sign that's hanging on your neck might as well spell defeat, yeah it's already starting to mix with on of my best pieces of fiction." 'Less than Jake' played in Nathan's car as he drove Brooke around Tree Hill looking for apartments.

"Why don't you just get an apartment by me?" he asked suggestively.

Brooke laughed. "Because stupid, unlike you, I can't afford a million dollar apartment. I'm not rich anymore."

Nathan laughed. "Hey, isn't that Karen?" he asked pointing to the brunette walking into the county jail.

Brooke nodded, "Do you think she's going to see your mom?"

Nathan shrugged. "I guess so,"

"Do you ever go see your mom?" she asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to. And I don't want to talk about it," he said with anger in his voice.

"Okay," Brooke accepted. She was determined to find out why Nathan didn't want to see her.

"That one!" Brooke jumped pointing across the street to a small apartment building. "I want to look at that one."

Nathan drove across and parked the car. He opened the door for Brooke and walked at her side as they entered the building. They spoke with a woman at the front desk about pricing before she showed them the apartment available.

Brooke followed close behind the woman as she opened the door. When she looked inside she practically collapsed. The living room was enormous. It was had black leather couches, and a glass coffee table. A small dining area held a wooden four seat kitchen table next to the kitchen. The kitchen floor was hard wood and the cupboards matches. She followed the woman into the bedroom. The bed was king sized and sat high above the floor. There were no sheets. The lady instructed her that linens were not included. A beautiful wood dresser held a twenty inch TV across from the bed. The closet was the best part. It was almost as big as the room. There was a separate door to the bathroom in the closet and in the bedroom. "Wow," Brooke whispered. "So all of the furniture is included?" she asked walking through the closet. "This closet is perfect for me!"

The woman nodded. "The apartment is fully furnished. You need your own linens, shower curtain and dishes. That's about it."

Brooke looked down at the sheet of paper with the price and sighed. It would be tough to come up with that much money every month, but it would defiantly be worth it. "What do I need to get it?" she asked.

"A credit worthy co-signer and a $500 damage deposit."

Brooke smiled. "Okay,"

Nathan drove Brooke back to Lucas' and decided to go inside with her. Karen was sitting at the table drinking coffee with Andy. "Hey," Brooke smiled sitting down and throwing the piece of paper at Karen. "I found it!" she cried. "I found the one I want."

Karen took the piece of paper and shook her head. "I don't think you can afford that Brooke."

"I can Karen, I promise I can. I will work as many hours as possible. I'll even get a second job in the summer!" she cried. "I want it so bad!"

Karen laughed along with Andy. "Okay Brooke, we'll go look at it together tomorrow."

"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" she squealed. She grabbed Nathan and hugged him. "I'm going to grab some things, but then I'll be right back and we can go somewhere," she said to him.

Nathan nodded. He watched as Brooke ran into the other room. "Hey Karen, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked.

Karen looked up at him. "Sure Nate, what is it?"

"I saw you at the jail today. Where you visiting my mom?"

Karen thought for a second before nodding. "She really wants to see you Nate."

Nathan shook his head. He didn't want to see his mom. Sure he hated his dad, but he never expected her to kill him. Regardless of the fact that he was a horrible person, he didn't deserve to die. "Just tell her I said Hi?" he asked.

Karen nodded as Brooke came back into the room. "Ready?" she asked slapping Nathan in the stomach.

Nathan smiled and walked away from them. "Bye Karen," he called.

"Where are we going?" Brooke asked once they reached the car.

"It's a surprise," he told her.

Brooke smiled. The day couldn't get any better.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Peyton watched Jake and Jenny leave her house and lay on her bed. She didn't know what she was going to do now that Jake was leaving for the night. He was going to visit his grandparents in Charlotte.

She called Brooke but she didn't answer. She called Haley but she was with Lucas at the mall. Finally she decided to go for a walk by herself. She was walking through a park when she saw a group of men coming toward her. She immediately recognized one of them as Rick, the guy who had given her coke.

"Peyton," he smiled walking toward her.

"Hi," Peyton said nervously. She could feel her hands shaking.

"Did you know I was going to be here?" he asked.

Peyton shook her head no. "I was just going for a walk."

"Oh," he smiled. "Did you want anything?"

Peyton shook her head no again. Rick just smiled. "Well here you go," he said slipping a small container in her hand. "No charge this time, but when you need more, you come back to me."

Peyton nodded. She slipped the container in her pocket and walked away from them. She didn't want to do the coke; she just didn't want to say no to him. She would just take it home and throw it away.

She walked a few more blocks before she came up to the cemetery. She hadn't visited her mother since Ellie had shown up at her house. She didn't know what to say to her.

Finally she forced herself to go to her grave. As she sat down tears poured from her eyes. "Mom," she whispered. "I have been so strong lately. I haven't thought about that Ellie woman at all. Part of me thinks she's lying, but deep down inside I feel like she's telling the truth. I hope it's not true. Even if it is, I will always love you as my mother." She spoke.

She wiped a tear from her eye and stood up. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you and that I miss you." She told her. "I hope that if I decide to talk to Ellie one day, and find truth to her story, it won't upset you."

She turned and walked away from the grave. That was the most she would be able to handle. She reached into her pocket and felt the container Rick handed her. She had to get rid of it as soon as possible.

So that chapter was kind of short, but it tied together some loose ends. Next chapter will be Brooke's surprise. Peyton will struggle with getting rid of the coke, and Haley and Lucas will go to an amusement park to grow closer as friends.