CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE-
Baby, it's You
Valentine's Day had swept through Tree Hill. The stores had decorations hung in all their windows and couples were walking hand in hand down the street. Every radio station in town was playing songs about having someone to love and Brooke had always loved this particular holiday. There was something about getting flowers and candy that made her giggle with anticipation. As she woke up, she knew this year would be no exception.
She took a quick shower and was deciding what to wear when the phone rang. It was still early and Brooke was at a loss for who it would be. "Hello?" She answered the phone, still sorting through her clothes in the closet. Brooke grabbed a hold of a red skirt and a white tank top and grabbed a pair of heels.
"Hey there gorgeous," Sean said from the other line. Brooke smiled at his compliment and continued grabbing her things to get ready. "I just wanted to be the first to wish you a happy valentine's day and I am sorry we're not going to be together tonight."
Brooke shrugged her shoulders. She really hadn't thought about Valentine's Day this year and she had honestly forgotten that she wasn't going to see him. "It's okay babe. We'll see each other this weekend and that's good enough for me."
"That's why I was calling," Sean trailed off. "My sister called me and it turns out she's getting married. She wants me to go to Vegas to see them." Brooke filed her nails and listened as he continued. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"
She held her breathe and turned towards the photos on her wall. There was a part of her that wanted to say yes, she had never been to Vegas and she was sure she would have a lot of fun. But there was a bad feeling in her gut, telling her that if she went on that trip, that there was no turning back. And she wasn't sure she was ready to commit herself to Sean that way-that soon.
"I would love to go with you Sean," she smiled into the phone. "But I can't. You know I am not 18 yet and Karen is very strict about curfews and trips." Brooke bit her lip. She knew that what she was saying was very true, but also knew that if it had been a trip to anywhere else… with anyone else- she would have found a way. That made her feel guilty but still she couldn't bring herself to be honest with him. "I'm sorry."
He stayed quiet for a moment and then sighed. "It's okay I guess. We'll have to make up for it the weekend of your birthday," he said. Brooke smiled and agreed with him. Maybe she would be ready by then. But, April was only two months away. She wasn't sure if that would be enough time. The doorbell rang and brought her back to reality.
"Hey Sean, it's the doorbell and I am running late. Can I call you later?"
Sean laughed. "Yeah Brooke, it's okay. Have a good Valentine's day," he said as he hung up the phone. Brooke hung up the phone and walked towards the door. She peeked outside the peephole and saw no one.
"What the…" she said as she opened the door. On her steps was a dozen roses. She grabbed the vase and brought them into the house, shutting the door behind her. They smelled as beautiful as they looked and she grabbed a hold of the note.
"You amaze me everyday."
Brooke raised an eyebrow and found herself laughing at the words secret admirer. She knew they were from Sean and she made a mental note to thank him later. He was so sweet to her, she could hardly believe it.
After putting on her makeup and getting dressed, she headed towards her car. "Hey Brooke, can I catch a ride?" Lucas asked jogging towards her. She nodded her head sure and they both drove towards the school. "How was the slumber party?" He asked.
Brooke shrugged her shoulders. "It was fun. It's been a really long time since we've done that," Brooke said as they drove into the parking lot. She parked the car and watched the students around her. They were with their significant others and most had presents to give one another. She rolled her eyes at them and turned towards Lucas. "Ridiculous right? Like over the top- extra corny facture?" She said.
He nodded his head, agreeing with her as they made their way out of the car. Lucas knew she was exaggerating and that she really loved the romance of valentine's day. "And, speaking of corny… the king and queen!" He said with a laugh as he pointed towards Nathan and Haley.
Brooke groaned as she watched her friends from the distance. "It's pathetic. Really. Haley was up all night decorating his locker," she said as they walked into the school. Lucas laughed.
"Nathan was here this morning to decorate hers," Lucas said. Brooke giggled and stopped at her locker. "Hey, I have to go see Whitey. I'll see you later?" He asked. Brooke nodded her head and watched as Lucas made his way down the hall. She fought back the hurt that she was feeling, the fact that he hadn't even said to have a good happy valentine's day. As she opened her locker, a balloon popped out at her. It was a simple pink balloon with the words Happy Valentine's Day in the center.
Brooke shut the locker door and looked around. She tried her hardest to stop her smile but couldn't. Love, was definitely in the air.
……
"Wake up Jake," Peyton said as she entered the room. It was a little past 8:00 and school was already in session. They had decided the night before to stay home and ditch together, his mother would watch the baby and they would spend the day. She had snuck downstairs early in the morning to make him breakfast in bed, something that she had never done for anyone before. She placed the tray of food on the bed and kissed him gently.
"Wake up or I am pouring your juice on top of you."
Jake stirred for a moment before his eyes flittered open. "Morning babe," he said groggily. He sat up in the bed and looked at the food in front of him. "Wow, you did this?" He asked her.
She nodded her head proudly and looked down at the plate. There was bacon and sausage, eggs and a glass of orange juice. The toast was a little bit burnt and she shrugged her shoulders. "I tried at least."
Jake laughed. "You did great Peyton. This is amazing."
"Thanks, I just wanted today to be special."
He pulled her towards him and fed her a piece of bacon before turning towards her. "Everyday is special Peyton. I'm waking up next to you, it's enough for me." She smiled at his words and looked down at the plate. "This is for you," he said as he opened the drawer.
"I didn't buy you anything…" Peyton said.
Jake nodded his head. "Like I said, this is great. I love you." He looked down at the plate and started to eat. "Are you going to open it?" He questioned. She looked down at the small box and nodded her head slowly.
Valentine's Day had always been a holiday that she had never understood. She hated the flowers and the candy that most boyfriends gave and couldn't get into the stuffed animals and other presents. Jewelry had always seemed to expensive a gift for someone to give and as she stared down at the box, she knew that it was definitely jewelry.
Peyton opened the top and peeked inside. She gasped down at the bracelet and turned towards Jake. "This… this was my mom's," Peyton said. She took the bracelet out and ran her fingers over the gold chain. "I remember I was little and the clasp broke. She never fixed it…"
"I talked to your dad and I don't know… we just decided it was a perfect gift," Jake shrugged his shoulders. She played with it before turning towards him. He took a hold of it and wrapped it around her small wrist, clasping it shut. Jake brought her wrist to his mouth and kissed it gently. "Like I said, perfect."
……
Brooke entered her third class for the day and made her way to her seat. The day was going by surprisingly fast and she was glad. More than anything, she wanted to go home and sink into a hot bubble bath. She had managed to avoid a lot of boys awkward valentine's greetings and had even been able to hang out with Haley between one of her classes. "Hey Bevin," she said as she took her seat.
Bevin turned away from Skills and smiled at Brooke. "Hey girl, this was on your desk I took it so no one else did," she said as she handed an envelope to Brooke. Brooke raised an eyebrow and turned back towards the other cheerleader.
"Did you see who left it?" She asked.
Bevin shook her head no before returning back into conversation with her boyfriend. Brooke laughed at the couple, an odd pair who had somehow managed to work well together and sighed. Whoever this secret admirer was, he was everywhere.
She read the card and smiled at it's words. It was romantic, something that she was sure she had read before. She fought with the words, wondering where she had read them before but still couldn't bring herself to remember. "Beginning of always?" she whispered to herself.
"Always what?" Lucas said as he slid into the seat in front of her.
Brooke was brought back out of thoughts to see Lucas staring at her. He smiled at her briefly before saying hello to Skills. "Nothing," Brooke said. She placed the card into her binder and sighed. For some reason, with Lucas looking at her she couldn't help but wish…
No it was impossible, she thought to herself.
……
"I love you," Nathan said as he shut his locker. Haley nodded her head and hugged him. She didn't say anything just stood there. People were watching the two of them and neither one cared. They had each other and that was enough.
The bell rung and Haley looked up at him. "We should get to class. We're already late," she said. Her smile fell and she pulled herself away from him. "But we're still on tonight right? You and me, our place 8 o clock, not a minute before?"
Nathan nodded his head and kissed her on her forehead. "Wouldn't miss it for the world." He walked down the hall before turning around to her. "Hey Haley, always!" He yelled. His voice echoed through the halls, causing Haley to blush in embarrassment.
"And forever," she whispered.
Nathan pretended he couldn't hear her. "What? I can't hear you."
"And forever," she said a little bit louder.
Nathan shrugged his shoulders. "I still can't hear you."
"And forever," she yelled back to him, before blowing him a kiss and heading off down the hall. She could remember a time making fun of people for doing the things that she and Nathan both did. But as she turned back at her husband of a little over a year, she couldn't help but wish she had screamed it louder. She was in love and she didn't care who heard it.
……
Brooke let herself into her small cottage and put her backpack on the floor. The day was finally over and she had managed to make it home without any interruptions. She fumbled through her mail as she walked towards the bathroom, turning the tub faucet on and letting the water rise. She poured bubble bath into the tub and then walked towards her room to grab her robe.
Stripping herself of any clothes, Brooke got into the tub. The bubbles floated around her as she shut her eyes and tried to forget about her problems. Summer was right around the corner and with that came the changes that she had been dreading. Conversations about collages and decisions would be made, things she didn't want to deal with at all.
A noise from her bedroom broke her from her thoughts and she turned around in a panic. The doors were locked and she was under the assumption that Karen was the only one with a key. She carefully stepped out of the tub and pulled her robe around her, before slinking into her bedroom. "Who's there?" She asked, but no one answered her. "I have a bat, and I know how to use it!" She called out again.
She opened her closet door and glanced inside. It was empty. Brooke shut the door and looked over towards her bed. There was a black kitten curled up on a pillow and her eyes darted around the room. "What the hell…" Brooke asked.
Just then, the doorbell rang and she picked up the cat. She had never had a pet before, but she had always secretly wanted one. As she walked towards the door, she petted the cat and scratched its ear. "Wow, you're a fiesty little kitty," she said with a laugh as she opened the front door.
There stood Lucas, with a pizza and a bag from blockbuster. She raised an eyebrow and looked up at him. "What's going on Luke?" She asked. He pushed past her and walked inside and placed the pizza on the table.
"I figured you'd get a little lonely so I came to offer you company. I grabbed dinner and movies and well… there's no romance allowed tonight," he said with a laugh.
Brooke's mouth fell open. "It's you," she accused.
He looked at her and then looked around the room. "Yeah, it's me. Lucas Scott? Ex boyfriend, turned really good friend? What are you talking about Brooke?" Lucas pulled out plates from her cabinets and then grabbed sodas from her refrigerator. Brooke stood there, dumbfounded.
"It's you, this… all of this…" She could tell he wasn't going to say anything so she rolled her eyes and walked towards him. Standing on her tip toes, she kissed him gently on the cheek. "Thank you Lucas. I'll go change into some pj's."
Lucas nodded his head, and watched as she walked towards her bedroom. He smiled, knowing that everything had come together and that the day was successful. It had made her happy and although most would want to take credit, he was okay without it. Deep down, he knew she knew. There was too many clues he had given her throughout the day, for her to not have known.
They quickly settled onto the couch in the front room, with Brooke leaning on Lucas and the kitten in her arms. He looked at the cat and then back towards Brooke. "So, what are you going to name it?" He questioned with a smile. She thought for a moment before giving him his answer.
"Baby."
TBC…
Awe, was that okay? Love it, Hate it? Let me know! R&R. Up next:
- Lucas and Brooke share an intimate encounter - Haley finds something disturbing - Jake makes decisions about their future
