Chapter Four – Confessions
Brooke checked her wrist watch once more. Where the hell is she? Brooke thought.
It had been a month since Peyton had returned to Tree Hill for preparations for the wedding, with Chris Keller. Brooke wasn't too thrilled with the fact that he had actually decided to come. Nathan was against the whole idea of even inviting him, but Brooke knew her best friend wanted him there, so she politely sent him an invite. It was bad enough having to have him at her wedding, but Chris had been monopolizing all of Peyton's time, keeping her from her best friend duties. Like today, they were supposed to be meeting up at Coffee Bean for some drinks and then were going to go to the movies and maybe to the mall before the rehearsal dinner that night. But was Peyton on time? Nope.
Peyton practically pushed an elderly woman as she ran into the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Letting out a sigh of relief when she spotted Brooke sitting at a small table in the back corner of the coffee house. Holding her oversized purse close to her chest she rushed towards her. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry."
"Next time tell Keller to get you here early." Brooke shot back angrily.
"I wasn't with Chris." Peyton informed her friend. "I was getting you…" Peyton carefully pulled a small orange kitten out of her bag and smiled. "This!" Peyton handed the kitten to Brooke. "Like?"
"Love." Brooke smiled and hugged her best friend. "Thank you, P. Sawyer."
"Am I forgiven?" Peyton inquired.
"Totally." Brooke exclaimed. "Let's start this over again." Brooke said regaining her cool. "Hey Slutty Maid of Honor."
"Hey Skanky Bride." Peyton laughed. "Did you already order my drink?"
Brooke shook her head. "Not yet. I was just about too. It can wait." Running her hands through her hair she smiled at her best friend. "What's up, fake goldie locks?"
"Oh my god! I didn't tell you?" Peyton said with fake enthusiasm. "Nothing!"
"You do live an interesting life full of crazy adventures, don't you?" Brooke laughed.
"Oh, but I learned it all from you." Peyton smiled. "What about you?"
"My news…not so great…" Brooke sighed. Peyton gave her a look of worry. "I need to talk to you about something, Peyton."
"Uh-oh. This sounds almost serious." Peyton's smile faded.
"It is." Brooke sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing with my life, Peyton. Everything is just changing so fast."
"Sure you do. You're getting married to Nathan. One of the greatest guys we know." Peyton let out a small giggle. "Who would have thought, you'd actually date one of my ex's for a change?"
Brooke smiled. "About that… I don't know how to say this any other way than: I'm sle-"
Brooke was cut off as Nathan walked in. "Hey Nate!" Peyton called Nathan over. "This can wait, right?" Peyton asked Brooke.
Brooke nodded helplessly.
Nathan walked up to the two girls. "Hey beautiful." He said leaning over and kissed Brooke's forehead.
"Hey." She said kissing his nose.
Turning towards Peyton, Nathan smiled. "Peyton."
"Nathan." Peyton laughed.
Brooke rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but smile. She loved the fact that there was no awkward tension between Peyton and Nathan. It was a much mellower vibe when she was with the two of them, more then when she was with anyone else anyways. "Pull up a chair. I'll have my future Latin lover over there make you a drink too. What do you want?"
Nathan grabbed a chair from a near by table and pulled it up next to Brooke. "Just a normal coffee is fine."
Brooke waved the server boy back over and told him what the three wanted. While they waited for their drinks Brooke comfortably rested her head on Nathan's shoulder as the three discussed their day.
About five minutes later the server brought them their drinks. Leaving a twenty on the table to pay for the drinks, Nathan, Brooke, and Peyton headed outside.
"Well, I'll catch you guys later, alright?" Nathan said walking to his truck.
Brooke ran up behind him and grabbed his waist. "Or you could hang with us." Giving a soft kiss on the back of his neck she eased him backwards to where Peyton was waiting.
"Where are you guys off to anyways?" Nathan questioned.
"To the movies." Peyton answered. "We're seeing that new Robin Williams movie. You're welcome to come with." Peyton offered.
Nathan looked down at Brooke; she smiled. "Alright. I guess I could hang out with you losers for a while."
"Hey, watch it buddy!" Brooke playfully hit his shoulder.
An hour into the movie, the gravity of guilt set in. Brooke excused herself from the movie, and went into the Ladies Restroom. Pulling her sidekick out of her purse she text messaged Peyton.
OxBrooke01xO: Get out here!
Xx P Sawyer xX: Be right out.
OxBrooke01xO: Thanx!
Peyton excused herself away from Nathan, who was too busy to even notice that Brooke was gone, let alone Peyton was also leaving.
"Brooke?" Peyton asked to no one in particular when she made it out of the theater and into the lobby.
Brooke waved a hand from the ladies room to get Peyton's attention. Peyton scratched her head a bit confused as to her friend's antics, but reluctantly walked over to Brooke. Brooke practically pulled Peyton's arm out of the socket when she pulled her into on of the empty stalls.
Peyton gave her a look of worry. "Are you ok?" Peyton asked genuinely worried about her best friend and her spastic attitudes lately.
Brooke shook her head. "I've been trying to tell you since you got here. Everything looks fine, but its not." Brooke sighed heavily. "There is something I need to tell you. I know you'll hate me, but I need some advice."
Peyton suddenly became very worried. What could be so bad that Brooke would be practically in tears at the mention of it? Peyton put a comforting hand on Brooke's arm. "What is it Brooke?"
Brooke sighed. She knew there was no other way then to tell Peyton the flat out truth. "I'm sleeping with Lucas."
Peyton's eyes widened and her mouth hung open. Before she realized what she was doing, she smacked Brooke square across the face. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?
Brooke took the slap, and bit back her tears. "I don't know." She confessed. "I just thought that you would understand."
"How in the hell would you expect me to understand this?" Peyton laughed out of despair.
Brooke sighed. "Because you and Lucas…"
"That's different, Brooke! That was five years ago! We were in high school, Brooke. We're not in high school anymore." Peyton shot back angrily. "There wasn't a wedding involved in that, and neither was anyone's family." Peyton sighed, calming down a bit. "Why would you do this, Brooke? Why would you fuck up a good thing? Nathan loves you. Don't you love him?"
"Yes!" Brooke cried.
"And what about Lucas?" Peyton questioned. "Do you love him too?"
Brooke stiffened. "No…that feeling left along time ago. We're just fooling around."
Peyton bit her bottom lip before responding. "Are you sure? Are you positive you don love Lucas? Because if there is any doubt in your mind that you might love him, if only just a little bit, then its not fair for you to marry his brother."
Brooke nodded. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I would do anything to make this go away?" Brooke pushed past Peyton and walked out of the stall. Checking her appearance in the mirror she looked back at Peyton through the mirror. "I'm telling him it's over tonight. I'm telling Lucas it over."
Those words probably should have calmed Peyton's nerves, but they didn't. Peyton couldn't grasp for the likes of her why Brooke would cheat on Nathan with Lucas. Or why she would bring up Lucas and Peyton's past, when she knew that was far in their pasts. But the thought that would keep her awake in bed that night had to do with Nathan. Poor Nathan. First Haley and Chris, and now this…? How was he supposed to deal with all of this? How was he supposed to go through this whole thing again? Right then and there Peyton maid a vow not to tell Nathan what she knew. So help me god, if Brooke doesn't break things off with Lucas tonight…then I will confess to Nate what I know… Peyton sighed and went back into the movies to find Brooke snuggled up against Nathan. A feel of disgust and relief washed over Peyton all at the same time. At least she was trying to remain cool about this horrible situation.
Tonight's rehearsal dinner would in no doubt be dramatic to say the least...
