The Bitter Taste
Because Of You
(A/N-Summary) This is set 6 years into the future. Brooke and Nathan had hooked up, and got together when Haley had left. Haley came back and Brooke pursued a music career and left Tree Hill. Nathan and Haley ended up getting a divorce because Haley was still involved with Chris. Lucas and Peyton are together, but don't be surprised if there aren't much of them in my story.
The suite was filled with smoke and the scent of booze. Drugs were scattered on the tables and counters, and the beds were being occupied by people that had only known each other for 15 minutes.
And in the middles of all the chaos was Brooke. She had been quite the partier back in the high school days, but she stood back as she watched the people, and how they acted. Brooke watched in awe as people snorted cocaine from the desk tops, and how a joint was being passed around the room.
Sure, there was alcohol at high school parties, but nothing hardcore like what she was seeing. It wasn't unusual for there to be parties like this, Brooke was used to it. Her album was number one on the charts, and on TRL. Brooke was exhilarated, but it was that certain conversation on TRL that had got her thinking about high school and Tree Hill…
"She has a hit single "Because of You", and a number one album," Carson Daly announced, "Welcome to the show everyone, Brooke Davis!"
The fans yelled and cheered, some of them even cried as Brooke walked from behind the curtain and to the stage. She smiled to all of them and waved; she walked up to Carson and gave him a hug, "Hi!" She said enthusiastically into the microphone.
"It's good to have you here," Carson said.
Brooke smiled, "It's good to be here!"
"You are a very cheery person," Carson said, which got a few laughs from the audience.
Brooke laughed along as well, "I was a cheerleader in high school," she said.
"Where did you go to high school?" Carson asked.
Brooke cleared her throat, "I went to Tree Hill high."
"Tree Hill?" Carson questioned.
"North Carolina," Brooke said, "I was the captain of the Ravens' cheerleading squad."
The guys all whooped and cheered and Brooke smiled sweetly at them all, "You in a cheerleading outfit is definitely a great image for these guys," Carson teased, "We just saw your music video and the concept seems kind of different to me," he began, "It's you, and a guy, and another girl…"
"Yes," Brooke said, "The concept is about how this guy and I are totally in love, and then his ex sort of comes back to town and ruins everything for us," she explained, "So it's saying that because of this guy I can't go out and be who I want to be, because without him I'm nothing."
The audience awed and cheered as Carson smiled, "It sounds like you know a lot about having your heart broken…"
"What girl doesn't?" Brooke asked with a shrug.
The girls in the audience applauded, "So your saying you've had your heart broken before?"
Brooke froze and looked down at the ground, she was on national television. She didn't want to seem like a prude, but she didn't want to break down in cry in front of everyone. Brooke looked back up at Carson and gave him a fake smile, "I've had my heart lightly damage," she lied.
Brooke walked out of her suite and out into the parking lot. How could she have put everything she had been through behind her? The concept from the music video was from the heart, and so was the song.
She wrote the song the night on the bus when she left; it was about Nathan, whether she wanted to admit it or not. It was like she just wanted to pretend like everything in her life had never happened.
Brooke felt hands grip her hips and she turned around to see her boyfriend of 10 months standing there with a drunken smile on his face. His name was Alex, and he was a songwriter and singer. Brooke had met him when she went to a bar when she first got to New York. They had immediately become lovers which permanently put Brooke in a bad situation.
Alex was always drunk or high, and Brooke had somehow got caught up with all the partying and all the drugs. The night Alex took advantage of her while she was high was the night Brooke vowed never to do drugs again. And she hasn't ever since; Alex was at times an abusive son of a bitch, and everyone that they worked with knew it.
But Brooke couldn't leave him; he was her strength and comfort. She had tried before, but she always came back. Alex kissed her forcefully on the lips; Brooke could taste the stale alcohol after the kiss ended.
"You are so beautiful," he slurred; Brooke smiled politely and ran her hands through his black hair, "I want to take you upstairs and kiss you…"
Brooke laughed, "I have a show tomorrow," she said and then wrapped her arms around his skinny body. That's one thing she missed about Nathan, his strength. Brooke never dated a jock again after the Nathan incident; she stuck to the emo boys, the junkies, the boys that only cared about their guitars and their feelings.
Alex and Brooke walked up to his room and Alex again kissed Brooke as they both fell onto the bed. He never listened; he never knew what stop meant so Brooke just let him have his fun. They made love or something like it until Alex got tired. He rolled over and fell quickly asleep while Brooke stared up at the ceiling.
It was different then when she was with Nathan, he stayed awake and they would just lay in each other's arms and talk. Brooke mentally kicked herself; she wasn't supposed to be thinking about Nathan. She bit her bottom lip and felt the tears travel to the ends of her eyes and then fall.
xxx
Brooke sat in her dressing room as her make up got put on, and her hair got straightened. She sipped her coffee slowly and warmed up her voice; Alex walked in with a dozen roses and placed them in front of her, "Good luck tonight beautiful," he said and then kissed her on the cheek.
She watched him leave the room and then looked at the flowers. They were the same ones she got before every show, red roses with a card that said "Good luck! I love you! Alex." Brooke would say thank you and keep the roses in her house for awhile, but the truth was she couldn't stand red roses. She was always a white rose kind of girl, but of course Alex didn't know or care.
"Full house tonight babe," Brooke's personal assistant and friend, Lilly, said as she popped her gum and looked at a magazine that had Brooke's picture on the cover.
Brooke loved Lilly; and Lilly was exactly like her name sounded. Lilly: blonde, hyper, funny, lovable, ditzy. She was like Brooke in high school, except with blonde hair and bigger boobs. Brooke smiled and winked at her, "More people means more money," she said and then got up from her make up chair.
"This means more slutty clothes for us to wear!" Lilly said enthusiastically as they walked towards the stage, "Good luck!"
Brooke smiled and gave her friend a quick hug before heading out onto the dark stage and sitting at the piano. The lights finally came on and the audience went wild, Brooke laughed gratefully, "How are you doing tonight New York?" She asked into the microphone. The crowd went wild and cheered and applauded. Brooke started to play the piano softly.
I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way, to never let it get that far
Brooke sang and felt the adrenaline rush into her body; it happened every time she belt out this song.
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake a smile, a laugh
Every day of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
Brooke looked out into the audience and saw a familiar face in the audience. It was Haley, with Chris. They made eye contact and Haley mouthed to her, "After the show…"
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I watched you die
I heard you cry
Every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry
In the middle of the night
For the same damn thing
Brooke slowed down the song and closed her eyes tightly. All she wanted was to go back to Nathan; all she wanted was everything to be perfect again.
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I tried my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid
But she couldn't go back to him, it had been 6 years and they hadn't spoken since she Brooke had left. Brooke didn't need him, or at least that's what she convinced herself as she neared the end of the song. He had moved on, and she had moved on. It was over…
Because of you…
Because of you…
Brooke smiled sweetly out towards the audience and walked off the stage. She was greeted by Alex who scooped her up in his arms and kissed her passionately, "You did awesome babe," he said.
"Thanks," Brooke said sweetly and kissed him back, "Hold on," she said as she walked out towards the audience while everyone was leaving. She saw Haley and Chris standing near the exit.
Brooke ran up to them and wiped the hair out of her face, "Isn't this a blast from the past?" She said sarcastically.
Haley laughed, "You have a really good voice," she complimented, and then went to say something but bit her tongue.
"Who would've thought?" Brooke said, finishing Haley's thoughts, "What's up Tutor Girl?"
"God nobody's called me that in forever!" Haley said with a genuine smile, "I just thought you'd want to know that Nathan's in the hospital…"
Brooke looked at Chris, "Did you finally try to kill him off?" She asked coldly.
Chris glared at her as Haley stepped between the two, "It was a car wreck," she began, "He got hit by a drunk driver, and he's in the hospital so…"
"Is he going to be okay?" Brooke asked as she started to gnaw on her bottom lip.
Haley shrugged, "He's not going to die, but…He's in pretty bad shape," she said, "Look, I came here because I think you should go see him."
Brooke let out a sarcastic laugh, "Are you joking?"
"I know you're pissed at him," Haley said, "And that you're probably pissed at me…"
Brooke rolled her eyes, "Send him my regards okay?" She said and then started to walk off.
Haley grabbed Brooke's arm, "You need to see him Brooke," she ordered, "You need to see everyone in Tree Hill, everyone misses you…You left without an explanation."
"Exactly," Brooke said as she crossed her arms, "Coming back is just going to make things worse…"
Haley groaned, "Stop being so god damn stubborn!" She said, "Would it kill you to see him?"
"Yeah," Brooke said softly as she looked down at the ground.
"He'd want to see you," Haley said, "He'll be in Tree Hill Hospital for…I don't know how long, but I really think you should go see him." Brooke nodded and didn't say a word, "It was good to see you again Brooke," Haley said before turning to walk out the door.
Brooke looked up and smiled, "Yeah, you too," she said and Haley turned around. They shared a smile and Haley continued walking out the door.
xxx
Brooke started packing quickly in her hotel room, she heard the door open and Alex walked in and looked at her in confusion, "Where are you going?" He asked as he lit a cigarette.
"I have to go back to Tree Hill for a little bit," Brooke said as she zipped up her suitcase, "A friend of mine's in the hospital…"
Alex rolled his eyes, "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"
"Alex," Brooke stated, "I'll only be gone a couple a days, a week at the most."
Alex leaned against the dresser and took a drag from his cigarette, "Fine, then go," he said coldly, "Run back to your little Tree Hill home and fuck some of your townie boyfriends!" He spat.
"That's not how it is," Brooke said softly; one thing that had changed from high school is that she couldn't stand up for herself anymore.
Alex slammed his fist into the mirror, "I made you Brooke! I could easily break you!"
"You're drunk!" Brooke yelled back, "Just don't do this to me, this is the only thing I've ever asked of you!"
Alex grabbed Brooke forcefully and slammed her up against the wall, "Take off your goddamn clothes and get into that bed," he said.
"Get the fuck off me!" Brooke said through gritted teeth and then kneed Alex in the balls. Alex fell over onto the bed and moaned in pain, "We're done Alex," Brooke said and then ran out of the hotel with her luggage.
Read and Review.
