The Bitter Taste
You Kill Me Well
(A/N: First off, thanks for all the reviews! And secondly, Uggz are a type of shoe like Timbaland's.)
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Nathan drove over to Peyton's house and pounded on the door. Peyton opened the door and cocked her hip to the side, "Some people sleep this early in the morning," she said.
Nathan gave her an apologetic look, "I just wanted to know if Brooke was here…"
"Oh," Peyton said as her face softened, "She's actually staying with Karen in Lucas's old room…"
"Okay," Nathan said, "Thanks Peyton," he said and quickly ran to his car.
Peyton watched him tear out of the driveway and she leaned against the doorframe and saw the mail man come up to her. She took the letter he gave her and saw one from Jake. She took the letter and closed the door and walked up to her and Lucas's room.
Nathan knocked on the door to Lucas's room; Brooke opened the door and rolled her eyes. She went to close the door, but Nathan stopped it and looked at her with a grief-stricken look, "Please Brooke," he said.
Brooke allowed him into the room and she sat on the edge of her bed while Nathan stood there nervously in front of her, "What?" Brooke asked impatiently.
"I know that a lot of shit's gone on between us," he began, "And I know that you don't trust me…"
Brooke let out a dry laugh, "Now that's the understatement of the century!"
"What else do you want from me Brooke?" Nathan questioned, "I've apologized so much, and I've tried."
Brooke crossed her legs and looked at him in disbelief, "So you think that's going to make things all better?"
"Yes," Nathan said, "It should at least…I mean, I told you how stupid of a mistake letting you go was…We kissed."
Brooke put her head down and sighed, "Yeah we did," she said softly and then looked up at Nathan, "And for that moment when we were kissing I thought everything was going to be okay…I thought about us, and about our future…But then I realized that we didn't have a future," she said coldly.
"So do you think you have a future with that Alex guy?" Nathan shot back, "You talk about me treating you like shit?"
Brooke sat up, "That is none of your business first of all!"
"Come on Brooke!" Nathan yelled, "That guy puts you down and you know it…I bet he's still calling you isn't he?"
Brooke pushed Nathan, "You just know everything don't you?" She screamed and then broke down in tears.
"Brooke," Nathan said softly and then put his arms around her, "Baby, I'm sorry…I'm sorry okay?"
"You have to leave," Brooke cried as she broke out of Nathan's grip.
Nathan sighed and looked at Brooke, "I'm sorry Brooke," he said softly and then walked out of her room.
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Peyton sat out on the front porch with a bottle of beer in her hand and Jake's letter resting on her lap. Lucas walked out of the house and Peyton put the letter under her chair. Lucas sat down beside her and looked up at the stars, "Are you happy that I moved in with you?" He asked.
Peyton smiled and nodded, "Of course I am…Why?"
"I don't know," Lucas said, "I just…I sometimes think you wish I were Jake."
Peyton looked at him, "Why would you say something like that?"
"Because sometimes I think it's true," Lucas said with a small laugh, "I know you love him," he began.
Peyton stopped him, "But I love you Luke…"
"And I love you too," Lucas said as he rubbed Peyton's knee, "I want you to be happy."
Peyton smiled and put her hand on top of Luke's, "I am happy…I'm happy, being here, with you."
"I love you," Lucas said.
Peyton leaned in and kissed him passionately, "And I love you too," she said and the two of them walked back in the house.
xxx
Brooke cried softly in her new room and saw Karen slowly walk into the room. Brooke wiped her eyes quickly and put on a fake smile, "Hi Karen," she said; her voice still raspy from crying.
"Hey," Karen said and then sat down beside Brooke on the bed, "You want to tell me what's up?"
Brooke wiped her eyes and sniffed, "Just boy stuff," she said with a small laugh.
"Nathan?" Karen asked.
"How did you know about us?" Brooke asked.
Karen laughed and rubbed Brooke's back, "I knew about you and Nathan when you guys were all in high school…And I kind of overheard the two of you in here fighting," she said and then looked sympathetically at Brooke, "I've never seen a boy love a girl like Nathan loves you."
"He broke my heart Karen," Brooke said and looked down at the ground as tears rolled down her cheeks, "My life wasn't supposed to be like this…"
Karen sighed, "I know hunny," she said, "But, life is so random…I mean, I never thought that I would get pregnant in high school," Karen began, "And I never thought that I would marry Keith…"
"The thing that kills me is the fact that he picked Haley over me," Brooke said in disbelief, "I would lie in bed and think about what I did wrong to make him choose her over me."
"Haley and Nathan were in love, Brooke," Karen said, "But the way he looks at her, isn't even close to the way he looks at you…With Haley he saw a present, and with you he saw a future," she said and then left Brooke in the room to think by herself.
xxx
Brooke walked down to the river court and saw Lucas sitting on the bench; she walked over to him and sat down beside him. He looked over at her and smiled weakly, she smiled back and let out a deep breath, "Who ever thought after six years I'd be in the same damn drama as high school?" Brooke asked.
"You know you missed old Tree Hill," Lucas said as he nudged her a bit.
Brooke laughed, "Maybe a little," she said with a wink, "I am too old for this shit," she said.
"Yeah," Lucas said and handed Brooke the letter from Jake to Peyton, "So am I…"
Brooke opened the letter and read it, "Wow…" She said after she read the whole thing, "Luke."
"She told me that she loved me," Lucas said, "She told me that she only wanted me…"
"Lucas," Brooke began, but then heard footsteps behind her. Brooke turned around and saw Alex standing there with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, "Alex…" She said in almost a whisper.
Alex took a long drag from his cigarette and then put it out, "Is this the friend you so desperately needed to see?" He asked arrogantly.
"No," Brooke said as she got off the bench, "This is another friend…Lucas Scott. Luke this is Alex," she said.
Lucas gave him a head nod, "Hey man…"
"You keep your hands off my god damn girlfriend," Alex said threateningly as he pointed at Lucas.
Brooke looked apologetically at Lucas, "Alex!"
"Brooke and I are friends," Lucas said as he put his hands up in defense.
Alex grabbed Brooke's arm, "I'm taking you home," he said.
Lucas ran over and pushed Alex to the ground, "Man, get your god damn hands off of her!" He said; Alex got up and punched Lucas in the face. Lucas stumbled towards the bench and swung and hit Alex right in the jaw. Alex got on top of Lucas as Brooke screamed for him to get off.
"Hey!" They heard Nathan yell; who was running down to the court to help out his brother. Nathan pulled Alex off of Lucas and punched him square in the face, "Get the fuck out of here!" He yelled.
Alex held his bloody mouth and looked at the three of them. He spit out the blood and staggered back up to his car. Nathan looked at Brooke as he caught his breath, "Who the hell was that?"
"That was Alex," Brooke said apprehensively.
Nathan looked at her in disbelief, "You mean that abusive son of a bitch you broke up with?"
"That would be him," Brooke said with a weak laugh, "I don't know why he's here okay?"
Lucas went over and hugged Brooke; she hugged him back and looked over his shoulder at Nathan who looked like he was mentally scolding himself.
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Nathan sat on Karen's porch and waited until Brooke came out. She walked out in her pajamas and sat down on the porch swing beside Nathan, "I expected him to be different," Nathan said finally.
"I know," Brooke said softly as she looked out onto the road.
Nathan sighed, "I really don't like that guy…"
"I knew you wouldn't," Brooke said, "But if I can tell you the truth right now…I'm with him because he's not like you."
Nathan looked at her, "I guess I see where you're coming from," he said, "I never got over you," he said softly.
"What's so important about me?" Brooke asked, "Why can't you just move on?"
Nathan rubbed his temples and looked down at the ground, "I can't stop thinking about you…I can't stop thinking about what a jerk I was to you, and I can't stop thinking about how we could've been more," he began, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm in love with you."
Brooke rested her hand on Nathan's cheek as her eyes welled up with tears, "If only you could've said this to me six years ago…" She said and then got up and headed towards the door.
"I was 17 years old Brooke," Nathan said as he stood up, "What did you expect from me?"
"A hell of a lot more," Brooke said and then walked inside the house.
Brooke walked into her room and saw Alex sitting on her bed. He looked up at her and closed the door, "What are you trying to pull?" He asked.
"How'd you get in here?" Brooke asked.
"The door," Alex said, "This can't be over," he said and walked over to Brooke and put his arms around her waist, "I love you doll," he said and then handed Brooke a red rose, "I got you this…I know red's your favorite," Alex said and then planted a small kiss on Brooke's lips.
"You're wrong," Brooke said softly as she backed away from Alex.
Alex looked at her in confusion, "What?"
"Red isn't my favorite," she said and then handed the rose to Alex, "Now get the hell out of my life…"
Alex chuckled sarcastically to himself, "You're making a big mistake little girl," he said.
"The only mistake I ever made was getting involved with a creep like you," Brooke said and then crossed her arms, "Now get the fuck out."
Alex walked out of the room and slammed the door on his way out. Brooke closed her eyes slowly and let out a breath. She turned around and saw Nathan standing there, "What are you doing here?" Brooke asked.
"I got you something," Nathan said and handed Brooke a white rose, "I know they're your favorite," he said and then walked away.
Brooke smelled the rose and touched its petals softly; she looked at the space where Nathan was occupying. Brooke sat on her bed and put the rose near her heart.
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