The Bitter Taste
The Side Effects Of Love
Charlotte Bronte once said better to be without logic than without feeling.
xxx
Peyton laid in the hospital bed as she opened her eyes slowly. She looked over and saw Nathan sitting beside her bed reading a drug rehab brochure.
He looked up at her, "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Peyton yawned and then eyed the brochures, "I'm guessing those aren't for you…"
Nathan looked at her seriously, "Peyton, you know how I felt when my mom was abusing pills."
"Nathan," Peyton said sympathetically, "I almost forgot about that…"
Nathan sighed, "You could've died Peyton!"
"I was upset and I wasn't thinking," Peyton began, "I mean, Lucas came by and…"
Nathan cut her off abruptly, "You did this because of Lucas?" He asked, "Hell, you dated me and I put you through so much more shit."
Peyton chuckled lightly, "That's because we weren't in…" She began, but then stopped.
"In love," Nathan finished with a soft smile.
Peyton cleared her throat, "I didn't mean it like that."
"Don't worry about it," Nathan assured her, "I was an ass back then anyways."
Peyton laughed, "You weren't an ass. You were just caught up with all your basketball crap," she said, "But you have changed…"
Brooke walked into the room with a cup of coffee in one hand, and balled up tissues in the other. "Here come the water works," Peyton teased.
Brooke wiped her eyes and ran over to Peyton, "I was so worried!" She cried.
"I'm okay," Peyton said as Brooke cried and mumbled incoherently on her shoulder.
Brooke looked up at Peyton and sat on Nathan's lap, "Do you know how worried I was?"
"By the looks of it I'm guessing really worried," Peyton joked.
Brooke wiped her eyes and glared at Peyton, "This isn't funny P. Sawyer…"
"I know," Peyton said as she took Brooke's hand in hers, "I just…I joke around in time of crisis, you know me."
Brooke trembled lightly as she looked at her best friend; they had been friends for as long as Brooke could remember. Sure, Peyton had the whole cocaine incident, but since that she had been clean. Brooke never thought of Peyton as a girl who would turn to drugs; when Peyton was upset she would just go up to her room and blare her god-awful music and draw.
The three of them laughed and talked as they went over old high school memories; Nathan and Brooke were trying to get Peyton's mind off the whole incident. Peyton was cracking up until Lucas walked into the room; the whole room went quiet while Lucas stood there with his hands in his jean pockets.
Brooke took Nathan's hand and the two of them got up and walked out of the room, "Do you think we should leave those two alone?" Nathan asked.
"They need to talk," Brooke said; her voice hushed and low, "Besides, if Peyton does kill him then we're already in a hospital so," she said as the two of them laughed.
Lucas walked closer to Peyton and put the sketch on her bed, "I found this next to you when I found you."
"Oh," Peyton said softly as she looked at it, "What are you doing here?"
Lucas sighed, "I am so, so sorry about how we ended things," he began, "I had no right to say those things to you…"
"This isn't going to work Luke," Peyton said as she let out a deep breath, "When I held those pills in my hand, all I could think about was how much being with you hurts me…And I know that I haven't been fair to you, and that's why I don't want to be with you anymore."
Lucas looked away from her, "I just want to know if things are okay between us…Because I know that I'm the reason you tried to kill yourself."
"We can be friends," Peyton offered, "Everything has been so difficult lately…"
Lucas looked back at her and Peyton could see the hurt and pain in his face, "I should've known that we would end this sooner or later…"
"I'm sorry Luke," she said in almost a whisper, "I don't have the strength for this anymore." Lucas nodded and then walked out of the room; Peyton sighed and rested deeper in her bed covers.
xxx
Brooke laid on the beach and looked up at the only star in the sky; it was big and bright. Brooke closed her eyes and let out a well deserved yawn. She felt an arm wrap around her waist, Brooke giggled and opened her eyes. Nathan laid beside her with his icy, blue eyes cutting into her.
"Interesting day," Brooke said with a small laugh.
Nathan squeezed Brooke tighter against him as the wind blew against the couple, "It's Tree Hill," he began and then laughed, "I'm so glad that you came to see me when I was in the hospital…"
"I love you," Brooke said as she kissed Nathan passionately.
Nathan smiled and reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, velvet black box; Brooke looked at it in confusion as Nathan handed it to her. Brooke opened the long, slim box and saw a beautiful diamond bracelet sparkling up at her; her jaw dropped and she looked up at Nathan, "I saw it, and I knew you'd have to have it…"
"It's beautiful," Brooke said in awe, "You didn't have to get this for me."
Nathan helped Brooke with the bracelet and smiled, "I want you to know that I am deeply in love with you…"
Brooke's smiled fell and she looked down at the ground, "Excuse me," she said softly and then ran up to the beach house. Nathan watched her run and followed her.
He ran onto the balcony and saw Brooke looking out into the ocean crying; Nathan went over and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Brooke," he said, "Whatever I did I'm sorry…"
"You didn't do anything," Brooke said as she turned towards him and rested her hand on his smooth cheek, "I don't want our relationship to be based on gifts…I mean, my mom married my dad for his money, and then the whole Felix thing…"
Nathan gave her a confused look and then sighed, "I bought you the bracelet because I thought you would like it…"
"I do like it," Brooke said as she looked down at her wrist, "I love it; actually…I just don't want you to think you have to buy me stuff."
Nathan stroked the bracelet and then cupped Brooke's face, "I love you, not the materialistic things, just you," Nathan said sincerely and then kissed Brooke passionately; the kiss broke and Nathan looked down in Brooke's eyes, "I'll take the bracelet back if you want me too."
"You don't have to," Brooke said as she bit her bottom lip with playful eyes.
Nathan laughed, "You look amazing in it, so…I think I'll just let you suffer by wearing it."
xxx
"It's nerves Brooke," Peyton said as she looked through drug rehab brochures.
Brooke groaned, "I feel stupid…"
"Don't," Peyton said as she slapped Brooke's knee, "Here's some good news! I found this awesome rehab centre in New York," she said sarcastically.
"You do understand how awful that sounds right?" Brooke asked, "How long are you going to be in New York?"
Peyton shrugged, "It says in the brochure that the whole clinic is about two weeks."
"You do realize what's in four weeks?" Brooke whined.
Peyton laughed, "Yes! My best friend's wedding!"
"And this far away trip to New York wouldn't have anything to do with…" Brooke began.
Peyton cut her off, "Nope!"
"I didn't even finish," Brooke argued with a smirk.
Peyton glared at her, "Lucas and I are over!"
"I wasn't even going to say his name," Brooke teased.
Peyton scoffed, "You're a bitch."
"I know," Brooke said and then stuck out her tongue, "Try to meet some hot guys."
Peyton rolled her eyes, "Dating is not really on my radar right now. I'm just going to worry about this rehab thing, and your wedding."
"You're going to be okay," Brooke assured her.
Peyton leaned against Brooke as a tear rolled down her cheek, "Thanks," she said softly.
xxx
Nathan put up a jump shot as Lucas walked towards the court; Nathan looked at him, "Hey man."
"Hey," Lucas said, "I heard Peyton's home."
Nathan nodded, "Yeah, Brooke's there right now," he said as Luke put his head down, "You're not feeling guilty are you?"
"Yeah," Lucas began, "I'm an ass."
Nathan chuckled, "Maybe eighty percent of the time," he joked, "But this Peyton thing…It wasn't your fault, man."
"Sometimes I really wonder why we all stay here," Lucas said, "All it causes is bull shit drama like this."
xxx
Lucas walked into Peyton's room as she packed her suitcase. Lucas knocked on the doorframe and Peyton turned around with her face red from crying.
"Hi," Peyton said in almost a whisper.
Lucas put his hands in his pockets, "Hi," he said, "Are you leaving…?"
"Tonight," Peyton finished.
Lucas nodded to himself, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Peyton lied, "Are you?" Lucas looked up at her with a sad look on his face, "Sorry…"
Luke cleared his throat, "Well, I just came by to say goodbye and good luck so…"
"It doesn't have to be like this," Peyton began, "We can be friends," she said with forced enthusiasm.
Lucas sighed as the lines on his forehead became apparent, "I don't this so Peyton," he said as Peyton's face turned to sadness, "Because it's too hard," Lucas said sadly and then walked out of the room.
Peyton bit her bottom lip and turned back towards her suitcase; she closed it and headed outside towards her car. She got in and turned the key to the ignition. The car started and Peyton pulled out of her driveway and turned the radio up loud.
xxx
Brooke walked into Lucas's room as he sat on his computer looking at Peyton's web came. Brooke put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her; his eyes red and moist.
"Maybe this is good for us," he began, "So much has happened between us, that maybe it's right for us to take a break."
Brooke sighed, "You guys can always be friends," she offered.
"It wouldn't ever work," Lucas said, "That's the same thing Peyton told me, and I told her that it was too hard."
Brooke gave him a concerned look, "You know, things are going to work out…No matter what happens they're going to work out."
"I want her to be happy," Lucas said, "And with me…She's not happy, she's fucking suicidal!"
Brooke took a step back, "She made a mistake," Brooke said through gritted teeth, "She thought that swallowing those pills would stop the pain, but it didn't!" She yelled, "And now, Peyton is paying for the consequences!"
"You don't think I know that?" Lucas yelled back, "I take full responsibility for this, because I'm the one that hurt her!"
Brooke rubbed her temples, "I don't want to fight right now Luke," she said honestly, "We just have to be supportive of Peyton right now, and we have to help her get through this."
"I know," Lucas began, "I just don't know if she wants me to be part of her life anymore."
xxx
Peyton walked into the rehabilitation centre after a long drive to New York. The drive was good for her because it had given her the opportunity to really think; which is something she had done in awhile. She looked around at all the people and realized that they were just every day, normal people who had done stupid things. She looked over to the lobby and saw a guy sitting there listening to headphones, they were loud enough so that Peyton could hear the instruments blaring from them. He was fair skinned, and had brown hair which he had spiked. The guy had a black bracelet on, and a Get Up Kid's t-shirt. Peyton smiled to herself and sat down beside him; the guy took off his headphones and smirked at Peyton.
"What are you in for?" He asked her.
Peyton crossed her legs, "I overdosed…"
"A guy reason?" He asked.
Peyton smirked, "Yeah…How did you know?"
"I'm here because of my cocaine addiction," he began, "I started doing the drug because of my old girlfriend…"
Peyton bit her bottom lip, "I'm Peyton."
"Eric," the guy said, "You listen to the Get Up Kids?"
Peyton smiled and nodded, "Of course," Peyton said as she looked through his CD collection, "God, I have all off these!"
"About time I found a girl with the same musical taste as me," Eric said with a genuine smile, "My last girlfriend listened to Britney Spears non stop."
Peyton laughed out loud, "Oh god! Poor you."
"It was horrible," Eric laughed, "I mean, I would put on The Shins, or some Modest Mouse and she would turn it off and put on that Britney shit."
Peyton shook her head and rolled her eyes, "My last boyfriend liked the same music as me, and so did my other boyfriend."
"Other boyfriend?" Eric questioned.
Peyton giggled nervously, "Uh, yeah…I have a complicated love situation…"
"Well let me take you out for coffee after this and maybe we can talk more," he offered.
Peyton looked down at the ground and then met his eyes, "That would be fun…Thanks."
"It'll be my treat," Eric said, "Besides, I think I'm going to have to watch you, girl." They're eyes met and the two of them smiled at each other; and for once Peyton didn't feel the need to leave.
Read and Review, please.
Sorry for the late update everyone! I hope you enjoy the chapter!
