The Bitter Taste

Don't Bother

So here's a piece pf advice...let go when you're hurting too much, give up when love isn't enough, and move on when things aren't like before, for surely that is someone out there who will love you even more.

Peyton walked along the beach and looked out into the waves. Calm and peaceful; everything her life wasn't. She looked once more at the note that had been left on her bed. It was from Jake, telling that he loved her, but he had to leave. Things were too difficult and everything had changed between then, is what it read. Peyton threw the note into the water and kept walking. She looked up to Brooke and Nathan's house and saw Brooke coming towards her.

Brooke smiled at her best friend, and linked arms with her, "Hey cutie," she said as the two of them sat down in the sand.

"Hey," Peyton said.

Brooke let out a sigh, "What's wrong sweetie?"

Peyton looked up at the sky and closed her eyes, "I saw Haley and Lucas sleeping together yesterday…"

"You're kidding me?" Brooke asked.

Peyton shook her head and let out a dry laugh, "And to top that all off Jake left."

Brooke put her arm around Peyton, "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Peyton shrugged and put a hand on her stomach, "I think that right now I just have to focus on the baby."

"I'm here for you P. Sawyer," Brooke said with a smile, "And I love the new hair," she said as she ran her fingers through Peyton's short, straight hair.

Peyton smiled, "Thanks B. Scott," she said and then gave Brooke a hug.

xxx

Haley hopped into bed and fed Lucas a piece of toast. Lucas smiled and kissed her quickly on the lips. "You know," Haley said with her mouth full of toast, "People are going to be very SURPRISED about this whole thing…I mean, we're going to get some shit for this," she laughed.

"Then let's not tell anyone," Lucas said as he brought Haley closer to him.

Haley raised a brow, "Kinky," she said and then lit a cigarette. Lucas laughed and kissed the top of her head. The doorbell rang and Lucas and Haley looked at each other, "I'll get it," Haley sang as she ran to the door. She opened it and saw Nathan standing there with his gym shorts on and a basketball under his arm.

"Hey," Nathan said with a nod.

Haley took a drag from her cigarette, "Hey you," she said, "What's up?"

Nathan shrugged, "Nothing much, I just stopped by to see if Luke wanted to go down to the River court to shoot around a bit."

Haley looked back into the house and heard the shower running, "I think he just got into the shower," she said, "But you can wait for him here."

Nathan nodded as the two of them made their way over to the porch swing to sit down, "You glad to be back?" He asked.

"Yeah," Haley said with a big smile and then took another drag, "Look, I'm sorry about showing up at your house that one night kind of unexpectedly. I don't want to start anything between you and Brooke."

Nathan looked at her, "It's fine, and Brooke was fine too."

"Good," Haley began, "Because I'm done with the bitchy, ex-wife that comes back to town to start trouble," Haley teased as she threw her cig down.

"I think we've all grown up and gotten over all the high school bull shit," Nathan stated.

Haley smiled, "Good riddance to that…"

xxx

Nathan walked into his house, and saw Brooke at the kitchen table. He went up behind her and began to rub her back, "What are you doing beautiful?"

Brooke shrugged him off, "Paying bills," she said bitterly.

"What's wrong?" Nate asked as he sat down next to her.

Brooke threw her pen down and glared at Nathan, "We haven't had sex for a week, maybe two!"

Nathan laughed, "That's why you're mad?"

"How do you find this funny?" Brooke yelled, "Ever since Haley showed up here we've been acting like a 70 year old couple!"

Nathan groaned, "First off, Haley isn't here for me, and I sure as hell am not going to leave you for a high school thing!"

Brooke's eyes began to water, "I'm sorry," she cried as she put her head in her hands, "I just…"

Nathan got down on his knees and put his hands in Brooke's lap, "I love you," he said softly and then kissed Brooke passionately.

He wiped a tear from Brooke's cheek and kissed her again. He picked her up and Brooke wrapped her legs around him. He pushed Brooke up against the wall as she quickly pulled her shirt off. They breathed heavily as Nate grabbed Brooke's left breast. Brooke smiled and sucked on Nathan's neck as he started to carry her up the stairs to the bedroom. Nathan laid Brooke down on the bed; he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it across the room.

Brooke giggled as Nathan got on top of her, "Come here sexy," she said with a gleam in her eyes.

He smiled and began to kiss her; Nathan ran his fingers through Brooke's hair as she started to undo his jeans. Brooke then slid off her skirt and tossed it aside. She moaned as Nathan slid inside of her; her grabbed her ass as she rolled on top of him. They breathed in unison when they had finally stopped; Brooke looked Nathan and smiled, "I love you," she said.

Nathan put his hand on her cheek and smirked, "I love you too, and I always will love you…"

xxx

Peyton walked into her room and saw Lucas sitting on her bed. He smiled at her, "Hey Peyton," he began, "I just stopped by to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine," Peyton said as she looked down at the floor.

Lucas cleared his throat and sat up from the bed, "I wanted to talk about everything…From the beach and everything."

"I don't really think that's necessary right now Luke," Peyton said as she walked over to her computer and looked away from him.

Lucas looked at her in confusion, "We've been through a lot Peyton and I just think they we have a lot to talk about with out relationship and everything…"

"What?" Peyton snapped, "Our relationship?" She said cynically, "We don't have a fucking relationship Lucas…We were two lonely people who were on a beach together. The father of my baby had just died and I probably wasn't thinking straight so whatever I said didn't mean a damn thing!"

Lucas looked at her, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"I saw you with her Luke!" Peyton screamed as she smacked a cup off her desk.

Lucas's face fell, "Me and Haley?"

"Yeah! You and Haley," Peyton said and then put a hand over her eyes, "Jake left me and I thought I'd come back to talk to you," she sobbed, "And I saw you fucking riding Haley…God Luke!"

Lucas ran his hand along his hair and sighed, "We weren't going to tell anybody about us," he began, "Look Peyton I'm really sorry you had to see that, but Haley and I…We were just talking and everything felt so right."

"If it felt so right then be with her," Peyton said softly, "Because I can't even look at you right now, and I don't want you to help me with this baby!"

"Peyton you're not thinking straight," Lucas stated.

Peyton got up and slapped Lucas across the face, "Get out," she said through gritted teeth, "Get out!" Lucas touched his cheek and walked out of the room. Peyton slammed her bedroom door and dropped down to the floor.

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