"Brooke, do you really have to go?" Rachel asked as she tossed a couple of dresses into one of the suitcases.
"Yes darling. I do. Trust me when I say this, but I really don't want to go back. I'm still not ready. But they say I am and I think some sunlight will be better than this cage I have been living in for the past year." I replied as I pulled down all of the pictures I had stuck on the mirror. "I will miss you Rach. Meet me as soon as you get out?"
It had been a year since I was forced to leave the town I called home and come live in the place I often referred to as the 'Cage'.
This was the place where I befriended the outgoing and quirky Rachel Gatina. However, my time was up and I was scheduled to go back home the next day.
To say that I was scared was an understatement. I had left in the middle of the year, completely unannounced without leaving even a trail of where I had disappeared.
Now returning back to the old town of Tree Hill was proving to be a tough challenge for me.
"Maybe you can convince your parents to let you stay in New York. Or maybe you just don't leave. It's not like Mr. and Mrs. Davis stay in Tree Hill. California is miles away. They will never know." Rachel suggested.
"Yes, but Clay will realise. Although, he too moved out for college, he does still check up on me and he is smart enough to figure out whether or not I am in Tree Hill. I will sound to happy here. Trust me, I have carefully thought about the situation." I countered. Clay was my older brother and the only person I cared about in my family.
"It's not like Clay lives there. You are going to be living in that house all on your own." She plainly stated.
"Clay goes to Duke University which is pretty close by so he can come and visit anytime and even check up on how I'm doing. So, it was decided that it would be best to move back to Tree Hill. Also, its not like my parents want me with them. That would just ruin their lives." Sarcasm dripped from my mouth as I said that statement.
"Ugh! This is just depressing. I will miss you so much Brookie!" She said getting up and pulling me into an embrace.
"Yeah. I will miss you too Rach." I sniffled as I returned the hug.
"Yeah. Just three more months, and I am out!" She replied. I could see the relief in her eyes. The place wasn't so bad, but it wasn't like either of us were going to miss it. We were stuck and they helped us move on in life. That's it. Felt the Gratitude and thats all.
"So I'm expecting a visit in three months." I smiled.
"Yeah. You sure will see me there in three months. After all, I will have to come to catch up all the hot gossip and drama that takes centre in that small town." She joked.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I ignored her comment. I had been ignoring those thoughts ever since I came here.
"So is anybody coming to get you?" She asked. She was worried for me like a big sister. It was kinda cute.
"Nah. I'm just going to catch a cab and fly there. Another cab home and voila!" I replied.
"No Clay?" She confirmed.
"No Clay. He has college work. He cant just drop everything and come to get me. I'll see him soon though. Some weekend when he can make it home for a bit." I answered with my fake smile.
The truth was that I missed my older brother. I hadn't seen him in a year. He called every week to check on me without fail, so that was encouraging. But other than that, nothing. It made me think that he too was disappointed in me. And that was something I couldn't take in. Clay was my life. He was my only family as my parents did a crappy job being parents. They were kids themselves. But through it all, Clay was my rock. And now, knowing that I let him down too, it just made it impossible for me to breathe.
"Oh thats okay. Just take care of yourself Brooke. The world can benefit from people like you." Rachel complimented. I just snorted at her unbelievable remark as I zipped up my last bag.
"Yeah, right. People run in terror from The Brooke Davis!" I corrected her. "Anyway, I should go now. Bye."
I gave her one last hug and looked around the place. Yeah, I was ready to say goodbye to the white walls. I had worked hard for it.
If only I could get myself to somehow actually believe that I was ready.