Chapter 2 – Rearranging Life

It is a small house near campus, three bedrooms, a backyard with a kid pool, a barbecue grill and a tire hanging from an oak tree. There's a white picket fence and a small frontyard with some nice flowers. Lucas' Mustang and Nate and Hales' Honda are parked in front, which means everybody is probably home. Lucas opens the gate and shouts "Hello, there. Anybody home?" There is some screaming from inside the house, and Haley runs outside, jumping on Lucas to the door in a smiling Nathan, with a smiling Jamie on his arm.

"I'm so happy you're home, Luke! Tell me everything, what happened, why didn't you call?"

Lucas smiles, and walks up to Nathan, picking up Jamie and hugging him. "Oh, Hales, little brother, Jluke, I missed you guys so much. I am very happy to be home."

"Welcome home, big brother. What's up? Did she say yes?"

Lucas walks inside and sits in the couch with Jamie in his lap. He holds the little boy facing him, and gives him a big wet kiss in the forehead. The ten-month-old baby gives his uncle a four teeth smile, clearly happy to see Lucas. Haley sits next to Lucas in the couch. Nate goes to the fridge, and grabs a beer, offering one to Lucas and to Haley. Lucas accepts, and Haley declines, so Nathan opens two beers, passing one to Lucas, and sits in a chair in facing the sofa. It's a tiny room, spotless clean, with baby toys and equipment everywhere.

"Well guys, it's been only three days, but so much has happened! Let me begin from the beginning. First, I went to LA and asked Peyton to marry me. To make a long story short, she said no."

Haley exchanges a quick glance with Nathan and looks at Lucas with a sad face. "Oh, Luke. I'm so sorry! I was sure she was going to accept. Do you know why she said no? Did you guys break up?"

Nathan looks at the ground and mumbles "I'm sorry, man!"

Lucas turns to Haley and answers her questions. "You know Hales, I have been thinking about why, but the honest truth is that I don't know, and I don't get it. And yes, we did break up afterwards, or, to be more precise, I guess I dumped her. But this is far from the end of the story"

"What else?"

"When I got to the airport, with the intention to exchange my ticket back to North Carolina to an earlier flight, my phone rings. It was an editor, working for a fancy publishing house in New York. She told me that they were going to publish Ravens and that I had to go to New York and meet her to discuss details.

"Wow, congratulations Luke!" "Congratulations, man."

"I got to New York in the middle of the afternoon, and went straight to the publishing house. I met the owner and my editor, Lindsay Strauss, who happens to be the daughter of the owner. They offered me a contract, with a nice six figure advance and they took me to a posh bar nearby to talk and discuss the future. As it turns out, I'll be going to New York every week for the next six months to work on editing the novel with Lindsay."

With that Nathan frowned. "Hey man, what about coaching? Sure, now we have off-season and summer, but we need to keep up training, and you can't really run from your job."

"I'm going to have to discuss this with the Atletic Dept and with the Dean, but I think I'll be able to handle both. I may have to direct some of the training from a distance, and I may lean on you a bit at times, Nate. I'll also need some help with coursework. Given the circunstances, I don't think I'll be much help taking care of Jamie from now on, but I'll be happy to pay for daycare, at least part time, so that you guys can manage. I am really sorry about that. You guys know how much I love being the in-house uncle for little Jamie here."

Haley and Nathan exchange looks and smile. Haley talks for the both of them. "You know how much we appreciate your help, Luke. And we will probably take you up on the help with daycare. Jamie is sleeping all night now, and he is a bit less work-intensive, so we may actually manage without our third full-time parent from now on. It's been so nice, but we know you have to follow your dreams too. We are very happy for you."

"There is more. When they took me to the bar, I called an old friend to come and celebrate the book and mourn my proposal."

Haley guessed in an instant. "You sly dog. You called Brooke. Did she show?"

"Yup. Gorgeous as always. A bit less bubbly, more thoughful, but the same graceful, big hearted girl. She showed up at the bar and we were together talking and drinking the whole evening."

Nate made a disapproving face. "Did you..."

"No! Absolutely not. Just friends. We talked about Peyton and the proposal. Hell, we talked about everything. She gave shrewd advice, a lot of friendly support, and she encouraged me not to give up on Peyton. And she is right, Peyton is a little slippery, but I should try again with her, maybe even offer her the ring again. She said she would call Peyton and have a little heart-to-heart before we meet again, and discuss what to do.

Haley gives him a suspicious glace. "Meet again? What are you up to, Luke?"

"I'm supposed to call Brooke before I head to New York again. We are going to meet and talk." Lucas is trying for a completely innocent face, but the suspicious looks by Nathan and Haley show that he is not entirely successful.

This time is Nathan who talks for both of them. "Luke, be careful. We love you, but you know we love that girl as well. You already hurt her a lot, in fact you guys hurt each other quite a bit, although I think she has most of the scars. You've moved on, but we think you have been the only guy she has ever really loved. Please, don't play with her."

"I know guys, but I got the impression that your concern is unecessary. She has grown so much this past year. She seems more than capable of protecting her own heart."

Now it is Haley who speaks. "Just be careful, Luke. And remember what Brooke herself says, that those who belong together make their way back to each other in the end. You belong with Peyton, not Brooke."

"I agree." Luke only wishes his heart was as clearly decisive as his mouth.

oooooooooooooooooooo

The phone rings on Peyton's small Hollywood apartment. It's close to midnight and Peyton picks it up, hoping to hear Lucas voice. It's been three days since that night, and Peyton has hardly slept, every time she closes her eyes she sees Lucas on one knee, offering her forever and that damn ring. The raspy voice she hears is instantly recognizable, and pretty welcome too.

"P. Sawyer, you bitch, is that you?"

"Brooke."

"I am so happy to hear your voice, blondie. We really need to talk."

"You heard?"

"Lucas came to New York two nights ago. We spent the evening together."

"What? What the hell do you mean?"

"Nothing kinky, goldilocks. Just friends. He was pretty bent out of shape, so we drank, and we talked, and we hugged and cried some. Nothing else."

"Two nights ago? He went straight from here to New York. Why would he do that? This sounds really weird. Have you guys kept in touch?"

"No sweety, I hadn't seen Broody since graduation, and I hadn't talked on the phone or exchanged messages either. I got news about him from Hales. We exchange phone calls avery couple of weeks or so. I try to keep up with mine, and Broody's godson."

"So, why did he go to New York?"

"That is the first big piece of business. When he was at the airport in LA he received a phone call. One of the big publishing houses that you had sent his novel got in touch. They decided to publish it. He exchanges his North Carolina return ticket for a ticket to New York and comes here to meet the publishers."

"Damn... I don't even know what to think." Peyton begins to sob on the phone. "He and Nathan win nationals, they get an impossible title for that little school of theirs. Then he comes here, all starry eyed and loving and proposes to me and I turn him down. I panicked, B Davis, I didn't even see the ring. He breaks up with me, goes back home all broken and sad and gets the biggest news, his biggest dream comes true and you are the one standing there next to him."

"I confess I am mad with you P. Sawyer. If the love of your life shows up and offers you a ring, you just take it. You have plenty of time for panic later, damn it."

"I know. We are just nineteen Brooke. I've been at Sia Records for a year as coffee girl and mailroom assistant. I am hanging by my fingernails on the fringe of my dreams, with very little to show for it. I hate this industry, I hate this city and I hate being alone. All I want is to quit this miserable job and go try something else. But this is no baggage to bring to a marriage, is it? I am going to marry my sweet golden boy, a successful author and coach with all his dreams coming true and me a complete, bitter failure? I can't do that. I won't do it. This would poison us. I need more time. I asked him for another year, but I don't really know if that is enough. He may well be right. Maybe we didn't have another year."

Brooke stands up and starts pacing in front of her window. She begins to get it. It is pride and fear standing in Lucas and Peyton's way. And it is distance too. Pride and shame makes her fearful and withdrawn, and distance makes it easy for her to hide. "Sweetie, you are not a failure. It's been a year, and the music industry is very harsh, very resistant to talent. Myself, Lucas and Nathan, we are the exceptions, achieving real world sucess at age nineteen. You are incredibly smart and talented, and you're right. You need more time. You need patience. And you shouldn't throw your love away like that."

"What do you suggest, B. Davis? I confess I am at the end of my rope here."

"Ask for a week leave of absence. Invent a disease, a death in the family, anything. Come to New York and spend a few days with me. Lucas is editing his novel, and he has to come here every week for now. You will rest, we will talk and we will try to find a future for you guys. I talked to Lucas, he hasn't really given up on you. He is just a little heartbroken."

"OK, Brooke, thanks."

"I'll send you a ticket tomorrow morning, for tomorrow afternoon. I'll have someone pick you up at the airport. You will stay at my home. See you tomorrow, P. Sawyer. Hos over bros sweetie."

"Buds over studs, B. Davis"

Brooke stares at the phone for a bit. This might be easier than she thought. Or maybe harder. She is going to stand as maid of honor to Peyton, marrying Broody, just as she promissed. She is going to play this with all she's got. She is going to get these two fools back together, whatever the cost. Damn.