THE RED DOOR
By Linkie
Disclaimer: Still don't and probably will never own anything of One Tree Hill… I'd like to own Brucas though, so I could have my way with them…
The Title and the song used is Jealousy by Liz Phair, I kinda like her eponym CD…I think it is the last one that got out, but frankly, that is the best too… I think the others kinda sucked (sorry I have to be so straight talking…)
A/N: Thanks BrucasScott, plainwhitets311 and foreverbrucas for your reviews!. I'm sorry to see that some of you are disappointed there isn't going to be Jeyton...but who knows? I might change my mind about it...
Okay story background: Set during season 2: Brooke's father lost their money and has to sell the house of Tree Hill. Brooke doesn't want to join them to California so she goes to live at Peyton's. Lucas Roe and Nathan Scott are still brothers but they don't know each other. Nathan knows that his father had another child before him but doesn't even know that it was with Karen. Karen came back numerous times to Tree Hill alone so Dan concluded she had lost their child. Lucas, a very pregnant Karen and Andy leave LA to go to live in Tree Hill. Karen told Andy about the fact she wanted him to know who her son's father was. Brooke is friends with Peyton, Nathan, Haley, Mouth, and recently with Rachel.
Chapter 3: Jealousy
He's got a million dollar car
He's got a thirty-seven year old guitar
He's got a family who deals heroin,
you're on the edge of your chair and then
You feel it
He's looking at you
He's laughing at you
It's happening.
Lucas Roe couldn't believe how unlucky he had been on his first day at Tree Hill High School… Was it because he was new or only because he was him? He sought through his locker, to find his meal but he apparently had forgotten it too… Where was his mind today? He cursed under his breath and slapped the door of his locker violently the remembered something...
"So, how you're going so far? You know, since it's your first day…" Haley trailed off and Lucas turned around at the sound of her voice, facing her with a glare on his face. In, fact, she already knew the answer, it was clear it had been one morning of hell… Between the weird looks every people had been giving him, the girls of the squad hitting on him like he was a piece of meat and the guys just glaring at him, afraid of some competition, his morning had been just full…
"Fine, met some cool people, the usual I suppose." He answered with a fake smile and she nodded, looking over his shoulder at Nathan and Peyton who were talking together in a corner. She didn't like it. She didn't like that one of her bestfriends was talking to her husband while they couldn't even say two words to each other without fighting. Lucas unzipped his bag's front pocketand dived a hand into it, finally finding where his mother had put his meal. He smiled satisfied and looked back at Haley.
I can't, I can't believe it.
But it's here on the pages I'm reading
It's all I can do to conceal my feelings of jealousy... jealousy...
I know it's just a drawer of photographs
They're ex-girlfriends, I try to remember that
I don't wanna look, but I'm already hooked on jealousy... jealousy...
"So, what classes do you have after lunch?" She asked, trying to show some interest even if her heart wasn't really with himat that moment. She couldn't help but keep an eye on them. Lucas didn't seem to notice her uneasiness though, which was a good thing.
"Uh, let me see…" He looked down at his timetable and smiled a little, meeting her eyes. "Biology and then literature, great my fav." He said and her eyes grew big as she heard his statement about literature. Was he serious?
"You're serious? You love literature or you're just messing with my mind?"
"No, really, I love reading. Why, you thought I was like a brainless rich spoiled guy?"
"No…you just don't seem like the type of guy to like reading. Anyway, uh, I have biology with you so why don't you come eat with my friends and me? I mean, I suppose you don't have anyone to eat with, and I kinda know how it feels like to be new…" She rambled and he lifted a hand in the air, trying to stop her.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." She only replied, leading him to the cafeteria. Hopefully, the brunette of the other day wouldn't be a part of her friends so he wouldn't see her…he didn't know why, but she made him feel kinda insecure, less confident. And that was with only looking at him in the eye. It was like she was penetrating his soul… "Hey guys!"
"Hales, what's up?" Mouth greeted her with a big smile while Lucas stood up, kinda shocked. That was what he would call strange. Her circle of friends was kinda unexpected: the guy who had just talked and Brooke beside him…it didn't seem like real. They obviously weren't belonging to the same crowd.
"Well, I'd like you to meet someone. He's new and he's like…uh, Brooke's replacement." She hesitated employing that term since the other day when Brooke had gotten mad but just didn't know what else she could call him. "Uh, Lucas, this is Mouth, Rachel, Skills, and I'm sure you remember Brooke?"
"Yeah, hi everyone."
"Hey man, so I'm taking you're new here?" Nathan said from behind and Haley glared at him. He looked like he was jealous or something. The truth was that he didn't risk anything; Lucas was kinda too much for her. Besides, she was still in love with him. Lucas turned to the brown-haired guy confused. "Oh, sorry, I'm Nathan, and this is Peyton." He introduced himself and the cute curly blonde haired girl standing next to him.
"Lucas." He extended his arm and they shook hands quickly.
"Nice to meet you." Nathan said and Lucas nodded, looking back and forth at Haley and Nathan. Tension was definitively in the air.
"So I'm taking you're Haley's husband?"
"That's it."
"Why don't you all sit?" Rachel asked seductively smiling at Lucas who smiled back. The girl was apparently a big flirt but she wasn't intriguing him at all…however, Brooke… the girl was still eating, never looking up, like she was afraid she might say or do something wrong.
"So, where are you coming from?" Peyton asked, sitting in front of him, next to Nathan. This one smiled unconsciously, that is until he noticed Haley's glare in his direction. She just couldn't back off a second?
"Uh, California."
"Okay, so I suppose that means big changes then? I mean, Tree Hill isn't exactly like L.A. I know I'm not good in geography but I still know that!" Nathan exclaimed and Peyton chuckled while Haley continued glaring. Mouth, Skills and Rachel exchanged a glance, they felt kinda uncomfortable.
"Yeah, North California kinda sucks."
"C'mon, it's not that bad…you just need some time to acclimate yourself, it's logical." Rachel said, lightly touching his arm and grazing her fingers over his skin. Lucas didn't say anything and pulled away gently though.
"Well, anyway, it doesn't really matter since I won't stay here too long."
"Oh, how so?"
"I'm almost 18; I won't be forced to follow my mother everywhere she wants to go and I'll go to college next year. I mean, I'll go back to California." He explained and they all nodded, kinda understanding his choice.
"Whatever…I heard your mother is opening the Café today?" Rachel asked faking interest. She was practically throwing herself at him, it was embarrassing. Brooke almost snorted in her meal and Skills and Mouth just rolled their eyes. Lucas looked at her and nodded slowly.
"Yeah…"
"Do you know if she needs waiters?" Brooke blurted out and for the first time of the day, she met his how so captivating eyes. You could lose yourself in them for sure… He looked deeply at her and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"Yes, I think she does." And then he smiled warmly at her but she broke the gaze quickly, almost blushing.
I can't believe you had a life before me
I can't believe they let you run around free
Just putting your body wherever it seemed like a good idea
What a good idea:
Standing
On the corner
Watching
The ladies
Pass by
Imagining me behind your eyes
And then what did I see?
I saw hips, I saw thighs
I saw secret positions that we never try
I saw jealousy
I saw jealousy
I can't, I can't believe it
But it's here in this place and I see it
It's all I can do to conceal my feelings of jealousy... jealousy...
"Hey Dad, what's up?" Nathan wiped the sweat off of his face and threw the towel on a chair next to where his father was sitting, drinking whisky while reading some papers. Dan looked up at his son, kinda satisfied he was working on his basketball level. The boy didn't suck, but he still had some progress to make.
"I was just wondering if you had finally signed the divorce papers. You know the layer won't wait indefinitely?" He asked with a low voice and Nathan chuckled softly. It would never change between them…
"I won't sign them finally. Haley and me…" He started but of course, Dan cut him off. He held his breath and Dan snickered.
"Haley and I." He corrected and Nathan let out a sigh. His father couldn't let him do a mistake for once? Was it too much to ask?"
"Yeah whatever… so we decided we would try again together before doing something drastic." He broke eye contact and walked to the fridge, taking a bottle of water off of it.
"You should have thought about doing something drastic before marrying her!" Dan groaned and Nathan put the bottle on the counter, starting to be mad. Just like his father was the one who could advice him about relationships and marriage! "How could you have been that stupid to fall into her strings?" Dan almost shouted, getting up. Nathan could tell he was drunk, again.
"Okay, I just dropped by to take a few clothes, so you don't need to yell at me!" He turned to leave upstairs but Dan went after him, taking his arm in his hand and pressing it. Nathan swirled around, struggling and breaking free.
"Nathan, you don't go again, we have to talk! Don't you see she's manipulating you? Get a hold of yourself, damn it!"
"She's not manipulating me! If someone's doing it, it's you, not her! And I'm tired of hearing you always bringing her down! She's the greatest thing that ever happened in my life!" Nathan shouted back, his voice almost breaking.
"Well, if you aren't any more careful, there's another thing that is soon going to happen and you perfectly know I'm right about it!" They had already talked about that…Haley getting pregnant to get a hold onto him. He knew now that it probably was bullshit, but still, there was always a doubt…
"I wonder why I'm still bothering trying to talk to you about it. It's evident you know nothing about our love…or come to think of it, about love simply."
"That's enough! Get out of my house!"
"Dad!"
"Get out and don't ever come back before you get rid of that little wife of yours!"
"If that's what you want…goodbye Dan." You're not my father anymore; I'm done with trying with you… Nathan thought, slapping the door behind him. So, now, what he was supposed to do? Where was he supposed to go? The beach house wasn't an option anymore. Things were kind of tense with Haley and he knew she didn't want him to live with her until things weren't better. In the past, he would have gone to Brooke since she was always alone and enjoyed company. But now that she lived at Peyton's…
The couple was sitting in his car, arguing after he told her the news. They were parked in front of that little Café which had just opened, ready to go see what had become of their old 'friend'.
"I can't believe you threw my son out of our house, Dan! For god's sake, what's so wrong with you? You should really see someone." Deb said harshly, shaking her drunken husband by the shoulders. She was frustrated, angry, concerned about where Nathan would go, what he would do now…
"Deb, just shut up, you don't know anything about what happened. Your son is a disgrace and that's all." He said then laughed to himself. Deb was pitiful. She thought she was better than him, but deep inside, she just was worse. The day she would realize that…
"How can you be so…heartless and cruel?" She threw her hands in the hair in exasperation. She couldn't believe him! They had been married for years but he was still surprising her. How could someone be so bitter?
"I'm just realistic! He had everything he could have asked for: basketball, a future, and money. And he threw it all for a stupid worthless girl." He said simply and Deb shook her head, opening the door for him.
"I might not approve of his choice concerning his marriage with Haley but I won't let you talk about him this way! Do you even realize you're talking about your son? Because sometimes I wonder."
"You can always try to make yourself the perfect mother. You, I and even Nathan know it's totally wrong Deb, so don't start with me."
"I know, I'm not the perfect mom, I'm not trying to."
"C'mon, let's get see how Karen Roe is doing…and why she came back after all those years of absence."
"Still that old flame burning?" She almost accused him and he chuckled, slapping her butt as he walked past her. She seemed kinda offended but didn't say anything. She wouldn't make a scene in front of everyone.
"No, I just need to know what happened to her all over these years." He turned to her with an unreadable smile and winked at her.
"Right." They both entered the Café, keeping a good distance between them as they walked side by side and sat at the bar, waiting for Karen to notice them. She was in the stock room or the kitchen, they really didn't know. Deb taped her fingers against the footstool she was sitting on, nervously. Karen had been her friend before she left without leaving a trace. What had gone so wrong that she had to leave so…quickly and suddenly?
"So, uh, Lucas told me you were kinda searching for waiters and well, I need to find a job…" Brooke said her dimples in full action as she smiled at the mother of her very first crush. Yes, as weird as it seemed, she had never crushed over a boy like she was Lucas. The two women had talked a little, and Brooke being a so nice girl had helped Karen bringing boxes in the kitchen, after seeing she was very pregnant, thing she hadn't noticed the first time they had met. Karen turned to her, and paused for a second, glancing at the young brunette. She recognized her from somewhere but where exactly could they have met?
"Aren't you the girl we met the other day in the house?" She finally asked after a while and Brooke nodded softly. She opened the carton box and pulled the tins of food out.
"That's me, my father kinda lost a lot of money and well, he found a job in California but it takes time to rebuild a business and all." She explained and looked around, trying to find out where she was supposed to put them. Just as she was about to ask, she finally found a place.
"Yes, I guess it does." Karen answered watching her stretching on her toes. The girl was quite a beauty…and of course Lucas had to fall for that one…
"So, uh, would it be possible or not?" Brooke asked, turning around once she was done. Karen sat down at the table and shrugged hesitantly.
"Well…" Brooke sat in front of her and nodded understanding the woman's hard situation. She was putting her by the fait accompli by asking her out of the blue for a job.
"Look, don't feel like pressured to give me the job! I mean, I'm sure there are some other people who can do it better!"
"It's not that Brooke… I just need to see how you're doing in a kitchen and all, you see?" Karen explained and the young woman nodded, enthusiastically, and then frowned a little. In a kitchen? She didn't even know how to use a stove correctly…
"I won't have to cook, right? Because I suck at that…" She said kind of worried and Karen let out a small laugh, getting up.
"No, that's my job, don't worry." Karen and Brooke shared a smile, she really was starting to like that girl, she reminded her of herself when she was her age. "So, I'm guessing you're a cheerleader by seeing your uniform?"
"Yeah, I'm captain actually…it's kinda…fun." Brooke hesitated then smiled a little. She had loved it before, now she thought it was boring. It was no more exciting like it had been before, when she was cheering for Kevin… before he had left town without telling anyone. Not that she cared about him anyway… she preferred being alone than with that jerk.
"That's what I used to say too…" Karen sighed softly. That was before…before Dan, before all the drama…before Lucas.
"You were a cheerleader too?" Brooke asked surprised and Karen chuckled, glancing at the shop to see if there were new customers that needed to be served.
"Yes… wha-" Karen began but stopped as soon as she saw the couple entering the Café, her Café… How come they were here? Did they know? She felt a pain in her tummy and held it protectively between her hands. She slid against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to calm down. Brooke knelt down next to her and placed a hand on hers.
"What is it? Are you feeling okay?" She said worriedly and Karen shook his head 'no', whimpering.
"My baby…"
"Hey when are you supposedly due?" She asked kind of aggravated by the state the older woman was in…she seemed to suffer very much. The realization made her panic even more.
"In two months…," Karen cried painfully, holding her tummy with her hands "please, call 911!"
Standing
On the mud flats
Watching
The salmon
Fly
Wonder if I'll ever bury the hatchet inside.
Imagining me behind your eyes
And then what did I see?
I saw hips, I saw thighs
I saw secret positions that we never try
I saw jealousy
I saw jealousy
"Peyton… I don't know what to do… Hales is mad at me for a reason I ignore, my father doesn't want to talk to me anymore, and I'm feeling things I should be feeling for someone other than my wife." Nathan Scott was laying on his ex girlfriend bed, fingers crossed under his head, looking at the ceiling thoughtful. He didn't understand Haley; he didn't understand anything in fact. Peyton turned from her spot at her desk as she was working on her web page and looked down at him as his eyes were closed. Could it be possible she was the one he was talking about? Who else would it be? Certainly not Brooke, neither Rachel…
"And you come seeing me when you know I'm Haley's friend…are you suicidal?" She teased him a little but behind that tease, they both know she was angry at him.
"Pey, you're so…different from the first time we dated." He sat up on the bed and tried to catch her eyes but she avoided his gaze, turning her head to the side. She couldn't let him do that to themselves. It wasn't fair to Haley, it wasn't fair to her, and it wasn't fair to him either.
"I had some experiences that kinda change a being." She reminisced herself of the last months she had had and the deceptions also… Her real mother appearing so suddenly then vanishing just as quickly..., Jake who had left, of course bringing Jenny with him. He had been her strength, her happiness. There was also her father, always gone somewhere, for work, for giving her the future she wanted… that art school she didn't really care about anymore...
"I know…Jake, and Jenny."
"Yes, and Ellie too." She added and he ran a hand through his hair, kinda embarrassed and sorry for her. She was so great, she really didn't deserve it.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about this one." He chuckled a little and she just nodded to the door.
"Nathan, you better leave before Brooke comes back. If she finds you here again, she's gonna flip out and imagine things."
"I don't want to leave you Pey… I feel good hanging with you." He closed the small gap between them and brought his hand to her cheek, turning her head so he could see her eyes. "I never realized what a great person you were before, when we were dating. I do now." He whispered the last three words before inching his lips closer to her shivering ones. They both wanted it so much but she knew it wasn't right.
"Nathan please…we both don't want to hurt Haley or anyone else." She said pulling away before their lips touched. It was hard resisting him but she had to do it. She couldn't betray Haley…she had done this to Brooke once, and things had gone nasty…she didn't want a repeat of last year. The worst in that story was that the guy wasn't even worth it… Kevin had been a jerk to them both and they had been too late to realize he was playing on two fronts.
"It's too late for that." Another voice interrupted them. They turned to see the person, shocked that he/she was there and had seen what they just almost done.
I can't believe you had a life before me
I can't believe they let you run around free
Just putting your body wherever it seemed like a good idea
What a good idea:
Teaser for next chapter:
'I just didn't think I would see him that soon! I'm not ready for this'
'Thanks for calling me.' He said as they pulled away. Brooke smiled dazedly, due to the after effects of the hug. Being in his arms felt good, almost too good for someone she had just met a few days ago.
Please R&R! Next Chapter will probably be up on July 6th (meaning thursday).