Sorry it took so long guys, I had a bit of writer's block, but I've managed to get past it. As always thanks for the support and encouragement from those of you that take time to review. It really means a lot. And once again, special thanks to Sam, girl there wouldn't be a story if it wasn't for you. Anyway, as always I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters. And now, on with the story….
Chapter 11- Uncomfortably Numb
I love it I hate it
I can't live without
I love it I hate it, baby
"Peyton Sawyer, get your fake-blonde butt down here right now so I can kill you," Brooke screamed as she tore through her best friend's house, pacing and muttering to herself. She didn't know how she wasn't crying right now, but she figured that it might have something to do with the overwhelming urge she had to kill someone.
Too bad for Payton that she seemed to be the only one home.
"Brooke, what in the hell is wrong with you?" Peyton asked, halfway pissed and amused by the spectacle her best friend was making of herself downstairs. If she hadn't known Brooke so well, she seriously would try and have her committed right now.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me he had a girlfriend…? I swear I hate that trashy red head already," Brooke screeched as she flung her purse onto the nearest chair and continued her rant.
"Oh, so I see that you met Rachel."
"Yes, I met Rac-hell," Brooke mocked. "I can't believe I would actually fall for him again and he has a girlfriend…. I…"
"Brooke, slow down. Rachel is not his girlfriend, technically, I mean they've only been dating for like two weeks…. And he doesn't really like her that much anyway."
"Yeah, well then why is he with her?" Brooke replied, sounding a lot more broken than she would have liked.
"Honestly, Brooke, it was to make himself get over you," Peyton tried to calm her friend and figured that telling her the truth would somehow make things better. Peyton soon realized that the truth was probably not the best idea because Brooke immediately stopped her pacing, and Peyton could see the tears forming in her eyes.
"Peyton, I didn't wanna get scared again, but she was in his room, and she seemed so comfortable, what if he really doesn't want to be with me…"
"Brooke, calm down," Peyton replied as she ran down the stairs and gathered the brunette in her arms. Brooke had been doing rather well considering everything that had gone on the past four days, and knowing Brooke as well as she did, this breakdown was way overdue.
Peyton just sighed as she rubbed Brooke's back and waited for her to come out and say what was really wrong. After about five minutes of crying, Brooke finally started to open up.
"God, I realize how stupid all of this is. I'm crazy about him, and I thought he was crazy about me, why does this have to be so hard?" Brooke spoke more to herself than anything, and Peyton decided to keep her remarks to herself and just let Brooke get it all out.
"I came back thinking that everything was going to be okay, that I would admit to him that I had feelings for him, we would kiss and make up, and it would all work out. Was that pathetic?"
"No, that's not pathetic, and you have no idea what's going on in his head. You have to talk to him Brooke; it's not fair to either of you if you just run away when something scares you."
"I know, I will, I just need some time to think about it."
"Brooke, what is there to think about? That's ridiculous. You love him, it's written all over your face so don't try and deny it. Go talk to him and sort everything out. You've both hurt each other, but now is the chance to get over it and be together." Peyton huffed. It was time someone knocked some sense into her best friend's thick head, and she was going to be the one to do it.
Brooke, looked at her best friend in shock, Peyton never just came out and told her that she was being childish, but now she was letting her have it.
"Look, I know that the Rachel thing was a shock, and I'm not defending Luke, but no one knew when you were coming back, or if you even thought about Tree Hill anymore. You got a chance to move on, I understand that, but we were just kind of left behind," Peyton sighed.
"Oh Peyton," Brooke sighed as she threw her arms around the other girl. She realized that her leaving didn't only affect her; it affected those that she left as well. "I'm so sorry. God, I'm such an idiot."
"No its okay, I get why you did it, besides I'm not the one that was in love with you the whole time you were gone."
"I guess I have to go see him and try and explain why I ran, again, huh?"
"Yeah, if you want to be with him you do."
"I will, I just gotta give it a little time. He needs to worry about getting better right now; we can talk about us when he's out of the hospital." Brooke said, trying to stall as much as possible. She loved him, but she still needed a little push to be able to make this work.
Peyton really wanted to knock Brooke over the head after that last comment, but she was used to the way that Brooke Davis operated. That girl was ballsy as all hell when it came to everything except her heart. She was always scared to fight for what mattered most and Peyton just hoped that they could finally get it together. So she just hugged her and nodded in reassurance.
The two were broken out of their little girl talk when Haley busted through the door and immediately ran into their embrace.
Just from the tears, they knew that things didn't go like she planned with Nathan.
Peyton couldn't help but groan inwardly, she had just calmed one of them down, now it was the other one's turn. She missed them like hell, but she sure could have lived a little longer without all the drama of Brooke and Haley. But, as any good friend would do, she wrapped her arms around Haley as well and asked the phrase she was dreading.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Haley nodded her head affirmatively and they all settled in for some more girl talk.
After a little more sobbing and some friendly advice, the three had moved up to Peyton's room and were currently occupying themselves by watching old movies. They had all had enough of their little pity party, and Brooke has suggested that they all get makeovers.
So now they were just bonding as friends and the original awkwardness was beginning to fade. It was almost like old times, and that was something all three girls were very thankful for.
"So, not that I don't love having the two of you living with me, but where are you going to live permanently?"
"Karen found us a cute two bedroom apartment and we're going to look at it tomorrow. I can't wait to decorate," Brooke clapped her hands together excitedly. "Peyt, will you draw something cool on the wall?"
Sure Brooke. So, Haley are you as excited about it as B. Davis over there?"
"I just wanna live with Nathan again," Haley replied glumly, and was immediately hit in the head with a pillow.
"Tutorgirl, no more moping. We promised no more boy talk."
"Fine Brooke, no more boy talk. Are we all set for school tomorrow?" Haley randomly asked.
"Tutorgirl, no one but you actually cares about school… Oh, but I did get the cutest outfit. Oh God! Wait, I have a crisis"
"What?" Peyton and Haley asked simultaneously. God only knew what problem Brooke had already.
"I'm not a cheerleader anymore, what am I going to do?" Brooke asked, devastated at the thought of not being a THH cheerleader.
Peyton just laughed, "Well Brooke, seeing as I am the captain now, I would be willing to give you your spot back, on one condition."
"And what would that condition be missy-Blondie girl?"
"Haley has to agree to join too," Peyton giggled mischievously.
"What! No, no way!" Haley yelled. "I am not a cheerleader."
"Well, I'm the captain and that is my rule. No exceptions" Peyton was really enjoying torturing her friends. Besides she knew it would be good for Haley to be around them all after school let out.
Brooke was already on top of Haley waiting to pounce by the time she was finished protesting "Tutorgirl, I was born to be a cheerleader, so you will join, and you will be happy about it, or else."
Haley was truthfully kinda frightened by the look in the brunette's eyes, and knew she would never hear the end of it if she didn't agree. 'I can't believe I'm doing this' she thought.
"Okay, I'll do it… Now get off of me. Peyton, you suck"
"Yay!" Brooke screamed and then started waving Peyton's pom-poms around the room. Haley only groaned. How was she going to put up with this for the rest of the year?
Tomorrow certainly was going to be interesting, and she could only imagine what kind of gossip that this was going to create.
Lucas just sat in the hospital room, brooding as usual.
He had politely kicked Rachel out and told her that he just wasn't ready for a relationship. He also had told her that there was someone else. What he didn't expect though, was for her to tell him that it was ok and to come find her when it didn't work out.
And that kind of bothered him. Who was she to say that it wasn't going to work out? He and Brooke hadn't even begun to try and sort everything out and people were already destining them for failure.
He sighed as he painfully admitted that they could be right. And he was so afraid of that possibility. But, she had run out on him, again. It was definitely becoming a habit. He just hoped it wouldn't take as long this time for her to come and talk to him. Because that was frustrating, especially when he hadn't done anything wrong.
He was interrupted from his pondering by another knock on the door, and prepared to face whichever well-wisher was going to be there this time.
"Hi Coach"
Whitey walked into the room and sighed a sigh of relief as he came in to see one of his favorite players. He was really going to miss Lucas playing on the team. He just hoped that Lucas would accept the offer he was about to make so that he could still be a part of the Raven's.
"Glad to see you vertical, well-partially" the coach corrected in his normally gruff voice, and gave Lucas a pat in the shoulder.
"Sorry about that Coach, but hey we won, right," Lucas asked, hopeful that he wouldn't get chewed out by Whitey.
"Boy you really are a damn-fool. No game is worth your life. I swear sometimes you are just as dumb as that idiot brother of yours. I thought you were the smart one," Whitey bellowed.
"Sorry Coach, it was just hard to give up basketball, it was all I had," Lucas quietly admitted.
Whitey softened his tone; he could understand where Lucas was coming from. He too had used basketball as a lifeline when he didn't have anything else left, but he didn't want Lucas to make the same mistakes he had. "Look son, you know I can't let you play anymore, right?"
"Yeah Coach, I know, I'm off the team," Lucas didn't realize how hard it was going to be to say the words until they cam out of his mouth.
"Well, I do have another suggestion, and I hope you are willing to accept it. I want you to be the team manager. And before you refuse, it's not like being the ball boy. Look Lucas, you have a lot of love for the game, the team sees that, and they respect you. That's why I want you to be my assistant, help with injured players, at practices, and during the games. This is still your team, and as the co-captain. I really hope you'll still be a part of it."
Lucas just looked at the man who pushed him constantly, and contemplated what he had just offered. "Look Coach, I appreciate it, but I don't want this to be about pity…. I,"
But he was cut off by Whitey, "I don't do pity Lucas, and I'm offering this to you because you deserve it. You are one hell of a player, and maybe one day you would make one hell of a coach. I need someone to help and I want it to be someone who loves the game. I couldn't think of a better person than you."
"Okay Coach I'll do it. But does this mean I get to bully Nathan around," Lucas jokingly asked.
Whitey laughed back, "It sure as hell does. Glad to see you made the smart move Scott. But if you pull another stunt like this, it won't be the faulty heart that kills you. It'll be me. See you later son."
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at Whitey's last comment. He loved his coach but he also knew that Whitey meant what he just said, and Whitey was one person Lucas was scared to piss off.
The next couple of days came and went. Lucas was still stuck in the hospital. Brooke and Haley were the most talked about girls in school, and Nathan was still avoiding his wife like the plague.
The only entertaining thing was seeing Brooke and Rachel go at it in the halls and at practice.
The group had been over to see Lucas everyday, as well as the guys from the team, and the Rivercourt gang. The girls usually came as a trio, and Brooke tried desperately to make small talk and avoid being alone with Lucas for any amount of time She wanted to see him, but she wasn't ready to talk.
Nathan usually came by himself a few minutes after the girls would leave, and Lucas knew he purposely waited so he didn't have to see Haley.
They mainly just caught up and talked, glad to finally be friends again. They hadn't talked about their problems with the now roommates. But it was good to just be brothers again.
The only thing Lucas was worried about though was his continuing health problems. The doctors had run every test possible, and now all they could do was wait and see how extensive the damage was, and what they could do to repair it.
Lucas was getting increasingly more frustrated with being in the hospital as well. And he was still worried about what was going on between him and Brooke. He didn't want to be annoyed with her, but it seemed like she was deliberately trying to shut him out, and it was really starting to tick him off.
He just hoped that they could figure things out soon. He had waited in limbo for too long with her, and all he wanted was some answers and a fresh start.
He was sitting in the hospital flipping through the channels and waiting for the girls to get out of practice so they could entertain him.
When heard the door open, he wondered who it was, surely Brooke didn't cancel cheerleading practice or anything. Haley popped her head in, and immediately came to sit by him on the bed.
"Hey buddy, where are the rest of the musketeers?" He playfully joked. But it was a surprise to see his buddy there without the other two surrounding her.
"I told Brooke that I was sick and skipped practice. I wanted to come see you, I haven't really had a chance to talk to you alone, and I wanted to check up on you."
He laughed, Haley was always the mother-hen of the group, but he was glad to have her, he had missed her so much, and it was nice to feel that familiar sense of comfort again.
"I'm fine Hales, really. I've just got to wait for the results."
"Luke, are you sure that's all that's bothering you, you've seemed a little distracted the past few days, especially when a certain brunette roommate of mine is around."
He sighed. Leave it to Haley to be able to read him like a book. She could always tell when something was bothering him, and now was one of those times that he wished she couldn't read him like the back of her hand.
"I just wish she would talk to me, I mean really talk to me and deal with all this crap that keeps getting in the way, I mean is it too much to expect that much from her."
"Luke, she will, you just got to give her time. It was really hard for her to choose to come back here, she had a good thing going in California, and she's still adjusting to being in Tree Hill again, and especially to seeing you." Haley replied, unknowingly making the situation worse.
One thing that Haley just said stuck in his brain as he heard his best friend make up excuses for Brooke's behavior. 'Choose' He thought that she had been forced to stay in California, that her parents wouldn't let her return. 'She couldn't have just chosen to throw everything away, to abandon everybody like that, could she?' Even though he didn't want to know the answer, he had to find out. He felt bad for making Haley unknowingly spill information to him, but she hadn't been around to see what it had done to him either.
"So her parents didn't make her stay?" He asked, trying to keep the frustration and anger out of his voice. He just hoped that Haley didn't tell him what he suspected to be true.
"No, she said she wanted a fresh start, and she got that in California, she seemed to like it there," Haley answered, still oblivious to the can of worms she had just opened.
Well, there it was. She had just given up; put him through months of torture, and for what. A new life, a life she abandoned when she finally realized how good she had it before. He couldn't believe it. She had the nerve to run out on him again, and she had been the one to throw everything away.
He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even hear Haley calling his name.
"Luke, where did you just go, I was trying to get your attention. Are you okay?"
He really couldn't stand to see anyone right now, the new information that he just learned haunted him. He couldn't face her, now, he really didn't care too.
"Umm, Hales, I'm not feeling too great right now, you think you could tell the other's that I just wasn't up to a visit today for me."
Haley was disappointed but agreed anyway. He had seemed fine just a few minutes ago, and now he was completely brooding and acting strange, she didn't know what had brought about the change.
"Yeah, sure Luke. You just get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she kissed his forehead and made her way to the door still a little confused by his sudden change in behavior. Maybe she couldn't read him as well as she thought anymore.
Once the door shut, Luke's anger came out as he flung the TV remote across the room. Damn Brooke Davis. He should have known better. He just wondered how she could just give up, and then at the first sign of trouble waltz back in and expect everything to be okay. He had known he had hurt her in the past, he had made ever effort to make up for his mistakes, yet she was still punishing him. Well that was done now.
He and Brooke Davis were over. He wasn't going to let her break his heart anymore than it already was.
Thanks for reading guys. The title and lyrics in this chapter were from Butch Walker, 'Uncomfortably Numb'. Please let me know what you think, your feedback really inspires me to write faster.