Disclaimer - I do not own One Tree Hill or anything to do with it, as sad as that is, I mean I cry myself to sleep cause I don't own them...ok that's exagerating things, but I do wish I owned something or someone to do with OTHcan you guess who that would be? Also I don't own the song, "Why Don't You Kiss Her?" by Jesse McCartney or "Angels" by Sarah McLachan, good songs, you should seek them out and listen to them.
A/N - You guys are really great, you know that. Thank you all so much for the reviews, I cherish everyone dearly...now I'm on a BJL high, so I'll be working on the next chapter and hopefully I'll get it posted sooner, rater than later, it's all about that supply and demand! Let's get on with the chapter shall we?
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Chapter 7 - Leaving Behind Nights of Terror and Fear, Into a Daybreak That's Wondrously Clear.
The night had passed, and turned into a new day, but Brooke had done the same as the night before. She had only closed her eyes for a moment and yet here she was waking up in bed next to Haley again. The smile on her face was simply due to the fact that Haley was still snuggled up against her, with her arm flung haphazardly over her stomach, and one of her legs were entwined with Brooke's own. But what she liked the most, was the fact that Haley's head was resting on top of her shoulder, it gave Brooke the perfect view of what she thought was an angelic face. Brooke could stay this way forever, she was just so damn comfy and if her life defended on it, she so wouldn't move.
So she lay there just relaxing, next to what she thought was the girl of her dreams, and she was happy. Happier than she had been, since her break-up with Luke. Haley was a marvel to her, the way she made her feel amazingly better within the space of time, they had gotten to know each other. She wished, that she had the ability to travel back in time, smack her then self upside the head and point her in the direction of the then Haley James. She knew her now though, and that was better than not knowing her at all.
Brooke felt Haley stir, moving closer to her as her body moved when she stretched, 'Yeah torture first thing in the morning, that's what the doctor ordered. But it was a good kind of torture, if there was a good kind.' Brooke's inner voice spoke up. The feeling of Haley's body, pushing into her own as she stretched, sent a pleasant hum throughout her own body, almost like every nerve in Brooke's body was set on fire and came alive. 'God, to feel like this every day, to wake up next to Haley would be heaven. Heaven would be good to wake up to every morning.'
Groaning as she moved her body, Haley felt her muscles move with her, some good, some bad. The bad being the injured parts. But waking up next to Brooke, made her forget the hurt that they caused her. Brooke in herself was like one giant painkiller. 'Oh to always be waking up her.' Was Haley's lazy thought.
"Hey." Brooke whispered, her mouth next to Haley's ear, which caused an involuntary shiver to run through Haley at Brooke's almost silky smooth voice.
"Hi." Haley whispered back, her voice catching as she spoke.
"How are you?" Brooke wondered.
"Good," Haley began softly. "The painkillers from yesterday haven't wore off yet, so I'm pain free for about at least another hour or two." she explained.
"Good." Brooke replied with a smile.
"What time is it?" Looking around, Brooke looked at the bright red numbers of the digital clock on the bedside table. Taking in the numbers and what they meant, she let out a heavy sigh, before answering. "Six."
"Oh, joy." Haley mumbled, sitting up slowly, pushing the covers off of herself and Brooke.
"Yeah, six on a week day, can only mean one thing." Brooke said.
"School." Both of them replied, at the same time.
"I don't want to go, it'd be so much better to just stay here with you, pretend that the rest of the world wasn't out there, that we were the only ones." Brooke told her.
"But you have to Tigger, how else will you learn the wonderful facts of the world?" Haley joked.
"I could just stay here and then I'd have my very own, very special tutor girl to teach me. Yeah, I so don't see why I have to go and subject myself to the horror's of Tree Hill High, when I could very well just stay here and learn so much more, than I ever would learn from any other teacher at school." Brooke reasoned.
"Nice try Tigger, but you see if you don't go, people are gonna start to talk, I mean Brooke Davis, Queen B of Tree Hill High, actually not turning up, not one but two days in a row?" Haley began. "You know they'll be talk."
"Hmm, valid point. Why do I listen to you?" Brooke asked her.
"Cause you think I'm the best." Haley gloated. "And if you didn't you'd feel guilty."
"Hmm yeah, that would be it Roo." Brooke agreed. "But really if you want me too, I'd so stay here with you, just like that. All you have to is asked." Brooke continued, almost pleading with Haley to let her stay.
"You know I want you too, but Brooke school's important." Haley reasoned.
"Fine, I'll go." Brooke told her with a pout. "But only because you told me to."
"Do you have a change of clothes?"
"Yeah, I brought a change with me yesterday, figured I'd end up staying, so I brought a second change of clothes with me. I mean I didn't want to disappear again, without a valid excuse." Brooke told her.
"You should go get ready then." Haley suggested, as she moved closer to Brooke and rested her head back onto Brooke's shoulder, contradicting her words.
"Yeah, that would be a start." Brooke agreed again, but she didn't move for another half an hour.
xxxx
So here she was, two and a half hours later, patiently waiting for the bell to ring, signalling the end of the class and the start of lunch. Brooke was bored mindless and she missed Haley. She had, throughout the entire lesson, doodled Haley's name, over and over her paper in all shapes and styles. What could she say, Math's bored her, she didn't get numbers and all that damn Trig, then to add letters! Were they trying to screw with her mind? Math's was numbers, English was words and letters.
Looking at the clock by the classroom door, Brooke sighed in annoyance. Five minutes. She still had five minutes left. She could have sworn that that was what she had to wait ten minutes ago. Time sucked.
She would be having way more fun with Haley, than she ever would here. She was besotted with that girl. No one had ever made her feel this...this...this way. Words eluded her when it came to define the way Haley made her feel. To Brooke, Haley was like an enigma, a puzzle of sorts, that she was more than willing to figure out, if that meant that she could wake up next to Haley every day. Yeah she's figure her out. The loud shrill of the bell, jolted Brooke from her thoughts. Five minutes had passed already? Time sure was a tricky thing.
Getting out of her seat, Brooke reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her mobile phone. Flipping it open, she dialled the number that was slowly climbing it's way to the top of her contacts list.
"Hello?"
"Roo!" Brooke stated happily.
"Tigger!" Haley replied equally as happy.
"I'm so bored." Brooke told her, smiling as she passed countless students in the hall. She loved Haley's nickname for her, it always made her smile.
"Yeah, cause being at home is a real exciting place to be." Haley told her.
"Miss me?" Brooke asked jokingly.
"Always." Haley answered in her own joking tone, but it was the truth, she did miss Brooke, it was so dull without her there.
"Miss you too." Brooke told her honestly. "Where's Taylor?"
"She went to get some groceries." Haley replied.
"You're alone!" Brooke erupted, in the middle of the school corridor, just outside the cafeteria's double doors, causing everyone to look her way. Glaring at them, she growled out a 'What?' before turning back to her conversation with Haley. "How could she leave you alone? Does she have a brain? What if you needed something? What if the pain comes back, without warning?" she continued, rattling off numerous question, one after the other, not letting Haley answer. "That's it, I'm coming home, just don't do anything that can result in you hurting yourself even more, I'll be there in about ten minutes tops." Brooke finished, ready to hang up.
"Tigger!" Haley admonished down the phone. "Chill would you, I'm hungry. I asked her to go get food for me, and she actually reacted much like you did, just now there." she finished off with an amused tone.
"Oh."
"Yeah, so you don't need to worry. But thanks though."
"Anytime." Brooke stated. "Anytime."
"I'll see you when school's out?"
"With bell's on," Brooke told with a giggle.
"See you then?"
"Yeah till then. Bye then?"
"Bye."
Slowly clicking her phone shut, Brooke pushed the door in front of her open and entered the cafeteria. 'Oh the joy's of school food.'
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Pushing the supermarket trolley round the aisle, Taylor was in deep thought. 'How exactly do I get two of the most stubborn girls I've ever met, to admit that they like each other and then together?'
'I'll have to wait till Haley gets better obviously, but there's no harm in dropping little hints every now and then, subtle hints. Would an anvil, telling each other that they feel the same, aboutthe other, be subtle enough? Hmm, where can you buy anvils?' Taylor thought jokingly.
Looking into the trolley, she noticed that she hadn't picked up Haley's, Polly O' Cheese strings and Oreo's. Pushing the cart in the direction of the items, her mind began to wander again.
'Would it be wrong to sit them both down and just tell them that they both liked the other?' That would be the simplest thing to do. But it didn't seem likely, she knew they'd deny it, so she had to put a plan together. A workable plan. One that wouldn't fail. She wanted to make her sister happy, to make her forget that assclown of an ex, she used to call a boyfriend. When she met him, and she would, Taylor would be sure to make sure he paid, so much more, than he had ever made Haley hurt.
After picking up the Oreo's a few minutes back, Taylor came to a stop in front of the Polly O' Cheese strings and put a few packets into her cart, and then headed to the checkout, before heading home to her sister.
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Sitting in a room by yourself, with nothing to do and no one to talk to, was crazy boring. That was what Haley had found out. 'Why did I tell Brooke, she needed to go to school again? That's right, cause you have a big mouth and don't think about how boring it's going to be when you're sitting doing nothing.' Yeah, she was bored and she hated it. Daytime tv sucked. Talk shows, soap operas and more talk shows. If she saw another episode of Jerry Springer, she was willing to pull her own hair out. She did not care for subjects such as, 'My cheating ex-husband wants me back, but it's too late, I'm having his fathers baby...but it could be his brother's!'
Looking at the digital clock next to her, she noted the time. 11:45 am. Brooke was out in 3 hours, 5 minutes. "What in the hell am I meant to do till then?" she wondered out loud, helplessly.
Sighing restlessly, she picked up the remote and flicked through the television channels, stopping when she came upon the music channels, her only salvation, from a world of bad acting. The channel she was on, was playing a song, that was already halfway through, but the words of the song spoke to her, the were eerily similar to what she was feeling.
Why don't you kiss her?
Why don't you tell her?
Why don't you let her see the feelings that you hide?
Cause she'll never know,
If you never show,
The way you feel inside.
Oh, I'm so afraid, to make the first move,
Just a touch and we could cross the line,
Everytime she's near,
I wanna never let her go,
Confess to her what my heart knows.
Hold her close.
It was like a big neon sign was flashing in her face, telling her what to do. Every word struck her core, like a knife to the heart. Yeah she should do what the song said, pluck up the courage and just tell Brooke. But what if she did and walked away, leaving her. Losing her mind would be better than losing Brooke. She would rather have her as a friend, than as nothing at all. 'Why can't I just tell her? Why is it so hard?' she silently asked herself. 'Is it because I don't want to be hurt again?'
Haley didn't know, but she suspected it was.
xxxx
Brooke aimlessly pushed her mashed potatoes around on her plate. They were like mush, and tasteless, definitely something she did not want to eat. She'd grab something when she got to Haley's. Art was after lunch, and she figured since it wasn't an incredibly important subject, missing it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world and she really wanted to go see Haley.
"Uh Brooke?"
Dropping her fork onto her plate, Brooke looked up to see an uneasy Lucas standing uncomfortably in front of her. Peyton standing behind him. Staring at them, Brooke took them both in and felt nothing. Their was no hurt, no betrayal, no nothing. Why had she been so upset in the first place? Mostly because Peyton was her best friend and had got with Luke behind her back. Friend's didn't do that.
"Lucas, Peyton, what can I do for you both?" she asked in an indifferent tone, causing both of their faces to cloud with confusion.
"Um, I was wondering about Haley," Lucas began. "I tried calling her, but she didn't answer her phone, so I asked Nathan, but he was kinda weird, and I saw you two hanging out a few days ago, so I was wondering if you knew what was up with her." he finished in an uncharacteristic babble.
"Wow, babble much Luke!" Brooke smirked. "Haley's ill." she told them both, thinking up an excuse.
"Oh, well I'll go round and see her after school then." Luke suggested.
"No," Brooke replied casually, her eyes widening a fraction. "Contagious, you go near her and you'll get it." she explained.
"She'll need someone to look after her." he told her.
"Taylor's looking after her, she'll be ok." Brooke told him.
"Taylor's home? Cool." Lucas said with a smile.
"Luke man, coach wants you." A voice said from behind him and Peyton, and as he moved to the side, Brooke's eyes raged as she saw Nathan.
"What for man?" Luke asked Nathan, oblivious to what Brooke was feeling, but Peyton noticed it straight away. She had known Brooke since before she could walk, she knew everything she was feeling, she had adapted it over the years, and the pure hatred in her eyes looking Nathan's way was unmistakable. 'What in the hell happened there?' she wondered.
"He needs to talk about new plays and defence, since I won't be playing for a while." Nathan explained to him, sounding a a little bitter, towards the end.
"And why aren't you playing Nate?" Brooke questioned, sound sickly sweet.
His eyes widening, Nathan realised that Brooke was there for the first time, and there was no mistaking her feelings towards him as he saw the look in her eyes. "I..I tripped and hurt my hand, it was stupid really." he answered her, retelling the excuse Brooke had told him to say.
"Such a shame really, I mean the one thing you needed to be what you are, a basketball star, and now it's gone. I wonder, what would happen if, hypothetically speaking, this was permanent, like oh say you were in a car accident, that would just be devastating wouldn't it?" she told him, with a rhetorical question. "But hey, that isn't the issue, I mean there's no reason for that to happen, by chance or intentionally, you haven't done anything wrong have you?"
"Not that I know of," he lied, fearful of what Brooke was planning.
"Well there you go, as long as you be careful and do as you're told, everything should be ok." She told them standing up, lunch was almost over and she could not stick around in Nathan's presence any longer, without causing him anymore harm. "I'll see you guys around." Was her parting words as she walked away.
xxxx
"Guys, I'll be back later, bye." Peyton told Lucas and Nathan, as she headed after Brooke. Something really wasn't right, what she had said to Nathan, the way she had said it, her voice dripping with contempt. She wanted to know what was going on. Pushing the main doors to the school open, she spotted Brooke further ahead, picking up her pace, till she was in a slow jog, and then slowed down into a walk as she drew level with Brooke.
"What do you want Sawyer?" Brooke asked her tiredly, she had better places to be, than stuck at school, talking to her boyfriend stealing ex-best friend.
"What's up with you and Nathan?" Peyton asked her, wanting to know.
"I have no clue what you're talking about." Brooke replied, playing dumb.
"Bull Brooke, have you guys had a thing? Are you jealous of Hales? Cause Brooke, doing that to Haley is so not on." Peyton accused.
"God no Peyton, I would never do that to Haley." Brooke defended herself. "Last time I checked, I wasn't you, did you think about me when you kissed him, did I even cross your mind?"
"Brooke..." Peyton started.
"No forget it Peyton, I don't care, I'm passed it now. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some place better to be." Brooke dismissed her.
"Brooke come on, I saw what was happening between you and Nate, tell me. There used to be a time you'd tell me everything."
"Yeah Peyton, but there was a time I trusted you. Things change." Brooke told her, moving away only to have Peyton grab hold of her arm.
"Maybe we can get that back? We could be friends again." Peyton hoped.
"We're not friends Peyton, acquaintances maybe, but not friends. Not yet, not like we used to be. So bye." Brooke told her again wanting to leave.
"Where are you going?" she wondered.
"To see Haley." Brooke answered.
"I thought she was ill?"
"She is."
"So why are you going to see her, I mean Nathan should be doing that." Peyton reasoned.
"Yeah," Brooke scoffed. "He's just what she needs, may the world be filled with men like Nathan."
"Ok, seriously Brooke what's going on?" Peyton demanded to know.
"It's none of your business." Brooke informed her, pulling her arm out of Peyton grasp and walking away, leaving Peyton to stare after her as she got into her car and drove away.
Arriving at Haley fifteen minutes later, Brooke sighed as she arrived back at normality. She didn't care what Haley said, she so wasn't going back to Tree Hill High tomorrow, and she was sticking to that, as long as Haley didn't do anything to cute to make her change her mind.
Getting out of her car she walked in and made her way to where Haley was. The bedroom door was open just a crack, looking in, Brooke could only smile as she saw Haley, just lying on bed, watching some random music channel and tapping her foot gently along with the beat of whatever song was on. To her Haley hand never looked so beautiful, than she was in that moment.
"So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn, there's vultures and thieves at your back, and the storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lie, that you make up for all that you lack, it don't make no difference, escaping one last time, it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh, this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees." Brooke heard Haley sing.
With her mouth hanging open, Brooke pushed the door open, swinging it shut behind her as she walked fully into the room. "Damn Roo, where's you learn to sing like that?"
"Uh," Haley hesitated, she hadn't expected Brooke back this early, and was a little startled. "I'm not all that good, I just like to sing along with some songs."
"Not all that good?" Brooke repeated not believing what Haley was saying, while sitting next to her on the bed. "If you're not all that good, then I must be hearing things, cause Hales, that was some voice I heard. You're really good." she told her.
"I'm not really."
"You are!" Brooke stressed. "When you feel better, will you sing for me?"
"I don't know Tigger, I've never sang for anyone before."
"Please, you're really good, I would love to hear you sing for me, please?"
"Ok," Haley agreed with a sigh.
Smiling, Brooke reached over and hugged Haley in thanks, and then pulled back.
"What are you doing back so early anyway?" Haley wondered.
"Let's just say, I was missing my favourite Tutor Girl, and I bumped into the school's resident asshole. So yeah school tomorrow, not happening."
"Nathan?" Haley asked.
"Yes, it was all I could do to not scratch his eyes out in front of the cafeteria." Brooke told her, then changing the subject. "What's up with you then cutie?"
"Tigger, I've been so bored! If I ever see another Jerry Springer episode it'll be to soon! Never listen to me, about going to school again."
"Don't worry sweetie, I won't..." Brooke began, but the slamming of the front door stopped her, looking over to Haley she wondered who it could be.
"It's probably Taylor, coming back from the supermarket."
"Taylor, is that you?" Brooke shouted, only to receive no answer.
Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, Brooke got up off of the bed. "Wait here Hales, I'll be right back." she told Haley.
"Brooke no, just stay here." Haley said to her.
"But..."
"No just stay!"
"Ok," Brooke agreed, walking back over to the bed. Tensing up as she heard the footsteps get closer, if it had been Taylor, she would have answered. What if it was Nathan? Coming to get some payback for doing that to him, if it was, Brooke had no problem whatsoever taking him down again, she almost willed him to walk through the door.
With each step they both heard the person got closer and closer, until they stopped in front of the door to the bedroom and for a moment everything was still, the only noise heard was the world outside the house, and then that moment was gone and the door started to creak open, to show a blonde standing in the threshold with a determined look on her face, which turned to one of horror as she took in Haley's appearance.
"Peyton."
"Oh my God Haley, what happened to you?" She whispered.
End of Chapter 7
So there you have it, what did y'all think? Review in your thousdands and let me know! I hope you guys enjoyed it tho...enjoyed it enough to leave a review...go on you know you want to!
