Author's Note - Wow an update? No you're not seeing thing, it is an actual update. Sorry it's been so long, but I've had computer problems, lame excuse I know, but oh so true. Anyway, I hope you all enjpy this chapter, since it's been a long time coming.

Disclaimer - Not mine, never mine, terribly sad!

xxxx

Chapter 14 - The Blossom Had Already Begun to Fall, Becoming Smudged and Formless Colors...and So Delight Had Become Delirium.

Sitting in a room surrounded by mostly people she didn't know and a select few that she recognised vaguely, unnerved her. The silence of the room wasn't comfortable and relaxed, nor was it uncomfortable and tense either, it was just silent, like a deserted building, where you could listen for miles and not even hear a bird chirp or the rustle of the tree's. Why she was here, was oblivious to her. What kind of place was this anyway? Did anyone else not know why they were here, or was that honour saved especially for her? These sort of questions filtered through her mind. Questions she couldn't answer, yet she asked anyway.

Releasing a heavy breath, she was seconds away from getting up and walking out, when the light dimmed, giving off an almost mysterious atmosphere. The chills she had been having earlier, came back more frequently than before and she realised this wasn't a place she wanted to be. On first impressions anyway.

"Ok, gentlemen and ladies, girls and boys, you all know why you're here don't you?" a voice bellowed into the dank, murky room, the words vibrating off of the hard, cold walls and echoing back and assaulting the ears of everyone in the room.

"I...I, don't quiet know why I'm here," her voice spoke out, almost meekly into the once again silent room.

"You don't know why you're here?" the voice questioned, a woman, it appeared to be as she stepped out of the shadow, that seemed to have cloaked her, like she was the shadow itself. "You're Haley James, if I'm not mistaken?" the woman questioned again, looking at a list that had suddenly appeared in front of her. "You attend Tree Hill High School, where you tutor students to help them achieve a better education. This was a result of a test you once cheated on. Your best friend is Lucas Scott and you have known him since you were able to walk. Shall I go on?" the almost robotic voice wondered.

"No, I know everything about me." Haley answered, wondering why in the hell this unknown women seemed to know everything about her as well. "But that still doesn't answer why I'm here."

"Oh, that's simple," the woman answered her face transforming with a smile. "You're here, because of your infatuation with Brooke Davis. Just like everyone else is."

"Oh." Haley answered dumbly.

"Shall we start?" the woman addressed the room, receiving a chorus of 'yes' as her answer and continued. "Why don't you start."

"My name's Adam and I'm a Brooke-aholic."

"My name is Rachel and I'm a Brooke-aholic too."

"Russ, also a Brooke-aholic."

"Matt, one of the many Brooke-aholic's"

And so it went on, boy, girl, boy, girl, girl, girl, boy, boy, boy. To Haley, it seemed never ending, was there really that many Brooke-aholics? She knew people envied Brooke, lusted after and wanted to be her, but this was something new. She had never heard of a Brooke Anonymous club before. Did Brooke know about this?

Know about it, Haley snickered to herself silently, she probably started it.

"Dear, I know you're new, but try to keep up. It's your turn."

"I'm Haley and I'm a Brooke-aholic." It was the truth, ever since they had got together, all she did was drink, sleep and breath while thinking about Brooke. She was intoxicating, in a good way. It was always good with Brooke, no bad ever seemed to get in.

"Now that we've all had our turn, why don't we start with the new girl," the woman began, turning to Haley. "Haley, why don't you tell us why you're a Brooke-aholic." It was more of a statement than a question.

"There's a lot of reasons, it's not that easy to explain. I mean she's Brooke you know? That in itself is pretty huge. It's not often you can just explain your feelings by saying 'It's Brooke.' But she is Brooke and that's half of what make's her great. The other half, I haven't quite worked out yet, but when I do I know it's gonna be amazing. Because Brooke is that as well, amazing. Granted, I could go through all the things that she is, but it's pretty obvious, I'd just be wasting my breath telling you. She doesn't do what you expect her to do, she's does the complete opposite, that's what I like about her, well one of the many things. I like the things that make her Brooke. Like her five smiles, four if you take away her smirk, and three if you take away her fake smile, but unlike her smirk that is actually a smile, so I guess like her four smiles and her smirk. But five smiles sounds better, so I'm sticking with that." Haley babbled on, without taking a breath, her mouth suddenly taking control. "Then when she's nervous, which isn't all that often, she fidgets, she can't sit still, she's either crossing and uncrossing her legs or twirling her thumbs. No matter what she won't sit still, it's like there's a million and one mexican jumping beans inside her and she's doing it involuntary, and then there's..."

"Haley dear, take a breath."

"...uh yeah, I like Brooke, I guess that's why I'm dating her."

Ok, now this was an uncomfortable silence. What did she say wrong?

"Dating? Brooke Davis?"

"Yeah, that would appear to be what we're doing. Shocker huh?" Haley said with a hint of sarcasm.

"That just isn't possible. Brooke Davis doesn't date."

"She doesn't?" Haley questioned with wide eyes. "So, what have I been doing with her for the past couple of weeks? Having tea and a scone?"

"Well, the word delousional, springs to mind," a voice called out, followed by murmurs of agreement.

"Yeah, well thinking you ever had a chance with Brooke, makes you more delousional than I ever was." Haley bit back.

"Ok dear, retract the claws, this is a meeting, not a riot," the woman stated.

"Oh so it's all right for everyone else to gang up on me, but when I say something, it's not ok? Am I understanding things right?" Haley asked defensively.

"Well, to be honest, you are sounding crazy sweetheart, we are justified," said the lady.

"Justified?" Haley repeated. "Justified, you're kidding me right?"

"Proof would be good," a voice called out.

"Proof, you want proof?" Haley asked. "Brooke has a scar on her knee," she let them know.

"That only proves you've been looking extra hard at her in the shower," a voice remarked.

"She's had it since she was eight, her pool was getting built and she thought it would be fun to run around in the big hole, except she fell, and when she fell she landed on a jagged brick. She cried for hours, the blood had ruined her favourite sneakers." Haley elaborated further.

"You could have over heard her telling that to anyone," someone pointed out.

Glaring at everyone, Haley smirked. "Kissing her is like heaven, it's almost like you're floating."

"You've kiss...kissed her," another voice choked out.

"Of course I have," Haley answered. "There's no way that I wouldn't."

"Haley?"

"What? It's the truth!"

"Haley?"

"It is! I'm dating Brooke Davis!"

"Haley!"

Jerking up into a sitting position, Haley looked around her bedroom. She wasn't here seconds ago, why was she now? Where did all the people go? Not that she liked them anyway, they were mean. Yes, mean, that's what they were, like it was so hard to believe that she was dating Brooke. Granted, now that her brain had time to clear, she realised that it probably did seem kind of far-fetched. Smiling to herself, she knew that it wasn't.

"Do you talk in your sleep a lot Roo, I've never noticed before." Brooke wondered. "Looked like you were having a funky dream."

"It was about you." Haley told her, smiling as she saw Brooke's face light up, then laughing when Brooke jumped onto her bed, making it bounce, trying to sit next to her.

"Details, please?" Brooke demanded, taking Haley's hand in her own, entwining there fingers.

"It was weird really, I was in this room with all these people, and they were all Brooke-aholic's."

"Brooke-aholic's?" Brooke questioned.

"Like a shop-aholic, just like you. Except, instead of everyone loving shopping, they were infatuated with you. I didn't like them at all."

"Heh, that's neat!" Brooke said, grinning. "Can you just imagine everyone bowing before me, worshiping me. That would be the life."

"Yeah, super." Haley replied, obviously thinking the opposite.

"Don't worry Hales, if I was being worshipped, there's only one person I would want at my side." Brooke told her.

"Brad Pitt?" Haley guessed.

"Eww, no, he's like forty." Brooke answered, scrunching her nose up. "You silly, I'd want you," she let Haley know, leaning over and kissing her. "Yup, never get tired of that. Not even a little."

"Good, at least I know I'm not doing it wrong." Haley joked.

"Never, but, it never hurt to practice, did it?" Brooke pointed out, pulling Haley with her, as she fell back onto the bed.

xxxx

"I can't believe you made us late!" Brooke laughed as she and Haley rushed to lunch.

"Me? I so did not make us late!" Haley protested, with a smile. "You were the one that found the empty classroom!"

"What did you say again?" Brooke pondered, thinking. "Oh yeah, I remember; 'Five more minutes Brooke, lunch last's a whole hour, what's five minutes of that? I mean, what would you rather do, go eat lunch, in a crowded, noisy lunchroom or stay here with me, in an empty classroom.' Yeah, that's what it was."

"Hey! I didn't hear you complaining one bit!" Haley pointed out.

"Yeah, well duh! Like i'm ever gonna say no to that," Brooke told Haley, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, if you were me and I was you, would you?"

"Pass up the opportunity of spending time with you, kissing you, being with you in general?" Haley questioned to which Brooke nodded. "No chance in hell."

"So therefore, it was your idea and you made us late!" Brooke pointed out, triumphant.

"Nuh uh! I only said five minutes, and you made it last thirty!" Haley rebutted playfully.

"Well yeah," Brooke agreed with a laugh. "And what a fun thirty minutes it was."

"Oh, yeah," Haley agreed, pushing the doors to cafeteria open.

"We're here now, aren't we?" Brooke pointed out.

"Yeah, Tigger, with a whole twenty-five minutes left of lunch. Go get a table and I'll bring us something to eat." Haley told her, walking towards the lunch line.

"Haley," Brooke shouted. "Don't get me any..."

"...any Mac and Cheese, I know, I know, you're sick of it!" Haley called over her shoulder, finishing Brooke's sentence.

Smiling Brooke went to find a table, she spotted her normal table and there would no doubt be room for her if she went to join her friends, but she just wanted it to be Haley and her today. It had been since Haley had woken up, and she wanted to keep it that way. Spotting an empty table in the masses of bodies Brooke made her way to it, claiming it as her own, getting there before the others who were making there way to it. Looking up she spotted Haley waiting in line, it'd be about five minutes before she even got served food. Sighing, she leaned forward and rested her head in her hands, and looked out at the people around her. She did this on occasion, people watched, just when she was alone, surprisingly she was good at reading people.

Her view was blocked by a pair of legs, now that was just rude. Looking up, who she saw surprised her, had she been drinking anything at this moment in time, she surely would have choked on it.

"What do you want?"

"Well, Brooke there's a lot of things I want in life, but mostly, I want my Haley back." Nathan told her with a smile, pulling out a chair and sitting on it.

"Like that's ever gonna happen." Brooke snarked at him. "And please do sit down, I'm sure the invitation I gave you was oblivious to me."

"I won't take up much of your time, this shouldn't take long." Nathan let her know, still smiling, it was starting to unnerve Brooke.

"Actually if you leave right now, I'd be super happy, I mean you wouldn't like me to let slip to Lucas, about what you did to Haley would you?" Brooke told him.

"Oh, I don't think you'll let that happen Brooke, infact I know you won't." Nathan explained to her.

"Do prey tell, how that is ever going to happen?" Brooke questioned, watching as Nathan moved forward, until he was inches away from her.

"I know your secret Brooke Davis," he whispered.

"My secret? Wow, what power you hold over me, look at me shaking. So, I still like The Spice Girls, big whoop." Brooke told him, frowning when she heard Nathan laugh.

"Oh no, not that one," he told her. "You really should be more careful who you kiss, on sidewalks at night. You never know who's watching."

"Wha..."

"You know outside, Artemis last night. That was you and Haley wasn't it?" Nathan question, already knowing the answer. "To say I was shocked, is an understatement. But now I can use it to my advantage. Now I can get Haley back."

"No, you think you can get Haley back." Brooke stated. "See, I don't care if you tell the whole of the school, that me and Haley are together, I'll still be with her. So go ahead Nate, do your worst, see if I care." she told him, showing him there was no way that she was backing down.

"You think, I was going to tell the whole school? No Brooke, far from it. I know how much you care about her now. A lot more than I thought you did before." Nathan said to her. "She's your weakness and rightfully so, we have that in common. But if you don't stop what you're doing with her, I will make her life a living hell, and in turn yours as well. Two birds, one stone. You have no idea what i'm capable of Brooke, I surpass the simpleness of starting a rumour. You've seen my handy work already. I mean would you really like to drive to school with Haley and find out that the brakes are cut? Or how about, arranging to meet her somewhere and not having her turn up. I can do that, I will do that, if you don't stop." Nathan threatened her.

"You're crazy you know that, right?"

"I passed crazy when she left me, you have no idea what I am now." Nathan let her know.

"What am I meant to do?" Brooke asked, giving in. She would rather have Haley safe, even if it did mean giving her up. But would she really be safe, she would be alone, Nathan could get her at anytime. He'd already proved that he was capable of it.

Smiling, Nathan stood up. "When she comes over, end it, I don't care how you do it, just make sure it's done. I'll be watching." he finished, walking over to another empty table, his view of Brooke perfect.

He was the world's biggest assclown, that was what Brooke was thinking, he really was. She couldn't just do that to Haley, she couldn't. But if she didn't...god she didn't even want to think about that. Nathan was a certified nut job, there was no doubt in her mind that he wouldn't do what he said he would. Looking up, she saw him and the urge to smack him grew, seeing him sit there with his sick smirk. But she had no choice, she'd have to do what Nathan told her, it was the best for Haley, at least that's what she told herself.

"You were in luck, there was only one Macaroni and Cheese left and I snagged it, I just couldn't say no. I think it's an addiction. A good addiction, but an addiction nonetheless." Haley babbled, smiling as she placed the food she had got down in front of Brooke, taking a seat next to her.

Jerking back into her seat, Brooke looked at Haley, she hadn't even heard her coming. How could she walk away from her, and never see that smile again, Haley had a beautiful smile, she got lost in it all the time, it always reached her eyes and she didn't want to make that stop and she would if she did this.

"Yummy." Brooke answered, her tone distracted.

"There wasn't a great selection to chose from, seeing as someone made us so late, but I took what I could get." Haley smiled, joking.

"Haley," Brooke breathed as she began. "I think you're great."

"Aww, thanks Brooke." Haley gushed. "I think you're great too."

"I think you're great," Brooke repeated again, hating herself already for what she was about to do. "That's why I need to talk to you just now."

Sighing, Haley turned to look at Brooke, "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like what you're about to say?"

"Because you're not." Brooke told her. "I don't know how to do this Haley, I don't want to do this, but I have to."

"Do what? It can't be that bad."

"Oh, but it is." Brooke answered with a weary laugh. Not thirty minutes ago, she was happily, in an empty classroom, kissing Haley, now she was far from happy. And the reason for that was sitting two tables away smirking right back at her. He was more like his father than he knew. "I can't do us anymore, I can't be with you." she finally blurted out. "I'm sorry but I can't, I would love to but I can't, and I know this is such a crappy explanation, but it's the best I've got right now. I'm sorry Haley, really sorry." Brooke finished, standing up abruptly, her chair squeaking across the tiled floor. "I'm really sorry." she whispered, before hurrying out of the cafeteria.

What had just happened? She couldn't do this, she couldn't be with her anymore? Ok, what alternate dimension had she possibly stepped into, in the ten minutes she had been away from Brooke. This really wasn't making sense. Had she missed something. Was this some big joke? No, she dismissed that thought instantly, Brooke wasn't like that, she wouldn't do something like that.

Getting up from where she sat, Haley hurried out of the cafeteria and headed after Brooke. Not noticing Nathan's eyes following her every movement.

"Brooke!" Haley yelled, seeing her hurrying up ahead, and then faltering as she heard her name being called, only to carry on, ignoring Haley.

Hurrying after her, she would have caught her if the school bell hadn't rung signaling the end of lunch, filling the hallway full of students heading to class. She reached the outside of the school only to see Brooke drive away in her car.

What the hell was going, that's all she wanted to know.

End of Chapter 14.

There you go, wasn't a happy chapter was it? Review please :) And I'll hopefully have the next chapter a lot sooner than I had this, I already have the next chapter figured out.

Bye.