I'm getting to my feet after zipping Luke's suitcase back up….and suddenly there are arms around my waist. "Hi best friend"
"Hey Brooke" I laugh lightly as she steps back. I turn to face her, smiles on both our faces. "There a reason you had to sneak up on me?"
"Ummm…not really…I just felt like it." she shrugs and rolls her eyes…classic Brooke Davis, and I love her for it…for never losing her little quirks that make her…well her. "So why were you snooping through Broody's things?" she crosses her arms over her chest and cocks an eyebrow up.
"I wasn't snooping…well not really anyway…" I bite the inside of my lip and she gives me a disbelieving look. "I wasn't…I was just claiming what's rightfully mine."
"And it was in Lucas's suitcase….riiight" She scuffed and rolled her big brown eyes again.
"As a matter of fact…" I hold up my hand and wiggle my fingers in front of her face. "…it was"
"Oh my God…" she's got this bright smile on her face as she grabs my hand and pulls it closer to her. "He proposed…" I can't remember the last time she sounded this giddy…or the last time I felt this giddy….it's kind of odd.
"Yes he did…two weeks ago" she scowls at me and pushes my shoulder playfully.
"And I'm just finding out about this no…" she stops talking and looks up towards the ceiling, a look of complete and utter confusion on her face. "…wait…you weren't wearing a ring yesterday…or this morning…" she's talking with her hands, a lot of pointing to my finger involved "…and it's not like I just missed it…because I actually looked for one, and there was definitely no ring…but now there is one and you've been engaged for two weeks…and I am so lost right now" she throws her arms up in the air before falling back onto the bed…her head hitting the remote for the television that was left on the center of the bed. "Oww…" she rubs the back of her head with one hand while moving the remote with the other. "That's so Broody's fault…" she collapses back into the comforter, dropping her hands at her side. "Speaking of Broody…"
"I gave the ring back and broke it off yesterday morning because I wanted him to talk to Sam first…I wanted to make sure she was going to be okay with all this…ya know…make sure she didn't think I was trying to be some intruder or imposter or something like that"
"Ha…" she mixes a laugh with a scuff…it turns into more of a laugh. "Believe me…you have no worries with Sam…she's been waiting for you to 'intrude'…she's been waiting for a while" she uses her fingers to make air quotes.
"Oh…I know…" I take a few steps forward and fall back onto the bed next to her, our shoulders touching as we both have our hands crossed over our stomachs. "Guess what she asked me today…"
"What" I can still hear the laughter in his voice.
"Am I going to marry her daddy…"
"Ohhh….."
"Yeah…you know why…because Aunt Brooke told her that to get a new mommy, he daddy had to get married first…and when people fall…"
"In love, they get married." We both turn to look at each other before bursting into laughter. "I told her that almost three months ago" she turns back to the ceiling as I do the same. "I didn't think she would remember that conversation…I just didn't know how to answer her…"
"How do you think I felt when she asked me if I was gunna marry Luke. Brooke…she had the most innocent look on her face when she asked…it would've been cute… if I hadn't started choking on my pretzel" this gets a laugh out of her, and eventually out of me as well.
"So if you called it off…why are you wearing the ring" she turns to face me, but I keep my eyes ahead of me.
"Well I called it off because of Sam…you and I both now know that she has no problem with Luke and I…so that means the engagement can be back on."
"If you just snuck in here to put the ring back on…that means Luke doesn't know you guys are engaged again." She raises her brows as I glance at her.
"Nope…you're the first one that I've told…does that make up for not telling you the first time?"
"Yeah it does…I know you're engaged before your fiancé…can't really beat that" She shrugs and laughs before sitting up and leaning back on her hands. I follow suit and she quickly throws her arms around me, nearly knocking me on my back again. "Thanks for telling me Peyton…for letting me know before anyone else…I really appreciate it…"
"Of course I'd tell you…you're my best friend silly…" we pull away from each other and she flashes a genuine smile in my direction.
"I know that and I'm really glad…that I can call you my best friend…but Nathan's still sleeping in his room…"
"What are talking about…" my heart skips a beat…I'm not sure why…she doesn't sound bitter or angry…she doesn't even sound upset…she still sounds happy.
"Go wake him up Peyton." She nods towards the door as she stands up…I get to my feet quickly and stand in front of her.
"Brooke…" The shock must be written all over my face, because she laughs lightly.
"Peyton, I know you're dying to let him know…so go talk to him…he'll approve, but I know you need to hear him say it." I wrap my arms tightly around her and she returns the gesture.
"You know…maybe you get me more than you think" I whisper into her ear and I feel her pull me in just a little tighter. When we break apart I see the gleam that's returned to her eye.
"That's always good to hear" we exchanged a quick smile before she turns me around and pushes me toward the door. "Now go…"
"I'm going" I throw my hands up in the air as I open my room door and walk down the hall toward Nate's room.
I open his door quietly and see him sleeping under the blankets of on one side of the bed…of course last time I thought he was asleep he really wasn't and decided to scare the crap out of me. I slip inside and close the door behind me. I'm pretty sure he's actually asleep…it's a little past 9:30…he's usually still sleeping.
I make my way toward the bed and sit down on the edge. I could easily just lie back right now and go to sleep…it actually seems kind of tempting, but I decide against it. I use my fingers to drum against his stomach…unfortunately his abs are never something I'll be able to use against him. I'm torn away from my thoughts when his arms slides across my stomach and around my waist, pulling me down into place next to him, my head falling onto his chest.
"Why…why must you come wake me up…I was having a good dream I'll have you know…"
"Why must you have such horrendous morning breathe…" he coughed on me twice and all I can do is be thankful that I was only joking…he's subjected me to horrible morning breathe quite a few times before. "And your dream couldn't have been that good…unless…"
"Okay…enough…" we both laugh as I absentmindedly put my hand on his chest and snuggle in closer to him. "So is there a reason you woke me up…or did you just miss me"
"Well I do have something to tell you…but I missed you too" I inhale and exhale slowly…I feel nervous, but I don't know why. I guess it's because Brooke is right…I do need Nate to agree with all this…his opinion is important to me. "Luke proposed..."
"It's about time…" his eyes are still closed but he's wearing his infamous smirk.
"So you approve…" this causes his eyes to flick open and focus on me.
"And if I said no…if I told you I didn't want you to marry my brother…" My stomach tightens for a moment at the thought of him really saying that.
"I don't have to worry about that…because you would never make choose between you two…" I'm trying to sound confident, but when he pulls me closer I know he sensed the hesitation in my voice.
"No I wouldn't…I'm happy for you Peyt…I don't think I'd be happy about you marrying anyone else…"
"Why, because you don't trust anyone else to protect me." I laugh lightly, and he does the same. "You know you can't save me from everything…and you accept that…but it doesn't stop you from trying sometimes…and I love you for that for knowing when to let go…Lucas on the other hand…he genuinely believes, wholeheartedly that he can save me from the world, that he can stop anything from hurting me if he's around…and I love him for that. That's why I don't think I could marry anyone else…why you wouldn't let me marry anyone else."
"That's true…but more importantly…because he makes you happy…he makes you smile like no one else can…not even me…and because I know he loves you. So no…I would never make you choose between us…that's like you asking me to choose between you and Haley… those decisions just aren't possible…and they'll never be a problem 'cause they'll never come up" It seems slightly wrong that to be saying things like this…but I honestly don't know what I would do if I had to choose between Luke and Nate…if Nate ever had to choose between Haley and I…I would walk away and make the decision for him…I have a feeling he would do the same for me if I was ever given that ultimatum. "Congratulations"
"Thanks…"
"Um…I know you probably always thought you're dad would be here for this…" He pauses to take a deep breath. I'm not sure where he's going but he sounds a little unsure of himself. "I was just wondering if I could have the honor of giving you away" A smile quickly forms on my lips and I instinctively lean up to kiss his cheek gently.
"I wouldn't have it any other way…" I nestle back into his chest and he plants his lips on my forehead.
"You know I could never really give you away though…right" he tightens his grip on me quickly before relaxing again.
"I know…but it doesn't hurt to hear it" he kisses my forehead again, his lips lingering a little longer this time. "And just so you know…the same goes for you…"
"That's definitely good to hear sis. Just think…pretty soon, that'll be official." My hands still on his chest and I look at the diamond ring glistening in the mostly dark room. That thought's welcomed for two reasons.
