Pairing: Brooke/Lucas with minor NH
Summary: Learning sometimes means soul searching. There are no words to calm that kind of hurting. BL
Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. Shocker, huh?
AN: Due to some exams I have coming up next week I won't be able to post so I decided to leave you guys with this extra long chapter, I hope you like it! Also, a big thank you to Sliver for giving this a quick look, you're the best.
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Chapter 7 – The illusion of progress
Coffee. One of her favorite morning rituals when she was younger, a reminder of those first minutes in the day when she got to sit down and savor the taste and the flavor, let her senses be consumed by the enchanting scent of fresh brewed beans. But now, when she was used to picking up a quick to go cup at Starbucks, coffee has became just another in the line of things, another reminder of all the things she took for granted.
So, today she decided to change that and actually take a moment to enjoy her caramel cappuccino with no added sugar. After all, the road to the life you want and the person you want to be is long and it starts with small steps.
And in the end, the simple things in life are the ones you enjoy the most, the ones that put the smile on your face. A complication in its simplicity.
"God, it's nice to be home. No annoying clients…No Starbucks…No traffic jams…No demanding moms…" Brooke said, glancing at the half empty street and then at her best friend.
"Victoria?" Peyton offered.
Brooke just nodded and then said "Don't even get me started on that one."
"That bad huh?"
"Worse." The redhead said laughing. "Lately we've been clashing over everything, it's getting a little ridiculous. This little mini vacation couldn't have come at the better time."
"So much for the glamorous NYC life." Peyton said with a smile.
"Let's just say that Victoria has a way of sucking the fun out of everything. My love life included." She said, lowering her eyes on her left hand.
"Ah yes, the mysterious fiancé." Peyton said with a sigh "What was his name, Brian something…"
"Blake." Brooke filled in for her.
"Blake, right… What did mommy dearest do now?" Peyton asked, looking up with a frown "Did she have something to do with him not coming here with you?"
"No…" Brooke denied.
"Or did she plot some evil plan to separate you two because he isn't good enough for her only daughter?"
"Nothing like that. She actually paired us up."
Peyton looked completely shocked by Brooke's words. Was it actually possible that Victoria did a courteous thing for once? She highly doubted it, but maybe that was just her sarcastic side doing all the thinking.
"You mean she introduced you two?"
"Sadly no. She came to me saying something about how me being single is not good for the company because it sends the wrong message to the buyers and how it would help improve my image if I had a nice, good looking guy by my side. And then she introduced me to Blake."
"Oh."
"That's pretty much how I reacted when she said all that in one breath." Brooke said with a laugh. "It was kind of impressive."
"I knew Victoria Davis couldn't actually do the right thing even if her life depended on it." Peyton commented.
"Not unless she benefits from it of course."
Peyton laughed, trying to make her best Victoria Davis impression as she pulled her hair back with a swift move of her hand "Of course."
"But how did she get you to agree to that ridiculous proposal?"
"We went to dinner, Blake and I, and it was kinda nice. I figured he was a decent guy and I was lonely and six months later we moved in together." Brooke explained before taking a sip of her coffee.
"Then why do I have a feeling it's not that simple?"
"It never is." Brooke said, her smile fading away.
"Maybe not at the beginning but when you get there… you realize it was all worth it." Peyton said.
"Jake?"
"It wasn't easy either but I don't really regret any of the mistakes I made on the way. Because if it wasn't for all that I'd never be where I am today." Peyton said with a smile. "God, that sounded kinda cheesy, didn't it?"
"Just a tad bit." Brooke retorted with a smile "But seriously, you and Jake have one advantage Blake and I don't."
"What's that?" she asked, curious.
"You love each other." Brooke said simply.
Peyton looked at her friend, unsure of what to say to that. Relationships weren't perfect, she knew it better than anyone, there were a lot of bumps and curves on that road. But Brooke was right, there was only one thing that could make you stick through them all, and that was love. She's learned that the hard way.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Peyton said with a sigh "Like halfway through my freshman year in college, when Luke and I were still together I just got this feeling that something wasn't right and it just didn't want to go away." she said, pausing "I mean he's a great guy, one of the best I know so I couldn't figure out why it didn't seem to work. At first I thought it was the distance, him being in LA and all but then I finally realized… I didn't love him that way anymore. It wasn't the same as before."
Brooke just listened, letting her friend tell the story.
"I mean we weren't the same people anymore, he wasn't the same guy I fell in love with when we were sixteen and I wasn't the same girl. I still loved the guy I met when he came to tow my car, in the grey hoodie and a ruffled dirty blonde hair." She said, reminiscing.
"Few days later he called me saying everything I've been thinking for weeks but was too afraid to say out loud and we decided it was time to call it quits. A month later Jake came to the record label I was interning at and here I am now…"
"Yeah…" Brooke shrugged, a little angry at herself for acting like a bitch at Tric the day before. She wasn't even sure why she played a part of a jealous girlfriend when she saw Peyton and Lucas together. Or maybe she did know but didn't want to admit it. "The problem is I never loved Blake. It was more of a convenience then romance thing. It just took me some time to realize that, it's all."
"But aren't you two engaged now?" Peyton asked.
"He asked and I said no. Last night…was just one big misunderstanding that ended badly and to top it off I told Blake I'll think about giving us a chance."
"Well maybe you should. Think about it I mean. You owe it to yourself after what…six months of being with him?"
"Almost a year actually." Brooke corrected her "And that's exactly what he said too. But I don't think that…"
"Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis gossiping together...It's been awhile since I had the honor to be present for that. I'm just hoping I wasn't the topic of that conversation." The dark haired girl finished as she joined them at the table.
"Hales, what are you doing here?" Peyton said, surprised, before standing up and hugging her.
"I was on my way to Luke's but then I saw you two sitting here so…"
"But why did you come right now when we were talking about you!" Brooke whined. "And just for the record I didn't say that your hair looks dull with that darker color. That was all Peyton." She added as Haley gave her the death stare.
"She's joking, I didn't say your hair looked dull, I said it was a little blunt." Peyton joked.
"Well at least I'm interesting enough to be the subject of gossip of the hottest young designer of the year and the owner of most successful new record label. So you talking about me is kind of a compliment. So thank you for that." Haley said, barely managing to stay serious.
"You're welcome, tutor mom." Brooke said, going along with it.
Peyton's phone vibrated and she pulled it out from her handbag to check who it was as Brooke and Haley chatted.
"I have to go, that was Jake and he wants to meet up for lunch. So I guess we'll finish up that conversation later B Davis." Peyton said, interrupting the two.
"Definitely P Sawyer. But what about my ride to the hotel?" Brooke asked.
Haley spoke up before Peyton got a chance to answer "I'll give you a ride, don't worry."
"Then we're all settled. I'll see you later Hales."
Haley nodded as Peyton maneuvered her way between tables and towards the exit leaving the two girls to talk.
"I feel like a kid of divorced parents that's being dragged from one parent to another." Brooke commented with a sigh.
"I already have one kid and believe me I don't want another one any time soon. Jamie is more than enough."
"That bad, huh?"
"No, he's great but ever since he turned five all of a sudden he has these million different questions to ask that I don't know how to answer and it gets tiring sometimes. I just wish I had more free time for myself and for Nathan. Sure, I see him every day but he's always involved with Jamie or basketball and I can't remember the last time we spent a day together alone."
"Ah, the joys of motherhood." Brooke said with a smile "But really, alone couple time is overrated anyways."
"Easy for you to say. You live alone with your incredibly hot fiancé in a beautiful apartment."
"Believe me, it's not as great as it sounds." She said with a sigh as Haley looked at her obviously not believing a word of what she was saying. "It can get lonely sometimes."
"Well, from what I saw, that apartment is pretty big so that really isn't surprising."
"I don't think the size of my place has much to do with that." Brooke said, her smile fading away. And that was a confirmation enough to Haley that things with Blake weren't as great as everyone seemed to believe.
"Speaking of houses, I have to make a quick stop to Luke's before I drive you back to the hotel if you don't mind."
"As long as you keep it short." She said, taping her fingers nervously on the table. Haley noticed the gesture but didn't comment on it.
"Why? You guys in a fight or something?"
"No, nothing like that." She said nonchalantly "I just want to get back to my room, take a shower and get some sleep ASAP."
"Where are you staying anyway? It's not like Tree Hill has any good hotels."
"At Independence motel." Brooke retorted.
"A motel?" Haley asked, shocked "Actually, now that I think of it I'm not sure there is a hotel in Tree Hill. Except for Hotel Central but I think that one closed last year."
"Yeah, this one is not that great either but it'll do. See the things I do for one of my best friends?"
"Yes, I'm touched by your incredible sacrifice. Ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." Brooke retorted with a sigh as they stood up and left the cafe.
----BL----
Haley looked at Brooke, a little perplexed by her sudden change of mood as she knocked on her best friends' door. Just ten minutes ago as the two girls were driving in the car, Brooke told her about her life in NYC and commented on random songs that came up on the radio and they laughed probably ninety percent of their ride. When Haley told her a story about Jamie's little 'incident', as she and Nate called it, when he was in kindergarten Brooke laughed so hard Haley was sure they would need to pull over before they caused some accident, giving a new meaning to the phrase dying of laughter.
Needles to say, it was good to have her friend here in Tree Hill. It reminded her on all the good times they had at their apartment in high school and how easy life seemed back then. She definitely did laugh more. Now, it took more effort to smile after a full day of work and taking care of Jamie.
But as she parked the car in Luke's driveway she saw Brooke glance in the direction of his house with dread, smile fading away from her lips. Haley chose not to read too much into that, thinking she was just imagining things as usual.
After knocking on his door for quite a few times Haley was ready to give up and come by later when Lucas finally opened the door.
"Took you long enough."
"I was busy." Luke replied shortly.
"With what?" Haley asked glancing around his kitchen and then looking at the open door of his bedroom "Are you having company?"
Luke looked at her, puzzled as it took him a few seconds to realize what she was implying with that question. "No…no, it's just me. I was just talking to my editor on the phone so I couldn't answer the door."
"How is Lindsay by the way?"
"She's fine."
"So you guys talk a lot?"
"She is my editor Hales." Luke pointed out, a little annoyed by her question.
Brooke gave her a questioning look as Haley turned to explain. "Lindsay and Luke dated for almost a year in college. They were practically engaged."
Brooke was about to say something but was interrupted by Luke.
"How many times do I have to repeat to you that we were not engaged? And what's so weird about the two of us talking, you don't believe that the two people that used to date can be friends?" he asked, his eyes landing on Brooke.
"Not if they still have feelings for each other." Haley said.
"That's definitely not the case with us, trust me." he assured her with a laugh "Lindsay is a great girl but I don't care about her in that way and she definitely doesn't have any feelings for me since she is engaged to Ryan." he said quickly. What's up with all his exes being engaged or married anyways? Guess it's true what they say, karma is a bitch.
"Fine, its' just that I find it weird, being friends with someone you used to love…" Haley said.
"Well it's not." he countered and pointed at the girl standing beside her "Brooke and I are friends."
"Yes, it's not weird at all." Brooke commented. Really, if her fashion career ever flunks she can always turn to acting.
Haley shrugged, thinking how in denial they both were.
"Weren't you just here with Peyton?" Luke asked.
"Yes, speaking of that…" Haley started "Peyt had some errands to run so I offered to drive Brooke back to her hotel. But before that I have something to ask you." She explained "A little favor for your best friend in the whole wide world." she said with those pleading brown eyes and Luke knew it couldn't be anything good.
"What is it Hales?"
"You know about that charity basketball game that's supposed to happen tonight?"
"Haley, there is no game. North Carolina Tar Heels were supposed to play against the Ravens but they canceled at the last minute."
"Yeah, I know. But I talked to Whitey and he came up with this idea about you guys filling in for them since you're all in town anyways. You know, you, Jake, Nathan, Skillz…old Ravens team against the new one…it would be a blast. Plus it's for a good cause." She said, putting on her best pretty please smile once again.
"This is what I get for helping out Whitey and Skillz with the team. How did you even persuade him into this?"
"I have my ways, besides you have to admit it's a cool idea. Even your team thinks so. I mean not really your team, but technically you are their assistant coach… " Haley rambled.
"Of course they do, and if we lose, which we will, I'm never gonna hear the end of it." he said with a sigh.
"They promised not to make any jokes on the account of their favorite part time assistant couch." Haley supplied, ever so helpful. "God, that's one long title you got there."
"Of all the crazy ideas you had Hales, this one definitely takes the cake. I haven't played basketball in years…and with the HCM, I don't…"
"I knew you'd say that so I was thinking you could play just one halftime or however that goes with basketball. And have I mentioned it was for charity?"
Brooke's phone rang stopping Haley's rambling and she looked up at the caller ID that said Victoria. She's been calling all morning probably to yell at her only daughter and as much as Brooke would like to keep on ignoring her she had to answer it eventually. Now was as good time as any. And it gave her a proper excuse to leave this room.
"I'm gonna take this outside." She said, gesturing at the phone as Lukas nodded. Quickly she walked out of the room and out the door pressing the answer button on her phone.
"Hello."
"Brooke Penelope Davis!" the voice on the other side almost shrieked "Where the hell are you?"
"In Tree Hill. Hasn't Millie told you that?" Brooke answered calmly.
"Don't get smart with me, young girl." she said and Brooke was grateful she was miles away from New York, safe from the wrath of Victoria Davis.
"I'm not."
"And please tell me you already booked a flight back to NYC."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you have a job to manage here."
"Mom, I'm on a vacation meaning I don't work this week. I know it's a foreign word to you but seeing how tense you sound I think you could use one too."
"Brooke, if you had some sort of mental breakdown I will be more than happy to find you a good shrink. It's much cheaper and more time efficient then you flying two thousand miles from NYC."
"Mom, I'm not coming back." she snapped.
"But you have a fashion show coming up…"
"In four months!" It was Brooke's turn to sound upset.
"And Ralph Lauren is…"
"I already told Millie to take care of that."
"You can't just leave the entire corporation unattended for an entire week!"
"I'm not leaving it unattended. Caroline is there to fill in for me and if something comes up she promised to call me." Brooke explained.
"Don't think you'll get away with this so easily." Victoria said, sounding less then pleased with her explanation.
"I'm not getting away with anything mother." Brooke said, matching her tone, proud of herself for managing to stay calm about this. After all, she had years of practice with her mother's outbursts of anger so this was nothing new.
Instead of a goodbye she was left with a sound of a hung up phone and monotone dial tone.
----BL----
"Brooke and I will be there to cheer you on." Brooke heard Haley say as she got back in the house.
"What?"
"Brooke, you're back." Haley said.
"Yes I am. What kind of cheering were you talking about?"
"Um…there's a charity basketball game tonight between the old Raven's team and…"
"Haley, I already told you…" Lucas tried to step in but when Haley set her mind on something she couldn't be bothered.
"Between the old Ravens team and the current one." Haley continued, not letting Luke distract her "And I was just persuading Luke to play since Jake, Skillz and Nathan already agreed on it."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Brooke asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"Well, since we have the old team maybe we could also have the old cheerleading…"
"Haley, before you finish that thought I'll just tell you that there's no way I'm wearing my cheerleading outfit."
"C'mon B Davis, it'll be fun!" Haley said sounding way to enthusiastic about this for Brooke's taste.
"Oh, that's a good argument." Brooke said, sarcasm dripping on her every word "There is no way in hell you'll ever see me in that blue skirt again. I'm a grown up woman now, you can't possibly expect me to wear some high school uniform I wore five years ago!"
Lucas gave her a sympathetic look as Haley smiled, deaf to her excuses.
"I'm not wearing it and that's final."
----BL----
That same evening…
"Brooke you look awesome." Haley said, looking at Brooke who was currently sporting a short dark blue skirt with a matching top.
"No I don't. I look like a hypo. The only way this could be more awful would be if Victoria was in that audience."
"That's not…"
"I'm wearing sneakers for God's sake. Sneakers Hales." Brooke repeated, hoping her friend would finally hear her out.
"So? Don't you go to the gym or yoga in NYC?"
"I do but I don't wear twenty dollar sneakers that some 15 year old girl wore at her cheerleading practice. I smell like sweat and spoiled yogurt." she said with a dramatic sigh. She knew she was behaving like a spoiled diva but being here just brought out all her insecurities to life and wearing a small skirt didn't help either.
"You're being ridiculous."
"I can't believe I agreed to this! I'm not the same girl I was in high school, Haley."
"And that's exactly why you agreed to this B Davis. You're not the same bitch you were then but a great girl or should I say woman who cares about her friends enough to do them a little favour."
"Damn my..."
"Okay, I have been attending those alcoholic anonymous meetings pretty regularly for the last two years so I can't possibly be drunk. But it's either that or I'm in some twilight zone. Whatever it is it's not good. And B Davis that outfit does not look flattering on you. In fact it doesn't look flattering on anyone older then sixteen."
"Bitch." Brooke said turning to see the girl standing a few feet away, leaning on one of the lockers.
"Slut."
"What are you doing here?"
"Stopping you from making the biggest fashion mistake of your life. And that's saying something when I remember all the ridiculous fashion related disasters you were involved in during High school."
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"By joining you of course." Rachel said, taking of her long beige coat to reveal the matching cheerleading outfit. "Welcome back to 2006 Davis."
"That soo wasn't my year." Brooke said with a sigh. "But I'm glad you're here. Although right now, I'm kinda jealous on you."
"Don't be. Being a model sucks. I can't remember the last time I ate anything that wasn't some stupid fruit or low fat whatever."
"Yes, it's real hard to look like that."
"Weren't you listening what I said just now? I haven't had a cake since 1999."
"That is such a lie. We ate a crème brulle after you wore my show at fall/winter New York fashion week last year. And if I remember correctly you ate two."
"Okay maybe I'm overreacting just a bit. But it's not my fault I have a fast metabolism. And you don't look that fat in that."
"Thank you, that means a lot. I feel so much better now." Brooke said sarcastically.
"Oh c'mon I was just kidding Davis. You don't look any different then you did in high school. Well, minus the hair and all the money you have now."
"Much better."
"Alright now, let's get out there and have some fun."
"Twilight zone, here we come."
And just as two girls were about to go and face the real world Haley walked in almost colliding with Brooke.
"We were just about to go out there Haley, no need for any intervention."
"Of course there is a need for intervention. A big one." Haley said.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about this." she said pointing at their outfits "I mean there is no freaking way I'm going out in public wearing a tiny little skirt."
"Hey, talk for yourself. It's not my fault you don't have a body of a model." Rachel said.
"Rachel." Brooke warned, a little tired of this senseless argument.
"No Brooke, I hate to say this but she's right. I mean what was I thinking? I'm not a model. I'm a mom of a five year old." Haley said. "I am not sixteen anymore. And cellulite aside, I'm kinda happy about that."
Brooke laughed at her words.
"That's okay tutor mom. We'll let it slide as a moment of temporary insanity. Everyone has them, just be glad yours didn't end up with dancing on a table at Hyde club." Brooke said, putting her hands around her friends' shoulders.
"What?" Haley asked, confused.
"Never mind, let's just get changed. And fast. Cause we are so gonna be late."
"I'm fine with that as long as the only cheering we do tonight is the one from the bleachers. While we're sitting down, of course."
"It would only be fair that after donating twelve thousand dollars to the charity I'd at least get to sit down for those 90 minutes."
"It's 48 minutes Brooke." Haley corrected her.
"Whatever."
After ten minutes the three girls finally walked out of the locker room and to a place they spent a lot of time at, back in the day.
Haley immediately went to check up on her husband and Jamie before the game starts as Rachel and Brooke took the time to take in their surroundings.
With all the panicking and fussing Brooke didn't even have time to see the place before this moment so her first encounter with Tree Hill High gym after all these years just had to happen when there was hundreds of teenagers there hoping to see their favorite team play. Even if it was for just a moment she could come back to that time, when things were simple.
But then she bumped into a person that reminded her that it really never was simple for her. Not even when she was seventeen.
"Lucas hey."
"Brooke…" he acknowledged and then turned to the red head beside her "Rachel what are you doing here?"
"Visiting my old friends, what else?"
"Really…and where are they?"
"Why Lucas Scott, you sound bitter. Jealousy does not suit you. Just because I'm the only girl in Tree Hill you couldn't have it doesn't mean we can't be friends." Rachel said with a smirk on her red lips.
"Um, you'll have to excuse her, she's still a little jetlag." Brooke said with an apologetic smile as she grabbed Rachel by the arm and moved her pass Lucas.
"No, you'll have to excuse me." he said. "This whole game is making me a little… It's all Haley's fault."
"I couldn't agree more."
"Anyway, I should…" he said pointing towards the door.
"Yeah, don't let us stop you."
"I'll see you when the game starts." he said "By the way, you look great."
"Um, thanks." Brooke said raising her hand in a cheer "Go Ravens!"
Rachel rolled her eyes as Lucas turned and went to the boys locker room.
"Argh, I'm such an idiot." Brooke said with a sigh.
"What's with all that sexual tension between you two?"
"What sexual tension?"
"Oh, are you seriously saying you didn't…" Rachel started but was interrupted.
"There was no sexual tension. I don't know what you're talking about. If there was any awkwardness there it was because of your inappropriate comments."
"I was just trying to make small talk with an old friend." Rachel said with her most incessant face.
"Well maybe you shouldn't do that anymore."
"Alright, next time I'll just stand there and look pretty while you two have eye sex."
"There was no eye…" she stopped herself from finishing that sentence when she saw Jamie by the bleachers standing next to Nathan. He spotted them soon after and ran in their direction, wearing the same dark blue Ravens jersey as Nate, only smaller.
"Aunt Brooke."
"James Lucas Scott, is that you?"
"Uhm."
"Wow, you've gotten taller since the last time I saw you."
"Yes, daddy says that in a few years I'll be just like him. And then I'll play basketball here with the Ravens."
"Of course you will." she said picking up the small boy.
"And who's this?" he asked, pointing at Rachel.
"That's my friend Rachel."
"Oh, it's nice to meet you. I'm Jamie."
"Yeah, I kinda knew that. You're real famous around here kido."
"I am?"
"Yep."
"But not like my dad. He played basketball in the NBA."
"Well you're still young. But when you grow up I'm sure you'll be even better than your dad."
"That's what my uncle Skillz says too."
"That's because it's true. I'm sure you can shoot free throws better then Nate."
"I can on the basket we have at home. But that's easy, everyone can do that."
"Not me, I suck at free throws."
"You can come to my house and I'll teach you."
"Well, aren't you a real ladies man." Rachel said with a laugh.
"Rachel?"
"What? He is. I mean the boy is what, five or something and he can already sweet talk a girl into coming to his house." she said in a lower voice so Jamie can't hear her.
"Jamie go help out your dad, me and Rachel need to talk." she said letting the boy go.
"That was so not cool."
"Whatever you say B Davis. Here comes your lover boy." she said as Lucas came back, joining the team by the bleachers and Brooke blushed, hoping Lucas didn't hear what Rachel said.
"He is not my…" she started, getting annoyed by her friends comments. But then Lucas looked up at her as he was tying his shoe laces and she found herself at the loss of words.
"Oh boy."
"What did you say about the eye sex, again?" Rachel asked with a laugh, picking up her pompons as someone yelled that the game is starting in five minutes.
----BL----
AN: So what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Too long? Too short?