The Unkindness
Disclaimer: See Author's Bio
A/N: Thank you othbreytonfan, iNsPired 61, and cRaZyGuRl093 for reviewing. :)
othbreytonfan and cRaZyGuRl, I'm glad you like the Seth/Brooke friendship. I love it as well.
and iNsPired - I know it's hard for people to read this if they never saw the OC, so I'm glad you're able to enjoy my story so far :)
So here is the next chapter. It's filled with a lot of fighting and arguing and the cause of the Brooke/Peyton war is revealed. Enjoy!
Chapter 7: Battles Like Teen Spirit
Nathan Scott stared blankly at the ceiling; although it was familiar, it was not his. He would never hang depressing looking sketches or weird light things from his ceiling. But he didn't care what was hung from this particular ceiling. He cared about the person the ceiling sheltered. He cared about the person that created the so called depressing sketches.
His naked, muscular body turned carefully in the bed, careful as to not produce any noise. In the moonlight, his eyes stared at her curls, her delicate skin, her slightly parted her lips; they roamed over her beautiful curves, her shapely legs…and, well…her…Peyton Sawyer – Nathan Scott's first serious girlfriend, his first "young love."
His mind thought back to their various "milestones" in their long relationship, his lips curling into a slight smile as he thought about their funnier moments – particularly the ones when his parents or sister would accidentally walk in on them. He used to laugh at Peyton's shyness and mortification whenever that happened. He loved the way her face blushed into a sexy pink color and the way she would bite on her lower lip in embarrassment.
That was the side of Peyton he loved – the shy, vulnerable side she rarely exhibited to anyone - the side that cared, that always cared. Usually, she acted like a bitch. Just like he usually acted like an asshole. He was an asshole because he could get away with it. Obnoxious of him? Of course. But he didn't care. Not like Peyton did. That's why she was a bitch. She cared too much. So once too many people in her life started hurting because of her or started hurting her, she closed herself off so people, including herself, wouldn't hurt anymore.
In fact, out of the last few years, Nathan couldn't think of anyone besides him and Summer who Peyton showed her "other" side to. Well, there was that brief millisecond with Brooke a few months ago, but that moment of sisterhood possibilities vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
As time went by, she became more uninhibited and less shy and embarrassed about certain things. Seeing as they were like hyperactive rabbits when it came to sex, and his family did not quite understand the concept of privacy…well, Peyton got less stressed over the whole, "Holy shit; they did not just see us fuck" thing.
Hell, one time, she didn't even flinch when they both exited the steamy shower in nothing but a towel, and they ran into his dad, Dan Scott, in the hall. She even said hi to him. That was the first time that they both laughed about themselves being caught.
They shared so many firsts with each other, but never did he imagine that they would share a breakup. Up until two weeks ago, when he saw Peyton with Ryan Atwood, he didn't think breaking up was plausible.
He was the star basketball player; she was the captain of the cheerleading squad. Tree Hill labeled them the "perfect" couple; the high school sweethearts of all high school sweethearts. That was what he got used to believing. That's why he believed that no matter what fault he or she committed, the two would never break up.
The moment he believed all of that was when Nathan started taking Peyton for granted. That's when the major ups and downs started. And that's when Peyton started to have enough. But neither Nathan nor Peyton would realize that's what started their downward spiral. At least…not till later.
Nathan needed something positive to think about. He shifted his position and leaned back onto the headboard, hands clasped behind his head as he focused on his favorite day with Peyton Sawyer. No, it wasn't the first time they had sex – although that was definitely going on the record books.
His favorite day was two nights before his first basketball game sophomore year. After a late and stressful practice, Nathan found Petyon standing in his driveway, under the basketball net. She was holding a basketball and wearing only his jersey and tiny cheer shorts.
He thought he was dreaming. Was his girlfriend actually wearing the sexiest thing in the world that she could wear? But it wasn't a dream, and a smiling Peyton threw the ball at him and they had their first of many one on one basketball games.
It was then that he realized that despite their many fights and arguments, he, Nathan Scott, loved Peyton Sawyer. The late night hours going into morning were pretty memorable, too.
"You've been thinking for a while," her voice whispered in the silence, shaking him from his thoughts. Of course, she was awake; she was always better at being discreet with the non-sleeping thing than he was. He shifted his gaze to see that her eyes were still closed, despite her obvious consciousness.
"I was just thinking about that night you showed up wearing only my jersey," Nathan replied. He watched as her eyes slowly fluttered open and her lips upturned.
"The basketball part or the sex part?" she smirked, her green eyes dancing even in the darkness.
"Both," Nathan smiled down at his blonde vixen. Did she even have to ask?
"Eh. The sex was ok," she feigned enthusiasm. But the spark in her eye gave her away.
"Liar. It was definitely more than ok at least three times," Nathan poked her side causing her smile to widen, hurting her cheeks. Her mind flashed to the various times when Nathan would be able to make her smile.
"We were good together back then," Peyton mused.
"We still are," Nathan argued, taking her hand in his. He had a bad feeling their round of sex this time was not going to fix anything. They still hadn't talked through about the future of their relationship. That was partly Nathan's fault, but he didn't want to lose her.
"We kept so many things from each other, Nathan," Peyton voiced as she stepped away from her bed and looked for something to throw on. They needed to talk and they couldn't talk if they were both lying naked in her bed.
"Which we told to each other tonight," Nathan reasoned as he watched her delicate form slip into a silky robe.
"After we fought and were seconds away from breaking up," Peyton countered.
"So we'll change," Nathan stated. He didn't understand where she was getting at. Did she want to break up?
"Change doesn't happen overnight," Peyton argued, "And, sex doesn't fix everything."
"So that's it. You're just going to give up on us? Everything we went through tonight doesn't mean anything to you?" Nathan's voice started to rise. His anger was starting to get the better of him and he couldn't help the raised tone.
"It means plenty," Peyton retorted, her anger becoming eminent in her voice as well, "It's showed me we got to this point because we stopped talking about serious stuff. Tonight was the first time in a long time that we talked – really talked," Peyton pointed out. "For a while now, all we've been about is just sex."
"Cause we're good at it," Nathan pointed out. Sure it was a lame argument, but it was true.
"I'm serious, Nathan," Peyton complained as she crossed her arms.
"So am I, Peyton. We don't have to end this," Nathan insisted as he slipped on his boxers and walked over to Peyton. He tried to hold her in his arms, but she pushed him away.
"It's getting too hard, Nathan. It's not supposed to be hard," Peyton muttered. She could tell Nathan was becoming aggravated with her. But she couldn't help how she felt about where there relationship had been heading lately. There was a reason why they hadn't been the same Nathan and Peyton they were a year ago…she just couldn't figure out what it was.
"Life's hard. I don't see you debating that," Nathan argued, walking around in search of the rest of his clothes.
"You know what I mean," Peyton huffed.
"Maybe it's hard because you're the one that needs to change," Nathan fought back as he slipped on his shirt and jeans.
"I'm not the one who would rather hang out with his basketball buddies than his own girlfriend," Peyton accused.
"Maybe I'd want to hang out with you more if you changed your pms-ing personality," Nathan snapped back.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Peyton screamed back.
"You know exactly what it means…Look, I'm really glad you got help with your addiction Peyton. I am so grateful. And I get why you couldn't tell me. But as for this relationship…"he paused, trying to think of what he wanted to say, "You're the one making this hard, Peyton."
"You're blaming our failing relationship on me?" Peyton asked in disbelief.
"In case you haven't noticed, I have tried talking to you; but you always close up. Ever since Davis came back into your life, you've closed yourself off to the world. And if you don't believe me, your proof is in those miserable things you call art," Nathan knew he hit her hard with that statement. He knew for the second time that whole night he had hurt her. He watched as the anger rose in her face and he watched as she forced herself from throwing something at his head.
"First of all, you used to like my art! And second, there is no way that you are bringing her into this!" Peyton screamed in Nathan's face. He knew how sensitive she was where her art was concerned. And he knew how even more sensitive she was concerning the topic of her supposed half sister Brooke Davis.
"Damn right I am," Nathan claimed, not afraid of the hatred that might be thrown his way.
"Well maybe if you hadn't gone after her after the fight, then maybe I wouldn't close myself off!" Peyton yelled.
"You shut me out! I had to get the story of what happened from somebody!"
"So you go to the one person I hate most in the world?"
"Well, the one person I love most in the world didn't want to talk to me. What was I supposed to do?" Nathan screamed, desperation evident in his voice.
"Wait, Nathan," Peyton cried out. "You just had to wait for me to open up," she pushed away the sobs and let the anger back in.
"Sorry. I'm a little impatient when it comes to helping you," Nathan uttered as he looked for his shoes.
"What are you doing?" Peyton asked as Nathan began to put on his shoes and grab his keys from her desk. "Unbelievable. You're leaving," she noticed.
"If I don't leave, I'm going to say things I don't want to say," Nathan revealed as he headed for the door.
"Well, you sure have an odd way of showing that you don't want to give up on us," Peyton crossed her arms. He had some nerve, leaving in the middle of a heated argument about the future of their relationship.
"Leaving doesn't mean I'm giving up," Nathan claimed, pausing at her doorframe.
"In what dictionary?" Peyton countered. Nathan sighed in response. She still didn't understand what he has been trying to tell her the entire night.
"You're right, Peyton. This is hard," Nathan agreed, "But this – what we have – is something worth fighting for. I want 'us,' Peyton. But I need you to want it, too." And there it was; his revelation. Not only did he love her, and want her more than anything else in the world…he was willing to do anything to make her happy. And if he couldn't make her happy, he was willing to give her up so that she could find her happiness.
"Nathan - " Peyton whispered. She was left speechless. What was she supposed to say to all of that? She wanted so badly to say, I want us too. But she couldn't, not yet.
"I love ya, Sawyer. You know I do," Nathan let out a sad smile, "But it's time for you to make a play; the ball is in your hands now."
And with no kiss goodbye, Nathan left Peyton alone in her room to contemplate everything that had just occurred – the screams, the accusations…everything.
"Ever since Davis came back into your life, you've closed yourself off to the world." Nathan's accusation echoed in Peyton's mind, bringing her back to the literal turning point in all of their lives. Maybe Nathan was right. That day, the day of The Fight between Davis and Sawyer…maybe that was when everything started to tumble out of control. It sure explained Brooke's sudden hatred of everything Athletic. And it explained her hatred of…well, almost everything.
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flashback
June – 2 ½ months ago, the beginning of summer vacation
Peyton Sawyer should have been overjoyed; she should have at least felt some sense of relief. School had been over for two days and there were two and a half months to do anything she wanted. But the curly blonde merely stared blankly at her computer screen, lost and trapped in thoughts about her mother and other people's mothers.
The news of Brooke's mother's car accident two weeks ago triggered all the memories she tried to keep away for the past six years. Now, instead of tanning, bonfires, and simple relaxation, all she could think about was her own mother's accident and resulting death.
Another thought, also, lingered in her mind. Brooke's mother had just survived the same type of accident her mother went through; and she was still alive. So she was in a coma and the doctors don't know if she's going to survive, but right now, she's still alive. Why does Brooke's mother get to live and her mother had to die? It wasn't fair.
Nothing in the world of Peyton Sawyer was ever fair. First her mother dies. Then annoyingly bubbly Brooke Davis claims she is her sister. Because of that mini revelation her father admits he really isn't her father, biologically anyways. And then just a few moments ago, little miss tutor Haley James arrives on her doorstep and accuses her of being a coke addict. "What the hell did her freakin' self do in a past life?' she wondered.
But she couldn't ignore the last thing on her "unfairness" list. She thought she was being careful. She thought nobody else was near the boardwalk this morning when she paid for her stash. If she had known someone even as insignificant as Haley James had been watching her, she never would have bought the stash of coke in the first place. "Listen to yourself, Peyton," she talked aloud to herself, "Maybe she's right. Maybe you are a coke addict."
"Brooke wants family, Peyton. You're little nice act in the bathroom two weeks ago got her hopes up. And if you're using….God help you and her," Haley's last words echoed in Peyton's head. That's it. She really needed to talk to somebody.
Brooke Montgomery (Davis) should have been grieving. Her mother was relying on machines to live and at this point it didn't look like things would turn around. But the beautiful brunette felt conflicted. A part of her was filled with hope, so much hope that it hurt for her to keep it bottled inside. Yes she was upset that her mother was not well, but she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hopeful happiness that her mother would make it and maybe she and Peyton would be able to become sisters. Maybe this time next year, they would be the kind of siblings Ryan and Seth had become.
Brooke knocked on the door of the Sawyer household and waited. No answer. She knocked once more. Again, no answer. With a deep breath, she mustered all the courage she had and decided to pull a Lucas and walk into the household with no permission. She walked around in search of familiar blonde curls. And that's when she heard her.
"No, Jake. I'm not telling Nathan," Peyton insisted. Brooke's ears perked up. Jake? Brooke wondered, As in Summer Scott's beloved ex boyfriend, Jake? Curiosity and the guilty pleasure for gossip were soon getting the better of Brooke.
"I'm not telling him, Jake. He got a last minute acceptance to High Flyers and if I told him about any of this, he'd be...Look, he needs to pursue his dreams without a broken heart," Peyton insisted. "Promise me you won't tell anyone, especially Nathan and Summer. Please, Jake, don't say anything." At that pleading utterance, Brooke couldn't stay silent anymore.
"What's going on?" Brooke asked cautiously, surprising Peyton.
"I gotta go. I'll call you later," Peyton reluctantly hung up. What the hell was Brooke doing here? Unannounced? Stupid council kids were all the same – spies who didn't know what the hell privacy meant.
"Didn't you ever hear of knocking?" Peyton asked with annoyance. She was trying to be nice to Brooke because of the whole mother in the hospital thing. But the council president was making it really hard….really, really hard. And coupled with the fact that Jake had suggested she go to rehab for coke addiction…well, Peyton wasn't feeling too "sisterly" or even civil at the moment.
"Are you hooking up with Jake behind Nathan and Summer's backs?" Brooke accused with crossed arms, ignoring Peyton's question.
"What?" Peyton asked in disbelief. Of all the nerve, Brooke, her supposed "sister" thought that she would even think of hurting her best friend and boyfriend by cheating on them.
"You just asked Jake to cover up something from your boyfriend and your best friend," Brooke tried to reason; what else could Peyton be hiding?
"That's none of your concern," Peyton responded. No way in hell she was going to talk about her sniffing habit with wannabe sister. She pretended to be interested in the newspaper, hoping Brooke would get the hint to leave her alone. Of course, Brooke wouldn't get it.
"You're my sister. If you're lying to your best friend and boyfriend – " Brooke began.
"It doesn't have anything to do with you," Peyton interrupted, her tone rising. Maybe she never should have been nice to the girl in the first place.
"It may not, but I don't want you doing anything stupid," Brooke revealed with concern. She wished Peyton wasn't so closed off. She was trying to reach out to her, again, and it felt like five years ago…again.
"Just because we have the same father doesn't mean you can dictate my life," Peyton threw the newspaper on the coffee table. The girl obviously was not going to leave. No problem, she just had to yell her out of the house.
"That's not what I'm doing," Brooke insisted, not backing down.
"Isn't it, big sister?" Peyton accused. The argument was about invasion of privacy, but it soon transformed into a string of arguments about their past – from the insignificant, like crashing parties uninvited to the serious, like what it meant for them to be family.
Brooke's temper was rising and Peyton could tell. The fireworks were about to begin. The two began to fling words and accusations at each other. Their hatred for each other started to return into their hearts with every cruel name that was being spewed. You could call it a crazy, severe version of sibling rivalry.
"You think that's why I hate your bitchy ass? Because I'm jealous?" Peyton asked in disbelief. The two were really going at it now with no sign of a cease fire anytime soon.
"It's not my fault our dead end father chose me - " Brooke retorted with a yell as loud as Peyton's.
"You are unbelievable!" Peyton interrupted with her loudest voice yet. "You think I'm jealous that he chose your messed up little family? Talk about an egotistical load of bullshit!"
"Maybe in your messed up head, you think if he chose you, your mother would be alive," Brooke spit out. Peyton screamed in aggravation. Nobody, absolutely nobody talked about her mother. Especially not Brooke effin Davis.
"You want to know why I hate you Miss Prissy Pants? Do you?" Peyton screamed in Brooke's face. But Brooke didn't flinch. The blaze in her eyes just grew more intense, ready for Peyton's attempt at hurting her more than she already did.
"It sure would clear up a lot of shit that's been going on," Brooke answered, her crossed arms acting as a figurative shield to the words of fire that would be thrown at her. Brooke couldn't wait to hear the lame excuse Peyton had for declaring war on her all those years ago.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, sister of mine," Peyton spewed, her heart breaking as the truth enveloped her mind. "You and that dying woman you call your mother are the reason why mine is dead." Peyton's harsh words were met with speechless silence. Brooke's angered expression morphed into one of shock, incomprehension, and heartbreak.
"You're lying," Brooke barely croaked out, shaking her head. Peyton was just hurting because Brooke's mother's accident was reminding her of her mother's death…right?
"So I'm a liar. At least I'm not a hypocritical killer," Peyton whispered with hatred. In her head, she could hear her father and Brooke's mother arguing about what happened that day. She was twelve, just barely getting through the last two and a half years without her mother, when she overheard the truth. She never confronted her father about it. She didn't want to hurt him even more than he already was.
"What happened to your mother is not my fault," Brooke insisted with a cry. The gears in her mind began working overtime as she reverted back to when they were nine.
"No. It's your mother's fault."
"Shut up," Brooke requested; she couldn't hear anymore. And as her memory rushed back, little tidbits kept pointing to the same truth Peyton had been yelling. Her eyes began to swell; her hands grabbed her head in despair. It couldn't be true.
"And it wouldn't have been her fault if it wasn't for you," Peyton continued taunting. Tears were now streaming down her face as well. Up until now, she had never told anybody of this revelation. And up until now had she ever started to deal with it.
"Stop it," Brooke shook her head vigorously, trying to ignore Peyton's words. Flashes continued to run through Brooke's mind.
She was only nine; she didn't know any better when she distracted her mother in the car. She just wanted more ice cream and more time with her mother.
She was only nine. There was a crash, but it wasn't them. The light was red. They almost hit another car, but the car swerved and crashed into the telephone pole. She couldn't see who it was.
She was only nine, she didn't understand what happened. And until now, that memory had been pushed away, locked and blocked away because her father told her to keep silent. It would look bad if her mother was the cause of a tragedy in Tree Hill. She was only nine…They were only nine.
"You know, I'm glad I finally broke my silence. Tell Daddy his baby daughter couldn't keep her mouth shut," Peyton finished. She waited seven long years to reveal all that she did. But why hadn't relief washed over her? Why did her heart still ache? Why did she feel even emptier now than before?
"I said shut up, Peyton!" Brooke sobbed at the top of her lungs. Hurt, anguish, different rushes of emotions took over Brooke's mind and heart.
And that was when Nathan Scott walked into World War Two between Brooke and Peyton Sawyer. He broke them apart. They ran in different directions. And he alone was left to try and put the pieces of Brooke and Peyton back together.
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A/N: Whoa I forgot how intense this got. Anyways, please review, state your opinions, whatever. I like to hear what you guys think :) And for those of you that are willing to get invested in another story, I have a new story posted. It's going to be a Brooke/Julian/Peyton/Lucas story so check it out if you want.
Coming up: Siblings: Summer and Nathan; Seth and Ryan.
Later: The first day of school after the crazy end of summer party.