CH. 13 As The World Spins
Rachel lazily rolled to her left and fell off the bed dragging all the covers with her, she scrambled to her feet and was met with a laughing Brooke, clutching her sides. Rachel glared at her and threw a pillow at her." Ow- bitch that kinda hurt!"
"That's what I was aiming for heifer." Brooke just stuck her tongue out at Rachel who just flipped her off.
Rachel looked at the disaster that was Brooke Davis, the girl was irrevocably stupidly in love with their childhood best friend Nathan Scott. Who knew what was going on in that boy's head, he hadn't been at the house for two weeks now and wouldn't even answer Rachel's calls or texts.
Rachel helped Brooke to the bathroom and then made her way downstairs, she needed to get some food in the girl before she left for school.
The doctor had given them a note to give to school, Brooke would have to home school the remainder of the school year. Brooke had been a bit bummed out but it didn't matter as long as the baby was ok and her leg healed perfectly fine.
Brooke hated crutches, they were inconvenient and oh so so evil, she struggled with setting a rhythm to get anywhere. She carefully hobbled to the kitchen and was greeted to the sweet smell of sizzling bacon. She smiled at Rachel and took a seat at the kitchen table.
"So what's on the agenda today?" little bits of bacon flew out of Brooke's mouth and Rachel scrunched up her face in disgust.
"I know we grew up with the help but damn show some table manners!" Rachel wiped up the bits of food and chastised Brooke; she just rolled her eyes, flipped her off and kept on eating.
"Ok so the agenda for today is that I'm going to school, I'm coming back during lunch and dropping you off at physical therapy and Owen picks you up from it…your choice if you want him to keep you company until I get back-"
Brooke choked on her bacon and ungraciously spit up a big blob onto her napkin," Hold on so you're trusting me to behave around Owen?" Brooke started to laugh," Just don't blame me if he runs for the hills ok? Ok."
Rachel hadn't thought of Brooke scaring Owen away, that boy was wrapped around her pinkie and he would do anything for her and hopefully he could put with her.
Nathan could lie to himself all that he wanted, he could repeat it in his head like a mantra, I'm not wrong, but he was but he didn't care. What he was doing at the moment was for him, he needed to clear his head and figure things out. He hadn't gone to school for two weeks and had dodged Rachel's phone calls and texts. What he needed was time but it looked like his time was up.
He grudgingly got out of bed, he needed to face his demons and certain a certain red head and brunette.
Peyton walked to her second block class and caught sight of a tall, dark and jerk Scott making his way to the gym, she followed.
"Nate! Wait up!" he turned surprised at seeing her, the last time he had spoken to her was during their silly string fight. He waited for her to catch up with him.
"Where are you going? I'm pretty sure you don't go to the gym till after school." She raised a blonde eyebrow at him. He looked down and scuffed his black Jordans for a second.
"It's easier to skip without being caught if you cut across the gym." She laughed and nodded her head in agreement. Peyton had heard from Rachel that he had had a fallout with her and Brooke and taking a closer look behind the smile she could see how dull his eyes were and that he was clearly hurting.
"I'll join you, come on I want a burger." She hooked her arm with his and chuckled at his surprised face.
She watched as he played around with the fries that were now cold and wouldn't look up from his plate. She knew his body movements from a long time ago when they had dated, she could tell that he needed to say something but decided not to push him.
"Me and Haley broke up."
"I'm sorry Nate, but if it's meant to be you guys will find your way back to each other."
Nathan shook his head, he needed to talk to someone and knew Peyton was trustworthy.
" I doubt that's going to happen because you see I happen to be in love with this girl and it's not Haley."
Peyton kept silent, she knew not to push him and waited.
" You see the girl I love, I love her and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her…"
Nathan stopped and thought, Peyton was on the edge of her seat," Annnd?"
He snapped out of it," It's Brooke, it has always been her and I'm scared. I'm scared of loving her and it not being enough or not working out and-"
"Nathan-" his blue eyes met her green ones-" If you love her then go to her. You don't want to sit around wondering what if, just go out there and do it, deal with the mess later."
"She's pregnant Peyton, and I don't know if I can deal with that." He shoved his plate away and buried his face in his hands; Peyton was shocked, she got up from her seat and went around the table to his side and wrapped her arms around him.
She stroked his hair and calmed him down.
"Shhh, Nathan just breathe. It's going to be ok."
Nathan looked at her with teary eyes," How could it possibly be ok?"
Owen scratched his head and watched in wonder as Brooke hobbled around in her new room trying to find the perfect scarf that would match her earrings. He tried containing his chuckles when she figured out that she couldn't reach the scarf that was on the top shelf of her closet.
"Move aside short stack!" he easily reached his hand over and plucked the scarf down for her, she grumble a 'Thank you ass wipe' to him. Owen rolled his eyes and sent a special prayer to the guys upstairs asking for patience.
"So remind me again why Rachel couldn't make it?" she hobbled in front of him, making her way to his hummer really slow, she didn't want to fall and bust her ass.
Owen walked behind her making sure not to rush her and watching her steps," Well she said something about getting your work and trying to retake a chemistry test but she did say that she'd bring red velvet chocolate cake." He watched as big smile broke across her face.
She smiled at the thought of a delicious big slice of cake but when she caught sight of how far up it was to get into the passenger seat her smile disappeared.
"Seriously? Don't you need like some sort of step ladder to get into that thing?"
Owen wrinkled his forehead," It's not my car's fault that you're short and crippled-"she raised a crutch and hit his shin." Ow! That really hurt!"
"Now you know how I feel." She sneered at him with a glare, without a word he wrapped his arms around her, ignored her threats, and put her safely in the hummer. He picked up her dropped crutches, went around the car and got in; he turned to his right and looked at her, "What?" Brooke childishly looked away from him.
Nathan walked slowly into his house, dragging his feet and his soul. His ears perked up when he heard some shuffling coming from the kitchen. A smile broke across his face, his mom was home. He excitedly picked up his pace and rushed to the kitchen," Mom I thought you weren't going to-",he choked on his words and his smile dropped.
"Well son I'm sure as hell not your mom but I am your father, come give your old man a hug." The devil himself was standing in the kitchen, Dan Scott.
Nathan stiffly walked over to his father and gave him a hug, after getting the hug Dan walked them over to the kitchen table and took a seat and motion for Nathan to do the same also and he did.
"Son there is no easier way to say this but your mom won't be coming home for a while. She admitted herself to rehab."
Nathan's blood froze and his spirit shattered," What are you talking about?"
A slow sinister smile broke across Dan's face," Well son your mother wanted the divorce but she is in no condition to win custody over you with her um- small problem."
Nathan knew his parents were no fairytale, they weren't going to last till their deaths do them apart marriage vow. Deb going into rehab willingly was absurd, Dan must have something over her that could come out to play in court really bad.
"How long is she going to be away?" Nathan held his breath as he waited for an answer.
Dan smiled that evil smile of his," Maybe three months, but don't worry son time will fly by with your training.
Owen clenched his teeth behind closed lips in pain; Brooke Davis had a death grip on his hand as she nervously lay on the examination table in the doctor's office. The doctor instructed her to lift her shirt up a bit to rub some gel on her stomach so they could start the ultrasound.
She did as she was told one handed and Owen marveled at her smooth, pale flat tummy. He mentally slapped himself and focused on a spot in the far corner of the room.
The gel was cold and Brooke squirmed uncomfortably, the doctor soon turned the ultrasound machine on and the screen looked a bit gray and blurry.
BOOM..BOOM..BOOM
Owen's ears perked up and he looked at the screen and only made out a peanut-shaped- blob.
BOOM..BOOM..BOOM
Brooke stupidly stared at the screen in wonder. That was her baby, her's and Nathan's child.
BOOM..BOOM..BOOM..
"You notice that boom boom sound, that's the baby's heart beat." The doctor watched warmly as Brooke and Owen's faces lit up with astonishment and happiness.
Rachel exasperatley huffed as her call went yet again to Owen's voicemail," Hey babe just calling in to check out how things are going with Brooke…well give me a call back!" she felt something funny in her tummy, like something big had just happened and she missed it.
On the other side of town Nathan finally took a break to catch his breath, Dan had made him run five miles without stopping. He put his hand over his heart and felt it thump, BOOM..BOOM..BOOM.