Chapter 17
Let's talk this out.
A/N: Thanks for all the people that wrote to me in the past few chapters. It really helped me to continue writing. I am working on the next chapter. Each chapter is kind of going to be a month now (some months may take up two chapters)...but I am going to do each month until graduation.
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Lucas and Haley kept staring at Brooke and Nathan. It was starting to make them feel very uncomfortable, and Peyton could notice. Someone needed to set them straight. Lucas...seriously...what right did he have to be upset? Sure, Haley was his best friend, but she had left for months on a tour and not even cared. She really thought she could come back in to town and no one else would have changed? Everything here would have just froze for when she was ready to come back? No, it didn't work that way.
"You wouldn't have to see it if you had just stayed on tour," Peyton said to her.
"Excuse me?" Haley said to her.
"Well...I mean this never would have happend if you hadn't gone on tour and left Nathan alone, not caring about his feelings at all. If you didn't want to see the reality of things maybe you should have just stayed on tour...all I'm saying. He is finally happy after months of being depressed, so why don't you just be happy for him. If you really loved him, you would let him go, and care more about his feelings then your own," Peyton told her.
Haley didn't say anything back? How DO you say anything to that?
Lucas cut in, "Peyton, I think that's enough,"
"Oh? Is it? You're the biggest hypocrite Lucas. Do you know how much you hurt Brooke? Sure, I am guilty of that too, but that is why I am not even a little mad at Brooke. You know as well as I do, you can't always help who you fall for. Come on Lucas, get over it!" Peyton said.
Just then the teacher came in, announced class had started, and calling everyone's name, and handed out a class syllabus.
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"Can you even believe she would talk to us like that? Even when I first left...I could tell Peyton was angry with me, I guess it hasn't stopped..." Haley told Lucas.
"Don't listen to that...I guess Peyton and I can both be like that. We get really protective over their friends." He put his arm around her and walked her down the hall.
"So, I'll meet you outside the tutor center in a couple of hours? I have a basketball meeting...thing." Lucas told her, breaking away.
"Okay...I have to get things set up in the tutor center and stuff anyway...so I'll see you later.."
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"I do kind of feel bad Nathan...."Brooke told him.
"I know...it does suck for her, and I wish Peyton hadn't gone off on her like that, but she was just doing it because she loves you, and wanted to protect you."
"Right...I know." Brooke gave him a quick kiss, "I'll see you tonight."
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Lucas ran into Peyton in the hallway.
"Peyton..."Lucas called out.
"Ugh...what do you want?"Peyton asked.
"I don't want our friendship to be ruined over this. This situation does involve our good friends, my brother even, but we shouldn't let it get to us. I am not picking sides here. I guess the person I am angry with is Nathan...but I do understand where they are coming from. These things just take time..okay?"
"Right...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked to you and Haley like that...I know the PDA might have been a little much...but I just want them to be happy. If being happy means they are together, good for them. Haley made her choice a while ago. Nathan did give her an ultimatum. She choice singing over him...and she just has to live with it now..."
"Right...so can we just agree to maybe disagree for a while?"
Peyton smiled, "Yes. I guess I can do that. We are too good of friends to let this come between us."
"Glad to hear you say this..." Lucas told her, "I'll see you around."
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Lucas arrived to the gym. Nathan was all ready there. He stood as far as he could from him. He knew in time, he would forgive him, as soon as Haley was ready for that. He had been the asshole before. With Brooke, Peyton, and Nikki. He had broken two girl's hearts. Lucas just wished Nathan and Haley had never gotten married. He thought it was stupid from the moment he first heard about it. Yes, he had been falling for Brooke again, but Nathan nor Brooke really knew that. Lucas went for Peyton while her and Nathan were together, so he couldn't judge Nathan going for his ex-girlfriend. All in all Lucas was soon realizing he didn't have too much to be mad about. He knew in time Haley would move on from this, and would be able to move on from this as well. Maybe they could all be friends again, like they used to. That was a bit of a stretch. Things would never be like they used to.
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Brooke showed up at the tutor center. She spoke to the girl at the sign in sheet.
"Hi...can I please speak to Haley James Sco- uh Haley?" Brooke asked. It felt awkward she had just called her Scott.
"Uh...sure. She isn't tutoring yet..."
"Oh, yeah...I just wanted to talk for a minute.."
Brooke walked in to find her sitting at the table, writing some things down. It was a poster for what the hours this year would be.
"Haley..." Brooke called.
Haley looked at her, "Yes?"
"I know...I shouldn't be here. I just wanted to say I am sorry. I do feel terrible. I've been trying to make myself not feel so guilty...but nothing works..."
"Brooke...if you're here to get closure from me, I really can't give that to you. I am trying to get over this. Get over everything I had with Nathan, and piece my life back together...I am not ready to talk to either of you yet."
"I am not looking for closure Haley...I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean for this to happen. I would never have meant for this to happen. You were becoming a good friend tutor girl, and I don't have many girl friends..."
"I wonder why," Haley said, with a half smile.
"I do care about what I am doing. I do care that I have caused you pain. I hope that someday you can forgive us both. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday." Tears began to fall from her face.
Either she is a great actress, or she really does feel bad. "I will try to get there Brooke..."
"Thanks for listening to me. I'll see you," Brooke told her, leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.
Haley smiled a little after she left. She got the point of what Brooke was saying. This was just so Brooke. Do something wrong, go to the person who's hurt, and want comfort from them.
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