Archways and Endings
A/N: Welcome back to the present (sort of). I feel like I've had you guys taking some crazy trips in the DeLorean. Back and forth and here and there. (The DeLorean is the car from Back to the Future in case you didn't know[and if you don't know the movie, then sorry I can't help you.]) Anyway there is always a point to everything. I promise. And there is so much story to be told. So much! The Peyton mystery is yet to be solved and what happens to Brooke and Lucas is also up in the air. Who knows?! Well I do but you don't. Not yet anyway. I'm just going to let you know that Paige will probably be telling the next few chapters. So I guess you guys can look forward to that. (I LOVE that girl, don't you?)
Sabine: Glad your all caught up girly. Enjoy the chapter:)
Stagediva23: Personally I love Brooke and Julian (on the show) and I think Julian is a sweet guy. But I don't know, he could be in the story. Maybe.
Charlotte: Character wise everyone will end up in love and happy. (Or at least the grown ups, not sure about the kiddies) Now who's in love with who, that I will not share. But we'll get there someday. Return of Brooke Davis is thriving, mind sending some of your readers my way? Haha. :)
ReeseHolden: You're so right. The possibilities are endless. I did say earlier (When you guys where throwing out Brooke's potential lovers in Chapter Five's Reviews) that I can't say these certain people might not come in to play later and become "love interests". And Chris Keller and Jake may be in Nashville. Or they might not be. Just got to wait and see. And I will definitely take the Haley/Paige thing into the story. I really wanted to build some more on the Brooke/Paige relationship. I love the support Haley gives Paige too. I would have considered if I haven't planned it already, I dedicated this story to you, silly. Your opinion matters to me a lot. So next chapter you'll get some Haley/Paige scenes.
GPLR: You'll have to wait a while to find out why Nashville. Sorry:)
StepyLuvsBL4EVA: Welcome back:) It's totally cool, I'm just glad your back. So if there are issues with BL you automatically assume Peyton had something to do with it? Hmm interesting. Can I ask you a question? How anti-Peyton are you? All I'm going to say that BL have a lot of problems with their marriage. A whole lot, they have a lot of problems with communication as well as their affairs and Lucas's drinking. You'll have to wait to learn more about the divorce.
Stupid-cookie-cutter-popstar: You think that Paige is Peyton's? Really. Hmm. Interesting. Thanks for the alert and Welcome Aboard.
Ivy: I know your vote :) Thank you so much for your review on "I Just Want to Love You" I'm so happy to be your favorite LPer. And also thanks for calling me a good writer. I try, hard. I'm happy you're back into OTH. I was watching a marathon on Soap Net and I was noticed how much the show has evolved over time. Old School Tree Hill was awesome to me too. Yeah I'm bitter (as and LPer, especially) that Chad and Hilarie are gone. The show's going to be different, but I'll watch. Brooke needs us! Haha. And you're also still marinating over Sawyer, huh? We'll have a lot of Naley family action Chapter Nine. Also in Chapter Ten but not as much as in nine. :)
Empty-eyes: Last chapter did take place before chapter one. Paige would be 15 because her birthday is in May 19th. Last chapter took place on June 3rd. If you remember from the summary, Paige finds out her parents marriage is over a few weeks before her 15th birthday. Sorry if not everything was clear.
In case everyone didn't notice. The story was changed from Brooke & Lucas to Brooke & Peyton. Why did I do that? Because I want to throw everyone who reads this story or sees it off. I want it to all be mysterious from the summary to the chapters themselves.
Please check out my brand spanking new one-shot "I Just Want to Love You" I personally feel it's pretty awesome.
(.net/s/5305725/1/)
Chapter Dedicated to: othlvr16- YOU ARE AMAZING:) Thanks so much for your support.
So without further a do, chapter nine.
-Kelsey
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Nine: Oh, So You're Sorry Now?
July 1, 2016
Tree Hill, North Carolina
Paige
Everything is changing. I can feel it in my bones. When things go wrong for so long it feels funny when things finally seem to be fitting together. It's almost like I'm waiting around for something to go wrong. It's like I've been so close to everything I've ever wanted only to have snatched away. And it stings. It burns at the base of heart like nothing I've ever experienced.
School ended with a snap. Before I knew it, really. And ever since time has seemed to rush by. It seems like just yesterday it was my birthday and all hell broke loose and now it's almost Fourth of July. And a whole other hell is about to break loose because my mother decided that this year she wants to host the annual Scott cook out that usually takes place at Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan's.
"Should I buy Beef or Chicken Hotdogs?" My mother says holding up the two packages of mystery meat. She seems so out of place and we both know she has no idea what she's doing.
"Beef." I giggle. Chicken hotdogs always make me want to vomit anyway. Beef ones are way better.
"Get the kosher ones." I say as she places a package in our shopping cart.
"Why we aren't Jewish? Do we have Jewish friends I all of the sudden didn't know about. "
"No," I say taking them out of the cart and putting them back on the refrigerated shelf. "These are higher quality." I grab two packages of the hotdogs and place them into the cart.
"Two?" She asks.
"Yes, Mom. There are going to be quite a few kids there. Kids like hotdogs."
She nods and starts pushing the cart down another aisle.
It's a shame that I as a fourteen year old know more about hotdogs then my full grown mother but I've always been really particular about my food anyway.
She stops abruptly and she eyes the items in the cart and then turns around and looks at me. "I think I've got everything." She says and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.
I look over the items and smile at her slyly. "No, mom. You didn't get half the things on the list."
"What list?"
I look at her with a huge grin on my face. "You didn't make a list?"
"No, I just…I just thought we'd grab the things we need."
I laugh loudly. "Oh god mom! You didn't ask Haley for her usual list or perhaps her special recipes?"
"I didn't think we'd need it!"
I roll my eyes and take her by the elbow to lead her down another aisle of items we need to make lunch. "Oh c'mon mother!"
----
Two Hours Later:
"Paige, can you hand me those cans?"
We are both bent over on the kitchen floor, unloading what feels like food of thousands of people.
"Here Ma," I say and hand her the plastic bag full of can vegetables.
She places them on the counter top and begins to line them up in the cupboard.
"Where's Daddy?" I began to put all of the meat into the freezer.
"He's at AA."
There's a silence. I don't know what to say, she doesn't know what to say. I didn't think he'd go, really. I thought it was his bargaining chip. I thought he was lying.
"You know they have meetings… for us." She adds softly, like she's afraid to speak the words out loud. She's afraid of what I might think of her for even suggesting them. The cupboard closes and she leans up against the counter, to face me.
"What do you mean? We don't have..." I exhale. These words I'm about say never come out of my mouth, they are just suppose to say hidden away, forgotten, so we can pretend they aren't even there. "Have a drinking problem," I say quietly.
"I know." She shakes her head causing her ponytail to sway. I close the freezer and look into her eyes. How did we get here?
"There's something called Alteen for you. It's a support group for teens with parents that have addictions. They meet Wednesdays."
"Oh,"
"You don't have to decide now. Just promise you'll think about it."
"I promise." But maybe I don't want to talk about it. Everything has always been kept quiet. What's with this change of heart now?
My mother returns back to unloading groceries and I'm just standing there trying to think.
"I'm going to go to my room,"
"Okay baby doll."
And I leave her and the millions of groceries in the kitchen.
---
There's a knock on my door.
I'm sitting on my bed, music lingering in the background, laptop on my lap.
"Open,"
The door swings open to reveal my father in the doorway. He smiles a half smile at me and looks around the room, enthralling himself in my surroundings. I catch his eyes quickly to observe a clarity in my father's eyes I haven't seen in years.
"What's up?" I ask casually, closing my computer.
He shakes his head and smiles. "I just…"
"What?" It seems like that for a moment, just for a tiny single moment, my father and I were in two different worlds, he was lost in some past place and I was here waiting for his return. I've been waiting for him my whole life.
"I just, you here, it just reminded me of someone I use to know."
I smile. "So, how was it?"
"Alright sweet pea. It feels good."
"Yeah?"
He submerges himself deeper into my bedroom and sits down on the edge of my bed.
"Yes. Like this giant weight is off of me. Being without that stuff, makes me feel better."
"I'm glad." He grins and ruffles my hair.
"How was shopping?"
"Awful!" I say laughing.
"Why?"
"Mom didn't make a list. We we're just wondering around the store for awhile."
"That's Brooke Davis for ya. Other than that did you and your Mom have fun?"
I nod. "Yeah. Even if it was just grocery shopping. I'd much rather buy clothes."
He laughs. "And I was beginning to think you were nothing like your mother."
"Ha-ha. Yeah right,"
He looks around the room and I feel like he's taking it all in, almost like he's never been here before.
"Well I'm going to go take a shower. Get washed up for dinner, 'kay?"
"Alright Dad," He gets up and begins to walk out the room. I open up my laptop and go back to what I was doing before he came in.
Once in the doorway he turns around.
"I'm really sorry Paige. I'm sorry for so much." He turns on his heels and closes the door. A few moments later I can hear his feet clomping up the stairs toward his bedroom to shower.
The only sound that now fills my ears is low music. The words are inaudible; it's just the sound of notes and chords being thrown together.
And for the first time in a long time I believe my father's apology is sincere.
-TBC-
A/N: This chapter wasn't reeking with importance but it is a small piece of the puzzle. Lucas's behavior in the final scene however is very important. Who agrees with Paige about the hotdogs? I do! I cannot eat anything but Beef ones. There is a difference and it matters to picky people like me. Anyway I hope you guys liked it. I pride myself on the closer. Comments are sweet. I'll be posting one of many in progress one-shots soon. Hopefully Friday:)
Next Chapter you guys can look forward to some Haley/Paige scenes.
As well as the NH's Kids and NH themselves.