Love Rectangle Plus One (Whatever That Is)
Chapter 23: Never Going Back To Okay
The four teens stared apprehensively at each other. No one willing to start talking and possibly make everything even worse. Haley and Nathan slowly got out of Nathan's car and came to stand across from a pissed off looking Lucas, and a sad looking Brooke.
"Luke, I can explain," Nathan pleaded.
"How could you?" Lucas asked his voice livid. All of his leftover hurt from Brooke, now decidedly being taken out on them, "I told you to stay the hell away from her!"
"You told him that?" Haley cried inching her way closer over to Nathan.
"Haley, don't," Nathan silenced her hoping to detract the already buzzing tension.
"Don't tell her what to do, you bastard!" Lucas screamed.
Nathan's anger flared up inside him and came spilling forward. "Who are you calling a bastard?" he asked, clearly still threatened by past issues.
Brooke gasped while Haley backed away from both of the guys she cared about. Nathan instinctively moved close to her, but Lucas's withering glare made him freeze in place.
"I cannot believe you, Haley," Lucas said directing his anger to Haley. "You know what he's like. You know what he did to Brooke. She was so hurt. He's a liar and a cheater. He's going to sleep with you and then break your heart. I can't believe you'd betray her like that. Betray me like that. I told you what he would do to you to help you!"
"How about how much you hurt Brooke, Lucas?" Haley countered her voice quiet.
Lucas stared at Haley like he had been slapped. "Fuck you, Haley. After everything we've been through, you're going to just give it up to be with a guy who'll treat you like shit and doesn't give a fuck about you."
"That's not true and you know it," Nathan exclaimed, not caring that he sounded like a spoiled child.
"Yeah and as for you Nathan. Screw you. You hurt Brooke, and you'll hurt Haley. I know you will. I can't believe you'd use someone as amazing as her for this. But if she's willing to take a chance on your worthless ass, than who knows. She's nothing.
"Luke, don't say that," Haley said her voice wavering as she choked on tears. "You're my best friend."
"You should have thought about that before, Haley. You know, before you were sneaking around with my jackass of a brother. Hey who knows, maybe you guys were even together while he was still with Brooke."
Haley stared at him hard transfixed by his cruel words. "I… I can't" she tried to say but her words failed her. She slowly crumpled to the ground. Brooke stood frozen surveying everything, as soundless tears poured down her cheeks. Nathan crouched down next to Haley and glared at Lucas. The only thing stopping him from beating Lucas to a bloody pulp was the broken girl in front of him.
"Fuck you. Fuck both of you!" Lucas's shrill voice echoed into the night sky, and without a second glance he stalked off the court leaving the three people he loved. Yet they had all hurt him. And at this point, he wanted nothing from any of them.
Haley sniffled and dried her tears as Nathan lifted her up slowly. She looked at Brooke's face and wiped away more tears. "Brooke, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have told you."
Brooke shook her head, feeling dizzy and scared. She was so disoriented and confused. But Haley was still her friend. "Nate, do you care about her?"
"Yes," he said simply, taking Haley's hand into his own.
"Promise me," Brooke said as her threatening tears poured out, "Just promise me, you won't hurt her."
"I won't hurt her," he said quietly but with force.
Brooke nodded. "Then follow your hearts. And I'm…I'm here for you. Both of you."
At that moment, Nathan knew he had been completely forgiven, and he nodded his thanks to Brooke. She nodded back in response and turned and slowly walked over to the bleachers placing her head in her hands. This was clearly a sign she wanted to be left alone for now. Haley gave her a weak smile, which Brooke returned. Nathan and Haley walked off together his arm around her shoulders as he rubbed her back softly. Brooke watched them go; knowing that what they had was real. That Haley hadn't sacrificed in vain. She sighed and let more tears escape from her eyes. She felt traumatized by the whole thing. The fact that they were together was in itself strange and slightly hurtful. Brooke had been betrayed so much. But she couldn't handle losing more friends. And she knew Haley hadn't intentionally meant to upset her. So she was okay with this. Because what really hurt the most was the fact that Lucas had left without saying anything. She had told him she might be pregnant, and she was so scared, and so frightened. And he had left, without so much as a word. And now she was all alone.
--
The only thing Lucas could think to do after he had left the River Court in a rage was call Peyton. He knew she would be as pissed as him. He paced up and down his room as the ring echoed through his ear. "Come on, come on" he muttered waiting for the phone to pick up, but it went straight to voicemail. "Fuck," he screamed throwing it into a pile of laundry.
He crumpled onto his bed, breathing heavily. Then all of a sudden, his phone started ringing. He jumped up and grabbed for it. Before he even had a chance to say hello, Peyton was yelling in his ear. "Do you have any fucking idea how late it is, Lucas. What the hell is...?"
Before she could continue, his harsh voice interrupted, "Nathan and Haley have been sneaking around."
"What the fuck?!" Peyton's voice boomed into the line. She felt as if she were about to collapse. She knew she was with Jake now, but that didn't mean she was okay with this. How could Nathan have moved on to that little nerd? And how could Haley, the token smart girl, have fallen for his crap. Peyton was pissed.
"I can't believe she'd betray me like that," Lucas said his voice small like a little boys'.
"I'm sorry, Luke," Peyton sighed. Now she felt bad for being so upset, because she could tell this was really hurting Lucas. On top of everything that was happening with Brooke. But she knew she didn't have the heart to comfort him now. All she wanted was to scream at the top of her lungs to Jake. "Look I really need to go. I'm sorry." Before Lucas could respond, Peyton had already hung up. Without bothering to change from her pajamas she ran outside and drove to Jake's house. After pounding on his window for a few minutes, he finally opened it and stared at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, swinging his legs over the edge to meet her outside.
"Haley and Nathan have been hooking up," she said letting her breath slow.
"Yeah I know," he said brushing her curly hair back from her face.
"You knew!?"
"Yeah," Jake said looking at her funny, "What's the big deal."
"The big deal is Nathan is banging some girl who is supposedly friends with both Lucas and Brooke. You know what he's capable of. I can't believe he'd hurt Haley like that. And I can't believe she'd fall for his sorry ass."
"First off all, I don't think there's banging involved. Haley's not like that. And second they're dating. They're together. It's not about sex or hooking up with them. They like each other." Noticing that Peyton still looked pissed, Jake shook her slightly. "What's the matter, Peyt? Why do you care? You and Nathan were never really together, and you and Haley aren't close. What does it matter if they're together?"
Peyton moved from his grasp. "That was cold, Jake."
Jake slid a hand through his disheveled hair, and sighed. "Peyton, it's the truth. You need to stop worrying so much about people who aren't important in your life. And Nathan has changed. He really likes Haley. And she really likes him. I think that the best thing is for all of us to try and get along and be friends."
Peyton nodded and slowly made her way back to Jake's side and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. You're right. I need to move on from all this. And I need you to help me."
"I will. I promise."
--
Brooke wandered to a table in the quad after school the next day. Her mind was in a whirlpool of thought. She just wanted to sit and be alone. If she could be along for the rest of her life, she would probably be happy. Brooke knew this was morbid and depressing, but at this point she couldn't care less. She didn't think she'd ever felt lower or lonelier. Everyone who she cared about had betrayed her in some way. And even though things were starting to look up with some, she still couldn't understand why she deserved all of this.
While Brooke was lost in thought, Lucas approached the area with the same idea in his mind. He just wanted to sit and think and brood. He was so sick over Haley being with Nathan, and the two of them lying to his face about the nature of their relationship. He sat down and sighed wishing Haley had never come back. She had turned their world upside down, and there was no fix. He slapped his seat in frustration when he heard someone start crying and looked over to see Brooke.
"Brooke," he said tenderly, hopefully.
She glared at him and turned away. He stared at her in confusion. "What did I do, Brooke? I'm just as upset about," he couldn't even bring himself to say their names, "them," he finished lamely.
Brooke shook her head. "It's not even about that, you idiot. Why are you so concerned with them, Luke?" She began to cry louder and he approached and rubbed her arm soothingly. She stood and pushed him away hard. "Our relationship is falling apart, and they're all you care about. Do you even remember what I told you last night?"
"Of course I do, Brooke. I was just so upset that I…" he pattered off realizing it was no excuse. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah," she replied sniffling and crying harder. "Do you know how scared I was, Luke? I have no idea what to do. And you don't even want me anymore. You left me all alone without a second thought."
"That's not true," he pleaded. "I love you, Brooke. I'm going to be here for you. For you and the baby."
Brooke nodded slowly, and her tears started to dry. "If there is one," she whispered.
"We'll figure it out together. I promise," he said wrapping his arms around her. She didn't protest but let him hold her in his embrace.
"Luke, I'm so scared," she cried into his sleeve.
"I know, I know. I am too. But we'll get through it together. I'll be here for you. I love you so much, Brooke. And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. About everything."
Brooke lifted her face up and nodded. "I know you're sorry, Luke. But I can't… not now.
She stood up and began to walk away from the crestfallen boy.
"Brooke, please. Please don't cut me out. I need you. You need me," he pleaded with her retreating form.
She turned back and gave him a small smile. "We'll go to the clinic tomorrow. Come to my house."
Lucas nodded to this little piece of hope she had given him. "I'll be there," he promised.
--
Haley had felt terrible about the night before. She loved Lucas and Brooke, and never wanted to hurt either of them. But she also really cared about Nathan. And she wanted to be with him. Spending even that one day apart from him made her realize that. She knew Lucas was pissed, but she had to at least apologize and tell him the truth. She owed him that. When she saw Lucas go off, she followed him. She watched his conversation with Brooke, and after she had walked off, Haley approached.
"Hey," she said tentatively sitting down next to him. He gave her a look for a split second and didn't say anything.
"Look Lucas, I'm really sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."
"Then why did you?"
Haley sighed. "I care about Nathan. I'm sorry for lying to you about it. But I'm not going to be sorry for dating him. I just won't be."
"Then I'm sorry too, Haley," Lucas said coldly, "Because I don't want you dating him."
"You're not seriously going to make me pick between him and you," Haley asked in disbelief. Lucas looked down and didn't respond. "God Luke! I like him, okay. What's so wrong about that? I supported you with Brooke, even when she was dating him. Please tell me which is worse. What's so wrong with the two of us?" she pleaded with him feeling her eyes start to swell.
"You know what's wrong, Hales?" Lucas said turning to her angrily. "I told you to stay away from him, that he would hurt you. And I guarantee you he will. I know he fucking likes you. But he'll still break your heart. And frankly I don't want to pick up the pieces."
"Why, am I not as precious as Brooke?" Haley asked sarcastically.
Lucas glared at her and shook his head. "No, you just had a warning. And yet you ignored me and lied to me, and betrayed Brooke and Peyton as well."
"I didn't betray anyone. Nathan and I got together weeks after that whole thing. And I didn't become friends with Brooke until after either. So you know what, I'm sick of feeling like I did wrong. Because me being with Nathan is right. And I'm not ending it because you don't want us to be together."
"Fine," Lucas said standing up, "Then end of friendship." He shot her a pure look of disgust before starting to walk away.
Haley stared after a him, a tear sliding down her cheek. "Don't do this, Luke," she said emotion coursing through her voice, "You're my best friend. You mean so much to me. Don't do this."
Lucas looked back at her for a moment with a glance so withering that Haley shivered. "It's done," he said his voice as cold as ice. And then he walked away.