"Hey Brooke," I heard Peyton call out as she entered my room.
"I'm in the bathroom, can you come and help me?" I called out to her.
She walked in while I was putting cream on my sides. "I can't reach the back ones without twisting and that just puts me in so much pain," I explained.
"Hey, it's okay," she said as she took some cream in her finger and gently applied it to the tender areas. I hissed as it still stung. "How are you feeling today?"
"Like I was in a car crash!" I responded. "Why are you here today? It's the weekend."
"Because my best friend was in a car crash, dummy!" she said, making big eyes at me.
I just laughed while she helped me wear my top.
"So what are your plans for the weekend?" I asked.
"Actually, my dad is on his way home. In fact, he will be here soon!" she said, clearly not able to control the big smile on her face.
"Oh my God! What are you doing here with me! Go home!" I yelled while smacking her on the head.
"Ow! And no, my dad would get so mad if he got to know that I left you alone when you were hurt. He feels he can take the jobs he loves only because you are around in case of emergencies." she said.
"Well, Papa Sawyer is correct about that. But there is no emergency. I am just gonna be stuck in bed watching Netflix all day. Go be with your dad!" I replied, practically shoving the skinny blonde out of my door.
"Hi, Mr. Scott, Brooke here. I was wondering when my car would be ready?" I asked, walking into Keith's Auto Shop. "I got all the insurance forms filled out."
"Hi, Ms. Davis," Keith said to me. "It will unfortunately take us at least a couple more days to repair it." He said, and I saw that he was in fact working on my bug at that time.
"Okay, I guess I will just get a rental until then," I said, a little bummed.
"Hope you're feeling better Miss. Lucas was worried about you after he got you out of the wreck."
"Yeah, I'll be just fine," I smiled at him as I exited the shop and walked down to the rental.
Getting myself some new wheels for the week, I let out a sigh. I don't know why I even got the car, it wasn't like anybody was going to sleep with me any time soon. It would take days before I would be able to cover the scarring with plain concealer. But, this also meant that I was going to end up being an insomniac.
I could always go to Peyton's, but I really didn't want her to know how clingy and needy I actually was. I hated myself already for the insurmountable time I spent in the Sawyer household. I was an honorary member there, but I wanted to give her that space. Her dad was here for the week anyway.
"If it gets too much, I will get off my high horse and go to Peyton's!" I said to myself as I drove to a local cafe to get something to eat.
"Hi, what can I get you- oh hi Brooke!" Haley said to me as she came to get my order.
"Oh hi, Haley, you work here?" I asked cheerfully.
"Wait, you know me?" she geeked out.
"Well, yeah, aren't we in the same grade?" I asked, kinking a brow.
She just laughed while filling my water, but her concentration was solely on me and soon there was water spilling from the glass and all over the counter.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" she looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights.
"It's okay," I said as I grabbed some paper napkins to control the spill.
"Sorry, what will you have?" she asked.
"The sweetest thing on the menu and a strong coffee please," I smiled. "Oh, and whatever you will have once you get on your break."
"What?" she asked, clearly not anticipating that. "Why are you being nice to me?"
"Because, I would like to think of myself as a nice person?" I chuckled.
"Umm… I will be right back with your order!" she said, her cheeks flushed.
I began fidgeting with the condiments lying on the table, not knowing what to do. My brain was already trying to process what I was going to do when nightfall would arrive.
"There we go, a chocolate pie and coffee for you and a grilled cheese for me!" she said, getting into the booth, breaking me from my train of thoughts rather suddenly.
"Oh, did you not want me to sit with you?" Haley asked, misinterpreting my reaction.
"No, are you crazy! I was just surprised," I answered, taking a sip from the steaming cup.
I tried to make small talk since Haley was clearly not comfortable. "So how come you work here? Doesn't Nathan's mom own the place?"
"Well, Nathan and Lucas' moms, both own it. They are partners. Lucas' mom, Karen, well she hired me, somebody has to earn and save up if she wants to go to college," she answered.
"God, I hope to just make it through high school," I remarked.
"By the way, Lucas told me you were in an accident, are you doing okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. A little sore, but nothing is broken," I answered. "So, Lucas spoke about me to you?"
"Well, I think he was just stunned, you know, having to pull you out of the wreckage and all. He thought he was going to tow a fender-bender and there you were, rammed against a tree, hurt. He kept feeling guilty about not taking you to the ER," she answered truthfully.
"Peyton took me to the ER, the doctor confirmed I was okay. It is weird that he cared so much though. I mean, as much as he is a jock, he is so not one. He is always hanging out with you and Mouth, no offence Tutor Girl! He is just so different," I spoke.
"Yeah, well I think different is good. We are all unique, otherwise the world would be boring," she defended her friend.
"I like you, Haley James! Not many stand up to Brooke Davis! Also, this pie is so good!" I said, eating forkfuls of chocolatey goodness.
"I can get you more," she laughed as I got some chocolate on my lips.
"I gotta jet, but it was fun hanging out with you Tutor Girl! We should do that sometime. Maybe, with the Scott cousins. It's sweet that their mothers own this cafe together, even though the brothers won't interfere in each other's lives."
"Yeah, Lucas is pretty tight lipped about what went down between the two of them. As much as they were cousins, they used to be best friends, they love basketball!"
"Well Tree Hill is a mysterious town. See you around!" I winked.
"I must say, it was great hanging out with you, Brooke! You're not the ice queen I had made you out to be,"
"But I love Elsa!" I laughed before paying the bill and exiting the cafe.
It was night, I tried to go to the entertainment room and watch some Netflix, hoping the boring movie and paracetamol would knock me out cold, but I had no such luck! Woohoo!
I drank some chamomile tea, did a guided meditation, nothing helped.
Finally, I huffed, picked up the keys to my rental and left the house.
There was no point going to my usual hauls, the bruising would do the job of a chastity belt. So I drove around the more quaint parts of Tree Hill. I drove the strip of the beach and then towards the river.
I felt like walking, so I parked my car and reached the banks of the river. The weather was cold and I was grateful for the leather jacket I had over my flannel top.
I gently strolled, breathing in the cool air, enjoying myself. Suddenly I heard a consistent thud sound.
I realised I was very close to a place called the River Court where somebody was playing basketball.
To my utter surprise, it was none other than Lucas Scott!
He stopped shooting once he saw me emerging from the shadows.
"Brooke? What are you doing here?" he asked me, clearly surprised that he wasn't the only Tree Hill resident who was awake.
"Couldn't sleep!" I answered, "So, I just came out for a ride and decided to take a stroll. The river looks so beautiful with all the lights."
"Brooke! It's been two days now. If the pain is that bad, you should consult a doctor again. Maybe they missed something the first time around,"
"No no. This is more a me thing than an accident thing," I explained. "What about you, Scott? Day two of you working out at random hours."
He chuckled. "I guess you and I are the same!" he said before dunking the ball in the basket, even though his eyes never left mine.
"Want to walk with me?" I asked.
"Uhh, sure," he responded after a moment's hesitation.
We did not talk the entire time, the tension between us was so thick, you could butter our toasts with it. We didn't know what to say to each other, but I guess that was also the point of it. I liked the silence, it felt comforting.
As we journeyed, my eyelids finally grew heavy as the fatigue I had been carrying since two days came out.
"Hey, you seem really tired and sleepy all of a sudden, do you want to head home?" he asked as we made it back to the river court.
"No," I answered quickly.
"It's getting colder, can we sit in my car together?" I mumbled. My body was finally allowing itself to feel the sleep the medicines were inducing.
"Okay," he said, following me to the car.
I got into the passenger side and let him take the driver's seat.
"Brooke, should I drop you off at home?" I asked once more.
"No, just sit with me here," I said before drifting into deep sleep.
