"Lucas?" Brooke asked as the blonde haired boy's head turned to look at her.
"Brooke?" he asked skeptically, as if he really believed it wasn't her.
But he knew it was. He knew her voice, the husky sound it has. She looked exactly the same. She still looked like his pretty girl.
But she wasn't was she? She wasn't his anymore. He lost his rights to call her that the day he broke her heart all those years ago.
Day? He broke it in more than a day. Ever since the school shooting, her heart had slowly been breaking. Loosing pieces everyday. He was simply referring to the day they ended.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by her arms around him. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as she pulled out of the hug.
"Visiting my mom. What are you doing here?" Lucas asked. The last he heard Brooke was in New York.
"I moved back here a year ago. It's been so long. How have you been?" Brooke asked as they walked into Karen's Cafe.
"I've been okay. Working on my book." He said as they sat down at a table in front of the window.
"So you're really doing it huh?" Brooke asked, looking at him.
"Yeah."
"That's great Luke. I always knew you would." she said with a smile.
"Thanks. I love it. Except for the whole writer's block crap." he said as they shared a laugh. "That's actually why I'm here. For inspiration. I have one more chapter to write and I'm stuck. So I came out here. That and to visit my mom of course." Brooke nodded. "So, what about you? What have you been up to?"
"Well, let's see, after I graduated from college I got this internship with Vogue. Did that for a year and then they hired me and I worked there for 2 years."
He was completely captivated by her. He was listening to her, but couldn't help but stare at her. He loved everything about her. Her voice, her dimpled smile. He remembered when they were sitting at this exact table during there junior year of high school, trying to think of ways to help Nathan. He had been so in love with her in that moment. And he still was now, all these years later. He sat in the exact same spot, wanting her, but knowing he couldn't have her. He didn't deserve her.
"I got my name out there. Made dresses for Reese Witherspoon, Diane Lane, Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron. But, I got tired of it. Fashion is a business where you have to lie to save your own ass and get up the latter. I was tired of being lied to."
That hurts him. He knows it was, in a way, meant for him. He had lied to her. He had hurt her. Maybe if he hadn't she'd still be designing for celebrities. Maybe if he hadn't, she'd still love him.
"So, I moved back here and opened up my own shop and it's doing pretty good." she finished.
"That's really great Brooke. I'm glad you're happy." he said trying to mean it. He was glad that she was happy. That's all he wanted for her. But he wanted her to be happy with him.
"That reminds me, I have to go see if the new shipment came in at the store." Brooke says as they stand up.
This is it. She's leaving. Again he thought.
"Do you want to tag along? Maybe go somewhere afterwards?" She asked.
This question completely shocked Lucas. But then again, he hadn't expected the way she acted today or the questions she asked. He didn't expect to see her today. But, that was Brooke. Predictably unpredictable.
"I'd love to." Lucas said smiling. She smiled too. The smile that Lucas loved. The full fledged dimpled one.
They walked down the street to the store, making small talk on the way. Like what Lucas's book was about. He said it was about this boy just trying to make his way through high school and life. She asked if he used any personal experiences, in which he replied with a simple nod. Crazy best friend death love triangle from hell? Check. Half brother and best friend getting married? Check. High school shooting where the shooter used to be a close friend and then shoots one of your friends who later kisses you? Check. Loosing the love of your life? Check, unfortunately.
They reach the store and it's pretty busy. Racks of clothes, and people looking through them. Brooke excuses herself and goes in the back to check on the shipment.
Lucas wanders around the store taking everything in. She really has made something of herself. He was looking at the racks when he saw it. It was on a rack in the corner, no one really flocking towards it.
It looked exactly like his gray hoodie. The way the Keith Scott Body Shop logo was faded on the back. It looked worn. Had she made this? More importantly, why had she?
"I never could get it to be like yours." she said standing behind him. He turned around to look at her, a glimpse of sadness in her eyes. "Your always made me feel safe Luke. But, that one feels like any other sweatshirt."
Lucas nodded, looking back at the sweatshirt. "Does it sell?"
Brooke shook her head even though she knows he can't see her. That helps. That he isn't looking at her. Because right now she wants to cry. It didn't smell like him, the sweatshirt. That was the one thing that always stuck out. The reason she loved his gray hoodie was because it was like his second skin. That when he wasn't around, it felt like he was if she had the sweatshirt. "I only made the one."
"Do you want to go out for lunch?" Lucas asked. He knew that talking about the sweatshirt hurt her.
"Sure. Your mom's?" Brooke asked as she cleared her throat. That had definatly gotten awkward.
"You want to take it to go? Maybe go eat at the rivercourt or something?" Lucas asked, praying silently that she'd agree.
"Sounds wonderful." She said as she looped her arm through his as they walked out of the store.
They hopped into Lucas's car after putting the bags in the back seat. They sit in a comfortable silence with the radio playing in the background. When it reaches commercial, Lucas begins to flip through the stations.
"No I don't think she has a clue Well my girls in the next room Sometimes I wish she was you I guess we never really moved on..." Nope. Not a good song. Lucas changes the station.
"What can I say to convince you To change your mind of me? I'm gonna love you more than anyone I'm gonna hold you closer than before... " This time Brooke's the first to act. That song definatly held to many memories. Memories that she didn't want to think about.
"Tell me that we belong together Dress it up with the trappings of love I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips..." This time they both move towards the radio at the same time. There hands touch when they reach the knob and they both quickly pull away.
"It's like it's taunting us." Lucas said trying to break the tension.
"I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above..."
"How 'bout whatever the next song is we just leave it. A song can't last forever right?" Brooke said. Lucas nodded and Brooke turned the knob once more landing on an oldies station.
"Hey where did we go Days when the rains came Down in a hollow Playin' a new game..."
"See, the this song doesn't bring back memories!" Brooke said cheerily.
"Your kidding?" Lucas asked as the next verse started.
"Laughing and a running hey, hey Skipping and a jumping In the misty morning fog with Our hearts a thumpin' and you..."
"No... why?" Brooke asked.
"My brown eyed girl, You my brown eyed girl..."
"Oh..." Brooke whispered as the radio played the song.
He still wanted to call her it. Brown eyed girl. His brown eyed girl. Just like he wanted to call her his pretty girl, or his Cheery. But, like he realized before, she wasn't his anymore. And probably never would be.
"Stupid radio!" Brooke said, angered that the radio was mocking them. She reached over to turn off the radio as the next lines played.
"Whatever happened To Tuesday and so slow Going down the old mine With a transistor radio Standing in the sunlight laughing, Hiding behind a rainbow's wall, Slipping and sliding All along the water fall, with you..."
"Leave it. We said we'd listen to the next song." Lucas said as he batted her hand away from the radio.
"Fine. Just to let you know, this is about to become an awkward silence." Brooke said with a laugh.
"My brown eyed girl, You my brown eyed girl. Do you remember when we used to sing, Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da..."
"I can't believe you don't remember this song." Lucas said quietly, shaking his head.
"What?"
"You've heard this song before. I can remember 2 occasions when I was with you and heard this song."
"So hard to find my way, Now that I'm all on my own. I saw you just the other day, My how you have grown..."
"I can only remember when we were at Chili's and it played in the background when we had our anniversary dinner. And then when I had opened my card you had put 'I love you Cheery. My pretty girl, my brown eyed girl, and my girl behind the red door. But most importantly my Brooke.'" Brooke said quietly.
She still had that card on her dresser in her room. She loved that card. He had said so much with so few words in that card.
Lucas was silent for a moment, remembering the date. He had meant every word then and still did now. He laughed as the next verse came on, remembering the other time he had heard the song with Brooke.
"Cast my memory back there, Lord Sometime I'm overcome thinking 'bout Making love in the green grass Behind the stadium with you..."
"Oh my god! I remember it now!!!" Brooke said as her head fell back in laughter. "It was after the game, in the field behind the old gym. Hahaha. And then, how when we were done and just laying there, Whitey walked by and shone the flashlight on us!!!!!" Brooke said laughing hysterically. Lucas laughed too. The look on Whitey's face when he saw them there was priceless. He was pretty sure their faces had been too.
"And how it played and at the height of it, the song played that exact verse!" Brooke said still laughing, tears spilling from the sides of her eyes she was laughing so hard.
They had had music blasting from the gym while janitors were cleaning it and 'Brown Eyed Girl' began playing as they got out there. Right when they were getting to their high's that verse played and Brooke couldn't help but laugh. Which then in turn made Lucas laugh, after he figured out she was laughing at the song not him, and stopped for a minute as they regained their "composure" and continued until they were later caught by Whitey.
"My brown eyed girl You my brown eyed girl Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da..."
"It feels nice to be back here." Lucas said as he sighs. They walked over to the court, food in hand, and went to sit at the old picnic table that was there.
"When was the last time you were here?" Brooke asked as they began taking to food from the bags.
" Since the day I left." he said softly. That had been a ridiculously hard day for both of them, yet neither would admit it. They hadn't spoken much during the second half of their senior year, and when they did it was usually words of hate. Words that they immediately regretted saying once they left their mouths'.
"Wow, that's like... almost 10 years." Brooke said as she did the math in her head.
"Do you come here a lot?" Lucas asked.
She shrugged. "Sometimes. For inspiration. Or when I'm thinking." That was a lie. She came here a lot. Especially right after he left. She still went there a lot. Hoping that she'd find him there. But each time she was disappointed.
"Have you kept in touch with my mom?" Lucas asked.
"Yeah. She helped me open up the shop." Brooke replied. She'd kept close contact with Karen, helping her anyway she could as a way of repaying her. And to keep close to Lucas, even though she'd never admit that.
"So, this is kind of awkward right?" Brooke asked after they sat in silence a few minutes. The only noise had been them chewing and the river rushing behind them
"No. Why would you say that?" Lucas asked as he took a drink of water.
"Because it is." Brooke laughed. "Look, we obviously aren't going to have a nice time seeing each other if its awkward with us."
Lucas nodded knowing she was right. It had been an awkward type silence and it was always going to be awkward with them if they didn't do something about it.
"So what do you propose we do?" Lucas asked as he looked up at the sky. The clouds were coming in and were pretty dark. There was no doubt in his mind that it was going to rain soon.
"Well, let's just talk about it. We didn't after we broke up and instead became bitter. I don't want that between us." she said motioning her hand in-between them.
"Do you really want to bring up old issues?" Lucas asked knowing this would only take a turn for the worse.
"Yes. Now, I'll start." Brooke said as she cleared their food from the table. "Why'd you kiss Peyton in the library?"
He expected this one. This was one subject were Brooke was predictable and Lucas wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. "I knew it was wrong Brooke. But, we could have died in there. She was dying in front of me. I thought that she'd be gone the next day. If her last wish was to kiss me then I wasn't going to deny her that."
"But you were dating me." Brooke said sternly, obviously still hurting.
"Look at it this way Brooke. If you had been in my shoes. If you had been in that library with Peyton and she thought she was dying. And the last thing she wanted to do before she died was kiss you, would you have told her no?"
"No, but Lucas, that's not the point. I didn't cheat on you with Peyton!" Brooke said trying to keep her anger under control. "If Nathan thought he was dying and I kissed him would u be okay with that?"
"Yes... Maybe..." Lucas muttered.
"Probably not." they said at the same time.
"Do you see how much that hurt now Lucas? I never even dated Nathan and you would be pissed." Brooke said calming down. She sat down on the table in front of Lucas, a leg on either side of him.
"Brooke if I could take it back I would." Lucas said quietly as he looks down at his lap. He was completely and honestly sorry. He knew how much it hurt her. Knowing that he was the one that had hurt her made it even worse. He had said if anyone hurt her he'd kick their ass. Maybe he was the one who needed it.
"I know you would Broody." Brooke said quietly, letting herself say his old nickname.
He looks up at her. He hadn't expected anything that had just came out of her mouth. Never an 'I know' and certainly not a 'Broody'. She's inches away from his face. So close that he's positive they'll kiss.
She needed to be close to him. Like they were before. She had missed him so much and couldn't believe that she had let him go. She still hadn't forgiven him for kissing Peyton, but she didn't think she ever would. But she had put it behind them now.
She couldn't help but feel guilty at that moment. He had forgiven her for sleeping with Chris. But then again, Chris was a drunk one night stand. Peyton had been nights of 'clarity' and a moment of fear. Lucas hated Chris. Peyton was Brooke's best friend. Maybe he hadn't forgiven her. Maybe he'd simply put it past them too. That makes her feel better a little, less guilty.
They are slowly getting closer and Lucas can feel her breath against his face. Her eyes start to close and so do his. That's when he felt it. He opened his eyes to see that Brooke had opened hers as well, a confused expression on her face. They both look up and are hit in the face with tiny raindrops hat are starting to come down faster and faster.
"Stupid weather man said it was going to be sunny!" Brooke said as she hopped off the table. Lucas just laughed and stood up. He spread his arms out and leaned his head back taking in the Tree Hill rain.
"Lucas! Come on, let's go!" Brooke whined.
"I thought you liked the rain Brooke?" Lucas asked as it started to pour.
"Not when it's pouring!"
"Well you ran out in a freakin' storm when we were dating!" Lucas said as he remembered how he had gave his 2nd embarrassing speech to her that night.
Brooke just smiled and shook her head. She wanted to kiss him at that moment. Of course, every perfect moment is ruined. Just then thunder clapped loudly causing Brooke to jump which in turn made Lucas laugh.
"Race you to the car!" Lucas yelled as Brooke started running after him.
"Lucas you better not leave me! Do you realize how hard it is to run in-" Brooke was cut off by her own scream. Lucas turned around and saw Brooke Davis's feet slide out from under her and land ass first in a mud puddle.
Lucas immediately ran back over to her.
"Stupid mud." Brooke muttered to herself as Lucas picked her up bridal style. She looked up at him as she threw her arms around her neck and pulled herself closer to him. He smiled at this. Her need to be closer to him. And sure he was getting muddy from carrying her and probably didn't even need to carry her but he wanted to. He wanted to prove to her that he would be there for her. No matter what. He would save her, just like he promised he would all those years ago.
They had gone over to Karen's, who had ran out of town that day to visit her mom who had been placed in the hospital due to a fall. Lucas was staying there and had decided to bring Brooke over there since she hadn't said anything about taking her home.
"Lucas, do I still have my..." Brooke started to say as she entered Lucas's old room. It had remained completely intact as far as she knew.
She saw a now dry Lucas with a old outfit of hers in his hands.
"Thanks." she said as she grabbed the clothes from him. She walked past him and set the clothes down on the bed. Knowing full well that his eyes had followed her, she dropped the towel she was wearing.
"I'm just gonna..." Lucas stuttered as he turned around.
"Lucas wait." Brooke said as she picked the towel up off the ground and held it against her body. "You don't have to go it's your room."
She grabbed his arm and he turned back towards her. "Besides, it's not like you haven't seen me naked before." Brooke said with a wink and dimpled smile.
"You're crazy you know that pretty girl?" Lucas said as he tucked a piece of wet hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes, taking in the closeness as he rested his hand on her cheek.
"Thank you." she said as he pulled her into his arms, her face resting on his chest.
" For?"
"Calling me pretty girl again." She said as she lifted her head and looked at him.
Lucas leaned in closer, and kissed her. He kissed her for the years they spent apart and the times they had together. He kissed her because he loved her and he kissed her because he wanted her to be the last one he kissed.
Brooke kissed back for all the same reasons, not knowing if she could bring herself to the last one though. She was still hurt but couldn't stand to be without him.
And they continued to kiss, Brooke letting her towel fall and helping Lucas out of his shirt.
"Brooke." Lucas said as Brooke tossed his shirt aside. "Are you sure about this?" He didn't want either of them getting in to deep considering they hadn't seen each other for nearly 10 years.
"Be 18 with me again Lucas." Brooke said with a smile and a soft kiss on the lips. With that, he gave up all hope of restraining himself.
"I love you Brooke." Lucas said, hoping she'd say it back. That she'd completely forgiven him.
Instead she just nods. "I just can't say it Lucas." Broke responded guiltily.
"I know. It's okay." he said as he kissed her again.
She awoke in his arms and smiled to herself. She slowly got out of his arms. He stirred a little but immediately fell back asleep. She leaned over and kissed him on the head. She slipped on her pants and grabbed her shirt. As she was about to put it on, his old hoodie caught her eye. She tossed her shirt aside and slipped into the old, comfortable, and familiar gray hoodie. With one more kiss on the head she whispered " It was nice being 18 again." And with that she was gone, leaving nothing but her shirt and a night of memories that they would both remember forever.
Lucas woke up about an hour later, searching for the brown eyed girl that had fallen asleep in his arms the night before. He noticed her shirt was on the floor and thought for a moment she was still there.
Then he noticed that his hoodie was gone. The hoodie that he would constantly find her in. The hoodie that disappeared many a times, yet always reappeared when Brooke came over. In that moment, he knew she was gone, along with his hoodie.
He got up and threw on a pair of boxers. He walked over to his desk and opened up his laptop. His writer's block was now gone. His final chapter ready to be written.
" 'Lucas?' Brooke called as the blonde haired boy turned his head towards her. 'Brooke?'..."
Brooke had wandered into the bookstore hoping to find something to read for the long boring day that was going to come once Monday came. She walked over to the new releases and saw it. One Tree Hill by Lucas Scott. She picked it up and opened it to the last page.
And in that moment, they were 18 again. All the pain and years they spent apart were erased. Of course, the morning after he woke up to an empty bed, only himself lying in it. He was 27 again. He had decided that day that he would dedicate the book to her. Because even if it were just for a night, they had been 18 again. He wouldn't give that back for the world.
So he got up and slipped on a pair of boxers. He went over to his desk and opened his laptop, writing the last chapter in his book.
" ' Lucas?' Brooke called as the blonde haired boy turned his head towards her. 'Brooke?'..." and as he typed out the new chapter in his story he realized that maybe she did still love him. That his pretty girl would pick up the book he told her about and realize that he was lost without her. That after all these years, his heart still ached for her. Still belonged to her. And maybe, just maybe, his pretty girl would come back to him. Once and for all.
Brooke quickly turned the book to the first page and read the dedication.
To my pretty girl, my Cheery.
I have always loved you and always will. I'm sorry the way we left thing all those years ago and am eternally grateful for the night you gave me. I hope you read this and realize that I never loved her like I love you. Maybe if you read this, you will finally believe me when I tell you that I want to be with you, not her. That I will choose you over her every time. And I hope you will come back to me in the end. I love you brown eyed girl. I'll always love the girl behind the red door.
Love,
Broody
P.S. It's okay that you took the hoodie. :)
Brooke laughed as she wiped the tears on her cheeks that had fallen. She looked down his gray hoodie that she wore. She took the book up to the register and bought it. She went over to Karen's Cafe and sat down at their table in front of the window.
She was on Chapter 25, the chapter where Brooke and Lucas fight at Nathan and Haley's wedding, by the time night came.
It was true. He never let her in and he wasn't sure why. He watched as the broken girl cried in front of him. Crying for him to love her, to let her completely in. He wanted to say he was sorry and tell her that he loves her, not Peyton. But he knows those words aren't enough. He needed to prove to her that he was the one for her. That he wanted her, not Peyton. If he needed to stop talking to Peyton then that's what he'd do. He needed her. He wouldn't, no couldn't, loose her again. Because if he did, he was positive that he would die.
Brooke looked up from the book, eyes filled with tears.
"Your reading it." he said with a smile as he sat down across from her.
"I love you too." Brooke said as she put the book down. She finally allowed herself to say it. Say what she had felt in high school and in college and that night the spent together one year ago. He immediately leaned over the table and kissed her.
"I knew you'd come back."
In that moment, Brooke forgave Lucas, completely. And in that moment, 2 people fell in love all over again. After all, people who are meant to be together always come back to you in the end.