Best Of Both Worlds (Brooke Davis / OC)

Chapter 25

I'm at soccer practice laughing my ass out when our goalkeeper tries to stop my shot with a flying ass move. Julie is next to me and nudges me slightly.

"What's wrong with you, babe?" I whisper in pain.

"I guess, that's for you." She points to someone in the bleachers.

"Brooke?" I frown looking at her crying alone in the stand.

"You should go, she seems like she could use some Taylor's shoulder to cry on." Julie smiles reassuringly.

"You sure?" I eye her to see her true feelings.

"I trust you." She kisses my cheek and walk to our friends.

            I walk to Brooke and she collapses in my arm crying like a baby. I hug her tightly waiting for her to calm down.

"What's up, Brooke?" I ask once she stops sobbing.

"He dumped me..." She sighs. "I did everything for him to feel good when he came home, and he broke up with me."

"I'm sorry, Brooke..." I hold her more.

"And Peyton is not answering her phone. I was alone and I didn't know where to go, you were the only person I could think of." She admits. "I know you might be busy now, mainly when I see how your girlfriend is looking at me..."

"She is okay with us being friends, Brooke, don't worry we've talked about it." I chuckle. "As long as you don't try to kiss me, she won't beat your ass up."

"Shit... saying I thought a little make out could unbroke my heart..." She jokes sadly.

"At least you're laughing." I smile. "Stay here until the end of my training and then, we'll go wherever you want to, okay?"

"Thank you, Tay." She smiles and I kiss her forehead.

"Broken heart?" Julie asks me when I walk back to her.

"Lucas broke up, but I don't think she knows for Peyton." I sigh.

"Go take care of her, babe." She winks at me.

"You're the best, have I ever told you this?" I peck her lips and go to the shower.

            Once I'm done, I drive Brooke to the mall, and we sit on a bench. That's when we see Haley and Peyton together walking towards us. Brooke looks hurt and break down in tears when she tells Peyton what happened. Peyton doesn't look surprised, but guiltiness can be read on her face. Same goes with Haley.

"Hales, come with me, please?" I say letting Brooke and Peyton talk.

"That was awkward." Haley whispers looking at the girls behind us.

"What happened?" I wonder.

"Lucas broke up with Brooke to be with Peyton." She states.

"Without telling Brooke what happened between them, right?" I narrow my eyes.

"I don't know how he wants to do it, but we've got to let him handle that alone." Haley puts her hand on my shoulder.

"Easy to say." I scoff. "You're not the one who spent your afternoon drying Brooke's tears, huh?"

"I know it's not easy for you, T." Haley sighs. "But it's their story, not ours."

"True." I give up and we walk back to the girls.

Some time later

Nathan: Can you come to my house quickly?

Me: Sure. Give me 10.

Nathan: You're the best.

            I take a jacket and make my way to Nathan's house. Once I arrive, I find a broken Nathan in his room.

"Okay, it didn't seem that bad through your message." I whisper entering the room.

"I can't take it anymore, Tay." He sighs. "My parents are fighting over me, and I can't stand it anymore."

"Divorces are always tough, Nate, but you should just take a step back and let them fight each other." I try to answer his questions.

"How could I do that?"

"Well, I can talk to my mom, she knows laws and all, it might exist a way for you to get out of this war." I shrug.

"Could we go now?"

"Anything you want." I chuckle at his excited state.

            We go back to my house and Nathan spend some time discussing laws with my mother. She exposes him his different options and he looks a bit relieved. My mother invites him to stay for dinner and it feels like back in the days. But now things are different, we are different, our world has changed.

            Two days later, after Nathan decided to join Dan at the beach house, I decide to spend some time with him. Since he is with Haley and I'm with Julie, I ask him if he would like to spend some time just the four of us. So, now, I'm at Karen's Café with Julie, Nathan and Haley after they closed to public.

We decide not to talk about Nathan's parents anymore and Nathan wants Haley to sing. I look at Julie with a surprise look and she shrugs happily. We all walk to the piano and gather around it. Haley starts to sing, and she is actually amazing.

I can see Nathan looking at her in awe. I turn my head to Julie just to see her looking at me the same way. I smile and lean in kissing her softly. She holds me closer and we listen to Haley ending the song beautifully. Julie and I applause, while Nathan goes to her and kisses her. At least, some of us are happy.

            I've heard about Brooke finding out about Lucas and Peyton. No one had to tell her, Peyton's webcam never lies. I chuckle at the awkwardness for their story. None of them truly now what they are up to, but I'm sure as hell it's not going to be good.

            As I arrive at school with Julie, I see Brooke avoiding Peyton. She deserves that. Julie nudges me with a frown, and I explain her what Haley told me. We walk to class expecting everything is going to be normal again.