TROUVAILLE | BROOKE DAVIS

fifty-four

DENIAL

"Why are you here?"

Brooke turns to see Rachel standing there, coffee cup in hand. There's a smug smile on her face and Brooke hates it. Rachel was like a whirlwind that destroyed everything in her path.

"It's none of your business," Brooke tells her.

"But it is if you're going to see my girlfriend," Rachel says firmly, closing the distance between the two of them, "I don't know what happened during the shooting, but stay away from her."

"Scared of her feeling for me?" Brooke challenges, but Rachel doesn't take the bait.

"No," Rachel simply says, "You don't know what you want Brooke. One minute it's Lucas and then its Parker. She was so in love with you and you left her. You hurt her. I'm not gonna let you do that again."

"She's not in love with you," Brooke says and Rachel shrugs.

"Maybe not, but she's not in love with you either."

Brooke bites her lip and looks away from Rachel. She knew how to get into Brooke's head and was currently playing on her insecurities. Honestly, Brooke didn't know how Parker felt for her, but she did know that somewhere deep down, Parker still wanted to be with her.

"She's with me Brooke," Rachel says, "And unlike you, I would never leave her for some second-rate shooting guard. Do you honestly think you can be trusted with her heart?"

"Listen here," Brooke says, "You know nothing about Parker."

"Really?" Rachel asks, her eyebrows raising, "Because I know about the tattoo on her shoulder and what it symbolizes, do you? Or how about the fact that she wants to go to college in London? Or how terrified she's been because of her dad is coming home."

"She wouldn't be scared if you hadn't leaked the time capsule," Brooke says and for the first time in the entire conversation, Brooke has the upper hand. Rachel's smirk disappears and Brooke smiles, "That's right, I know."

"Are you going to tell her?" Rachel asks.

"No," Brooke says, "Because it would break her heart and no matter how much I hate you; you do make her happy. Eventually, Parker will realize how much of a bitch you are and dump you. Until then you better make her happy."

Rachel doesn't say anything, so Brooke decides that she'll have the last word, "Tell her I stopped by, or don't. It won't change the fact that at the end of the day Parker won't be with you."

Brooke walks toward the hospital elevators and Rachel watches her silently before heading into Parker's room. Her girlfriend stared disinterestedly at the television. She had been pretty miserable at the fact that she had to miss Keith's funeral. The hospital had wanted to make sure that she was healing properly.

"Hey," Rachel said. Parker glanced at her and gave her a small smile before looking back at the TV. Rachel made her way over to Parker who silently moved over, making space for her. Rachel took a seat and looked at Parker curiously. Feeling her stares, Parker looked at her.

"What is it?" Parker asked softly.

"If I did something, something bad. Would you ever be able to forgive me?" Rachel asked.

Parker laughs, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not a good person, Parker. I've done a lot of things that I regret," Rachel tells her.

"Well I know you aren't a saint," Parker says, "And besides, I know you'd never do anything to intentionally hurt anyone, except for Brooke I guess."