I exit the room slightly pissed off and make my way outside finding Haley on the way to the beach.
"Thought you were gone." I look at her.
"I needed some fresh air. I guess you need that too." She seems to see right through me.
"Yeah..." I sigh and sit next to her. "My best friend is a jerk and I'm sorry if I've put you in trouble by making you tutor him."
"Don't be sorry, I wanted to help him. I've got to face the consequences now even if Luke still doesn't know." Haley confesses.
"You didn't tell him?" I frown.
"I'm afraid he will hate me for that."
"I can talk to him maybe." I offer but she declines.
"I'm good, T. I need to handle it myself; I just need the right moment." Haley smiles sadly. "What about you? Is everything fine except that Nathan's thing?"
"Pretty much. I try my best to be good." I smile.
"Still no parents in sight?" She asks knowing it's a soft spot in my heart.
"You know it. Dad should be home soon through." I state.
"Ouch. End of your freedom." She chuckles.
"I bet I won't see him that much." I say sadly. "And it's surely better like this."
As Haley is about to tell me something, Theresa yells my name in the garden, so I walk back to the house. On my way, I see Nathan who tries to talk to me, but I just walk past him ignoring his pleads. Once I'm in the house, Theresa leads me to a very drunk Brooke.
"Oh, Soccer Girl." Brooke walks to me with difficulties. "I'm so glad to see you."
"You're drunk." I state and she chuckles innocently.
"I tried to make it fun." She says to me with a smile. "It doesn't seem very fun for you, tonight. I could try to make it better." She flirts.
"Sure." I comment with a chuckle. "If you can stay alive on our way home."
"You're taking me home? Why?" She pouts. "I need to find Peyton."
She walks to Peyton who is sitting in the stairs looking at some old pictures.
"Don't let me have another beer unless I beg you." Brooke says making Peyton look at her. "Same goes for boys. Except Taylor." She smiles at me.
"Let's pretend I'm a guy for the night, then." I roll my eye and Peyton chuckles at my comment.
"What are you doing?" Brooke wonders.
"Just wondering if we're all going to end up like Karen." Peyton says as I sit behind her and Brooke.
"Who is Karen?" Brooke seems lost.
"Lucas' mom." I tell her.
"Not with proper birth control, we won't." Brooke informs us with a cheeky smile.
"That's not what I meant." Peyton looks at her sternly and I laugh. "She was our age when the tape was made, Brooke. In a lot of ways, we're just like her." Brooke rolls her eyes and I start to think about it. "Don't you think it's awful how she just let Nathan's dad treat her like crap?"
"Yeah." Brooke agrees. "But honey, that doesn't mean we're like her. Maybe that means you're like her."
"Brooke." I reprimand her. "Time to go. I'm sorry, P. Sawyer. I'll take her home since your car is gone."
"Sure..." Peyton seems so deep in thoughts that she doesn't hear me for real.
"Harrison, can I drive?" Brooke asks leaning against the door.
"In your dreams, drunk girl." I help her go to the car.
"Am not." She stops and looks at me. "You look so good tonight."
"Yeah, not drunk at all. Come on, go in there." I open the door, and she walks in slowly. "You look good too." I kiss her cheek and go to the driver seat.
The ride back home is filled with silence but a good silence. Music is softly playing while Brooke hums. Once we park in front of my house, Brooke manages to get out of the car by herself and she goes straight to my door.
"Planning on sleeping in my bed, Davis?" I smirk.
"I need your cuddles." She states and I open the door.
"Finally, home." My dad's voice echoes the living room. "Hi, Brooke."
"Hey, mister Harrison." She seems to sober up immediately. "I'm going upstairs. Join me when you can."
"Yeah, be careful, okay?" I warn her knowing her clumsy ass will manage to break something. "Hey dad." I smile to my dad.
"Come here." He opens his arms.
"I'm glad you're here." I cuddle his side and I feel relieved, I've missed him.
"Heard you've been good today." He kisses my temple.
"Yeah, coach said so." I shrug. "I could have been better though."
"Really? Five goals and you aren't happy with yourself?" My dad looks at me with a strange look. "We might have been too hard on you all those years."
"What?" I frown.
"Listen, Taylor. I know we've been hard on you with your mother, but I want it to change, well at least, on my side. You're not a baby anymore and it's time for us to let you handle your life as you want it and to just be there to encourage you." He explains.
"Do you really think that?" I smile.
"Of course. And, you know, I've been talking to Dan recently, he was so harsh on Nathan he made me regret my ways with you. I love you and I don't want you to feel like Nathan when it comes to me."
"I'm sure it won't happen, ever." I chuckle and hug my father. "I love you, Dad. Nothing could change this."
"I love you too, Taylor." He chuckles and we hear a weird sound coming from my room. "But I think you should go upstairs; someone is most likely to die there alone."
"I swear she's unbelievable..." I sigh making him laugh.
"Are you two together?" He wiggles his eyebrows.
"Nope, I'm just being a good friend." I wink.
"But you like her, don't you?" He asks.
"For sure, she is just not ready for a real relationship." I explain.
"I raised you well, child." My dad smiles.
"What about, Mom?"
"She did her part, of course." He rolls his eyes.
"No, Dad. I meant, what about you and Mom? Are you still together?"
"She thinks I'm cheating because I wasn't jealous of the fifth man, she fucked last month." He seems hurt. "Don't you worry about me, I'll be fine."
"I'm here for you, Dad." I point at him.
"Always." He points at me.
I make my way to my bedroom and find Brooke sitting on the floor apologizingly. I laugh at her face and she attacks me playfully. I manage to put her on my bed as I'm towering her.
"I swear you get better every second of your life, Taylor." Brooke says honestly.
"Thanks, Brooke, you're not so bad yourself." I smirk.
"Can I ask you something?" She sits as I let her go. I nod so she can ask her question. "Do you think we could be something?"
"I don't know, why?"
"You're the person I like the most, but it scares me a lot. It's so easy to chase after boys I don't care about, but with you, it's different. I need you in my life, I can't mess up and lose you." She looks me in the eyes.
"We've got time for us, Brooke. I know you're not ready and I think you know it too. I prepared myself for the day you'll fall in love with someone else and it'll be okay because it will make you learn and grow."
"Which is okay because?" She raises her eyebrow.
"Because you'll be ready for me then." I smirk.
"I hope I will." She says cuddling my side. "I need you, Tay. Promise me you will always be here for me."
"I promise, Brooke." I kiss her temple. "Now, sleep a bit, you seem tired."
"Good night, baby." She says and falls asleep immediately.
"Good night, love."