Brooke's POV
Clothes Over Bros Store
When Haley rushed into my shop, I just had time to put my drawing aside before she greeted me exuberantly.
"Hi, Brooke! I'm sorry to bother you at work, but there's something I need to tell you right now," she said excitedly.
"You could have called," I suggested, shrugging.
"Yes, I could have, but the matter is far too important. I just had to come here personally."
"Are Jamie and Nathan all right?" I asked alarmed as I noticed her nervously chewing on her lower lip.
"Yes, they're fine. Well, maybe it's better you take a seat?"
"Hales, what is it? You know you can tell me everything, right?"
She nodded. "Do you still remember your dream?" She asked hesitantly.
"What dream?" I asked, knowing exactly what dream she meant. But what did my dream of Julian have to do with her appearance?
"You know... you and Julian on the beach... how the two of you were kissing?"
I nodded. "Yes, I remember that. What about it?"
"It might be that this dream may come true soon."
"What?" I exclaimed, looking at her in disbelief. When she came up to me and then looked at me with a serious face, I became nervous.
"He's back, Brooke! Julian is in Tree Hill."
"What are you talking about?" I stammered as my heart began to race. That couldn't be! That was impossible!
"Peyton told me," Haley went on. "He was probably with her and Lucas to acquire the rights for the book. He calls himself now Julian Baker and is a film producer in Los Angeles. He would like to make a movie of 'An Unkindness of Ravens'."
"Lucas's autobiographical book?" I stammered as I felt my legs suddenly turn to jelly. Haley must have realized that I was about to topple over so she quickly shoved me over to a chair.
"Gosh, Brooke, if I'd known that this news would still have such an effect on you, I would have told you more gently. You're white, like the wall behind you!"
I pressed my hand to my wildly beating heart, gasping for breath. "I... I'm fine," I panted.
"Can I continue?"
I nodded and took a few deep breaths. "Yes, keep talking," I urged her as my pulse had returned to normal.
"Well, Lucas has agreed and now all they have to do is find a director. They want to shoot at the original locations, here in Tree Hill."
I just stared at her and tried again to recap what she had just told me. "So Julian is here to make a movie?" I repeated mechanically.
"Yes, he and his father want to produce this film together, as Peyton told me. He must have been very excited about the book." She grinned. "Maybe it's because you play a not insignificant role in this book."
My cheeks were burning with shame as I thought about what Lucas had written about me. And Julian had read everything! Groaning, I put my hands over my face. "That's a disaster, Hales!" I blurted out.
"Nonsense! You were 17. You just check guys out until you find the right one."
I glared at her outraged. "It's all very well for you to talk! You only had one, and you didn't jump through dozens of beds!"
"I repeat, you were 17!"
"And I had the reputation of a slut," I mumbled. "But I had that reputation, before I even met Julian."
"Well, you see, he knew about you from the beginning and still fell in love with you."
I closed my eyes. That Julian was back reopened old wounds, which I believed had long healed. But it was only a few weeks ago that I lit a candle for my 'star child'. Nothing was forgotten or healed. I simply lied to myself all the time.
"Brooke?"
I looked up, Haley must have seen the desperation in my eyes, because she came up to me and hugged me.
"You never really had closure with this topic. Maybe this is a good opportunity to finally put an end to it."
Or to go back to the start, I silently added and immediately dismissed the thought. Hadn't I recently thought about the possibility that Julian might have a wife and children? Maybe Haley was right and I should put him out of my mind once and for all. "Thanks for telling me all this," I told Haley, forcing a smile. "If you see Lucas, tell him I'm happy for him."
"I will." Haley nodded. "But now I have to go."
When she had left the store, I sat down at my drawing table and began to draw. The new dress had to be finished in a few weeks, because then Lucas and Peyton's wedding would take place. I smiled involuntarily as I thought about how much they loved each other. They were both no longer the high school teenagers they used to be when they fell in love. And I wasn't either. Almost everything had changed in the last 5 years. With one exception, as I had to admit to myself now: I had never stopped loving Julian!
Julian's POV
Clothes Over Bros Store
One day later
When I entered Brooke's store, the first thing I heard was the song 'Don't You...' from 'The Breakfast Club'. I came here with the purpose of asking her to become a costume designer in my new movie. Suddenly I was back to the day, 5 years ago, when Brooke danced in my room. And now she was leaping through the shop just the same, wiggling her hips and tossing her head. My pulse climbed up and my hands became sweaty. I was suddenly the boy from high school again, on the way to his first date. She had turned her back to me when I entered the store and I didn't know if I should bother her or just leave. But before I could put my thoughts into action, she turned around and stopped dead in her tracks. When our eyes met I noticed how she brushed a strand of hair aside that had fallen over her forehead. "Hey, Brooke!"
"Julian!"
I did what I always did when I didn't know what to say; I smiled.
"I've heard that you're back in town. What do you want?"
If she was surprised by my sudden appearance, she didn't show it at least. She had her arms crossed over her chest and stared at me with narrowed eyes. My heart sank. I hadn't expected such a frosty welcome. But what did I expect? She thought that I had abandoned her after I had left. She couldn't know that it had been the circumstances that had kept us from each other: my mother's addiction, her suicide attempt, the divorce she hadn't gotten along with, my accident, my desperate try to learn to walk again... all those things she couldn't know. I cleared my throat. "I'm here because I wanted to ask you if you want to become a costume designer in my new movie?"
"I'm not a costume designer. I'm working on a new collection."
"But you could be," I tried to persuade her. "What I see is really great. And besides, it would be authentic because you were part of the book and would be an important part of the movie as well." Her eyelids fluttered slightly and for a moment I saw uncertainty in her eyes. "Please, Brooke! I don't know anybody else to ask. My father pesters me to start with the shooting as soon as possible."
"So this is a desperate act because you don't have anybody else who would design your costumes?"
This time, I thought carefully before giving her my answer. "I talked to Peyton and Lucas. They think you are incredibly talented. You're creative, dependable, willing to work, and always eager to do your best. 'And beautiful,' I added in my mind. "That's exactly what I need in my team."
"I had no idea that Lucas and Peyton have such a high opinion of me."
I nodded. "They couldn't stop raving about you." As her mouth twisted into a small smile, I felt my mouth go dry. It was crazy that she still had that effect on me. I had to get out of here before I did something that I would probably regret - pulling her to me and kissing her. With trembling fingers I pulled my business card out of my pocket, walked past her to the counter and put the card on it. "Call me if you've made a decision," I said in a hoarse voice. When she suddenly turned to me and looked at me with her big, brown eyes, I knew it had happened again; I fell in love with Brooke Davis all over again.
Brooke's POV
When Julian had left, I dropped to the nearest chair and pressed my hand against my wildly beating heart. I knew he was in town and would visit me sooner or later. But to see him in person, face to face, had stirred feelings inside me again. Time had changed him. The lanky boy of that time had become a handsome young man, probably with the ability to charm any women. When he had left the business card on the counter, my eyes involuntarily had gone to his hand, and I had been relieved to see that he hadn't been wearing a wedding ring. Not that it would change anything about my decision. In no case could I become a costume designer for his new movie. I could hardly bear having him near me. What would it be like to work together with him closely, over days, weeks, maybe months? I closed my eyes and suddenly had that scent of his aftershave in my nose again that I had been able to inhale as he had gone to the counter, and my knees went soft. It was just crazy and illogical that he still had that effect on me. Maybe even stronger than before. Frustrated, I had to admit that Julian Norris, or rather Baker, as he called himself now, was still a danger to me and probably always would be. I turned to the table and picked up my drawing. But after a few pencil strokes, it was clear to me that I wouldn't be able to do anything fruitful today. My mind was full of pictures and memories of Julian. I got up and grabbed the business card from the counter. I hesitated for a moment before slipping it into my pocket and reaching for my jacket and purse. I had to sort out my chaotic thoughts. And the best way to do it was to go home and take a bath. I turned off the radio and then left my store.
Brooke's POV
Brooke's house
"I think you should do it. Give yourself another chance."
I looked skeptically at Haley. "You're an incorrigible romantic, you know that?" I said, rolling my eyes. "You really believe that we can forget 5 years and start from scratch?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I think. Sometimes things are not as complicated as they seem."
"Just because he's not married and wants me on his team doesn't mean he wants me back," I pointed out.
"He wants you back, believe me." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully.
"And how would you know that?" I asked curiously, then looked at her expectantly.
"Peyton implied something like that," Haley admitted. "Julian was with Lucas and Peyton, and he must have been talking pretty emotionally about you, because Peyton called me later and literally said, 'He's still in love with her'."
I felt my heart beat faster. "Is that so?"
"Yeah, and you know Peyton would never say that if she wasn't 100 percent sure it's true. Now make an effort and call him!"
"I don't know, Haley." I began to chew nervously on my lower lip. "What if Peyton is wrong? Then I'll make a fool of myself again."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Why did you order me to your place and ask for my help, if you don't take my advice?"
Nervously I ran a hand through my hair and noticed how my hands were shaking. "I'm scared, Hales," I confessed softly.
"Yes, I know."
She took my phone and the business card from the table and held both out to me.
"Call him!" She repeated again and nodded encouragingly. And I reluctantly picked up my cell phone, typing in the number...
Julian's POV
Tree Hill Diner
I sat in the diner, my phone next to me, waiting for it to ring. I didn't know if my speech to Brooke would convince her to become my costume designer. I just knew that I wanted it more than anything else. Seeing her again has brought up so much memories, but also new hopes. She wasn't married or otherwise tied, as Lucas had entrusted to me, so I had the courage to go to her and offer her the job. Now it was up to Brooke to call me. I was briefly interrupted in my train of thought when the waitress came and put my hamburger with fries in front of me and then disappeared again. Automatically, I began to eat, thinking of what to do if she rejected me. I sighed frustrated and closed my eyes.
"May I have this seat?"
I opened my eyes again and stared at the young woman, who now sat down opposite me and threw back a strand of her blond curls. "Peyton." My mouth twisted into a smile.
"Have you met Brooke?" She asked curiously.
I nodded. "She has yet to think about it," I said curtly and turned back to my burger.
"Listen, Julian," she began hesitantly. "I know you and Brooke had something going on in high school."
I dropped the burger and stared at her open-mouthed. "Where did you...?" I stammered, trying to catch my breath again. "I didn't say a word about it when I came to Tree Hill 5 years ago."
"No." She shook her head. "You didn't have to. I knew it before. Haley is a good friend of mine and Brooke," she confessed. "And back then when Brooke was in trouble..."
When she broke off the sentence and grabbed the menu and nervously fumbled with it, I frowned at her. "What kind of trouble?" I asked.
"Nothing. I meant to say, when Brooke was heartbroken because of you, Haley and I were there for her."
"Thanks." I forced a smile. "If you know what happened back then, you must think I'm the biggest jerk."
"You didn't tell me what happened to you back then. But I could tell you weren't feeling well."
I looked at her in surprise. "You noticed that?"
Peyton nodded. "I was torn at the time to tell Brooke. But she was with Lucas and I didn't want to destroy her happiness." She smirked. "At that time I was jealous of her. But Brooke just deserved some happiness after what she had gone through."
I frowned and looked at her. "What do you mean by that?"
"Her parents were separated and you were gone. She was just totally broken."
I lowered my head ashamed. "I wish I hadn't left Tree Hill back then," I said softly.
"When you were with Lucas and me recently, you talked so passionately about Brooke that I just felt there was more behind it. You came back because of her, right? You want to make this movie to be closer to Brooke again."
Was that really the reason? I asked myself at that moment. Would I have wanted to do the film if Brooke didn't play the female leading role? "You want to know what happened to me back then?" I took a deep breath. "My mother was very ill at the time," I began to tell my story. "When she decided to go to L.A., I went with her because I didn't want to leave her alone. My dad has always worked a lot and had only little time for us. We barely were arrived in L.A. when I had a car accident. I was in a coma for several days, and when I woke up, I couldn't walk anymore. I was in a wheelchair, helpless and desperate. But somehow I got on my feet again, literally. Months had passed since then, and I decided to take my life into my own hands. I went to Tree Hill because I wanted to apologize to Brooke and hoped she would give me a second chance. But she was with Lucas. And just like you, I didn't want to destroy that."
"Did you tell Brooke?"
"That I was here, or what happened to me?"
"Both. Honestly, Julian... if Brooke hesitates to take up the job as a costume designer, it's not because she doesn't want the job or doesn't care about you. It's because she's worried that her heart will get broken again."
I swallowed hard, knowing that Peyton was right. I had broken Brooke's heart at the time when I hadn't kept my promise. Maybe she was right. Maybe I should tell Brooke so she would understand why I made that decision.
Peyton got up. "Go to her, Julian, and talk to her. I think many things will be easier for the two of you then."
I nodded. "Yes, I'll do that." I put a few bills on the table and was about to get up when my cell phone rang. My hands shook slightly as I reached for it and then answered the phone. "Here's Julian."