The school bell rang. End of the first lesson, of the first day, of the first year. It seemed as if everything was going in slow motion. My eyes quickly scanned the room to look for my best friend, but I couldn't see her. I shrugged the feeling that she was ignoring me and rose from my seat. I piled my books into my shoulder bag and lifted it onto my shoulder, sweeping my curls from underneath the strap. I walked from the classroom, last one out, and made my way to the busy hall of Tree Hill High. I seemed to be invisible to people all around me as they shoved past me. Keeping my head down, I made my way to my locker. My iPod was shoved into my pocket as I pushed one of the head phones into my left ear, that way I would still be able to hear if my name was called.

I continued to keep my head down listening intently on the music playing in my ear when I walked into something, or as I looked up and realised, someone. Great, just what I needed. My bag fell off my shoulder and my books scattered across the floor, somehow my head phone remained securely in my ear. I looked up and saw those bright blue eyes staring back at me, it felt like they were burning right through me. 'The Other Scott.' I pushed those thoughts to the back of mine and began scooping my books back into my back as he helped me. He didn't say a word, just smiled and stood up to leave.

"Thanks." I mumbled and carried on walking as he smiled and did the same. I was tempted to look back but thought better of it. My relationships always seem to get too complicated causing me to faze them all together and not pay particular attention to one over the other, for example, by boyfriend, Nathan Scott – Captain of the basketball team, popular, good looking, but a complete jerk. Another would be Brooke Davis, my best friend, head cheerleader, popular, gorgeous, but easy. Then there was me, Peyton Sawyer, cheerleader. Surely there was more to define me than that, or maybe not.

I finally reached my locker and twisted the lock, the combination of my mothers death, opened my locker. I took everything out of my bag and pushed it in and scanned it for any books I may need. I was just about to slam it shut when a strong arm flung itself across my locker causing me to jump.

"Jeez, Nathan you're such a jerk, you know that?" My boyfriend, Nathan Scott just smiled and kissed my forehead.

"Sup Sawyer?" He questioned ignoring my earlier statement, as usual.

"Nothing's 'up' Nathan, why?" I added pushing his arm out the way to close my locker, as I did so I began to walk off, not particularly caring whether he was in toe or not. When I realised he was, I slowed my pace slightly.

"I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight. My parents have gone away for the weekend and the beach house is empty. Some of the guys are coming over for a few, interested?" He casually slung his arm across my shoulder and walked me to class. He didn't need an answer; he knew I would show up, it's what was expected of me.

I finally caught sight of Brooke, and she shot me a look. What had I done now? I smiled and walked up to her.

"Hey Brooke how are ya?"

"Not good. We have a serious problem." She said grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the gym. We reached it within a few long strides and she pushed the doors open with her free hand pulling me through it. "We think that you're drifting," she motioned toward the cheerleading squad sitting on the benches of the gym. "Therefore, we are going to use Nathan's party tonight to fall in sync with one another." She smiled her dangerous Brooke Davis smile, which only ever meant one thing: there were boys involved.

"And what would that be?" I asked a little to naively, knowing what the gist of her plan involved.

"We are going to each going to pick a name from this hat, it has various names of good looking boys from school in it, and with each name is a dare that must be preformed. We've given Nathan the same hat, all the dares and names were written by us, just so Tim can't get his grubby hands on them. Each one of us is going to pick a name from the hat and then perform the dare. But if the guy guesses that it is a dare, there is a forfeit on the back that must be performed."

She smiled her evil grin at me and jumped to the other cheerleaders as if I had agreed. I just smiled and went along with her wacky idea. That was one thing about being best friends with Brooke; she was an awesome person, but not much for waiting for answers, especially if she wanted a certain one.