Peyton walked the gradually clearing halls of Tree Hill High alone. The day was over and she was heading home, and even though everyone else was busy doing the same thing, the blonde couldn't ignore the curious feeling prickling over her skin that everyone in the halls was staring at her. Hard. But Peyton was determined to shake the feeling off, concentrating then on the face that Brooke would come find her soon and walk with her out to the senior parking lot.
Her concentration was immediately broken.
"Well, well. If it isn't Peyton Sawyer." An unfamiliar voice cooed from behind the blonde. Peyton turned to confront the person the voice belonged to, and was shocked to see an over-confident sophomore standing among a clique (obviously hers) of girls. In Peyton's eyes, they were immediately typical… and bitchy. She wanted to get away. "Famous cheerleader, under the more famous Brooke Davis, of course." The clique took a second to giggle. "And now, famous dyke." The leader of the bitches smirked, and Peyton's eyes squinted in anger.
"Excuse me?" She asked, standing up straighter. There was no way that this little mother fu-
"I said, dyke." The girl said. Then she studied Peyton's face. "Oh, don't act so surprised. Everyone in Tree Hill knows now." The bitch's entourage all copied the same smirk of their leader, pasting it onto their faces in unison. It was sickening.
"And it's none of your business." Peyton argued, the venom in her voice audible and thick. Still, the other girls didn't flinch and Peyton could tell that this was going to get old really quick. So where the hell was Brooke?
"Aw, whatsamatter? Are we hurting the dyke's feelings-"
"HEY!" A strong voice shouted. This time, the clique and its leader flinched, their heads turning in the direction from where the voice came. Peyton turned too, relieved as she watched Brooke walk quickly over, an irritated drive in her natural strut. "What did you just say?" She growled. The leader looked back to Peyton, but her clique kept their eyes trained on Brooke.
"Is this your girlfriend, Sawyer? Wouldn't that be something to talk about." The girl's friends giggled again, but their tiny laughter died down as Brooke wrapped a protective arm tightly around Peyton's waist, drawing the blonde close against her.
"As a matter of fact, I am her girlfriend -Hope that's not a problem- And I don't appreciate the way you and your insecure, bulimic bitches have been talking to her." The girl, shorter than Brooke even, smiled devilishly, looking around her little group. "Keep smiling." Brooke threatened. "Break her heart and I'll break your face." By now, Brooke had released her hold on Peyton and had stepped deep into the other girl's personal space, looming an inch or two over her. Her eyes were dark, angry, and her expression was cold. There was no other fierceness that could challenge hers.
"I'll be sure to watch my words with your tender-hearted lesbian, then." The other girl said, shrinking slightly back into her clique.
"Don't make me hurt you." Brooke threatened.
"Whatever." The other girl said. Then she glanced over to Peyton. "You're lucky your girlfriend's a scary beast." And with that, the whole group turned in unison and walked away, not a single one of them looking back.
Brooke turned, stepping back to Peyton and pulled the blonde close, kissing her forehead. "You could have called me. I would've been here sooner-"
"No, it wasn't a big deal. I just… I really hate bitches like that." Brooke looked over her shoulder just in time to see the group of girls exit the hallway. "But you didn't have to threaten the well-being of that girl's skull." Brooke turned back to Peyton.
"Yeah, I did." She said. "Peyton, if we don't stand up to people like that we'll be given crap forever." Then the brunette paused, looking Peyton in the eyes. "Besides, who the hell else is gonna take care of you if I don't?" Peyton smiled, looking down briefly before bringing her eyes back to Brooke.
"You're always saving me…" She said quietly. Brooke shrugged, taking a small step back.
"It's my job." She said. "Or it just so happens that you scrawny ass is always in trouble."
"Hey!" Peyton whined. "Shut up about my scrawny ass!" Both girls laughed, turning towards one of the doors that led out to the parking lot.
"Whatever, P. Sawyer." Brooke said humorously. "Let's go get some food. I'm starving."