FRIDAY MORNING
Everyone watched as head cheerleader Brooke Davis bounded down the crowded hallways of Tree Hill High, unaware of all the wandering eyes on her as she tossed her long, brown hair behind her shoulder. Her hazel eyes never faltered from the tall, handsome basketball player rummaging through his locker and as her hips swung seductively back and forth with every step she took, the realization of who was heading towards him by the silent whispers surrounding him seemed to dawn on him. Looking up from his books, Lucas Scott's blue eyes brightened.
"Good morning," Brooke smiled, finally reaching his side.
Smiling like a fool, Lucas leaned in and planted a soft yet sweet kiss on her shiny lips, leaving most of Tree Hill High's women swooning over them like romantic fools while the fellas simply glared, annoyed that it'd been the new kid who'd won the Queen Bee's heart in the end.
"Pretty Girl." He smiled as he pulled away. "I missed you."
"It's only been 12 hours," Brooke laughed, linking their hands. As the bell signaling homeroom rang, Lucas quickly grabbed his bag and shut his locker, walking alongside his girlfriend down the hallway. "I've missed you too, though." Pecking him on the lips again, Brooke turned to look around them and noticing that they were finally alone, smirked. "What do you say we play hooky today?" Her eyes had a mischievous gleam in them, making Lucas laugh.
"I have a test today," he sighed as she tugged him towards the gym. "It's pretty important too."
Brooke stopped, her hands already on the gym doors. Biting her bottom lip, she looked up at her boyfriend and gave a slight shrug, the expression on her face giving away her disappointment. "Fine," she forced a smile. "I guess I'll just take the morning off by myself." He rolled his eyes and cupped her face, staring lovingly into her eyes as his resolve melted away.
"Alright, fine." He kissed her again. "Let's go."
HOMEROOM
"Brooke Davis?"
Every head in the room turned to look at the back row, the brunette's regular seat. Peyton Sawyer, who'd been too busy doodling into her Psychic's notebook to hear roll being called, pushed a blonde curl behind her ear before looking up, a bit stunned by the amount of people staring over at her. Noticing the empty seat beside her, though, Peyton automatically knew. Setting her pencil down, an eyebrow rose while a grimace spread on her lips, daring anyone to make even the faintest of sounds. It was obvious Brooke was skipping again but everyone knew how close she and Peyton were and with the feisty blonde sitting so close, no one was stupid enough to actually test her patience.
"Has anyone seen Miss. Davis?" Ms. Linch asked, slightly annoyed. What a question.
Of course everyone had seen her; that was the reason they dragged themselves out of bed in the mornings to go to school. It'd become part of everyone's regular, every day routine. High school had become a fashion show once more and though most snickered and gossiped behind Brooke's back whenever something hit the fan about her, they secretly admired her for being everything they weren't. The only time Brooke actually skipped was when Lucas actually consented, an extremely rare thing; he must have done just that for the brunette to skip out without giving Peyton a head's up.
"She's sick," Peyton covered for her.
"Excuse me?"
"I said," Peyton refrained from rolling her eyes, "Brooke's sick. Allergies."
"Very well." Ms. Linch sighed, writing something down. "Thank you, Miss. Sawyer."
For the fourth time that month, Peyton had stepped up and lied for her best friend, not that she minded much. Especially not with Ms. Linch. The woman had deluded herself into thinking that by using the Ms. before her last name, no one would be smart enough to guess that there wasn't a Mr. Linch anywhere in the picture; unfortunately, where her harsh demeanor with students had kept her secret, her genuinely unfortunate looks hadn't.
"Well now," Ms. Linch began her lecture. "Seeing as how Tree Hill's Princess of Priss isn't in class today, why don't we try and catch up to the rest of the Physics department? Go ahead and open your books to page 394."
The words the frigid bitch had spluttered hit a nerve. It took a couple of seconds to let the condemning insult register in Peyton's mind but once it had, her drawing could very well eat shit for the moment because there was a much more pressing matter at hand. Slamming her pencil down a little roughly, Peyton sat up straight and pierced Ms. Linch with her bright green eyes, wishing she'd drop dead.
"Excuse me?"
Ms. Linch looked up. "I said turn to page 394, Miss. Sawyer."
"Oh, I heard you the first time," Peyton replied dryly. "Would you mind explaining to me where the hell you get off insulting a student out loud?" Her temper was starting to flare and suddenly the room was deadly silent.
Ms. Linch gave a less-then apologetic frown, feigning sincerity as she spoke. "Forgive me if my comment offended you in any way, Miss. Sawyer, but admitting that Brooke Davis is a complete anchor in this classroom would save you a great deal of trouble later on in the semester. I'm afraid things have been progressing rather slowly this semester." The arrogant-like smirk that spread on her lips as she turned around to begin writing on the board didn't go unnoticed by the blonde and instead of opting for bashing her over the head with her foot, Peyton decided to get out.
Grabbing her things, Peyton stood up and made her way towards the front of the classroom, ignoring the look of disbelief on Haley James' face as she walked past her desk. Peyton rolled her eyes in indifference; Haley loved to call herself both Brooke and Peyton's best friend but really, how much of a best friend could you be if you let wastes of space like Ms. Linch badmouth them? If Haley were a better friend, she would've walked out of class alongside Peyton, not fire reproachful looks at her as she walked out.
"With all due respect, Linch," Peyton retorted, "the only thing progressing rather slowly in this classroom is your brain."
GYM BLEACHERS
Lying against her boyfriend's chest beneath the gym bleachers, Brooke felt herself begin to drift off, completely at peace with the world. As Lucas told her about a prank the guys had pulled on his younger brother a few days ago, his fingers trailed through her hair, one of the few things that soothed her, enjoying the feel of such silky smoothness it really was.
"Honestly, I didn't think Nate would go for it," Lucas laughed, "but you know how unpredictable the guy can be."
"I'm actually surprised," Brooke yawned a little. "Nate doesn't seem like the type to fall for something like that."
Lucas started laughing a little louder. "That's what really got me. You'd think he would've seen right through it but once you've been called out, you have to do it or risk being called a pansy for a lifetime." Brooke swatted his arm playfully as she turned over onto her side, looking up at him with those eyes he loved to gaze into so much.
"Boys and their testosterone," the brunette rolled her eyes. "One of these days, one of you is going to end up in the hospital and you'll remember me then, Lucas Scott." Lucas smirked at her before caressing her cheek lovingly, meeting her eyes with his.
"I'm always going to remember you, Brooke Davis."
Before she could say or do anything in response, the gym doors flew open abruptly, startling them both. Luckily, the stranger who'd interrupted their nirvana wasn't a faculty member but a fuming Peyton who was wearing an expression that would've left anyone six feet under if looks could kill. Without so much as a word to the couple, she plopped down across from them, notebook still in her hand, as her venting phase commenced.
"That stupid cow!" the blonde seethed, slamming it on the floor. "And she wonders why she isn't married!"
"Ms. Linch?" Brooke smirked knowingly.
"Yes!" Peyton threw her hands up in frustration. "Where the hell does she get off bad-mouthing you to the class? What kind of respectable teacher actually voices her opinion of a student out loud and ignorantly believes she won't get sued?" Lucas sat straight up, a look of absolute disbelief plastered on his face. "I have half a mind to walk into the office and tell them exactly what kind of detestable woman that pathetic excuse of an public educator really is!"
"What did she say?" Lucas demanded.
Peyton huffed, her cheeks reddening from all the blood rushing to them. Brooke smiled, reaching a hand out to calm her friend down; it always amused her how red the blonde could get every time she began to take on more than she could handle, but something about the way Peyton's extensive vocabulary and knowledge of public education had started seeping through told Brooke that if she decided to file a report against Ms. Linch, not only would the superintendent listen, but he'd take immediate action.
"That doesn't matter, Lucas," Brooke sighed, touching him softly on the arm before turning back to Peyton. Rubbing her best friend's thigh comfortingly, she gave her another smile. "Peyton, do you know how many people badmouth me behind my back?" Peyton grimaced, the thought too unpleasant to think about. "If it's not bothering me, it shouldn't bother you either. It's not worth it."
"I just don't understand how you can be so calm about it," Peyton muttered.
"Neither can I," Lucas agreed.
"What can I say?" Brooke beamed at the two of them. "I'm an optimist."
"More like delusional," Peyton shook her head, earning herself a smile from Lucas.