A/N: I own everything except the OTH characters and Tree Hill

Brooke POV

The heat was unbearable. I could feel my skin burning despite the huge umbrella we were sitting under. The heat wave had been non-stop for two weeks now, without any signs of cooling down. The quickest to get to cool down straight from school was the new Slurpy's Smoothies, but it seemed like the entire student body of Tree Hill High had had the same idea because there was barely anyone around who I didn't recognise.

Slurpy's had opened a couple of months ago and was already the new and exclusive place to go for kids our age. On days like this where it was as hot as it was, the ice cream and smoothie parlour was packed, and it was certain you'd have to wait around for a table. There was only one table that was permanently reserved, the best table situated outside under the shade of the palm tree. It was kept open for the kids at the top of the social ladder in Tree Hill, the basketball players, and the cheerleaders and their respective partners. Now at this point, you're probably thinking how cheesy and American this has just gotten, or maybe you're thinking how unfair that was to everyone else, to have to wait around for a table. But you have to understand, in the small town that Tree Hill was, nobody had ever questioned it. These kids, were the children of the most upper class and richer residents of Tree Hill, and their parents practically owned all the businesses in the town.

The drinks were being passed down around the circular table to get to their owner. My strawberry special shake was placed in front of me and I shoved the straw into my mouth as fast as I could. Not enough of the icy goodness was coming up the straw fast enough so I moved the straw aside and drank straight out the glass. The icy frothy liquid was like heaven, and I felt my body cooling down. I finally set my drink down again and leaned back in my chair to see everyone else pre-occupied in their drinks.

The table under the palm trees, our table, was the only round table so I could see everybody perfectly. I was there with some of my best friends, people I had known since before I could walk.

I looked opposite me to see my best friend Peyton, sipping her ice tea with extra ice, forming her lips in an "o" shape to make sure she didn't smudge her lipstick, while every so often taking a short break to lick her lips seductively. I followed her gaze and scoffed to see out of all people who her behaviour was aimed at. Felix smirked at her and winked, and I rolled my eyes.

Uggh—Felix. I hated him with every fibre in my body and I had no idea why and what he was even doing her. Actually I did know why he was here, and it was all my Mothers fault.

You see my Father was going over negotiations with Felix's father for a very important business deal, to merge out two companies together, and they seemed to have concocted a ridiculous plan that getting me and Paul together would keep the business in the family. After graduation they wanted us to get engaged and go to Yale together. My mother had said it like it was no big deal. She told me Felix was a decent and sweet kid and had no idea why I was making such a fuss! Decent? Sweet? Nice kid? My ass. There was no way I would ever end up being Mrs Felix Taggaro, and the only way that would force me to live with Felix at Yale was if they dragged me kicking and screaming.

Now you see, Felix may appear to be decent and sweet and charming in front of my parents, but me to he would always be arrogant, self-loving, pushy and too conceited for his own good. But unfortunately, nobody but me could see the real him. Even when my Mother suggested it in front of Felix that he 'accompany' me to Slurpy's after school, I could hardly say no, knowing she wasn't actually asking my permission. I stopped myself saying anything rude to him, even when he said 'I would be delighted' in that totally fake British twang of an accent. I was hoping to ditch him when my Mother wasn't around, but he wasn't taking no for an answer. I was hoping my friends would all object to a 'newbie' joining us after school, a time when it was usually our gang sans partners would hang out unless they were already in the group, but to my annoyance they were all cool about it, even Peyton who for some strange reason thought he was God's gift to this earth, and was actually 'jealous' of me, so it wasn't even like I could complain about my misfortune to her.

Alex tied her hair back into a sloppy ponytail, and whined, "I can't stand it! I feel like I have no energy!" She rested her head on the edge of the table and sighed.

"Tell me about it! If it's still this hot tomorrow, I have no idea how I'm gonna be able to play," Chase said agreeing with her.

Lucas, my favourite cousin, and also captain of the basketball team, pushed his sunglasses onto his head, looking like the only one of us not affected by the heat.

"If you all took my advice and trained twice as hard, and drank six litres of water a day, like I told you, you would all be fine," he said.

The answer to this was a collection of moans from us all.

Lucas was unfazed. "Look, tomorrow is a game we can't afford to lose. Make fun now, but you will all be complaining when NC Prep beat us"

Technically, he was right. Even though he worked the team hard, it was always worth it.

"At least we have the masquerade party afterwards, focus on that," I said trying to help motivate the guys.

Everybody nodded in agreement. The game was one we couldn't lose, we were playing against North Carolina Prep, our ultimate rivals, in the gym and out. From the time I started High School, there had always been some sort of residing issue between our freshman class at Tree Hill High, and theirs at North Carolina Prep, and it had seen to have followed us all the way to our senior year.

We decided to have a masquerade ball a little over two weeks ago. Every senior class gets six school dances throughout the year. It was approaching the end of year and we still had three dances left. Uncoincidently it was my circle of friends who were on the committee for organising such events, I know you're probably thinking again, 'here's another thing that's not fair' but it has always been like this, so nobody questioned it. We thought we could make it our victory party for after the game. Us girls wanted something different from our usual parties taken over by alcohol and sex, and opted for a school sponsored dance. It had been a big hit with all the parents and teachers on the school board, and funding wasn't a problem since we had leftover money from the carwash last month and had all decided to rent the hot new club, The Garage, for the night.

My comment seemed to wake everyone up as we all started discussing the night. We stopped when Lucas stood up, "Ok its nearly five, we need to go on a run round the beach."

The boys were groaning, but started getting ready to leave all the same. Lucas ran a tough training schedule, and it seemed to be getting tougher the games that were played with NC Prep. It was pretty funny watching them complain, Lucas looked up at me.

"I don't know why you're all smirking , you're coming too! Our cheerleaders need to be full of energy too!"

Well, that certainly wiped the smiles off our faces, but still nobody argued since we all knew he was right.

Alex turned and said with a smile, "Yeah yeah, just keep your eye on the ball and after that, I promise it will all be worth it." She winked suggestively at Chase. They had been going out for over a couple of weeks now and they were still in that honeymoon faze, constantly at each other's side and being all lovey dovey. We were all getting pretty sick of it, considering none of us had really dated within the group before, and it gave the gang a new dynamic.

I was about to pick up and stuff to head over to the beach when a shadow fell over me. I knew who it was before the figure opened their mouth to speak.

"Well well, don't you think it's a little pointless to be planning a victory party?"

Rachel Gatina. She was the head cheerleader of Compton Academy, and basically a total bitch. I can't believe Lucas ever went out with her. I turned to see her standing there with the cheerleaders and basketball players of her school either side of her. What was weird was that they were basically us, but except in another school. Next to her was Jake Jagielski. He was captain of their basketball team. He stepped forward and stood closer to Lucas.

"Whether you like it or not, we're gonna win."

Jake was one of the few people that could get under Lucas's skin. What I think scares him the most is that they're very much the same. Before they started hating each other, they had gotten on well.

Lucas stood up to face Ben directly, "I wouldn't bet on that."

There was something wrong with this image, the NC Prep team were all smiling, a little too cockily.

Jake smirked. "Actually I would, seeming as we have a secret weapon."

Lucas made it seem like it didn't bother him, "I don't know if that's going to help you." I knew Lucas well enough to know from the look on his face he was getting tenser and tenser.

Jake took a step back from Lucas as if he were about to leave. "Lucas,Lucas, Lucas, you know you're going to lose, you know why?"

I don't think this was one of those questions that was meant to be answered. Everyone fell silent, holding their breaths and for some reason, there appeared to be a horrible look in Jake's eyes.

Jake turned and began walking away, then stopped and turned back to face us again. Dramatic much? I doubted anything he said would be able to push Lucas over the edge.

"Because Nathan Scott is back."

Ok, yeah well that would do it.

A/N: Ok, so I know so far it sounds pretty out there and very AU, but I promise it does get better and less cheesy, it just had to be a great big cheese-fest to get into the frame of mind of how the town works, and how they work as a group. I promise Jake won't be the bad guy, but it had to be done, for this chapter. Also Haley, and everyone will come into it, don't worry!

A/N Please read and review.!