"Peyton", the young beautiful brunette pouted as she pronounced her best friend's name, "I dare you to show us how you really feel…" she was making her words last as long as possible as she looked over at the two blonde teenagers before her, "to kiss Lucas." Her eyebrows raised in a way that showed she knew she was being spiteful, the way she sipped her drink and slurred showed that she didn't care.
The female blonde glared back at Brooke Davis in an embarrassed and affronted manner, but Peyton Sawyer was never one to give in. She gripped either side of the blonde male's face and kissed him as tightly and meaningfully as she dared to in front of all of their friends. Lucas Scott was surprised, but even this kiss under such odd circumstances felt so right that he had no intention of stopping it. Even when Peyton pulled away he held her wrist to stop her from storming off. It was clear that she was embarrassed, but he wanted her to know that she had no reason to be; he was there, it was going to be ok.
"Well then", Brooke scoffed, "Seeing as Lucas and Peyton are up for playing games, how about we all do it?"
"I love games!" a brunette, ever 'friendly' cheerleader named Theresa squealed. Brooke smiled briefly, she was too focused on being conniving to really enjoy light-hearted fun games with her cheer teammates, and Tree Hill High's basketball players.
"Awesome, let's go upstairs", Brooke's eyes never left the blonde teens she had just made kiss until she turned to lead the way, her deep red halter-neck dress swishing with her decisive movement.
Theresa, Lucas, and Peyton followed Brooke. The latter two were more apprehensive than the former, Lucas showed this by maintaining his grip upon Peyton's slim wrist. The four were also joined by other cheerleaders, and basketball players, including Nathan Scott and his dim-witted, pathetically attached best friend, Tim. Nathan Scott was Lucas' dark-haired half-brother through their father. The party was being held at his house, and Lucas had only received an invite as an ending to Nathan's cruel plan to bully his brother off the basketball team. He was also Peyton's recently ex-boyfriend…
As they walked through the house, from the backyard to the staircase, Brooke spotted a girl with light brown hair who, in both clothing and facial expression looked very out of place at the party.
"Tutor girl!" Brooke slurred, "I have no idea why you're here, but you should totally come play with us."
Peyton, Lucas and Nathan looked towards the girl who clearly was struggling to form a sentence. They wanted to save her, but didn't quite know how to.
"Brooke…i-it's fine," the brunette stammered uncomfortably, "I was just dropping cakes off…I'm leaving."
"Nooo," Brooke whined, "You need to stay! This game is going to get you everything you want." She reached an arm out and pulled the girl's hand to go with the group. She lagged behind Brooke enough that Lucas, her best friend since childhood, could lean in and whisper in her ear, "It's ok Hales, Brooke's just…"
"Being Brooke?" Haley questioned her best friend in equally hushed tones, "You forget I spent all that time in the car with intoxicated Brooke."
"Yeah, but this intoxicated Brooke is in bitch mode," Lucas whispered back with warning attached to his caring tone, before the group was brought to a halt in the hallway of the first floor of the house.
Brooke span around and faced her friends, dragging Haley next to her.
"Our next game is seven minutes in heaven," Brooke announced to gasps and eye rolls, "I'll announce the couples here in the hallway, and then each pair can pick a bedroom," she gestured to the doors on either side of the hall.
"Brooke," Nathan warned, "You can't have sex in my parents' bed."
"Watch me Nathan," she challenged fiercely, her eyes narrowed, "Or join me?" she offered with a giggle. He sighed in defeat, and tried to catch Peyton's eye to get her to calm her best friend down, though he knew their relationship had been rocked by kissing Lucas. No one wanted an argument, and most of the group were up for playing the game, but a level of appropriateness needed to be reached.
"How about you make 3 couples? One for each guest room. That's about half an hour of playing then we can all move on, yeah?" Nathan suggested, and looked at the group, his eyes telling them all to nod in agreement, which they did.
"Urgh. Fine." Brooke huffed. "Peyton, you're with Lucas, Tutor Girl you're with Nathan, Theresa you're with Tim, and the rest of you boys are welcome back to my place as soon as these losers are finished." She paused for effect, and to see who would challenge her, no one looked comfortable enough to do so. "Well off you all go then!" She ushered them out of the way.
Tim and Theresa left happily enough, Tim in particular looked like he'd hit the jackpot. Haley on the other hand looked terrified, while Nathan was apprehensive as were Lucas and Peyton. Both Scotts put a protective arm around their respective partners and led them into rooms on opposite sides of the hallway, at the end furthest from where Brooke was stood with the remaining basketball players, a devilish grin on her face. Once all three doors were shut behind the couples, she called out, "Your time starts now! I'll knock when it ends."