Under The Covers
By: TracyCook
Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of One Tree Hill.
Couple: Haley/Brooke
Rating: M
Chapter Two
Dutch Courage
Peyton once again checked on her best friend who was sleeping in her bed, her head buried in the pillows. She was confused about the previous night and Brooke's actions. She had not even known that she was close to the tutor, and yet they had indulged in a heated make out session in front of everyone, before Haley walked out on her own bachelorette party.
That in and of itself wasn't actually all too surprising, Brooke had made out with multiple girls while drunk, including herself, but it was what proceeded the making out that was baffling. Brooke had continued to drink the night away, rambling on all evening about how she had screwed things up with Haley, and how Peyton shouldn't have interrupted them because she would never have another chance to kiss the sexy tutor. Amongst other detailed fantasies. It was almost as if Brooke actually had feelings for Haley.
That was the confusing part.
The last thing that Peyton could recall was losing her best friend because she had gotten in between Brooke and Lucas, and Brooke was so in love with him. So, how now, could she be in love with his best friend? It didn't make any sense. Brooke had never been interested in women, and she had never been particularly nice to Haley either.
As the night continued things had only gotten more insane. Brooke had found out that she had been cut off of her family's money, and was now apparently poor. Brooke Davis and poor were not words usually associated with one another. It was like in one night everything that she had known about her best friend had been flipped upside down and she didn't even know the girl lying in front of her. In fact the only thing that remained normal about her was the situation itself, another drunken night.
"Aggh." Brooke groaned out, her head throbbing painfully as she rolled over in the familiar bed. She often found herself in Peyton's bed after nights of partying and drinking with a hangover and a loss of memory. Rolling over on her back she squinted her hazel eyes at her blonde best friend who was laughing at her. "What happened?"
"Haley's bachelorette party is what happened."
Closing her eyes she pushed herself up into a sitting position, placing a hand to her aching forehead as she tried to recall what had happened. She could remember Haley walking out, and she could remember finding out that she was no longer rich, but she could not remember what she had done to cause the tutor to leave. "God, what did I do this time?"
"First, drink this." Peyton told her, handing her a glass of the concoction that was supposed to cure a hangover. "It's disgusting but it will make you feel better, and I think you're gonna need it before I tell you what you did."
Brooke let out a whine as she heard this; she did not want to know what she had done to yet again embarrass herself in front of the woman she had feelings for. They were ridiculous, and selfish, but strong, and anytime that you mixed alcohol with strong feelings something bad was bound to happen.
Taking the drink she downed it quickly before gagging. "Oh shit, that tastes like ass P. Sawyer."
Peyton laughed at Brooke's disgust and nodded her head, before taking a seat on the bed beside her friend. Resting her head back on the headboard. "Yeah, but you feel better, huh?"
"A little." She muttered a pout on her lips. Turning she looked into Peyton's eyes with worried hazel and asked. "So, what did I do?"
"First, I have a question you gotta answer."
"Okay?" She raised a brow.
Peyton bit down on her bottom lip and looked away from curious eyes as she tried to figure out how she should word this, she wanted to be sensitive to Brooke's feelings, but she didn't want her to make a joke out of it like she always did. The diva had a tendency of turning things around when she got defensive and protective of her secrets. "How do you feel about Haley?"
Brooke quickly refocused her eyes on the glass in front of her, playing with it nervously. She had not been expecting that question and she did not know how to answer it either. "I—uh, I mean I guess she's cool. I mean, I can't believe that she got married in high school, and I still think she's pregnant, but yeah, she's cool."
"That's not exactly what I meant."
Taking in a breath she turned her attention back to Peyton, biting down on her bottom lip and pleading with the blonde to explain. "Please, just tell me what I did P. Sawyer."
Turning to meet hazel eyes with green she told her. "You kinda kissed her, and not just like a friendly kiss either. You pretty much hardcore went to town on the poor girl."
Brooke let out another loud groan of annoyance with herself as she sunk back into the covers and pulled a pillow over her head. "Peyton, do me the favor and suffocate me?" Peyton just laughed at this, taking the pillow away from her best friend and throwing it to the foot of the bed. Brooke rolled over and buried her face in the other pillows.
"I'm not gonna kill ya Brooke, but Nathan might, when he finds out you pretty much molested his wife. I mean seriously, nice goin', way to be a complete bitch and get between their relationship again."
"Thanks." She muttered out into the pillow.
"No problem." Peyton laughed, slapping her friend on the ass. "The thing is, you usually aren't such a bitch unless you have a crush on someone. So which one is it?"
Brooke looked up at her from the bed. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, is it Haley or Nathan that you're into?"
The brunette sat up quickly and stared at her best friend as if she had grown an extra limb. It wasn't that her accusation was not true; it was just that she had not expected to be called out on it. But, the more that she thought about it the more she realized it was her fault; you can't just kiss someone and then expect people to not assume you have feelings for them. 'Oh god… what does Haley think right now…?' "I don't have feelings for either of them."
"Then who is it? 'Cause you don't act like this unless you've got feelings for someone, and it wasn't Lucas you were makin' out with."
"Peyton…" Her voice trailed off.
"Look, Brooke, you can trust me. I know I did some shitty things, but you're still my best friend and I want to help you out. Plus it would kinda help me understand why you were such a major bitch to Haley."
She looked away from those curious eyes and bit down on her bottom lip as she thought about it, she knew that it would feel better to tell someone about these feelings that had been building, but could she really trust Peyton? She knew that she could. "Okay, fine, but first I just want to clear the air that I did not set up this bachelorette party with any bitchy intentions."
"Good, 'cause that would be pretty fucked up."
Taking a moment to collect herself, Brooke finally admitted it aloud. "It's Haley."
Peyton's eyes widened at this admittance. She had been expecting it, but it was still shocking. As long as she had known Brooke she was the woman who slept with any hot guy who gave her attention, and now she was telling her that she had a crush on the girl who she wasn't even friends with?
Brooke sucked in her cheeks and squinted her eyes at her best friend. "Don't look so surprised goldilocks, how about you be supportive?"
"I'm sorry Brooke, it's just, really?"
"Yeah." She whispered out.
"How? I mean, you aren't even friends with the poor girl. You've teased her from day one—oh don't tell me that was some kinda sick coping mechanism like a grade-schooler would use!"
"Come on Peyton!" Brooke whined. "Stop teasing me, I could really use a friend right about now."
"Okay, so then explain it to me. Is this thing like just lust or are there actual feelings there, because you are aware that she is married right? Not to mention you aren't exactly her favorite person in the world. Hell, she told Lucas not to date ya."
"Again, thanks." Brooke paused and then decided to attempt an explanation. "I don't know how it happened, or really when it happened, I guess I always kind of watched her. She is just so different from everyone else at our school, and she is beautiful, and talented, and I don't know." She slapped Peyton when she realized she was laughing. "I just really like her, okay?"
"I get it, you like her. But I think this is one of those instances it will be better if you just, you know, back off."
"I don't know if I can Peyton." It was the truth, these feelings were stronger than they were when she liked Lucas, and those feelings had nearly killed her. She didn't think she could give up without a fight for Haley.
"It's your funeral when Nate finds out." She paused. "I can't force you to back off, but they love each other and I don't think they deserve this."
"This coming from you." Brooke spat back angrily. Her frustration was with the situation though, not with her best friend betraying her and ruining her last relationship. "Okay, I'll back off, but first I need to know…"
"Need ta know what?"
Hazel eyes met green and her voice quavered as she asked the question she had been dying to ask the entire time, knowing that the answer could either make her day or destroy her. "Did she kiss me back?" Her voice cracked and was so soft that it was difficult for even her to hear it.
"Huh?"
"When I kissed her, did she kiss me back?"
"Yeah, she kissed you back Brooke, but I just think maybe it was the heat of the moment or somethin'..."
Brooke chewed on her lip as she contemplated her words, but she was already set in her mind. The first thing that she needed to do was apologize to Haley, then she would befriend her, and then she would see if she had feelings in return. She felt terrible for forcing herself on the tutor though, and she refused to ever push her again, the next kiss that would be initiated between the two would have to be initiated by Haley. "I'm going to fight for her Peyton."
Peyton laughed. "In that case good luck, you're gonna need it."
"What do you mean by that, missy. I can get anyone that I want!"
"Try tellin' that to Haley. I wouldn't be shocked if she never talks to you again after the way you practically forced yourself on her."
"Was I really that bad?" Brooke whined, her eyebrows knitting together as she looked to the blonde.
"You have to ask?"
O
Authors Note:
Thank you all for the reviews; you encouraged me to add another chapter tonight! :) The same rules will apply for tomorrow. If I get enough reviews I will add another chapter!
Regardless, I am glad that you are all enjoying my story and I do hope that you continue to like it!
Thank you for reading!
-Tracy Cook