Chapter Three

Julian had messed up… well it wasn't really his fault, but he felt bad. How was he supposed to know that Alex was going to attack him like she did? The only thing he could think of doing after trying to catch Brooke was to find Alex and tell her not to do that again, ever.

He had to make his was through the crowded club to find the girl that messed up a really good night.

"Alex!" Julian had to shout for Alex to hear him.

She turned and smiled, hoping to Julian was there for a good reason. "Hey Julian… What's up?"

He disregarded her question, "I don't want to be mean to you, but I have no interest in you at all. Can you just leave me alone." He really didn't want to be mean, he just had to get his point across and he didn't want to start a conversation. Just a statement and leave her with that.

She laughed, "Julian you are so funny!"

"No Alex, I mean it!' With that statement he walked away leaving Alex watching him.

"I need to talk to Nathan" Julian said under his breath.

After walking around that club he felt like 5 times, he found Nathan dancing with Haley. He first thought, why are they dancing together. They never do that. But after he remembered why he was finding Nathan in the first place, he got is attention.

"Dude! Brooke left and I couldn't catch her and I don't know what to do!" Julian said.

Nathan was taken back by the appearance of his friend. He was kind of bummed that Julian interrupted his dance with Haley, but then he checked back into the conversation with Julian. "Slow down. What happened?"

"Well we were dancing and she had to go to the bathroom and right after she left Alex pretty much attacked me. Right after that Brooke came back because she forgot her purse… and saw what was happening. Then she just left… I should have stopped her but she left before I had a chance to. Do you have any idea where she would go?" Julian really wanted to make this right.

Nathan was immediately pissed at Alex, but that was not important right now. "I am pretty sure I know where she is." Nathan knew exactly where Brooke would go. She is a girl version of him pretty much. The only place he would go would be to the rivercourt and that is exactly where she would be too.

"Where? Should I go get her?" Julian asked franticly

Nathan was really surprised at how flustered Julian was about this.

"No… let me go. She needs to cool down." Nathan said calmly.

Julian understood what Nathan was saying and agreed to let him go. "Just tell Brooke that I want to talk to her."

Nathan shook his head in agreement and said bye to Haley and Julian and went to the place he knew Brooke was.

Brooke was mad. She was mad at Julian, but mostly mad at herself and her whole situation. Why did she have to move? Why was she so attracted to a guy she just met today? Why does other girl make her jealous? Why did this have to happen to her?

She went back to her house to change her clothes and made her way to the river court. The only thing that would help her calm down and think was playing the game she loved. It gave her clarity. Nowhere else could give her this much freedom. She was shooting a three when she had déjà vu.

Nathan caught her rebound after it swished through the net. "Wow you are a creeper. How did you know I was here?" Brooke asked.

Nathan laughed. "Well you only have been here for one day and this is like the only place that you know of besides your house."

He had a point Brooke thought. "Well I guess you heard what happened tonight. I never should have gone with yall. He was only being nice and I thought that it was something else."

"Brooke you don't understand. Alex is a stupid girl. She has tried to get with every guy in school. She is pretty much a walking STD." Nathan explained.

Brooke laughed a little. "And what's your point?"

Nathan motioned to sit down at one of the picnic tables. "Look, you walked in at a bad time. And I totally understand why you would be mad. If someone walked up to Haley and kissed her I would be pissed too." He totally didn't notice that he just said Haley. It kind of slipped. He hoped that Brooke didn't catch it and it seemed like she didn't so he kept talking.

"I think you should really just give Julian a chance to explain. He is one of the best guys I know and he would never do that to someone that he cared for." Nathan tried to reassure her.

Brooke knew that Nathan was right. She didn't even give Julian a chance to explain before she ran out of TRIC. She also noticed what Nathan said about Haley, but that conversation was for another time.

"He really wants to talk to you. To explain mostly." Nathan said.

"Okay, I guess that's fair." Brooke said.

Brooke didn't really want to talk to Julian because she was always kind of nervous around him, but he wanted to explain and she deserved it.

After their talk Brooke challenged Nathan to a game of 21. He was so confident he gave her 5 points to start off with and Brooke didn't need it. She beat him with ease.

"Wow I hope the guys team at school doesn't play like you." Brooke said laughing.

"Whatever Davis! We aren't in season yet." Nathan tried to justify why he lost again to a girl.

"Alright but I might just take your spot at Tree Hill as the best basketball player to ever come out of there."

Nathan laughed. "Whatever you say."

After there game Nathan walked Brooke home. She really wanted to ask Nathan about what he said earlier so she did. "Um you don't have to answer this but you kind of let something slip tonight and I kind of want to know. Are you into Haley?"

Nathan really wanted to scream yes, but he didn't want to seem like some love struck boy. "Well… I was just using that as an example. We are just friends." He said hoping Brooke would believe him.

"Alright buddy. I think yall would be cute though, just sayin." Brooke said turning down her street.

"Well here you are." Nathan said reluctant that she didn't keep asking about Haley.

"Thanks Scott. See you at school tomorrow." Brooke said

"See ya Davis."

Brooke was really nervous about going to a new school and she was nervous about seeing Julian also. What was she going to say? Was she supposed to apologize? Brooke had no idea, but she was walking into the school with her head held high.

Brooke was immediately surprised at the amount of kids in the halls. Her old school was a pretty small school. It was one of the reasons that her dad made her move schools. She was about to ask someone where the office was, but someone yelling her name cut her off.

"Brooke!" Someone shouted.

Brooke looked around, but didn't know where the voice was coming from. She eventually felt a tap on her shoulder. Haley was standing behind her looking extremely happy to be in school.

"Hey Haley. How's it going?" Brooke asked greeting her new friend.

"Great, so excited to be here." Haley said.

"Why are you excited about school? School sucks." Brooke questioned.

"Well something that you don't know about me is that I love to learn and teach other people. That is why I tutor after school." Haley explained.

"Wow that's cool. You might need to help me. I suck at math."

"Well maybe I can tutor you and Nathan together, he sucks at math too!" Haley said excitedly.

"Alright sounds like a plan."

"Well do you have and questions about Tree Hill? I am here to help you." Haley explained.

"Well I just need to find my class, its in room 237. Can you help me find that?" Brooke asked.

"Oh girl I got you. I know this school like the back of my hand." Haley said.

Brooke followed Haley down a really crowded hallway and looked around everywhere to find the face she was avoiding. She knew she was going to see him, the question was when.