I step out of Brooke's baby blue Volkswagen and I stop. I can't believe I am dressed this way and I can't believe that I just arrived here, at school, with Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis -- the two most popular girls at school. My blonde hair is curled loosely over my shoulders and I am wearing some creation Brooke assembled from her closet. It's a long sleeve low cut cobalt blue top, skin tight jeans, black pumps and a gorgeous black beaded necklace. I look amazing, but I was more nervous then I had ever been in my life. I didn't belong with ….
"Tutorgirl, snap out of it," Brooke snapped. "You look great and you're welcome."
"Brooke I can't do this," I mutter as I turn back towards the car.
"Well it's a good thing you don't have to 'do' anything except go to class and do whatever it is tutor girls do and then eat with me at lunch."
I can only nod. It's not that I am any more excited about school or the prospect of lunch, but I can see Brooke is really trying and I need to give her a chance -- a real one.
I can't take it anymore. I just can't cope with it all and so instead of meeting Brook and friends for lunch I have fled to the only place I can find comfort -- the library.
"Hey Brooke." Her head snapped up quickly. "Do you know where Haley is?"
I had been concerned about Haley's new relationship with Brooke, not for Haley's sake, but Brookes. Sometimes Haley isn't very accepting of others, but it seemed that their night went well and that they had found some sort of middle ground and I was pleased. I only wish I knew where she was.
"No, she was supposed to eat lunch with me today, but she appears to have bailed and I figured she was with you."
"Well she's not so I would assume the tutoring center or the library."
"Let me come with you. I want to talk with her about why she isn't flaunting that pretty but of hers around the cafeteria right now."
I couldn't help but smile. She was beautiful, but more then that she was sweet and seemed to really care about my best friend.
"Luke, quit staring."
I began to blush.
"Let's go loverboy"
Ten minutes and one trip to the tutoring center later we had spotted Haley curled up in the corner of the library with a book, I could tell she was upset and I knew we should have a game plan before we approached, but as I turned to Brooke, she was already making her way over to Haley. I followed.
"He girlie, what's with the long face?"
Haley looked up. "I'm fine it's just been a bad day that's all."
"How can you have a bad day looking like that?"
I could tell that was the wrong question because her eyes began to water and Brooke reached out to wrap her arms around her.
"They were just so nice all day. People I never knew they talked to me and boys flirted. They were all staring at me and I was nervous and I just can't believe it but she was right I mean I don't belong. I'm just Haley James and people should like me and not the way I look but they don't. I mean I haven't changed who I am. Have I?"
I hadn't followed a thing she had just said, but it seemed Brooke did because all she asked was "who is she?"
"Well it was Rachel, but you can't be mad at her I mean she was right."
Haley was cut off by Brooke's angry voice. "See that is where you are wrong."
She pulled Haley up and stomped towards the door expecting us to follow and follow we did. "Rachel isn't right Haley, she is jealous and I am going to fix this right now."
As Brooke stomped ahead of me towards the lunch room I was almost afraid of what she was going to do on my behalf. Though I didn't agree with how Rachel said what she did, I definitely thought she was right. This wasn't who I was or rather who I am and I had no right to pretend. I was startled out of those thoughts by Brookes yelling.
"Rach - hoe," Brooke screamed as she approached her usual lunch table. "Stand up."
"No." I knew Rachel had given the wrong answer.
"Well you see I have a problem with that answer." Brooke smiled. "Are you planning on apologizing to my friend Haley here for your jealousy because honestly she isn't the imposter, you are."
Everyone was staring at us and the entire cafeteria had gone quiet.
"So you're going to defend little miss nerd instead of me -- your friend."
"You see Rachel, that is where you are wrong. You aren't my friend, hell I don't even like you."
"Brooke don't give me this shit. What did she pay you to be your friend, is this a bet or am I on some hidden camera show." Turning to me she started again. "I mean there has to be an explanation why you, Brooke Davis, would hang out with this." She pointed her finger up and down my body and then she began to smile. "Oh I remember -- it's a school project." She turned to Brooke. "Brooke sweetheart I'm sure you will do fine, I mean you didn't have to take it this far."
This was the second time Rachel had almost mad me cry. I couldn't take this, but this time it was my own fault. I had forgotten for a second that these weren't my friends and Brooke was only doing this because she had to.
"Don't you dare make this sound like she is some charity case you understand Rachel." Brooke was glaring furiously in her direction. "She is ten times the person you will ever be and I am glad that I am getting to know her. Yes, it was a project that brought us together, but I think it's our friendship that's going to keep us this way."
Brooke turned towards me as if she was going to leave when she spun back.
"Oh and another thing, I don't think that whole you and the cheerleading squad is working out. You just don't exemplify school spirit. Class bitch on the other hand -- baby you got that in the bag."
Then we left.
Out in the hallway I was speechless. No girl had ever defended me the was that Brooke had. Scratch that. No girl had ever defended me period. I didn't know how to thank her so instead I turned to her and hugged her as hard as I could.
"Thank you," I said.
Pulling away she smiled. "Don't thank me yet because you know that cheerleader I just lost." My smile faded. "Well you are it."