Friends and Lovers

Chapter 4

Friday, November 10th

The next night Brooke waited at Peyton's for Julian to pick them up. She wondered why Julian was doing this, after all Lucas's party had to be the last place he wanted to be. Probably because Peyton was going, she guessed. Brooke fiddled with her costume and waited for Peyton.. She wondered what had made her decide to go up as Cinderella, but that's what she had chosen. She looked down at her poofy ball-gown and delicate silver slippers so shiny they looked like they were made of glass.

"Wow, Brooke, you look great." Peyton told her when she came downstairs.

"So do you, Peyton, so should I say Leia?"

Peyton looked down at her Princess Leia costume and sighed. "I wanted Romeo and Juliet, he wanted Leia and Han, so we put three slips of paper in a hat and chose."

"What was the third?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Marc Anthony and Cleopatra." Peyton answered.

"Lucas must have been happy." Brooke said. "After all, the other two possibilities included him either wearing tights or a skirt."

Peyton smiled. "Yeah."

Just then the door rang and Peyton answered.

"Julian!" She exclaimed. "You look great!"

Brooke looked at Julian and had to agree. He was dressed as James Dean and looked really HOT!.

"Peyton, Leia?" Julain asked in surprise. "You can't even sit through the movie!"

"Don't remind me." Peyton said. "I feel weird enough as it is with this hairdo."

"Then why the costume?" Julian asked. Brooke groaned, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"Lucas won the draw." Peyton said making a face.

Julian was quiet. "Ah. Well, let's go." He turned and walked out to the SUV with the girls following behind him.

Peyton kept on darting looks at Julian as they drove. What was wrong with him? All of a sudden he was acting so strange. It couldn't be jealousy still, after all she had gone out of her way to make sure she and Julian spent time together, so what could be bothering him?

That question was still bugging her when they got to Lucas's. Peyton watched Julian and Brooke as they got out of the car. Julina looked unhappy and tense, while Brooke looked worried about something. Peyton wondered if they were hiding something from her and if so, what?

When they walked inside Peyton winced. "I hate this kind of music." She muttered. Rap was not something you would catch Peyton Listening to. Julian smiled and leaned over to whisper in her ear. "What did you expect, The Cure?"

Peyton laughed, feeling glad that she and Julian were just laughing and having fun talking to one another. Suddenly she saw Julian tense and she looked up to see Lucas. She rolled her eyes, wondering if the two of them would ever get along and walked over to Lucas.

"I missed you." He told her, kissing her lightly.

"Lucas, you only saw me at school!" Peyton said with a shake of her head.

Lucas hugged her tight. "So?" He teased. "Aren't I allowed to miss you?"

"Let me think about it." Peyton said, pretending to deliberate. "Yeah, you can miss me."

Suddenly the music changed and a slow song came on.

"Dance with me?" Lucas asked her softly. Peyton wordlessly held out her hand for him to lead her on to the dance floor.

There's some things we don't talk about
rather do without
and just hold the smile
falling in and out of love
ashamed and proud of
together all the while

Julian watched as 'Princess Leia' lay her head on 'Han Solo's' shoulder and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. It didn't seem fair. He was the one that should be holding Peyton in his arms. He should be the one who was dressed up in a coupleishy costume with her. But he wasn't. Lucas was. Julian sighed, knowing that no matter how unfair it was, Peyton saw him as her Luke, not her Han.

You can never say never
why we dont know when
time and time again
younger now than we were before

Knowing he would go insane if he watched Lucas and Peyton for a moment longer, Julian turned to Brooke. "Do you want to dance?"

Don't let me go
Don't let me go
Don't let me go

Peyton looked up into Lucas's eyes and was warmed by what she saw there. When he had first asked her out she was afraid that she would be another one of the girls he just used and then threw away, but she had realized that wasn't true. She could see it in his eyes, had been able to see it since their first kiss. What they shared was real. She knew from the promise in his eyes that what they shared was different than all his other relationships. It was real.

Picture you're the queen of everything
as far as the eye can see
under your command
I will be your guardian
when all is crumbling
steady your hand

Brooke looked up at Julian, trying to fight the delight that was swimming inside of her because she was finally in his arms. Sure, it was only one dance, but it was a step. She looked over at Peyton and Lucas and saw how preoccupied they looked. They only had eyes for one another.

She looked at Julian, glad that his back was to Peyton and Lucas, because she knew it would really hurt him.

You can never say never
why we dont know when
time, time and time again
younger now then we were before

Still, a part of her wished that he could see it so that maybe he would realize how hopeless his feelings for Peyton were.

Just like yours? A voice inside her head asked. Brooke closed her eyes, trying to deny it.

But it was true. Just like Peyton would never think of Julian in that way, he would never think of her in that way.

She had only lived in Tree Hill a month, but in that month she had become Julian's friend and confidante. Nothing more.

Don't let me go
Don't let me go
Don't let me go

Lucas tightened his hold on the girl on his arms, amazed that he could feel strongly for her. None of the other girls he had dated had ever really affected him emotionally, but Peyton... She made him feel things he didn't even know it was possible to feel. She had shown him how empty his life had been before she came into it.

Don't let me go
Don't let me go
Don't let me go

As she gazed into his eyes he saw the emotion in her eyes and knew that she cared as deeply for him as he cared for her. Whatever was going on between them was deep and it was real.

We're pulling apart and coming together again and again
We're growing apart but we pull it together, pull it together, together again

Brooke watched the intensity between Lucas and Peyton and wondered what was going on over there. If she had any doubts about how serious they were watching him would get rid of those doubts. They looked as if they were made for one another's arms. She wished that just for one moment Julian would look at her the way Lucas was looking at Peyton. She would give anything for that to happen.

Don't let me go
Don't let me go
Don't let me go

Julian wondered what Brooke was staring at, but he bet he knew.

Peyton. Lucas and Peyton, Just the thought of their names together like that upset him. He didn't want to think of her being with Lucas.

This had to be one big nightmare that he would wake up from any minute.

But if it was, then Brooke would be too. Would you want that? That irritating voice reminded him. Shut up.He told the voice, but it was right. As much as he wanted the Peyton and Lucas scenario to disappear he didn't want Brooke to disappear.

Don't let me go
Don't let me go
Don't let me go

He had only known her a month, but already she had come to mean a lot to him. Next to Peyton she was his best friend, and unlike his relationship with Peyton their relationship with simple, relaxed, carefree. It was Brooke that made the whole Lucas and Peyton thing bearable.

Don't let me go ooooo.

The music ended and the two couples separated. Well, Julian and Brooke separated, Lucas and Peyton just moved off the dance floor. His arm was around her waist as they walked back to Julian and Brooke.

Peyton watched her two friends, hoping that they were beginning to hook up. Julian and Brooke together would be perfect.

"Where are Nathan and Haley?" Brooke asked looking at Lucas, then looking around for the other members of their gang.

"Right here." Haley answered, coming up behind Lucas.

Everyone looked at their outfits.

"Cute." Peyton said.

Haley smiled and held Nathan's hand. They were dressed as Jasmine and Aladdin.

"Nice hair Peyton." Haley said with a grin.

"Don't remind me." Peyton said with a groan. Everyone laughed.

Peyton looked over at Julian and was glad to see that he was lightening up. The sulky expression he had for weeks was gone and he looked like he was actually enjoying himself.

Good, she thought, I would feel guilty for having so much fun if Julian were miserable.


Julian stood on Lucas's terrace thinking about Brooke and the dance they had shared. He had felt something when he held her in his arms, but he didn't know what it meant. If it was a friends thing, or if it was more.

He looked through the glass doors at Brooke who was laughing at something Nathan was saying, then his gaze caught Peyton who was standing next to Lucas talking to some of his basketball teammates.

Julian looked at the two and knew that it was still Peyton he wanted. She was so beautiful, so perfect...

He continued to watch her for a moment then sighed and went back inside.


Lucas watched as Julian reentered the house and instinctively tightened his hold on Peyton's waist.

She didn't seem to notice, she just snuggled closer to him.

Lucas gazed down at her and smiled softly.

She was the most important thing in the world to him and he didn't want to lose her. Not that he actually thought that Julian Baker was much of a threat, but...

He looked down at Peyton's face and realized that he was feeling jealous for nothing.

What he had seen in her eyes earlier had shown him that. They had made a silent promise to one another and nothing could break that.

Not even Julian.


Brooke watched Julian as he made his way over to her.

His eyes never left Peyton.

Brooke sighed.

She had hoped that the dance they had shared had affected him the way it had affected her, but she must have been just dreaming.

She nodded at what Haley was saying, her eyes locked on Julian.

Julian Baker was everything she had ever dreamed of, but... It seemed he was out of reach to her. His heart was elsewhere.

Brooke suppressed a bitter laugh. It didn't seem fair.

She was falling for Julian, who saw her only as a friend, and the girl he loved was in love with someone else. Fate was cruel.

She tore her gaze off Julian and turned to see Lucas. He was also looking at Julian, but the jealousy and unease that had been there for the last month was gone.

I guess he finally realized that he's the only one Peyton wants. Brooke thought sadly, wishing things could be that simply for her and Julian.


Peyton looked around the room, puzzled by what she saw on the faces of the three people closest to her.

Lucas looked peaceful, almost reassured. As if he had been nagged by some secret fear which had been put to rest.

Peyton bit her lip and then looked at Julian.

The tension was back, so was the unhappiness. He looked as if the one thing he wanted in the world had been taken from him.

Peyton's heart ached for her friend as she wondered what was wrong.

Lastly she turned to Brooke, who also looked unhappy. Peyton sensed her friend was on the verge of tears and wondered what had caused them.

She looked back and forth between the three faces and wondered what they knew that she didn't.

What was going on that she didn't understand?