paigematthewsfan21 - I know! I thought I'd change that too. I don't remember seeing that before.
CaseyJr - I just wanted to have Brooke slightly younger and a little more innocent to Haley.
cheerychris - Sorry you had to make an account to subscribe! I'm so flattered that you did though! You just made my day!
OTH-FOQ - That would have been funny!
JustLikeBrookeDavis - Yes Haley will tell Brooke about the lies she told. And yes Karen does see Brooke as a daughter. And yes Karen is more concerned for the girls, but she is also concerned about what people think of Lucas because of Brooke's age.
Diane Hermans, tanya2byour21, The-Chadinator, Brucas2345, BrookeScott, KayyyReneee, JackSawyer99, Raven-Rachel23, Cheery Rose 23, James McLean, Eve G, Ashley J Scott, Beth-J-Matthews, Jen loves Nathan, Holly-Roberts, Alyssia-Owens, MollyCW23, The-Tommynator, Carter-James, The-Tim22, Lee Martin, Jason-Carlton, Danny-Walker, Riley Barnes, John Tate, Nicole-2223 - Thanks for your reviews! I really appreciate it! Enjoy!
"How did you sleep last night?" Brooke asked Haley as they met up at school for lunch on Monday. They hadn't had time for a catch up before class.
"Badly," Haley said as she placed her lunch on the table. "How about you?"
"Terrible," Brooke replied sadly. "I can't believe how much I miss Lucas already."
"I think I know how you feel," Haley confessed. "I feel like that about Nathan."
"You and him were making out at the airport way worse than what me and Lucas were," Brooke said as she kinked her eyebrow. "Right in front of your mom and dad too, you dirty girl."
"I couldn't help it," Haley said as she blushed. "He's such a good kisser."
"Lucas is an amazing kisser. He's even better than I imagined him to be," Brooke said with a happy sigh. "I can't wait until Friday night."
"Brooke I have a confession to make." Haley said as she made a grimacing face. Brooke looked at her intrigued.
"What's that face for?" she asked and then gasped. "Oh my God! You had sex with Nathan didn't you?"
"I came close to it," Haley confessed. "But then I remembered that I'd only just met him. But that's not what I need to tell you."
"Then what is it?" Brooke asked, eager to know what Haley wanted to tell her.
"Nathan is under the impression that I'm the nice innocent one and that you're the slutty one," Haley began. She paused before she added. "My mom and dad have the same impression too."
"What?" Brooke asked shocked. She was that shocked she practically shouted the word. "Why are they under that impression?"
"Well with Nathan, he thinks that because of your little web chats." Haley began to explain.
"Okay I can deal with that one, because they are sexy," Brooke said as she thought back. "But how the hell do your mom and dad have that impression?"
"I kind of told them that." Haley said timidly as Brooke's eyes widened in shock at what she heard.
"Why?" she asked, feeling slightly betrayed that Haley would tell her parents' something that.
"I wasn't exactly honest with you about Skills." Haley said as she cringed again.
"Why? What didn't you tell me?" Brooke demanded.
"I had sex with him again at your house when you were at practice." Haley blurted out in a rush.
"Again? When was that?" Brooke asked with a frown as she tried to remember. "My house? Please tell me it wasn't in my room."
"It was that time when I told you I had a dentist appointment," Haley told her. "And Skills had offered to take me because I didn't have a car. No, it was in the room I usually stay in when I'm at yours. We decided to try again to see if there was a spark that had been doused by first time nerves."
"You mean you lied about that too?" Brooke asked her hazel eyes once again huge. "Haley Joy Scott I don't think I even know you anymore. So what does that have to do with your parents thinking that I'm the hussy?"
"I had a freak out moment a few days later and thought I might have gotten pregnant so I did a test," Haley explained. "Only I knew I didn't have to do one because we were totally safe. I was just having one of those moments that I get you know when I freak out over nothing?"
"I know them too well Haley," Brooke said as she rolled her eyes. "You usually have them at me."
"Well my mom found the used test in the trash can and I panicked and told her that it was yours." Haley continued.
"What did she say?" Brooke asked in a shocked tone as she tried to process what she was being told.
"She said that she wasn't surprised considering your parents are never really there," Haley confessed. "She was glad it was negative."
"Haley! How could you do that?" Brooke asked feeling hurt. "Now your mom thinks I'm some kind of slut who just jumps into bed with random guys, because she knows that I've never had a boyfriend Haley. Did she ask who it was?"
"Yes." Haley said as she cringed.
"And who did you say?" Brooke asked dreading the answer.
"Chase." Haley replied quietly.
"Chase? As in Clean Teen Chase?" Brooke asked as her eyes blazed with anger and hurt. "How could you Haley? I'm supposed to be your best friend. How could you lie about me like that? And to your mom of all people."
"I panicked okay?" Haley told her desperately. "And my mom was giving me that look that she gets. You know the one where you want to confess even when you're not guilty? And I just blurted out the first thing that came into my head."
"Why was that the first thing that came into your head Haley?" Brooke asked, the hurt feeling getting stronger.
"I don't know," Haley answered with a sigh. "Probably because you're the only other girl that's been in my house."
"But I'm not," Brooke told her. "The rest of the squad has been in your house Haley. Why didn't you say Rachel or Bevin? Why did you pick me?" Brooke said as her eyes filled with tears. "What if your mom says something to Lucas? He's gonna think I'm a liar, because I told him I'm a virgin which is the truth."
"I'm sorry Brooke." Haley said feeling bad for what she had said.
"It's a little late for sorry because the damage has already been done. You're going to have to tell her the truth," Brooke said as she looked her directly in the eyes. A few tears escaped as she did. "I'm sorry Haley but I can't cover for you on this one. You're my best friend and I love you but I can't cover for you and take the blame for this."
"Brooke I can't tell her the truth," Haley said with wide eyes. "She'll kill me."
"So it doesn't matter what your mom thinks of me then? It doesn't matter that she thinks I'm a slut and I jump into bed with a guy the first chance I get?" Brooke asked as more tears fell. "God I'm never gonna be able to look your mom in the eye ever again because you lied. Hell she probably thinks that I've already had sex with Lucas. I hadn't even kissed a guy until Saturday, never mind have sex with one."
"Brooke I'm sorry." Haley said pleadingly.
"It's a little late for sorry Haley," Brooke said as she stood from the table. "You either tell your parents the truth, or I will. Now I need some time to myself to try and process what you've done Haley. I'm not gonna be in afternoon classes."
"Brooke!" Haley tried again, but Brooke ignored her as she picked her purse up and headed away from the table. Haley turned her attention back to her now cold lunch and wondered how she was going to get out of the mess she had gotten herself into.
~X~
"Are you okay Haley?" Keith asked his daughter as they sat around the kitchen dining table eating their evening meal. "You're very quiet."
"Yeah I'm fine." she replied even though it was more than obvious she wasn't.
"How come Brooke isn't joining us for dinner?" Karen asked. She had been surprised when she had come home from work and found Haley home alone. Brooke was like a permanent fixture in their house.
"I don't know you'll have to ask her." Haley said in a sad tone.
"Have you two fallen out?" Keith asked shocked. He never thought he'd see the day where Brooke and Haley wouldn't be friend. They had been friends for as long as he could remember and had let nothing come between them before.
"Sort of," Haley told him. She was dreading having to tell her parents, but she didn't want to lose her best friend. "Look I need to tell you both something and you're not going to like it."
"You're not pregnant are you?" Keith asked going pale. Haley shook her head as she took a deep breath.
"Do you remember that time when you found a pregnancy test in the trash and I told you it was Brooke's?" she asked, as her eyes darted between Karen and Keith.
"Yes." Karen replied with a slight frown. Keith knew because Karen had told him everything after she had spoken to Haley.
"Well I lied," Haley confessed. "It was mine."
"What?" Keith almost yelled. "Yours?"
"Yes." Haley said as her eyes filled with tears.
"Are you sure you're not covering for Brooke?" Karen asked surprisingly calm.
"No I'm not mom," Haley said as she wiped at the tears that escaped her eyes. "I told her what I'd done and it hurt her so much."
"She'll get over it Haley," Karen told her softly. "She's probably just embarrassed because of who she slept with."
"But that's just the point mom," Haley said as she cried harder. "Brooke hasn't slept with anybody. She's the virgin. I'm not."
"Oh my God!" Karen gasped as she heard Haley's words.
"Who was it? Was it Nathan?" Keith asked an angry look on his face. "He didn't force you did he?"
"No daddy," she replied sounding like a little girl. "And it wasn't Nathan. God I've only just met him. If you really must know it was Skills."
"Antwon?" Karen asked surprised.
"Is that why he broke up with you?" Keith asked. The anger was still clear to hear in his voice. "He got what he wanted and moved on to his next target."
"It wasn't like that dad," Haley insisted. "I thought I loved him but I didn't. And I realized after I had sex with him that he didn't really make me feel anything so we broke up mutually."
"Why didn't you use protection?" Karen asked dismayed.
"We did mom. I'm on the pill and he used a condom," Haley answered feeling more embarrassed than she had ever felt in her life. "I was having one of those freak out sessions of mine that I get and I managed to convince myself that I was pregnant even thought I know there was no way that I could have been."
"Why didn't you just tell us the truth from the start?" Keith asked her.
"Because I thought that if I did, that you wouldn't see me as your little girl anymore," she replied as she was hit by full on sobs. "I'm so sorry for lying and for what I did. I should have waited. I just hope Brooke can forgive me. And you can."
"Hey don't cry Haley," Karen said as she got out of her seat to comfort her sobbing daughter. Haley wrapped her arms around Karen's waist and held her tightly. "Sssh, it's going to be okay."
"But what if Brooke can't forgive me for what I did?" Haley cried as she pulled out of Karen's arms. "Mom you didn't say anything to Lucas about what I said about Brooke did you?"
"No I haven't." Karen told her.
"Dad? Did you?" Haley asked hoping that he hadn't.
"Not a word." Keith answered.
"Good," Haley said as she wiped her eyes on her napkin. "You know what Brooke was most worried about when I told her about what I'd said? She was worried about what you two would think of her, but mainly she was scared of losing Lucas."
"So Brooke's a virgin?" Karen asked struggling to get her head around the fact Haley had lied to her. Haley nodded. "But the way she acts around Lucas gives a completely different impression."
"That's because she loves him mom and he loves her. He told me that he always has and that he just didn't realize it," Haley told her. "And you've got nothing to worry about where they're concerned either. They're both counting down the days until Brooke is legal before they do anything."
"Are you sure about that?" Keith asked with a frown. "It could just be a cover story."
"Trust me it's not. Brooke is determined to wait until she's legal so that there's no chance of Lucas being kicked out of the army in case the police or anybody found out," Haley told them. "So considering your theory mom on her turning out that way because she doesn't have parents around, I'd say that's not true wouldn't you?"
"I feel so bad for thinking that way about her," Karen said as she thought. "She's really waiting until she's legal before she does anything like that with Lucas?"
"Yes mom she is," Haley told her. "And I admire her for that. You know just how long she's wanted Lucas. You both do. You'd think that the first time he showed some kind of interest in her that way that she would be forcing him into bed with her, but she's not. She has willpower that I could only ever dream of having."
"I think we need to get Brooke over here and give her a huge apology," Keith said. "Because I have sort of treated her a little different because I thought she was corrupting you. But it turns out it's the other way round."
"I'll go and call her and see if she'll talk to me." Haley said as she got up from the table to go and get her cell phone.
~X~
"Lucas I don't know what to do," Brooke said as the tears fell down her face. "Promise me you won't tell Haley I told you this."
"Hey Pretty Girl don't cry," Lucas said as he saw her tearstained face on the web cam. "Look Haley will do the right thing and tell my parents the truth. And she'll do that because she'd rather face the wrath of them than lose her amazing best friend."
"Really? You think so?" Brooke asked hopefully.
"I know so," he told her with a smile. "Anybody who knows you Brooke would face anything like that so they won't lose you, because you are amazing. And please don't cry Pretty Girl. It kills me because I can't hold you."
"I'm sorry Lucas," Brooke said as she sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "It's just Haley and I have never really fought about anything before."
"You'll get through this okay Brooke?" Lucas told her, as he gave her a warm smile. "And you'll be the best of friends again before you know it."
"I love you Lucas," Brooke said suddenly. Lucas was momentarily stunned, but in a good way. He couldn't stop the huge smile that broke out on his face. "I'm sorry I didn't say it back yesterday at the airport. I was just a little in awe of the fact that you loved me."
"You're saying it now though," he said still smiling. "That's all that matters. And I still love you Pretty Girl."
"I'm never gonna get tired of you calling me that name," Brooke told him as her cell phone rang. She looked at it and then back at the web cam. "It's Haley."
"Well answer it," Lucas encouraged. "Maybe she's told my mom and dad."
"Hello?" Brooke said as she answered the call.
"I didn't think that you'd pick up when you saw that it was me," Haley said with a weak laugh. "I told them everything. They want you to come over to apologize."
"What do I have to apologize for?" Brooke asked her with a frown. Lucas saw on the camera and couldn't help but think she looked sexy when she did that.
"You won't be the one apologizing Brooke. You'll be the one getting the apology." Haley told her.
"Oh." Brooke replied softly.
"So can you come over?" Haley asked hopefully.
"Yeah," Brooke answered. "I'll be over in half an hour."
"Okay. See you then Brooke." Haley said before she ended the call.
"What did she say?" Lucas asked.
"She wants me to go over for an apology," Brooke said. "I said that I'd be there in half and hour so that means I better log off here. Well once I've said goodbye to you though gorgeous."
~X~
"Hi Brooke, come on in," Keith said as he opened the door. "How come you knocked? You usually just come straight in."
"It didn't feel right after earlier," she said as she walked past him. "Is Haley in her room?"
"Actually we're all round the table. It's not just Haley who needs to apologize to you." Keith told her. Brooke gave him a shocked look before she headed towards the kitchen and Keith followed her. She went in and found Karen and Haley sat at the dining table in there. She sat in an empty chair beside Haley and Keith went and sat beside Karen.
"Haley told us the truth about the whole pregnancy test fiasco," Karen began. "And I believe the three of us owe you an apology Brooke. Haley for lying about you and Keith and I because of how we treated you because of the wrong information we had."
"I have to admit that I treated you differently to what I normally would have because I thought you were leading Haley astray," Keith told her with an apologetic smile. "But it turns out that I was wrong and it was the other way round. I'm sorry Brooke."
"So am I," Karen said, as she realized that she hadn't actually said the word. "I did have a biased opinion on you because of what Haley had told me."
"And I am so sorry for lying about you Brooke," Haley said as she looked at her with pleading eyes. "Can you forgive me?"
"Haley, what you told me that you had said about me really hurt you know?" Brooke began. "If it was something else I don't think I would have minded so much. Like if you broke that vase your mom loves yeah I would have taken the blame for that, but I couldn't do it for this."
"I know and I'm sorry," Haley told her sadly. "I've put it right though. I came clean. And yes I know I should have done it straight away but you know me when I freak out."
"Lucas said that you would do the right thing Hales," Brooke said with a smile. "And he was right."
"You told Lucas?" Haley asked wide eyed. "He's not going to say anything to Nathan is he? I want to tell Nathan myself."
"He won't say a word Haley," Brooke assured her. "You know Lucas always stays true to his promises."
"Yeah he does." Haley said with a faint smile. "So does this mean we're friends again?"
"Hales, we weren't not friends," Brooke told her with a wide smile. "Come and give me a hug."
~X~
"God what's wrong with you?" Nathan asked with a laugh as he came into his and Lucas's room and saw that Lucas had his brooding face on.
"Huh?" Lucas asked as he snapped out of the zoned out state he'd been in. "Nothing why?"
"You were so out of it and you had that broody squinty look on your face." Nathan told him with a grin.
"I don't squint!" Lucas insisted.
"You do," Nathan insisted. "Just ask your girlfriend, I'm sure she'll tell you."
"Brooke thinks I'm gorgeous," Lucas laughed. "She told me so earlier."
"Oh so that will be why you're acting like that," Nathan said with a smirk. "You're missing your woman aren't you?"
"Yeah I am," Lucas answered, remembering his promise to Brooke. "Bet you are too huh?"
"You could say that," Nathan said with a blush. "Is it wrong if I say that your sister is hot?"
"Yes, when I'm within earshot," Lucas replied with a bigger frown. "So don't okay."
"Okay I'll remember that," Nathan said with a slight frown of his own. He could tell something was off with Lucas, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. "But I can't make any promises for when I'm asleep. You of all people know that."
"God I miss Brooke already," Lucas said in a sigh and a frustrated groan. "I just want to have her in my arms again already. But I have four days left to wait and I don't know if I can do it."
"You will," Nathan assured him. "You have willpower. I mean you spent two nights in bed with Brooke and you didn't have sex. That takes willpower."
"Do you have willpower Nathan?" Lucas asked curious.
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked a little guiltily.
"Well when I spent those two nights with Brooke in my arms, you obviously had Haley in yours." Lucas said with a smile.
"Luke, I can assure you that nothing sexual happened between me and Haley this past weekend. All we did was hug and kiss." Nathan told him.
"I have eleven days before I can do more than hug and kiss Brooke," Lucas said with a pained smile. "It's going to be the longest eleven days of my life."
"So her birthday is on the Friday we graduate?" Nathan asked with a frown. "I thought it was the day after."
"No that's when she's doing the beach thing to celebrate," Lucas said as his eyes lit up. "Hey I just realized they'll be coming here for the graduation ceremony. And that'll be on Brooke's birthday. Man my day just got a whole lot better. I wonder what she's gonna wear?"
"Do you want me to leave you alone with your thoughts?" Nathan asked as he raised his eyebrows. Lucas realized he had said the last part out loud.
"No you're good. I'm putting the dirty part of my mind to sleep." Lucas said as he blushed.
"Have you invited Brooke to the graduation ceremony yet?" Nathan asked. Lucas looked at him in alarm.
"No!" he said as he jumped out of his seat. "I need to do that."
"Are you going to walk back to Tree Hill or something? Because it seems like that the way you jumped out of your seat." Nathan said as he laughed.
"I can't remember where I left my cell phone," Lucas said with a frown. "I had it when I was getting changed and then I was over here then I went over here."
Nathan watched in amusement as Lucas went around the room and retraced his steps. He mumbled to himself as he did. Lucas eventually phoned his phone. It had been right beside where he had been sat. Nathan laughed hard at the look on Lucas's face and Lucas shook his head as he dialed.
~X~
"Haley! Lucas just invited me to his graduation ceremony!" Brooke squealed as she came back into Haley's room after finishing on the phone with Lucas. "Has Nathan invited you?"
"Yeah, he invited me on Saturday night, in between kisses." Haley replied.
"You know what this means right?" Brooke squealed excitedly.
"Uh, road trip?" Haley asked with a slight frown.
"No! Shopping!" Brooke replied. "Oh wait! I can wear that red dress I bought the other week. Oh and I have the perfect set of underwear to go with it. Because you do know it's on my birthday right? And I'll be legal!"
"Oh god!" Haley said as she rolled her eyes. "So you will need to do some shopping; you'll need a trip to the pharmacy for some condoms. Brooke that red dress is stunning but I think it'll be a little over the top for the graduation. That's more suitable for like prom or something."
"You can help me choose said condoms miss non virgin," Brooke said as she frowned. "Like I need convincing to go buy new clothes but you really think that red dress is too much?"
"Yes. I mean we'll have to wear formal, it's just like I said, that dress seems more suitable for prom." Haley told her.
"I can't believe I'm actually getting fashion advice from you. It's usually the other way round," Brooke said with a laugh. "So I need a new dress which will also mean new shoes. And that equals daddy's credit card!"
"So when do you want to go?" Haley asked. "Tomorrow after school?"
"Yes!" Brooke squealed. "Because we both need new outfits for this Hales."
