Author- Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookbynature)
Disclaimer- I only own this story. Nothing else...
A/N- Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, as I've said before, I really appreciate them. This chapter's been a long time coming, but it's here now, so enjoy xxx
Play The Game
Play On Other's Weaknesses
"We're winning the Classic this year, I can just sense it!" Brooke squealed as she watched her friend Bevin complete the sequence in perfect timing.
"Yeah but we're a cheerleader down and the classic's next month."
"And that's where this comes in" She raised her eyebrow as she flung a piece of paper in front of the blonde girl who looked a little confused to say the least.
"Team tryouts?"
"We need to find the best girl for the job"
"But it's today"
"So?" Brooke asked impatiently.
"So aren't people going to need more notice?"
"Bevin, this is a post on the squad, people kill for this. Wait fifteen more minutes and observe."
And sure enough, when those gymnasium doors were opened, a flood of girls entered, bringing with them bags and noise and the kind of enthusiasm Brooke loved.
----
"What the hell kind of idea was this?" Peyton muttered, sat behind her desk, ready to make 'cheer-cisions' Bring-It-On style.
Brooke sat, her hands covering her face in order to restrain herself from shouting obscenities at her best friend. Former best friend.
"Smells like teen spirit" Nathan smirked, poking his head round the doors and winking at a very pissed looking Brooke.
She rolled her eyes and covered her face once again, taking sneak peaks at the girl who sat so rigidly next to her.
"So which new hottie is joining the squad? I quite fancy a new pair of legs" He chose this moment to flash Peyton a glare while she narrowed her eyes at him, her fists clenched out of sight.
"There'll be no 'new hottie'" Brooke air quoted as she sat a little straighter, a little brighter in her chair "Unless we actually get somebody with talent and looks."
"Um….is this….never mind" Nathan snapped up to catch a glimpse of the brunette scurrying back out of the gymnasium.
"Wait" he called
"Can I help you?" Brooke eyes the girl her own age up and down, taking in the messy hair, the mismatch clothes and books in her arms.
"I um….I'm trying to find the tutoring centre."
"You hardly look like you need a tutor" Peyton snarled, a malicious giggle escaping her lips. "More like fashion helpline"
"Shut up Peyton" Nathan said quickly. "What's your name?"
"I…..Um…"
"Your name?" Brooke urged, hand gesturing wildly.
"Haley."
"You like cheerleading?"
"I've never really….."
"You've always wanted to be one right?" Brooke answered quickly for her, flashing a fake smile until a real one curved her mouth, displaying two little dimples either side as she looked between Nathan and this new girl, who as Peyton had quite rightly stated, was in desperate need of a fashion helpline. Still, with the right person on hand…..
"Not everyone has the same shallow ambitions as you Brooke" Peyton cut in.
The head cheerleader rolled her eyes once again and shrugged at Haley. "She's just pissed cos I slept with him." She pointed to Nathan who stood a little to the right of the door.
"Um…all I really want is to find the tutoring centre"
"How about you show us some moves" Brooke instructed. "You can drop your stuff down over there."
"It's pretty obvious she can't move well Brooke" Peyton smirked "look at her."
"Splits count?" Haley asked, surprising everyone.
"Splits count."
----
"Just because she can do the splits does not mean we can just let her on the squad Brooke." Peyton huffed, inspecting her chipped black nail polish that she made a mental reminder to have repainted.
"None of the others could splits."
"There was that girl, Izzy? Lizzie?"
"Lottie" Brooke answered. "she looked like a drag queen."
"I think she was a drag queen." Nathan added. "I bet you fifty bucks there's balls under that skirt."
"Besides" Peyton continued "Did you see what she was wearing?"
"So she looked a little book-ish" Brooke started. "She had a pretty good rack under that poncho."
"And her ass looked fine in those pants"
"Is your mission this year to sleep with everyone on the squad, or just the sluts?" Peyton snapped, glaring at the guy she used to call her boyfriend.
"Well he started off with you so I guess the latter." Brooke replied, pushing herself between Nathan and Peyton so that her boobs were touching Nathan's chest.
"What do you say Nate? Is Haley in or out?"
"In"
"In it is" She smiled, winking at the guy who seemed to be now more interested in watching her boobs jiggle a little with each backwards step she took.
"You can't just make decisions like that without consulting everyone!" Peyton exclaimed.
Brooke spun around and moved a little closer to the blonde girl next to her, turning her head so that her lips were almost touching Peyton's ear. "I consulted everyone that mattered."
----
She spied the quiet girl over in the corner of the cafeteria, head down, pencil in her hand, writing something that Brooke could only describe as 'looking boring' Then again, Brooke didn't pay much attention in English class, so maybe she'd know some more adjectives other than boring.
"You know, you're going to have to move tables" she sat down in the empty chair next to a startled-looking Haley. "Cheerleaders sit in the centre."
"Oh…well I'm not joining the team so…"
"Too late" Brooke cut in. "I already ordered your uniform, and my dad provides the budget for these kind of things." She lowered her voice a little as she inched closer. "And he gets kinda pissed if people waste it."
"But..."
"Great" She snapped up, a fake smile plastered across her face as she handed out a purple flyer. "Here's the address for a party tomorrow night. Wear something that shows lots of leg."
Haley watched in bewilderment as Brooke sashayed away, pausing only for a few seconds to laugh at something some guy from the soccer team showed her before she joined the rest of the cheerleaders at their lunch table in the centre of the cafeteria, just like she had pointed out earlier.
----
"Looking good babe" Brooke heard a voice say, and she knew damn well who it belonged to.
"That line's getting old you know Lucas."
"It worked on you the last time." he smirked. "And besides, I meant your friend."
Brooke felt her cheeks begin to flush as she looked at the girl stood next to her, an awkward smile forced across her face as she stood uncomfortably in a jeans skirt, the only thing she could find that showed a lot of leg, just as Brooke had instructed.
"Lucas this is Haley, Haley, this is the guy version of Peyton."
He chuckled a little. "Original."
Brooke raised an eyebrow and pointed to the makeshift bar visible through the archway to the kitchen.
"Drink?"
"I'd love one." Lucas replied "Lead the way."
"I meant Haley man-whore."
Haley felt herself being pulled tin the direction of the kitchen, whether she wanted to go or not.
"So what was that between you and Lucas?" She asked.
"Nothing" Brooke muttered, downing a shot of tequila before pouring another one for herself, and Haley's first.
"I don't drink."
"Would you prefer vodka? I think they only have the cheap crap though so…"
"No" Haley cut in. "I mean I don't drink any alcohol."
"Why?"
"I don't see the point."
"It makes you forget things." Brooke told her, swallowing the burning liquid "loose control."
"Exactly. What's the point?"
----
Brooke was on what Haley guessed was the 'dance floor' the next time she saw her, grinding up against Nathan who looked even more drunk than Brooke was.
She felt his hot breath on her neck, making the hairs stand up on end, her eyes shutting as she slung an arm over his shoulder, bringing them even closer together as the air grew stickier, staler.
Brooke shot a glare in Peyton's direction as she turned to look at the two of them, barely letting out even breaths as the alcohol mixed with fatigue. And then she saw Lucas put his arms around her waist from behind, and he met her glare with an evil smirk, one that incensed Brooke to the point of needing to smash something.
He'd found her weakness, just as she'd found Peyton's. And as Nathan watched Brooke walk away, he sensed Haley's vulnerability, standing near the corner of the room, away from the chain smoking and the alcohol-fuelled hook-ups.
But she hadn't seen him watching her, instead, she followed Lucas' gaze to the window, where she could see Brooke storming down the street, the lights providing a small sense of security. And she'd found Lucas' weakness: Brooke.
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