Author's Notes: This is the rough-draft so it's UNEDITED. I bet there's many grammatical errors in it, such as awkward phrasing, incorrect usage of words like to, too, were, are, their, there, will… that's just something that happens when you're righting "on a roll" as I call it. You don't stop to re-read what you've done, you just keep writing. But I know for a fact, you're not going to wince after finding an error in every other paragraph… just because I have every confidence in my ability to speak in English. Lol. As I'm sure you are in your language.

I just wanted to post it already! Lol.

Chapter Seven: They Should Change the Honeymoon Stage to the "Honey, Moan" Stage

Hey tuner-inners. It's me, Peyton, again. This little endeavor of mine has turned me into a good old fashioned insomniac. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn into a terrorists like Ed Norton's character does in Fight Club. Though, I must admit he was one hot insomniac turned terrorists, but that's probably some information you're not really interested in hearing.

So where did I leave off? Oh right, coming home from my first date with Lucas Scott.

Well anyways, the winter break ended with not so much as a crackle of drama, which meant all hell was about to break loose as soon as school started back up again. You could just feel the tension in the air the first day back at Tree Hill High. The Everybody's were like jittery antelopes in the wild—they all knew that the vicious Untouchables were way too bored and power hungry to just let them be at peace for too long.

So our "lowly" peers walked around with their heads bent and eyes glued to the feet of those passing by or in front of them just so they could escape the watchful eyes of all the Untouchables, even me. After all, they didn't want to give them any reason as to why they should be singled out of a milling crowd and endured public embarrassment.

But during all of that, there were a few radical Everybody's who didn't try to be unseen—one of them being Lucas. For some reason, no one tried to bully him around. Probably because they knew that he was too quick, too clever (just like his friend Haley) to let them go unscathed of humiliation. And I must admit, that it made me kind of flustered knowing that my the guy was feared by the "all powerful" Untouchables. Hell, he was even as brazen enough to send a seductive wink my way. Of course, many people ignorant to the relationship that was growing between Lucas and I saw that as blatant disrespect towards me instead of blatant eye sex. But whatever, some people just need to believe what they want to believe because if it wasn't a certain way— the world would end.

It went on like that until one of the Rachel's hyenas decided to oblige the rest of us who were compassionless some power and picked her ex-best friend from grade school the subject of her torment. And after it happened, all of the Everybody's knew that they were safe to look up now and prove that they actually had faces and not just tops of heads. Everything went back to normal, to say the least.

XXXXXXXXX

For about a week or so, Lucas and I laid low. We'd avoid being in the same spots together just because I knew some people probably took up an interest of that certain suggestive wink he tossed me the first day back, which I totally felt the urge to jump him about. But of course, I kept my distance from my desire to do that… at least for awhile.

Brooke though kept bringing up the subject as did Madison… and Dani every time I talked to them, whether it was on the phone, on AIM, on Myspace, or in my car, or at my house. From questions like, "So when are you guys going to finally make out—I mean it's not normal to actually avoid each other when you're wanting to do the exact opposite?" to "Where's the secret hide-out that you two are going to do some extra-curricular studies at?"

The more they talked about it, the more my mind found itself parading around in the gutter. I started to day-dream about doing the kinkiest (or the naughtiest) of things in the middle of an abandoned classroom or in a cramped utility closet. All I could say though was, "I don't want to risk getting caught just yet, y'know? If I really want this to sting, it's going to have to be a while before they find out."

But when the second week of school came around, so did my "hell with it" attitude.

The first thing I remember was heading straight for the library.

It was just like I remembered it: ominously quiet, slightly damp, and practically vacant. I smiled at the thought of this musky place being the place I was finally going to let all of my hormones, emotions, and UrST (Unresolved Sexual Tension) out on a particular blue-eyed, blonde boy.

As if on autopilot, I walked back to the corner I knew he would be in. I bet if I had a mirror in front of me as I walked back there, I would find an awe-inspiring gleam hungrily bright in both of my eyes. I've dreamt about this moment in every single class in all of my years here at Tree Hill High and it was finally going to happen. Can anyone say, "Screw surreal—it's the freaking Holy Grail of 'Hell Yes' moments of your life?"

Finally, when I got back there, I found my target, like a lioness stalking it's prey, I stood there with a carnal smile on my face.

Lucas was obviously just about to leave since he had his messenger bag hung over his shoulder carelessly as he picked up random pens and worksheets off of the library table and stuffing them into his bag. He was wearing a light blue Blonde Redhead t-shirt (circa their headlining tour for their recent album "23"), dark blue jeans, and black old school Vans. He was dressed exactly the way he was in all of my fantasies, which fueled the unquenchable fire in my heart to the max.

He looked up at me kind of bewildered by my out-of-nowhere appearance. He barely had enough time to smile that knee weakening goofy smile of his before my lips were on his in a wolfish manner. My skin was on fire just like heart was, especially my fingers that were framing his strong jaw line. It took him a second or two to react in the same passionate fury as me, but when he did, my goodness, was I ever hot and bothered.

In an aggressive way, I started shuffle him back into our little corner so we wouldn't be seen by any random book searcher, and up against the adjacent oaken shelves.

"What's gotten into you?" Lucas asked in a breathless way during the split second he came up for air before he went back down for an even more forceful yet endearing kiss (kind of an oxymoron, but he must've gotten an small sense of how passionate I felt when it came to him)

Breaking the extended kiss, I smiled lazily and looked up into those icy blue pools. They held elation and practically the same amount of fire mine must've. "Let's just say that nothing's gotten into me… I've been wanting to do this for years now."

He searched my eyes; Lucas must've thought it was hard that an Untouchable like me could even say that without the slightest hint of sarcasm. But I did… and he saw that.

I guess that must've urged him into bending down and capturing my lips with his in a more gentle way than my last effort. I felt my cheeks burn as the butterflies in my stomach erupted out of no where—this was a picture perfect movie script ending type of kiss. I couldn't believe that something so heartfelt was inclined to me in such a way like this kiss encompassed! There was no rush, but that didn't mean there was a lack of avidity or earnestness though (quite the opposite, actually).

But like all good things coming to an end, this one had to as well… but at least those good things didn't end so awkwardly. Right when I was about to kick it back up a notch on the hotness factor, a certain brunette turned the corner: Haley James. Oh shit!

Her mouth hung open slightly, partly out of disbelief of seeing both of our lips red and bruised from kissing as ardently as we had been, and then partly out of anger from seeing both of our lips red and bruised from kissing as ardently as we had been.

Lucas and I couldn't take our eyes away from his shocked and about-to-blow best friend. We both expected her to start shouting right then and there, but contrary to what we both thought would happen, all she did was smirk, throw her head back, and turn on her heel and make her retreat.

I looked up at Lucas to find that the color in his face had drained, most likely from the fear of losing one of his best friends. He looked down out me and then back to the spot Haley had just stood.

"I got to go get Haley before sh-she… does something she regrets. Okay? I'll make her understand, I'll make her." He gently brushed one of my golden curls behind my ear and cupped my face.

I nodded in understanding and he bent down and gave me a quick peck. "I'll call you tonight, okay? I mean, if that's okay."

I blushed slightly like a little twelve year old. "Yeah, that would be great."

He readjusted the strap on his messenger bag and smiled that "all worthy of swooning" smile and said, "Okay." And at that, he left in a hurry to follow Haley, who we both hoped didn't get too far away.

I don't know how he did it, but Lucas got Haley to rethink me a little bit. Haley seemed to reluctantly be okay with our relationship afterwards, but nonetheless she accepted it. I mean, what was she going to do—disown Lucas? Come on, everyone knows that those two have been friends since grade school, so they definitely wouldn't end their friendship over some disagreement on the subject of me.

We met like we did in the library more and more during the week. Sometimes we would meet in the library, other times would be in one of the tutoring rooms (the one we both knew you had to have a key to get in to—and I happened to have a set of keys—so we knew we weren't going to be interrupted), and then, finally, we would be in a utility closet… I know how cliché! But really, neither of us were trying to make creativity a requirement when it came to losing all of the UrST between us.

XXXXXXXXX

While all of that PG-13 material was happening between Lucas and I, something more "out in the open" was taking place for the entire school to become spectators of… the heart and soul, blood and sweat, glory and fame, addiction and best friend Tree Hill has always held above all other things a town could possibly see as important: high school basketball playoffs. And it was no shocker that Nathan Scott's face plastered every single newspaper, store window, and school announcement flyer printed while THH was in the playoffs.

And along with playoffs came the semi-formal Midnight Dance two days before the first round in the playoffs. This dance only happened when the Ravens reached the playoffs, so granted, it didn't happen very often until my class was the Freshman class. Also, seeing as Nathan had always been the prime meat on the market around this time of year every year, it was a no brainer who almost every girl who held the status of single wanted to go with. So that meant clashes, squabbles, show-downs, and scandals galore for the school to talk about!

Girls switched from regular crush mode to full-on stalker mode within a day or two. Every Freshman girl on through my Senior class was in awe of Nathan now (besides me and a few other girls who already had their the guys) and would do anything for him to pay them one glance's worth of attention. The more intelligent girls would offer to do his homework—some of them would even promise him "help" on his mid-term. Other girls would promise Nathan many things depending on the forte too, but no one was especially driven as Elmo herself, Rachel.

Brooke, Madison, and I found it incredibly funny to watch Rachel rush over to Nathan and do anything but chain herself to his arm while Nathan—wide-eyed and disgusted—did his best to act nice and cordial. I have to hand it to Nathan though. Any other guy who didn't want some girl's attention would've been an ass to her right off the bat, but Nathan bit his tongue and decided to that patience, not honesty, was the best policy in this case. It was just another reason why I respected the guy and saw how so many girls could fall for him, despite never exchanging more than a word with him.

But the more Rachel repeated her boa constrictor like neediness, Brooke seemed to lose sight of the comedy playing out right in front of us and saw territory danger signs flash before her eyes. Granted, I didn't have the all-knowing WLW (Who Likes Who) radar many of the girl Untouchables held, but I would have to be Helen Keller to not see what Brooke was feeling. For those of you who aren't inclined with why girls suddenly hate (well, Brooke already hated Rachel—I mean, who didn't?) another girl when she got cozy with a certain boy is because… she likes that certain boy! I mean, that's practically textbook jealousy right there for you.

There were many reasons why Brooke could fall for a guy like Nathan. One major reason being he defended her honor and opened a can of whoop ass on the prick who stole her innocence. Plus, he wasn't like all of the other guys Brooke normally dated—he was much more kind, caring, and genuine, which definitely means Dani should get a huge award for because everyone knows Nathan didn't inherit his loving heart from his Dad.

Even though I so very badly wanted to as Brooke about her newfound flare of hatred towards Rachel, I didn't. Why? I sure as hell hate it when someone asks me who I like and makes a scene about it. It's probably the most annoying and nerve rattling thing out there. So I decided to just wait for her to bring it up—after all, Brooke is the biggest girly girl I know and when it comes to boys, she's not tight lipped. So I gave her 'til a week before the Midnight Dance before she spilled the beans.

XXXXXXXXX

It seemed like someone grabbed a TiVo remote and fast-forwarded through the first couple of weeks of school like commercials until it was only eight days until the Midnight Dance and ten before the first game of the playoffs for THH.

Gossip ran rampant on the school grounds almost like never before for the MD. Girls were doing dire things to get a boy they liked to ask them to the dance. For example, this Untouchable wannabe actually took pictures of herself naked and gave them to her crush, which just so happened to be the retarded Tim (a.k.a. the Tim when he spoke about himself in third person), who then photocopied the smut and handed them out to almost the entirety of the school. The faculty tried gobbled up the pictures as quickly as they could, but a few quietly circulated throughout the school despite their desperate attempt to protect the girl's privacy (or lack thereof). Of course it was no secret as to whom passed out such pornographic material, but with so many of the Untouchables as alumni with deep pockets and threatening gag-order providing lawyers, Tim didn't even get called down to the principal's office for a chat.

Girls who didn't have to worry about dates being thrown at them were the Untouchables. Almost every five seconds we were getting date offers thrown at us from anonymous boys we never even saw in our lives. I kind of felt like Jennifer Love Hewitt's character Amanda in Can't Hardly Wait when all of these drunken and horny guys kept throwing themselves at her after she just made a fool of the guy who dumped her. I mean, sure there were some nice, sweet guys who asked me, who were mainly from my U.F. crew, but I had an expectation to meet in front of the entire student body. Right?

That's when it hit me like a kid walking blindly into a door swinging open: what about Lucas? I had an obligation to go with him, after all, he was my boyfriend--secret or not--and he must've been thinking it was a "duh" type of deal. Oh how could I be so dumb for the past few weeks?! I know, it's kind of unbelievable to not have already thought about it since everyone in the school was going bonkers about this overrated dance in the first place. But alas, I'm not the one to normally think about dates or who I was going with… not to sound egotistical or self-absorbed, but I usually chose from the twenty some odd guys who had the balls to come up and ask me face-to-face (I totally disregarded whoever left me notes in my locker) if I would go to the (fill in which ever event happening there) with him. And staying true to my undercover operation, I usually picked the hottest, most talented, most looked up to, and most charming Untouchable who did. Now… the situation wasn't so rosy, but thorny.

Hoping beyond hope Lucas wasn't into that sort of school related bull shit, I crossed my fingers he wouldn't ask me. I mean, I don't really think he would want to "get krunk" with people he despised, like the Untouchables in our territory, y'know? Going with that theory, I tried to recall back to a time when I saw him at a school dance. I found the numbing anxiety that was taking over my body like a paralysis slowly come to a halt because I couldn't remember when he did go a school dance. Man, what a relief! I was going to avoid the ever awkward and heart-wrenching conversation of "if I was going to the dance with him."

I'm sure some of you are probably thinking: why not just skip the dance altogether so you won't hurt his feelings and still be able to hang out with him? All I have to say is:

Dear Considerate Soul,

Do you know who I am?! It's a must as a person in my position! And as any person with a high school maturity level would put it: DER!!!

Yours truly,

P. Sawyer, Co-Captain of Cheerleading Squad at Tree Hill High, XOXO

Getting on with it now… I still had yet to hear from Brooke if she actually liked Nathan. It kind of amazed me that she was able to hold in all of the gushy fluff as long as she had been because, well, she's Brooke! And since the time clock on it being a week 'til the MD was just about to come, I was starting to think Brooke had taken a vow of silence as well as a vow of celibacy. But right when I was about to lose hope, I remembered one thing: Brooke was coming over to my house to hang out with Madison and I.

DING! DING! DING! Eureka!

And man, did I ever know my best friend because Brooke barely made it through saying hello to my dad before she started jumping up and down and clapping her hands in an excited way, which I called the "B. Davis: Who's Got Game" dance.

"Guess what?! Guess what?!" Brooke squealed as she stomped in her heels up and down, up and down again on the hardwood floor of the foyer.

Closing the door, my dad just shook his head and looked up at the ceiling as if thanking God that he was blessed with a squeal-less child like me.

Laughing along with Madison, who was pretending she hanging from an invisible noose around her neck, I finally obliged my giddy friend. "What? I'm clueless as to why you, Brooke Davis, are jumping around like a freaking rabid rabbit."

"Har, har my snarky best friend!" Brooke replied with just about the same amount of sarcasm I released on her. "Guess who's Nathan Scott's MD date?!"

"No way!" I shouted as I felt happiness rush through my body for my best friend. I gave her a congratulatory hug with one of my biggest smiles—I was definitely relieved that Brooke was going with someone I trusted as well as saw as a brother.

Squealing a bit more and squeezing me so hard I thought my spine was about to split in half. "I know, right?! This is probably one of the happiest days of my life 'cause I've liked Nathan for, gosh, for a while now, and it's finally happening!"

"Scott, Nathan Scott?" My dad asked curiously while wincing from the shrill shrieks Brooke was still piping out sporadically. Every time a familiar name popped up that could possibly be linked back to his hay day at THH, my dad liked to jump in on the conversation… maybe this time more out of vain pursuit of just getting Brooke to stop acting like a banshee more than actual intrigue.

Finally letting me go, Brooke did a 360 to look at my Papa Bear. "Ugh-huh! You've probably read about him in the newspaper 'cause he's like this really amazing basketball player…" (This is when Brooke took a moment to pause and most likely think about Nathan glistening with sweat and shirtless in the gym) "…and," clearing her throat, "his dad is Dan Scott, y'know the Mayor."

My dad smiled a bit probably because Brooke was settling down and not so… high-pitched. "Oh yeah, I went to school with his dad. Man, was he a b-baller!"

Both Madison and Brooke chuckled (that's right, chuckled) at my dad's use of "hip" lingo. I, of course, felt my cheeks heat up slightly.

Obviously feeling like he was a cute hit with Brooke and Madison for the day, my dad decided that he would leave us alone.

We found ourselves up in my room not a minute later. We all gossiped about this and that, primarily about the dance, which inevitably brought up the million dollar question…

"What are you going to do about Lucas?" Madison asked as she slowly, meticulously looked through my vinyl trying to find exactly what she wanted to spin next (I'm such a proud older sister).

Huffing loudly and letting my head crash into my pillows, I groaned, "I don't know."

"Talk about a kink in the chain," Brooke clichéd out there for us as she reapplied her mascara in my bathroom.

"I know, I know, I know," I said in an exasperated manner.

Madison snapped her fingers and slid over to the T section of my vinyl shelved wall. "That's it—Tegan and Sara!"

Sarcastically, I replied, "Glad to know we've fixed your dilemma." Both of them laughed at my comment.

As Tegan and Sara's So Jealous bounced off my red painted walls, we all came to the same conclusion silently: I was going to pray that Lucas understood the archaically aristocratic boundaries teens today at Tree Hill were still living by. Sure, Operation: K-Roe needed me to go out with Lucas to really have the plan to go according to plan, but I was also going to have to juggle a very compromising loyalty line game until the whole "Screw you" moment happened. The big question was if Lucas would be okay with it and didn't take it the wrong way… the wrong way being me using him.

My throat started to hurt and my heart sunk a bit. "I hate high school," I mumbled as I turned over to my side and looked at the sketch I recently drew—a boy and a girl in a library kissing with the girl (obviously me) thinking, "Good things come to those who wait."

Brooke plopped herself down beside me and rubbed my back as the bright and shining conclusion turned into a much darker one… and I couldn't help thinking that disillusionment is a pain in the ass.

The next day at school, the news must've seeped out that Brooke and Nathan were going to be the who's who couple of this year's Midnight Dance. Last year it was Nathan and Bevin, the year before that it was Nathan and Theresa, and the year before that it was Nathan and Dani. People were saying that this year's was definitely most like our Freshmen year's couple because, like Dani was, Brooke was one of favorites for the Everybody's. A handful of us Untouchables were generally cheered for by out fellow classmates, so seeing two Untouchables they supremely loved and respected, people treated them like royalty… except for a certain redhead and her following.

After hearing about Nathan asking Brooke to the Midnight Dance through the grapevine, Rachel was furious. Seriously, I can't remember a time when she was more angry than in that moment—I would know because I witnessed it from a table down in the courtyard. Her eyes darkened, her brows became menacingly furrowed, the corners of her mouth dipped down slightly, and the knuckles of her right hand in which she was holding a pencil (she must've been working on some homework) whitened. Almost immediately her rage-filled eyes looked over at my table, directly at Brooke, who was smiling her ass off.

Slamming her pencil down onto the cement table, Rachel got up swiftly. Anyone with a "something's going down" sixth sense about them looked over at the Wild, Wild West-esque shoot-out, except there were no guns just glares full of daggers and dares full of tongue-in-cheek insinuations.

Rachel's crew finally stood behind her with sneers on their faces. Brooke, Madison, and I merely smirked back—we won this round already so this petty scene was only going to end in our favor… it's called "who got the date."

"So Brooke," Rachel hashed out finally with her eyes coldly fixed on Brooke's, "what did you do to get Nathan to take you… or should I say, didn't do 'cause that's probably a shorter list?"

People who overheard what Elmo said, which was practically everybody since people were shushing others who were talking so they could hear, started to "Ooooh" when they heard that little service of quick wit. The hyenas of course started their annoying cackling like a chorus directed by a maestro.

Brooke laughed out of spite. "Is that all you have, Rachel? If I remember correctly, you're the one who had all of the moves you were willing to try with him in the Kama Sutra dog-eared and on hand."

"Oh snap!" Echoed thunderously against the enclosed courtyard and all of the spectators watching and listening in on this word battle were laughing.

I looked around at all of our peers smiling and throwing their heads back as they laughed hysterically. I spotted Lucas who wasn't trying to hold back his laughing. I knew for certain he hated Rachel, so seeing her get her ass handed to her by a fellow (and nicer) Untouchable was definitely worthy of a highlight recap at the end of the year.

Rachel tried to laugh off the comment, but you could tell that her confidence was quickly deteriorating. "Whatever. You know that Nathan was about to ask me, so you decided to fuck it up for me!"

"Aw Rachel," Brooke jumped back in right away not even waiting for the crowd to react, "didn't you know that I'm not that into you."

People again started to laugh, but Brooke was ready to just end this retarded and, might I add, not needed circus. "Oh, and I think it's pretty funny how you pride yourself on having hormone radar, you must've read Nathan's all wrong because," Brooke tsked twice, "he looked like he was about to hurl every time you rubbbed your crusty, STD-infected self against him."

The Everybody's and many of the Untouchables who were not Rachel sympathizers, started to high-five and howl with laughter now. They had been waiting for this to happen between Rachel and Brooke for years now, so this was a golden moment for many.

Rachel's face turned bright red, which contrasted horrifically with her fake-bake (orange tan for you non-knowers). But Brooke wasn't done yet; oh no, she was just about to twist the invisible knife in Rachel's gut and then she'd wash her hands of the entire stunt. "So if you call that 'fucking it up for you,' I call it saving you the embarrassment of asking him the day before the dance because you think he's just being shy, so you'd lighten up the mood and give him an incentive while being… clad in your birthday suit in the locker room… and being shot down quicker than you ever been in your life."

I could practically here the smash of the gong resonate in my ears, and so did everyone else in the courtyard because people stood up from their seats and gave Brooke wolf whistles and the loudest round of clapping to ever fill the small space. Rachel didn't waste her time standing there any longer because she knew she lost the show-down… terribly. Her pack of hyenas stood in awe of Brooke for a split second before they remembered who they were there in support of and hightailed it to catch up with Elmo.

Side-note quick: The funny thing about that particular courtyard show is that people still talk about it as if it was a historic moment, like a slim and exciting basketball that got the Ravens one of our state basketball trophies. Even though Brooke wouldn't admit, I knew she loved finally serving Rachel a piece of her own medicine, and I couldn't help but be proud of my BFF of doing exactly that.

Brooke got more gawks in the hallway than ever before now. People with brighter eyes, bigger smiles, and great confidence congratulated Brooke as she walked by them. It kind of made Brooke feel awkward, but at the same time feel like the consensus really supported her, which was a really nice feeling to have, if I don't say so myself.

That's when Callie Thomas, Brooke's little sister, started to tag along with the three of us. I don't think it was because she wanted to be loved just because she didn't seem the type to bask in the limelight, even if she was the one center stage. Cassie was more of the type who wouldn't care if she was loved, hated, both, or neither to the Everybody's.

Callie was a short kid with light freckles, light green eyes, and light brown hair. Her style was more on the preppy side, if any. She liked polos in pastel colors, Abercrombie blouses, blue-jean mini skirts, and cute All-American ripped up blue jeans. But you could tell that she didn't wear the clothes like she "owned" them, y'know. She seemed uncomfortable, awkward, and unsure of every aspect of herself. But she wore those clothes because she wanted to be accepted, at least by the Untouchables, and going to the classic look was, well, a safe choice.

Seeing as she, like I said in an earlier podcast, had the good old fashioned GND (Girl Next Door) persona about her, she was paired with Brooke automatically. Sure, Brooke thought the kid was cute and sweet, but Brooke didn't nearly as much enjoy hanging out with Cassie as she did with my little sister, Madison. So to say that Cassie knew Brooke didn't see her as the apple of her eye was an understatement. It didn't seem like it bothered her, I mean, she never glared at Madison or show contempt towards Brooke, so I have any problem with Cassie deciding to start hanging out with us. If anything, I think all three of us liked seeing that Cassie was taking steps to get to know Brooke because the semester prior, it was hard to get her to agree on penciled-in dates. So the Three Amigas turned into the Four Musketeers.

Everything was going smoothly transition wise. While the old three had all of these inside jokes, Cassie quickly caught on to all of them making it seem like she had been apart of the group since the beginning. Of course, there was a bit of censorship on all of our parts just because it would be idiotic to "catch" her up on all things secret and holy. We weren't born yesterday, after all. We three knew quietly what to talk about and what not to talk about, at least for now until we had total faith in her. One slightly small detail being Operation: K-Roe (hopefully you sensed the sarcasm).

But in the middle of all this fitting into place, happy-go-lucky, la la land feeling going on in all four of our lives, I couldn't help feel like someone was watching us. I had this icy feeling run down my spine occur more and more the four of us were minding our own business as we walked to our classes. I wouldn't call it paranoia… more like the gravity of knowing someone was and not just thinking someone was. But who and why?

XXXXXXXXX (Change of POV don't freak out if you're confused, I'll explain in my AN)

The girls were jittery with anticipation about the news I was about to deliver. I couldn't help but smirk at the good news I held over their heads like an owner waving a treat over a frenzied dog's head while telling it to stay. Damn, being the Alpha dog felt like soma to the body; it was definitely soothing to the ego as well.

Clearing my throat was a signal to them to shut the hell up and listen. I smirked knowing that the tension was rising as they waited for me to speak. "I have some good news, girls."

The girls all looked around like happy dogs panting excitedly after hearing their owner speak in a high-pitched voice. "The Jewels of the Family is going according to plan. One of our fellow Jewels has successfully infiltrated the Three Amigas', a.k.a. Three Hoe-migas'," all of the Jewels laughed at that, "and thinks she'll be able to give up the scoop on what those three are up to."

I let the girls animatedly chat about the what if's that could arise from what those three were setting up. After a few seconds though, I started up again, "Now, I know we're all really amped up about this operation going our way, but something that could really screw us over on the entire plan would be one of you," I stared at each one of them in the eye to tell them exactly how serious and frightening I could be, "blabs about it too loudly, too often, or too excitedly."

Some of the girls gulped and I felt oddly majestic about it. "If I even feel like you're shooting your mouth of in the slightest, you better damn well know, your ass is mine!" I didn't have to raise my voice in the slightest to get my point across, after all, it's the people you fear the most who don't have to do something aggressive or belligerent to make you sit up, be attentive, and know they'll crack the whip in a millisecond… it's the calm ones.

"So," I perked up, "let's not fuck this up."

I let silence be an ally to me again and let the tension rise before I spoke again.

"Who's glad to be a Family Jewel?!" I said as if I was cheering on the basketball team.

All of the girls in my bedroom cheered. Power blossomed in the pit of my stomach, and just like morphine it eased the stings from the ego burn I got days earlier.

As some of the lower ranking Jewels started leaving (they knew they weren't needed from here on out… or really welcome from there on out since they didn't have any seniority in the group), my first lieutenant came up to me, Shelly.

Whispering, so the other ranking officers and sergeants wouldn't overhear, "Do you know how the time-line is going? I know many of the girls are weary about this actually happening."

Feeling the power I had just felt sifting through my core felt threatened all too quick for comfort. I grabbed Shelly's arm and dragged her over to the corner of my room so we could be farther out of hearing range. "What the hell are you thinking of asking me that when everyone else is in here?"

Fear swept over Shelly's face and the color in her already pale face drained. "I'm sorry, Rach. I wasn't thinking."

"I think that's pretty obvious," I quickly jabbed back. Skimming my room to see if there were any stragglers in my room, I barked, "All of you, get the hell out of here—there won't be an officer meeting today. For crying out loud, are ya'll in love with me or something?! Get out!"

I waited until every last one of the girls were out of the room, especially my second lieutenant, Teresa, who I felt could go either way at the drop of a hat. I liked to keep my friends close and my enemies closer… which goes to say I needed to keep a choker hold on Shelly. She was never spotted with me at school, which made for the perfect second in charge, but that was the exact same reason I didn't trust her as nearly as much as I did my sergeants. They were like my little laps dogs, and Shelly was like the old hound dog you yelled at for sleeping too much and not being more active, but still liked having around for the sake of having something to fall back on when your lap dogs pissed you off with their complete ignorance.

Shelly looked down at the floor and waited for me to continue. I loved seeing that she couldn't look me in the eye… it proved that she felt herself inferior to me. I reveled in it.

"Shelly," I tried to make it seem like I was compassionate and not mad at her. "I'm not mad, okay? Just please you more caution with asking me those kind of questions… all right? At least while certain members are in the room, especially Theresa."

I liked to drop names so I could make the members I was one-on-one with feel like they were confidante when really every single member in apart of the Jewels of the Family had a name dropped on them and had been the name dropped on someone else. I thought of it as my little own technique that worked to my advantage.

Shelly nodded her head, still not looking at me in the eye.

"Okay, that's good you understand." Breathing out, I looked around my room to find some source of inspiration to give her the time-line she asked about. I had to make it seem soon, but not too soon as to make the girls get high hopes and then be disappointed in not getting what they wanted when they expected it.

I moved from random object to random object, picture to picture of "friends" (I had a picture of every single member somewhere in my room—another method of making them feel special), computer to stereo, until my eye finally landed on my believable lie: a dried rose. I remembered the old rhyme, "April showers bring May flowers."

"May," I finally whispered loud enough for her to hear and only her to hear just because I didn't know if someone was listening in on the other side of the door. "She thinks it will be May. She can't promise anything before Prom, but she truly believes that we'll be able to nail them before Graduation. That would give us enough to time to ruin their high school years before June comes around."

Shelly smiled probably the biggest smile I'd ever seen her smile. She started to nod her head fervently, "All right."

I nodded my head back, but I noticed a slight change in her demeanor. "What? What is it?" I asked a little impatiently.

She looked up at the ceiling as if preparing to be yelled at again for what she was about to ask. "Would it be all right if I told the girls that? I mean, I don't have to, it's just I know that if they had a time-line in mind they'd—"

"Yeah, that's fine." I interjected snappily. "I thought you were already going to tell them since that was basically your question to begin with."

"Right," Shelly said blushing.

We stood there for a moment and I felt irritation start to suffocate me. "You can leave now."

"Right, yeah… I was going to… go." She replied as she quickly and clumsily started to grab her things and leave my room.

Right when Shelly's hand was on the doorknob and turning the knob, I felt like adding just a tad bit more of fear into her. "Oh, and Shelly, if somehow the girls feel like sending a messenger again, the messenger will be shot. Figuratively speaking, of course."

Staring wide-eyed at me, Shelly took a minute before she could move and a few seconds later before she nodded in response. And like a bat out of hell, she was out of here.

Laughing, I plopped myself down onto my bed. Getting someone to all but pee their pants was definitely an adrenaline rush…

I rolled onto my stomach and looked at the Hit List and the three pictures pasted onto the construction paper next to the Hoe-miga's rightful name.

"It's time to get what was coming to you three bitches," I whispered to the pictures. "Peyton Sawyer, Brooke Davis, and Madison Copper will Fall like no one's Fallen before."

It was all coming together right when they thought they were at their safest… kind of poetic.

XXXXXXXXX (Change of POV back to Peyton)

With only two days left 'til the MD, I felt like everything that needed to happen, happened. I was asked by Jake Jagielski, a cute acoustic guitar playing basketball player, to the Midnight Dance. Even though he was a really sweet guy, it was hard for me to act like I was interested and excited about going with him, but luckily he didn't pick up on any of my indifference.

I hadn't seen too much of Lucas recently just because he was tutoring a Sophomore during our free block, so we didn't get any time to really see each other for more than two seconds or between a passing period. I can't say that I was kind of relieved of that fact, especially after I said yes to Jake because I was totally guilty. But then at the same time, I hadn't picked up on any hints that he even wanted to go to the MD. I brought it up a few times just to see what his reaction would be and all of the times I got a monotone "I'm not sure yet."

I followed my usual routine though for the rest of the day. I went to Economics, AP Art Studio, and then finally Philosophy before I got a pass to go to the Tutor Center.

"Peyton," Mr. Bennet called out as he sat down on the edge of his desk. "You're needed in the Tutor Center."

I looked up confused seeing as I didn't need tutoring and nor was I a tutor. But nonetheless, I wasn't going to let that get in the way of getting out of class for a few minutes.

Grabbing my stuff, I headed for the Tutor Center.

When I walked into the abandoned room, I looked around to see if there was a particular person waiting for me. Then out of nowhere someone's hand yanks me back behind the door, and that hand belonged to Lucas.

Feeling euphoric to see him, I smiled up at him. "Hey there, buster. Was it your doing that got me out of class?"

Lucas smiled his breathtaking goofy smile. "Oh yeah, you know… I'm a rebel and all."

Laughing, I stood up on my tip-toes to give him a quick peck, "That you are."

But instead of going on a full-fledge make out like I was hoping for, Lucas shook his head in a very mischievous way. "No, no, no."

"Yes, yes, yes," I jousted back playfully trying again for a kiss, but it was skillfully dodged by Lucas again.

"Before we work on our motor skills, I wanted to ask you something." Lucas whispered as she put his hands lightly on my waist.

Just like before, I felt the pang of a door swinging open and hitting me out of nowhere. My heart started to race in a not so good way and that numbing paralysis started to course at an alarming rate. Please God, don't let it be that question.

Lucas smiled, "Would you like to go to the Midnight Dance with me?" His eyes were dancing, which killed me because I knew that in a moment's time, they wouldn't be.

Author's Notes:

Okay, you're probably thinking, "Why did the chapter end like that?" Cliffhanger! Lol. I hope you're not mad by it being that way, but I want some suspense.

Alright, about the POV change… I really wanted you all to see something Peyton hadn't seen coming. Maybe that's anticlimactic for you or you rather be surprised, but I thought that it was already obvious after Peyton started feeling like someone was watching her, y'know. So I really wanted you all to see what was going on behind the scenes and from a different perspective with basically the same motive except different at the same time. Oh! And it's in bold because even though it's a specific event in the past, it's not told be Peyton, but Rachel. Okay? Hopefully I didn't just confuse you. Lol.

Also, one of my friends has read this and told me that it's kind of confusing about Peyton already recapping what happened and then the italics happen and they're still in the past. Well, I wanted to clarify that just in case any of you were confused by it. When it's normal font (not bold or italicized), she's kind of recalling the past in general… in a very outlined kind of way. But when the font is italicized, Peyton is recalling a very detailed and specific event from the past. You might've realized that you can actually read conversations, actions, and inner thoughts better when it's in the italicized/specific mode and that's basically the point. Every italicized event is important in some way, whether for reasons as to why Peyton is doing this, showing the bond of a friendship, or giving you reason as to why LP is real and not just a pawn for Peyton inevitable Fall. Okay? Hopefully that cleared it up for you guys. :)

All in all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took me awhile to really get the ball rolling on it and I'm very sorry about that. I get unmotivated sometimes, and that's bad on my part, especially when I know so many people are loyal to this piece. Again, I'm sorry!

Please give me some feedback on what you thought—there's nothing better to read, not even Bradbury. It's something that helps me become a better writer too, so if you have any advice, please drop me some. :)

You all are pretty amazing people. Thanks for reading when it was an unedited draft. If it's unbearable to read because it was, please tell me that when/if you review that way I can upload a cleaned, edited draft. If not, I'll just leave it be 'cause I'm lazy like that. Lol.

-Caley