Carson apparently loved Dr. Pepper and Sophia Coppola movies. She also had a warm laugh that made Peyton's heart skip a beat and a sprinkling of freckles on her shoulder that was, in the oddest of ways, seductive. The art exhibit had, in fact, been quite good. Carson knew a lot about art and music. She also seemed to have a cleft in her lip that seemed mighty inviting. Throughout the day, Carson would brush her hand against Peyton's or tug at Peyton's leather jacket and it had to be the most adorable thing possible. It was already night though, so Carson offered to walk Peyton back to her house.

Now here they were, standing on Peyton's front porch. At the beginning of the outing, the idea of a kiss seemed completely impossible, but now Peyton was straddling the fence of should I or shouldn't I.

"So this is the mansion." Peyton said sarcastically, pointing to her house.

"You're too funny. I had a lot of fun today Peyton."

"Me too." Peyton felt an almost gravitational pull towards Carson. She took a small step towards her.

"Maybe, we could…you know…do it again?" Carson's voice was racked with insecurity and it made Peyton melt. Carson took a step towards Peyton. They were now a breath away from each other.

"Yeah, I'd like that, a lot actually." Peyton said a little breathless. Peyton felt Carson's hair brush the side of her face. All it would take was a fraction on an inch and they would be kissing. Peyton closed her eyes in anticipation.

"Hey P…" Brooke's greeting died off after she realized the situation she walked into. The girls had sprung apart. Brooke had come out of Peyton's front door onto her porch.

"Brooke! Um Hey. What are you doing here? On my porch at 9 o' clock nonetheless." Peyton felt unbelievably awkward. Here she is on her first date with a girl about to kiss her when her current girl crush walks in and cock blocks!

"I was waiting for you. I was driving by and I figured you be home soon so I was just hanging out. I didn't know you had plans." Brooke said plans through gritted teeth indicating she was not happy.

"Oh okay." Peyton was completely befuddled on what to do next. The first that came to mind was: "Brooke, this is Carson. Carson, this is Brooke." Carson jutted her hand out for a shake. Brooke gave a small shake and said a horribly fake "Charmed."

Carson, obviously feeling uncomfortable said "Look, Peyton I had a nice time, but I'm going to go. I'll see you at school." She turned to face Brooke. "Brooke, it was nice meeting you."

"Ditto." Brooke said hardly meaning it. Brooke watched as Carson gave Peyton a quick kiss on the cheek and left. Peyton felt a blush creep up her neck at the brush of Carson's lips to her cheek. Peyton turned around to see Brooke arms crossed with a cocked eyebrow.

"So Peyton are we going to talk about your new found lesbianism on the porch or should we take this inside?"

"Inside would be preferred." Peyton followed Brooke inside dragging her feet like a child who knew they were going to receive a hardy scolding from a parent.

Peyton took a seat on the couch as Brooke paced in the living room. She could tell the brunette girl was mad, but she couldn't help but find it adorable. She covered her mouth to prevent Brooke from seeing her smirk. She knew it would only aggravate her more.

"So Sawyer, last time I checked you weren't gay. Yes or No?"

"Brooke it isn't…"

"Yes or No, Sawyer?" Brooke interrupted sternly.

"Brooke, I don't know what I am. Nathan and I had fun on our date but it was totally friends' zone. All I know is I am attracted to Carson" and you. She wished she could add. She still didn't know where the whole Brooke situation was heading.

"Well, you could have told me. I didn't have to find out this way. You could have told me about Cayman."

"Carter." Peyton corrected softly.

"Whatever. So how long have you been dating her?"

"Dating? That was our first date and by the way things ended probably our last." The blonde let out with a sigh. Brooke's expression softened and she stopped pacing the floor. She sat down next to Peyton on the brown couch. She took grasped Peyton's hand.

"Oh Peyt I'm sorry. I was just…surprised. I'm sorry for ruining your first date with Carson." Peyton felt a warm surge float up her arm from Brooke's touch. Oh God. I'm so screwed Peyton thought.

"Brooke it's okay. I can wait for my first girl kiss." Brooke's face dropped.

"I ruined your first girl kiss too! I'm really sorry." Brooke squealed out. Brooke suddenly felt really bad for interrupting Peyton's date, but she could not just stand there and watch Peyton get macked on by some scrub.

"It's really okay. You want to crash here tonight? I'll make it up to you." The curly haired girl offered.

"Make it up to me? My spaz attack ruined your first date."

"Yeah, but I should have told you. You're my best friend, B. Davis." Brooke's face now had a soft smile on it. Peyton's sincerity and compassion melted her heart.

Brooke pretty much raised herself. Her whole life she had spent listening to her father close the front door on the way to work. It seems she never even remember the sound of him
opening the door to come home. He would work till late at night, arriving after she had gone to bed. She spent her whole life listening to her mother on the phone with one of the other slags from the Country Club. Her mother was famous for spewing gossip or degrading some other woman's outfit from the last charity event. Her mother was always lounging by the pool with a drink in hand as if waiting for some award to come in the mail. "World's most useless mother", it would say. Every year before school started since middle school, an envelope would appear on the table with Clothes written on it. It would be filled with money and Brooke would ride her bike to the nearest mall or her nearest friend's house to get a ride to the mall. She would then buy her back to school clothes and return home several hours after. Not once did her mother ask her what she had bought or seemed to care.

The way Peyton had took to her just made Brooke feel so good. All her life she yearned for validation. Of course she never projected this needy side of her, but all she wanted was for someone to say "You matter to me." Peyton made her feel that way every second of the day. It was the little things Peyton did. If Brooke was seen digging furiously through her purse, she would feel a little jab to her ribs. It was Peyton handing her a pen, telling her to not worry about it and to "stop spending money on shoes and start buying some supplies."Or at Lunch when Peyton would give Brooke half her sandwich without even asking if she wanted it. The attention Peyton gave her tugged at her heart.

"Hey, where did you go, space cadet?" Peyton inquired after Brooke's eyes glazed over.

"Oh, sorry. What were you saying?"

"Um, only the most important thing of the night! Do you want to sleep in a 'Beatles' shirt or a 'Keane'?" Peyton smirked charmingly.

"Keane, The Beatles are so over." Brooke said hoping to get a rise out of Peyton. Peyton knew what Brooke was trying to do so she didn't take the bait.

"Just strip Davis." Peyton chucked the t-shirt at her face.

"Ok, but only because you asked nicely." Brooke threw her a flirty wink that made Peyton's stomach jump to her throat. The blonde girl knew Brooke had won again. She pulled back the covers of the bed and laid down. Brooke did the same after putting her pajamas on.

The girls were both lying down in silence. Eyes to the ceiling. Before Brooke broke the silence.

"I'm sorry that you thought you had to high your potential lesbian tendencies from me." Peyton's heart broke at Brooke's apology. She wanted to hug the girl, wanted to tell her why she hid it. She wanted to talk about the words she uttered during the shooting. She wanted to put everything on the line then in there. She didn't though. She remembered that she was missing courage. The one thing, besides confidence, that Brooke seemed to have an abundance of, while Peyton had none.

"I'm sorry I kept it from you, Brooke."

"No more secrets, Pey. Promise." Brooke sounded so small.

"Yeah, I promise." The only problem would be keeping this promise.

There is a fragile tension,
That's keeping us going.
It may not last forever,
But always flowing.
…

There's a strange obsession,
It's drawing us nearer.
We don't understand it,
It never gets clearer.

Depeche Mode