Part 11

Peyton was chewing on the end of her favourite pencil as she studied the half finished sketch she was working on as the door at the front of the classroom was yanked open and the distinct tapping of heels could be heard.

She smirked but raised the pad of paper she was drawing on up to cover her face as she kept her eyes down.

"Nice of you to join us. Sign in then find a seat and do some work." Came the disinterested voice of a teacher that didn't want to be there anymore than the rest of five, now six, students in the room with him.

Brooke's jaw clenched as she forced a smile onto her face while she wrote down her name on the attendance sheet, with that done she looked around and once she spotted the blonde she was looking for, she marched down between the desks and claimed the one beside Peyton, dumping her bag nosily down on the top and sitting down.

"You made it." Peyton whispered as her pencil started to make fresh marks to her drawing.

Brooke scowled as she pulled out a few things from her bag before pushing it off the desk letting it fall to the floor causing her to be on the receiving end of a few disgruntled looks. She rolled her eyes and turned to the blonde ignoring everyone else. "Yes I did, no thanks to you." She bit out, her eyes narrowed as Peyton's grin widened. "Nathan pointed it out when I asked him if he saw where you'd taken off to."

Peyton chuckled quietly. "Not my fault you had other things on your mind."

"No, but it's your fault I'm here in the first place, the least you could have done was remind me." Brooke replied still annoyed she had to sit through a detention when she hadn't done anything to deserve it in the first place.

"Sorry." Peyton said sounding anything but.

Brooke sighed and looked away from the blonde. She didn't know why she was bothering. Deciding to make the most of it she opened up her cell phone and used the internet access to check her emails to see if her parents had been in touch since the last time she'd checked.

They hadn't.

With nothing left to distract her now that Peyton had been suitably told off Brooke was left with little option but to open a text book and at the very least look through it like she cared. Arriving late had spared her half of the detention but she still had to make it through the remaining time on her own.

Bored already and looking to share her big news Brooke turned back to Peyton and tried to get her attention but Peyton just kept her eyes on her drawing.

The brunette sighed at Peyton's game playing then loudly cleared her throat.

Peyton smirked then slowly tilted her head in her friends direction and raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes?"

Brooke looked so happy Peyton couldn't help but chuckle.

"I have a date!" Brooke told her shifting her chair a little closer to the blonde in order to have a proper conversation with her.

"Really." Peyton replied trying to sound like this was a shock, but truthfully she was just as happy as Brooke was with the news. She'd seen how upset Brooke had been when Haley had been ignoring her. "And who would that be with, or shouldn't I ask?"

Brooke laughed quietly and pushed the blonde's shoulder. "She asked me to dinner, tonight, at her house!"

"That's great." The blonde replied genuinely happy at this turn of events.

Brooke watched a concerned look appear across Peyton's face. "What?" She asked.

Peyton blinked then asked, "But what'll you wear?" Before braking into laughter as Brooke started slapping at her. "Hey watch it, I was just asking."

"You scared me-"

"Girls!"

They both paused at the shout and turned to the front of the room where the teacher looked decidedly unimpressed with them.

"Do you want to be sitting in here during lunch for the rest of the week?" He asked sternly, glaring at the pair.

Peyton and Brooke both shook their heads at him.

"Well then, I suggest you both shut up and at least pretend to be doing some class work for the rest of detention." He told them before sighing and going back to his crossword puzzle.

Peyton smirked at Brooke and waggled her finger at her friend before going back to her drawing.

Brooke pouted and glanced at the clock. Ugh. But I'm bored!

xxxxxx

Haley grinned as she realised school was done for the day and it wouldn't be long until she was expecting Brooke Davis to arrive at her house. She packed her books slowly into her bag as the rest of her classmates took off out of the room at speed, she watched them go, perhaps understanding for the first time what it meant to have something more important to do with her time than be in school learning.

Haley almost laughed just thinking how strange that was for her to be thinking that, here she was, no plans to go to the tutor centre, no plans to do any homework she'd been give today, no plans at all that didn't involve getting ready for Brooke coming over.

And she was okay with that.

She didn't even feel guilty that she'd had to push a few students over into tomorrow lunchtime just so she could go home now.

She had a dinner to cook and clothes to pick out. With any luck her sister would help her with that last one as she wanted to look nice for Brooke, after all those flowers that had arrived that morning couldn't have been cheap, not according to Quinn.

xxxxxx

Whitey glared at Nathan as the boy sat on the bench watching the team attempt to work throw some of they're plays with Lucas in Nathan's role. So far it had been a disaster and with a game tomorrow night there was no way he'd be sleeping easy tonight.

"Damn kid." He muttered before blowing his whistle as he watched Tim have a go at Lucas when he ended the play early by taking a shot too soon which had missed.

"Okay enough!" He shouted onto the court as all eyes turned to him. He could see in the eyes of most of his players that they were worried about tomorrows game as well and that wasn't good. The team had to be confident or they'd risk losing before tip-off. He met each and every pair of eyes, going from one player to the next. "You can do this, now from the top." He instructed and the set up to run the play again. "And Lucas, five passes then you take the shot, not before or I'll bench you too!" He threatened and blew his whistle then watched his boys make the passes and run into the right places and finally Lucas took the shot from where he should have the first time and the ball sailed in.

Whitey smiled as the team cheered. It was a small step but it was progress.

"Again, faster this time!" He called out not wanting them to get ahead of themselves. It was one thing doing this against the second string players it'd be a different thing come Saturday and that was the game he was really worried about.

Nathan sighed in relief as the shot was good for the second time. He was feeling anxious as he watched his friends play without him, and guilty for causing his coach so many problems in the lead up to some important games. If they slipped from the top spot no one would care that he was out it'd just be seen as them having been lucky to get there in the first place. And that maybe they'd peaked for the season.

He hated sitting here and just watching when he really wanted to be out there playing. It should be him making the shots, him making the plays work the way Whitey wanted them to.

"Enjoying the view from this end?" Whitey asked Nathan as he moved to stand beside where he was sat with his crutches at one side and his strapped foot stretched out in front of him.

"No." Nathan replied darkly, wondering why he'd done something this stupid when he saw Lucas mess up yet another play they were asked to run. "Dammit, can't he just do it the way it's supposed to be done!" He bit out as his team-mates threw glares at his brother as the started the play again.

Whitey snorted.

"What?" Nathan asked as it sounded like that noise was directed at him.

"Not like you didn't try my patience to its limits." Whitey muttered.

Nathan grinned cockily though as he replied, "Don't know about you Coach, but I don't remember missing my shots."

Whitey sighed quietly, no, he remembered. "You were still a pain in my ass kid, still are in fact."

Nathan looked back at the court where after a bit the team managed to run another successful play, and then a second one, and he smiled as he watched the team celebrate. If they could get a string of good plays under them now and at practise in the morning, tomorrow night's game might not be a complete waste of time turning up to watch.

Nathan and Whitey watched the players in silence for the next half hour and both of them were happy with the way the team was starting to gel together. They both knew that it was down to Tim and Jake who were both giving Lucas words of advice or praise when things went right.

"He's too cocky." Whitey said with a shake of his head as he watched Lucas once again take and miss an early shot on the basket. He smacked his playbook off his thigh and looked at Nathan. "Why don't you remind him he'll most likely be benched again once you're back on your feet." He lifted an eyebrow to practically insist Nathan tell his brother exactly that before walking over to his assistant on the other side of the court.

Nathan grinned.

He actually thought Lucas was too nervous which was why he was taking shots that weren't guaranteed to make it, he didn't think he was trying to impress everyone as such, more that he was just trying to prove he could step in and do just a good a job as him or better.

A word or two in his ear wouldn't hurt.

And anyway, Nathan was planning to be back to his usual self next week which meant Lucas would just have to go back to his spot as a bench warmer. There was only one star in this team and Lucas Scott wasn't it. Even if he was getting the chance to shine in the next two games.

xxxxxx

"What about this?" Brooke asked as she pressed one of her favourite black dresses to her chest for Peyton to look at.

Peyton groaned from her spot on Brooke's bed. She wasn't fond of Brooke's house, it hardly seemed lived in, not to mention she feared running into the brunette's parents every time she was dragged over.

She lifted her head from where it was buried in the countless other clothes Brooke had pulled out to get her opinion on. "For God's sake Brooke!" She yelled having reached her limit. "It's dinner. At Haley's house, where, from what you've said, her parent's might also be...do you really want to show up dressed like it's a date?"

Brooke froze and her eyes widened, she hadn't thought about that.

Peyton shook her head as the brunette paled in front of her. "Would you relax." She said getting up and taking the dress out of Brooke's hand and wandering into her friend's wardrobe to try and see if she could find something more suitable.

It didn't take long.

"Here, wear these with your boots and this under a white button up." Peyton offered placing a pair of smart jeans and a blue vest top that had a nice fancy design on the front into Brooke's hands before taking up her place on the bed again, gesturing for her friend to go try them on with a wave of her hand.

Brooke grinned then headed back into her wardrobe to pick out the shirt and which boots to wear, she didn't want too high a heel given Haley was a little shorter than she was.

"Thanks Peyton!"

"It's what I live for." Peyton answered back as she rolled onto her side to get a good look at her friend in the outfit.

A few minutes later Brooke came out and lifted her hands out to the side and did a spin for the blonde before asking, "So what do you think? Not too sexy but still good, yeah?"

Peyton nodded. The button up shirt had a few button's left open so Haley would have a very nice view during dinner but Brooke could easily do them up and still look fine if Haley wasn't the only one home. "You look great." She confirmed.

"Great!" Brooke cheered, now that her clothes were sorted all she had left was her make-up then she could leave soon. She checked the time as she went over and sat down to do the final touches to her face. She still had plenty of time.

"Are you taking a bottle of wine over or chocolates or something?" Peyton asked eventually.

Brooke rolled her lips together as she applied some lipstick for a bit of added colour. She met Peyton's gaze in the mirror. "Haley said not to."

Peyton shrugged. "I think you should take something, even if you don't drink the wine, saves her being disappointed and it'll at least give you something to say before you find out where her bedroom is." She said as a grin spread across her face.

Brooke squeaked and threw a bottle of nail polish that was handy in the blonde's direction. "Watch it you!" She warned. It was just dinner, no matter how much she'd love it if more happened, right now Brooke was just over the moon that Haley was speaking to her again.

"Oi! Watch the face." Peyton replied having just missed being hit in the head by the small bottle.

"This is just dinner, that's all." Brooke insisted as she stood up and went over to pick out a jacket or coat to wear. She may be driving over but it was still cold out fairly early at this time of year and she wanted to be prepared.

And if Haley's parents were home then this way she'd be able to have time alone with Haley under the pretence of going for a walk after dinner to settle the meal.

"You look good Brooke." Peyton said sincerely as Brooke checked herself in a full length mirror in the corner of her room.

Brooke nodded at her image happy to agree with Peyton's assessment of the overall out fit. Then again the blonde should like it she'd chosen most of it.

The pair walked down the stairs and Brooke made a quick stop in the kitchen for a bottle of her mother's favourite red wine, it made her smile at the thought of Haley having the expensive wine even if she wouldn't drink it her parents were welcome to it.

"All set?" Peyton asked. With Brooke having stayed over last night she'd driven both of them here in her car, now she'd be going home and leaving Brooke to get on with her non-date.

Brooke took a deep breath as they stood next to her little bug.

"You'll be fine." Peyton said stepping closer and giving her friend a hug as she looked nervously at her.

Brooke swallowed. "Right. Fine."

Peyton chuckled as she moved off towards her own car. "Just remember dinner first, dessert later." She instructed before mumbling, "After her parents have gone to bed hopefully."

"Right, dinner first, desser-" Brooke saw the grin her friend was sporting and realised just what she meant. "Hey!" She scowled at the blonde.

"Just try to enjoy yourself, and call me later." Peyton said as she closed her door and drove off with a wave at her friend.

That left Brooke standing there alone, still as nervous as ever. "Right."

With deliberate movements Brooke got into her car, put the bottle of wine on the passenger seat and began the drive to Haley's house.

"It's just dinner, nothing more." She muttered to herself as she got closer to Haley's place, her hands fidgeting on the steering wheel. "Everybody's got to eat, right?"

xxxxxxx

AN/ Aww, no dinner this chapter, sorry. Maybe next time yeah?

Thanks for reading!