The music played in the background as Rachel kept up to the beat, even more surprised that her partner could. He was a good dancer, easy to teach with a natural rhythm. Besides, he was sexy. The man could have been picking his nose and it still would have been sexy.

"Surprised?"

"What?" she asked, for a moment taken off guard.

His blue eyes twinkled, matching the smirk on his handsome face.

"Surprised at how good I am?"

The song stopped and she backed away, raising one eyebrow.

"Personally, I think you hustled me."

"Why would you think that? Why would I hustle you?"

"You're very good and I don't hand out compliments just for the hell of it."

Cooper shrugged.

"So I watch a lot of Dancing With The Stars."

She nodded and laughed. It had been their third meeting of impromptu dance lessons. She had been where she always was after cheerleading practice, dancing in the school gym. She wore her sexiest outfit, knowing he would come and sure enough, he had shown up just two days after the initial invite. But it hadn't been easy. Cooper had kicked himself the entire way over. It was just a little harmless dancing, what was the big deal? The big deal was, he was a 29 year old man and she was a 17 year old girl.

"Okay. So you keep up with the hip hop stuff and you're pretty good with the pop."

"What else is there?"

Rachel smiled.

"You can't forget about slow dancing."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, the dreaded slow dance."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a dread", she said, coming over to him after she put an appropriate CD in the player.

"I think we can skip this part", he tried to joke as she wrapped her arms around him.

"What are you afraid of?" she purred. "Me?"

Cooper had to laugh out loud.

"Rachel, I'm not afraid of anything, especially not you."

She eyed him up and down.

"That's fine. Now loosen up the tension in those shoulders", she directed.

He sighed but didn't break away as they moved slowly in time with the mellow rhythm.

"You think you're cute, don't you?"

She shrugged and feigned innocence.

"Do you?"

"Rachel…"

"What?"

"I don't think I need slow dance lessons. Besides, who am I gonna be slow dancing with at a high school formal?"

"Mrs. Scott. She is your sister, right?"

"Yeah."

"And Brooke?"

"I don't know about that", he half smiled.

"Then what about me, Coop?" she looked right at him. "Are you gonna save a dance for me?"

She was flirting and he knew it.

"I'll think about it", he took the bait.

"Think about it?"

"Look, Rach, I'm trying to lay low. I don't want to piss anybody off. Dancing with you here is one thing, in public it's another. People might not understand the old chaperone dancing with the hot cheerleader and Mouth might not understand me dancing with his girl."

"Do you always care what people think?"

"I…"

"I didn't think so. And as far as Mouth? You just leave him to me. Let me take care of that."

She smirked and he returned it. She was quite the character but he knew that was just her game and for the time being, he was perfectly content to play along. He didn't even flinch when she moved her svelte body closer to his. Together they were lost in the music, not hearing, or perhaps even caring about the footsteps coming closer towards them. Rachel had been dancing after hours in that gym for months and no one had come around. Until now…

Brooke sifted though her oversized handbag looking for her cell phone, which was curiously MIA. She had been an idiot and left her gym bag in the locker room after cheerleading practice and had cursed the entire backtracking drive. She heard the music in the gym, wondering who could be listening to baby making tunes at that hour. As she rounded the corner through the double doors, she got her answer. Her mouth fell open. There they were! Brooke couldn't believe it. Dirty dancing like two horny middle schoolers in the middle of the gym floor. Quickening her pace, her heels clicked towards them and it actually took a few seconds for them to notice her presence.

"Brooke", Rachel smiled, acting surprised but nevertheless happy to see her fair weather friend.

"Brooke", Cooper cleared his throat. "Hey."

"What the hell is this?" the feisty brunette demanded with her hands on her hips.

"Funny seeing you here at this hour", Rachel continued.

"I bet", Brooke narrowed her eyes.

"Hey, Brooke", Cooper said again. "Rachel here was just giving me some pointers on the dance floor, you know, to save face at the formal."

"Whatever", she rolled her eyes.

"Brooke…"

She turned on her heels to leave.

"Going so soon?" the red head mused.

Brooke stopped dead in her tracks.

"You know, Rachel, everybody knows you're a whore and a bitch but are you not satisfied being the school mattress back? You had to move on to the town's older visiting population?"

"Old?" Cooper made a face.

"Well, excuse me", Rachel folded her arms.

"I knew it."

"Knew what?"

Brooke just shook her head.

"I knew poor Mouth would get hurt. He's the innocent one in all this and it's a shame."

"What does my boyfriend have to do with this?"

"Yeah. Brooke, we were just dancing", Cooper interjected. "It's totally innocent."

"With that bitch it's never innocent", she sneered as she left with Cooper running after her.

"Brooke! Brooke, wait up!" he yelled, chasing her all the way outside.

"Just leave me alone."

He gently turned her arm so that her body was facing him.

"What's the matter? It was just dancing, I swear."

"You don't have to swear to me."

"Then why are you so pissed?"

"I'm not pissed!"

"Then what do you call this?"

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Rachel is the biggest slut in Tree Hill. She's a little home wrecking, heartbreaking tramp."

He had to laugh out loud.

"Whoa! Sounds like my kind of woman."

"You disgust me", Brooke turned to leave but Cooper grabbed her once more.

"Hey, hey, hey. I was just kidding."

"Well, it's not funny. Cooper, don't you see what she's doing?"

"Yes. Yes, I do, Brooke. I'm not blind or stupid. I know exactly what Rachel is doing but it's cool. Nothing is going on between us. She's harmless."

"Hardly", Brooke huffed.

"Why do you let her get to you so much?"

The million dollar question.

"I don't know. She just does. It's one of her talents, okay? That and whoring."

"Brooke", he chuckled lightly.

"It's not funny. She's up to something and that's never good. Either you're gonna end up in trouble or Mouth's gonna get hurt or both."

"It's not like that, I promise you. Besides, I can handle Rachel."

"Famous last words", she muttered as she walked away.

Back in the gym as the music continued, Rachel couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't her fault her rival was such an easy target. The plan had been simple enough. Hide Brooke's bag to give her a reason to return to school just in time to see Rachel cuddled in his arms. Brooke would freak, pout and no doubt go running to Mouth. But it was all a part of the plan.

Hey, it wasn't her fault. Some people were just gullible but she intended to savor every moment.