Brooke took a deep breath as she took a good, sound look at the sad, young girl staring back at her through the mirror. It had been a little over an hour since she had fled the most disastrous school dance in the history of school dances. Angry and humiliated, she had fled the scene of the social crime in tears, not even caring how she looked that night. It probably would have been in her best interest to cause less of a scene and calmly walk out with her head held high but in the heat of the moment, emotions had gotten the best of her.

She couldn't help it. She was mad. Brooke was mad about everything. In fact, she was so mad, she didn't know where to start. Was it the fact that she had gone to that stupid thing in the first place when in fact, it was the last place on earth she wanted to be? Was it the fact she had been brave enough, or depending on one how viewed it, silly enough to go without a date? Or was it the fact Rachel, as usual, was there to ruin her good time? Maybe it was the grinch in her that secretly, jealously despised all the happy couples around her, including Nathan and Haley and Jake and Peyton? And what was the straw that finally broke the camel's back? Was it seeing Lucas and Kelly's crowning moment? Or was it seeing a smirking Rachel Getina cozied up in Cooper Lee's arms?

Brooke collapsed on her king sized bed in her lavender terry cloth robe after a much needed shower. Limp, wet, dark hair hung to her shoulders as she had furiously scrubbed away at the tear stained make up that had left an ugly trail across her beautiful face. She could only close her eyes and groan as she was alone with the fitful memories of an evening more catastrophic than she ever could have imagined in her wildest dreams.

Seconds later, she heard a noise. It was faint so she ignored it until she heard it again less than a minute later. Brooke carefully sat up and opened one eye. One more time. What the hell was it? It sounded like pebbles being thrown against her window. She stood and walked over to get a closer look but saw no one. On the way back to her bed, she heard it again. Brooke put her hands on her hips. Who could it be? Ever since she had ran out of the Formal, Peyton had been blowing up her cell phone with call after call. If her blonde best friend had come over to check on her, why didn't she just do so from the front door? Sighing, Brooke put her feet in her pair of favorite slippers and went outside to investigate further.

It was dark and there was a distinct chill in the air. Wrapping her arms around herself in a futile effort to fight against the nagging cold, she peeked around every nook and cranny as she walked around the back of her house. The only noise came from the soft pitter patter of her own feet over the grass. There was no one there, no one but her. Great, she thought! In addition to turning into a complete crying, mental basket case, she was now hearing things on top of that. So that was what it was like to lose your mind? Shaking her head, she turned to go back to the warmth and safety behind the red door. Instead she found herself walking smack dab into something that was large and soft…and something that smelled particularly good. Startled, Brooke let out the scream of her life.

"Shhh", he dragged her behind a bush, covering her mouth with a large hand. "Brooke, don't scream like that. Your neighbors will call the cops. Relax. It's just me. It's Cooper."

She closed her mouth long enough to break away and find herself staring into a pair of large and seemingly concerned blue eyes. Catching her breath, she hauled off and socked him in the arm as hard as she could.

"Ass!" she muttered before storming back inside.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What was that for?" he quickly tried to follow her.

"That was for sneaking up on me and scaring me half to death!"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to, okay? But at least you're just mad at me for that. I thought it was because you saw me dancing with Rachel."

Brooke's cheeks burned. She had almost forgotten about that dreadful sight. Eyes narrowing, she let him have another in the opposite arm.

"Ow! Dammitt, you hit like a dude! That kind of hurt!"

"Good", she folded her arms.

"Now what was that one for?"

"For getting your Saturday Night Fever on with Tree Hill's most popular garden tool."

She attempted to slam the door but he stopped it with his foot.

"Are your parents home?"

"They're never home", she spat.

Cooper rolled his eyes.

"Man, I feel like I'm back in Junior High. Can I come in?"

"No."

"Please, Brooke."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Because I want to see you. I want to talk to you. You had me pretty worried the way you just bailed out of that dance like that."

"Cooper…"

"And because I care", his voice softened.

Brooke swallowed hard as she felt her fingertips become weak. She said nothing as she simply opened the door a little wider and moved to allow him entry. Cooper silently followed her through the lavish first floor on up to the stairs that led to her princess like bedroom. Again, she closed the door behind them.

"Fine", she finally huffed. "You wanted to talk so talk."

"May I?" he motioned to sit on the bed and she nodded as they both did so. "I guess I just wanted to know what happened back there."

Brooke looked away.

"I, I don't know."

"Was it Lucas and Kelly?"

Brooke hugged a pillow to her chest.

"It's always Lucas and Kelly", she answered softly. "I don't know. I mean, I guess you'd think I'd be used to it by now. I get that they are a couple and everything but it just sucks when it gets thrown in my face like that. I kind of just happened upon the scene. Had I been more prepared for that moment, it would have been okay. But it's like I find myself front and center with a freaking spotlight on me staring up at them onstage with their sloppy kisses and sickening smiles. Then I felt like everybody was staring at me. I felt like a fool. Probably looked like one, too."

"You're not a fool", Cooper shook his head. "And no one thought you were. In fact, everybody was pretty concerned. I was and so were your friends. Even Lucas and Kelly looked a little bit worried."

Brooke tossed the pillow.

"Just super! Look, the last thing I need is Lucas and Kelly's pity, or anyone's for that matter, including most especially yours."

"It's not pity, Brooke. I don't feel sorry for you."

"Yeah? Then why the hell are you here?"

"Because…because I want to be", he nervously looked away.

"Why? What do you want from me?"

Cooper summoned the courage to look right at her.

"Remember back at the dance I said I had something I wanted to talk to you about?"

Brooke began to feel slightly lightheaded.

"Yeah…"

"Look, I know you got a little jealous about whole Rachel thing and…"

"Jealous?" Brooke scoffed. "Yeah right. Hell will freeze over the day I become jealous of her."

"So you weren't jealous? Not even a little? You didn't care seeing me with her like that?"

She chewed the inside of her lip until it bled.

"Why? Were you and Slut Face trying to make me jealous?"

"No. No, Brooke, of course not. It's not like that. I already told you. Yeah, Rachel flirts or whatever but it's just a game. It's just a part of her personality, her wanting to get to you, her actually being very insecure on the inside. But we were just dancing. We were just hanging out, I swear."

"And it's your thing to hang out with high school girls?"

Cooper took a deep breath.

"Pretty lame, huh? 29 and still trying to impress the Seniors."

"That's not what I meant…"

"Look, it's no secret I've been going through a lot of hard times lately. I joke about the big 3-0 but maybe it's really getting to me. I went though a really bad breakup. I left the racing thing behind. It's like I'm at a crossroads. That's confusing as hell, especially at my age, to not know what the hell you want out of life. It's scary, too. And I feel like I let my sister and my parents down somehow. They expect more out of me and I don't know what to do. I'm lonely, I'm vulnerable but I'm still a good person inside. That's what drew me to you, Brooke. It's like we're the same kind of people. From you I felt those same fears and dreams and insecurities. I felt like we could relate. That might seem kind of creepy that a 29 year old dude feels like he can only get understanding from a high school chick but that's the way it is."

"So…what, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I enjoy your company…a lot. And I guess I'm saying, I care about you…a lot."

"Cooper…"

"I've been through this over and over in my head. I still don't know what I'm saying exactly or what I want. I know you're 18 and not only do you have so much going for you, you've been through a lot yourself recently. Maybe it's a friendship thing, maybe it's a misery loves company thing, I don't know…you're a beautiful girl inside and out so yeah, there is an attraction", Cooper's voice began to trail off as he laughed in spite of himself. "Uh, this sounds really dumb right about now. Trust me, it sounded a whole hell of a lot cooler when I practiced it in front of my mirror."

Brooke couldn't help but crack a smile.

"You practiced?" she teased.

"Maybe. Look, I know I'm not making any sense now and you probably don't understand a word I'm saying and…"

"It makes sense", she stopped him. "It does. It makes a lot of sense and I get what you're saying because…I guess, well, I, I guess I feel it, too."

The words were so soft spoken, they were barely audible.

"Brooke…"

"I don't know if it's a crush or a really strong friendship only type bond. I don't know what it is but I feel it, too."

"What are we gonna do about it?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. But you're a good friend, Cooper and a good person. Whatever happens, I don't want to lose that. You've really been there for me when I needed you, when no one else understood."

"Tonight…I'm sorry it happened the way it did. I'm sorry you got hurt."

"Me, too."

"I just wanted you to know how I feel and…and I'm sorry we never got that dance."

He gave her a smile as he stood to leave. Brooke watched him make it to the door before she stopped him.

"Hey, Coop!"

He turned and saw her at the CD player. Brooke turned it on radio mode and they both smile as a random song began to play.

"Frank Sinatra. Excellent choice. Didn't know you were a fan."

"Whatever", she rolled her eyes. "Don't ask how my radio got on the old people's station. Haley was probably in my room last week or something."

"Appropriate song, The Way You Look Tonight."

"Oh yeah. You mean tripping over my dress as I ran out of the gym in tears?" she half joked. "Or right now with my stringy hair and old fuzzy robe?"

Cooper shrugged.

"You were beautiful then and you're beautiful now."

"Cooper…"

"May I have this dance? Come on, you do owe me."

She couldn't help but smile.

"What the hell? Dance with an old guy to a song by an old guy."

"I'll show you old", he swooped her in his arms and dipped her low to the ground as she squealed with delight.

"I think my grandparents left some Geritol and BenGay from their last visit if you want to check the medicine cabinet."

He laughed along with her as he twirled her in his arms. And for a moment all the drama and the anger and heartbreak was forgotten. Whatever she felt for him, only Cooper Lee could show up in the middle of the night and make it all better. And she could sigh a little easier in his arms as they danced in the middle of her messy bedroom floor to an old Sinatra tune. She looked up at him and smiled before burying her face in the shoulder of his wrinkled suit as he sang softly and slightly off key in her ear.

Someday when I'm awfully low

When the world is cold

I will feel a glow just thinking of you

And the way you look tonight