Chapter Twenty-Two:

Saturday: Present

Iris already had a couple of drinks that could make her say that she has been wishing to say. It was so much going on with Brooke that her own issues were going on in her heart. She felt like she was going to explode. She had to tell her best friend that she's in love with her fiancé. Iris took in a deep breath, breathing in the cold air. She was trying to build herself up.

"What are you doing out here?" Peyton walked out with a warming smile on her face. She could tell by the way that Iris could barely hold her balance that she was drunk.

"Uh, you're an enemy. I shouldn't be talking to you." Iris pointed a finger at her.

"But you aren't?" Peyton smirked.

"No, I'm not." Iris quickly shot back. Peyton stood beside her, watching more people come into the building. Iris whipped the tears from her face and took in a deep breath. "I'm in love with Mouth." Iris confessed. Peyton was surprised at what Iris just told her.

"Oh, that is not what I expected." Peyton leaned back against the balcony that was holding them from falling.

"I wanted to tell Millicent but now I'm having second thoughts." Iris let her head hang low. She was so ashamed of what she was doing.

"no, no, no, no," Peyton quickly said, assuring Iris what she was doing was right. "You need to tell her or it will eat you up inside. When I was in high school and I was in love with Lucas, I told Brooke." Peyton told her.

"And she forgave you?" Iris asked with hope in her eyes. Peyton remembered how Brooke gave her such a cold shoulder. If Brooke didn't have such a good heart, she would have never forgave her.

"Of course." Peyton said with a high pitched voice, lying to her. Iris nodded, she felt confident that her friend would forgive if she told her.

"Alright, I'm going in." Iris said, finishing her drink.

"You get em tiger." Peyton tapped Iris, Iris walked into the building trying to find her. Peyton saw Haley coming towards her with fire in her eyes but she seemed so calm. Peyton didn't know what this would bring but only fire would tell and how she would set it. "Hey, Haley." Peyton said tightly.

"Peyton." Haley stood beside her.

"How are things with you and Nathan?" Peyton asked her, even though she heard them yesterday and this morning. They couldn't stop arguing.

"That's not what I wanted to talk about." Haley huffed. "I can't help you with Lucas anymore." Haley confessed. Peyton was hurt that Haley was quitting on her.

"Fine." Peyton brushed it off. Haley stared at her for a moment, wishing that their would be more but there wasn't. Haley wanted her to quit and just say that its not worth it anymore. Haley turned around and started to walk away but before she did, Peyton kept speaking. "I'm not going to stop, you know." Peyton told her. "I love him." Peyton explain. Haley had a rush of emotion in her body. She remembered how Brooke, Lindsay and Peyton looked at Lucas. They were all different, they said different things. Haley turned around with a smile.

"I know the difference." Haley smiled. Peyton was confused.

"What?" Peyton asked.

"I know the difference." Haley turned around, she had a mission. Peyton grabbed her by the arm, pulling her close. "It's not you Peyton." Haley told her. Peyton was angry, she was beyond furious. "It's Brooke." Haley grabbed her arm back. "I think you should go." Haley warned her, leaving her outside.


Nathan shook his head, sitting in a dark corner all alone. Brooke saw Nathan and she felt like he was the only person that she could talk too. The night was long and she wasn't really feeling her party all too well. She sat next to him.

"I cant believe you got drunk before I even touched a drink." Brooke smirked, teasing him. Nathan's head hanged low.

"I'm not drunk. " Nathan confessed, he looked up at Brooke. "I don't want to talk to Haley and if I'm a mess, she doesn't want to talk to me either." Nathan's voice was sad, distant.

"You're gonna have to forgive her." Brooke said to him. "She loves you and-"

"Yea but I feel like she loves Lucas more." Nathan explained. Brooke had no idea how to help him. Nathan was right, Haley was always helping Lucas but that was her best friend.

"I'm sure Lucas would do the same for Haley and you." Brooke laid her head on Nathan's shoulder. "Today has been a hell of a day and I don't feel like I'm in the partying mood. I thought I could do it but I can't." Brooke felt a tear roll from her cheek.

"I think you and Lucas will be together in the end." Nathan stood up. Brooke looked up at her tall friend. "And today is your birthday. You need a drink and I need a drink. So…"Nathan shrugged his shoulders. He held out his hand, Brooke grabbed it and they walked to the bar. Nathan stared at the brown haired bar tender.

"For shots of vodka." Nathan asked him. The bar tender nodded.

"And four for me." Brooke smiled. Nathan glanced at her and smiled back. They had to get their minds off of everyone and everything that was going on. Brooke just wanted to have fun for tonight and deal with everything else later. A couple of drinks later, Brooke and Nathan felt like they were in wonderland. They danced and sang, cheering and having fun with strangers. Brooke walked over to the bartender. She grabbed him by his shirt and looked into his blue eyes.

"Would you like to kiss the birthday girl?" Brooke asked him. The bartender had this cocky smile.

"If that birthday girl is you." He told her smoothly. Brooke laughed loudly. Brooke pulled him in and kissed him with all the passion that she could give him but what she didn't see was Lucas staring at them as he walked into the party.