From the parking lot to the entrance of Tree Hill High, students and teachers alike stopped and stared. It wasn't an unusual occurrence when Rachel Getina walked by. She seemed to always have an aura, an illuminocity about her but on the crisp morning, her confident walk and the smirk painted across her gorgeous face seemed to stand out that much more.
"Rachel! Hey, Rachel! Rach!"
He called out for her but she didn't seem to notice. He nearly tripped over himself in an effort to catch up to her. Finally, he did, wrapping an arm around her. She jumped and let out a gasp, quickly concealing her phone, bringing an abrupt end to the text message she had been in the midst of sending.
"Mouth...um, hey."
She looked surprised, although not pleasantly as he placed a kiss on her lips.
"I missed you this morning."
"Yeah..."
"I waited for you to pick me up."
It was normal routine for the young lovers to ride to school together in the mornings.
"Oh I had stuff to do and I was already running late. Sorry."
He shrugged with a smile.
"It's okay, it's just that you could have called."
"I forgot, okay? Look, I don't really feel like being nagged today."
Her voice rose a few octaves, as a few onlookers couldn't help but stare. The hurt was evident in the eyes of a red faced Mouth.
"Sorry. I, I wasn't trying to nag you."
"Whatever."
She turned to walk away but he reached for her arm.
"Rachel, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Because you look upset, pissed even and I don't want you to feel that way. If something is bothering you, you know you can always talk to me."
She managed a small smile even though it was obvious she was becoming more annoyed and antsy by the moment.
"It's fine, Mouth. Really. I'm fine. It's just a bad day, that's all."
He leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips.
"Maybe I can make it better. We could get together after school..."
But she was already walking away.
"We'll see", she called out, leaving him there.
There had been a few stares throughout their conversation but one person had watched from afar, arms folded with interest. As soon as Rachel was gone, she walked up to her friend.
"You okay?"
He turned, still bothered by the interaction or lack there of with his girlfriend.
"Huh? Oh, hey, Brooke. Yeah, um, I'm good. Everything, everything is just fine."
"Are you sure? Because it didn't look that way."
The brunette pursed her lips, staring daggers in Rachel's direction.
"I said it's fine. Look, don't start, okay?"
"Mouth..."
"I'm gonna be late for class", he mumbled as he headed for the entrance.
Brooke could only follow, stopping by the female locker room to drop off the gym bag that contained her cheering ensemble. To her surprise and utter disdain, Rachel was the first person she ran into. The red head was engrossed in her phone.
"Hope that message is an apology to your boyfriend", Brooke looked straight at her.
"And the morning just keeps getting better", Rachel rolled her eyes. "Fancy seeing you here, Thunder Thighs."
"I thought I smelled skank."
"Then you're just smelling yourself", Rachel tried to push past but Brooke wasn't budging.
"Not so fast. What happened out there with Mouth?"
"What do you mean? Nothing happened, not that it's any of your business anyway. We were just talking."
"Well, it sounded like you were being the little cave bitch you are and it looked like poor Mouth was more than a little hurt. He is my friend and when you mess with my friends, it becomes my business."
"Lay off, Brooke."
"Is that a threat?"
Rachel folded her arms.
"You know, I just don't get you. I mean, what is your deal? Sure, you're a slut and you're psychotic and in your uniform your butt looks like two little hams fighting each other but I really don't get you sometimes. I thought we were cool. Why are you always riding my ass? In case you forgot, I have been there for you when you needed someone. Do the names Lucas and Kelly ring a bell?"
"Gee, Rach, was that before or after you tried to fuck him?"
"Water under the bridge, kiddo. You know what I mean."
"No, actually, I don't. Care to enlighten me?"
"I'm not stupid, Brooke. This isn't about Mouth. It's about you and your jealousy."
"My what?" Brooke sarcastically laughed.
"You heard me. You know, you're a really sad person, Brooke. I saw through that the moment I met you. You want everyone to think you're the hot, popular cheerleader living the super life with everything under control but you're not. You're just a lonely, scared, insecure, pathetic person. It's sad really but I know what that's like. That's why I tried to be nice to you, that's why I threw you a bone, so to speak. I guess you could say we were friends or whatever but I always had my eyes on you. I knew we could never be real friends and I knew I couldn't trust you. So your parents suck and you're confused about life and Lucas dumped you. Get over it already but don't take it out on me!"
"Bitch, you have some nerve. Rachel, who the hell do you think you are? And you want to talk about true colors? I don't think that's a can of worms you really want to open up right now."
"Look, there are some things you just don't understand. I don't feel like discussing it with you and it's none of your business anyway, like I said. So why don't you just get a life and leave mine the hell alone."
"Rachel!" Brooke grabbed her arm when the red head again tried to walk away.
"Look, I'm not gonna tell you again to get away from me."
"About Mouth…"
"Mouth and I are done", Rachel blurted out.
Brooke's eyes widened. She knew the vixen had been no good for her sweet and innocent friend all along and although she secretly wished for the ill fated relationship to sink faster than the Titanic, the unexpected news took her for a loop.
"Done? What…what are you talking about?"
Rachel sighed heavily.
"Things are getting too serious, too complicated and I need some space right now so we're going to take a break."
"Really?" Brooke anxiously folded her arms. "Is Mouth aware of this break?"
"No, but he will be."
"I don't believe you. You heartless slut! How could you do this?"
"It's for the best."
"Rachel!"
"Oh don't you act for me, pretending to be all upset. This is what you wanted all along, Brooke."
"Mouth loves you, why I don't know, but he is going to be heartbroken.
For a moment Rachel looked genuinely concerned as she kicked at the floor.
"He'll be okay. He'll get over it."
"Get over it! Get over it? Are you kidding me? How could you say that?"
"Like I said, it's very complicated but also personal. If you keep your big fat cake hole shut and let me explain this to him gently and let him down easily, it'll…"
"It'll what? Be okay?"
"Brooke…"
"No. Don't Brooke me. You know, you're even more evil than I thought. Either that or you're really that clueless. Newsflash, whore, but Mouth isn't just gonna get over this. You were his first love, his first everything. He won't just get over it like nothing happened. This is gonna break his heart. Don't you see that? And he's a good person and he's been damned good to you. How could you do this to him?"
"It's not easy and it's not like I planned it. Things happen, Brooke, you of all people should know that. Couples fall out of love and grow apart all the time and sometimes they unexpectedly meet other people and things happen and…"
"What a crock of shit! Dammitt, I should have known! You are such a little mattress back. This is about someone else. I knew it. I knew you were just using Mouth because he gave your ego a lot of attention when you needed it. I knew as soon as you found yourself someone cuter or cooler, he'd be out the door."
"It's not like that. It's about connections and emotions and…"
"Bullshit! Now, who's acting? Who is he, Rachel? A college guy? One of the bartenders downtown? Somebody you met at a club or online? I'm curious to hear all about the guy who is supposedly worth breaking the heart of someone you actually claim to love."
Rachel shifted uncomfortably.
"No. I won't tell you because you're just gonna run and tell Mouth. I don't want him to find out like that."
Brooke shook her head.
"No, I won't. I don't have the stomach to hurt him like that. That's your dirty work, Rachel. You're the one who has to be woman enough to look in his eyes and tell him the truth."
"It's Cooper."
Brooke stumbled forward, fearing she'd have to pick her jaw up off the floor. Surely she had heard wrong.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard what I said."
"Apparently not. I guess the lack of sleep at night is really starting to get to me because I swear I thought I just heard you say Cooper and the only Cooper that comes to mind is Nathan's uncle, Cooper Lee and we both know that can't be it."
Rachel swallowed hard and shot her foe a defiant look.
"What if it is?"
"You seriously need professional help."
"It's true. Look, I didn't want to tell you because Cooper and I like to keep our love life private but I also didn't want to hurt your feelings. I know how much you liked him and all."
Brooke's smirk quickly faded.
"I don't know what the hell you're trying to pull here but it isn't funny."
"This is no joke. Cooper is a special guy, a great guy. From the first time we met, there were sparks between us. We just never acted on it. I had loyalty to Mouth but I realized that Mouth is more of a little brother than a lover to me. I love him but I'm not in love with him."
"And a few nights doing the Cha Cha at the school gym helped you realize all that?"
"We really connect. Cooper and I get each other and what we have is magical, powerful."
"Even though I really can't stand your ass right about now, I would like to have some of whatever drugs you're on."
"It's not a delusion, it's real. The night of the storm last week? I spent it with Cooper."
"You're lying."
"Am I? Nathan's parents were working and Nathan was with Haley at her house. I got stranded near the Scott's and Cooper let me in. We talked and he took care of me. It was wonderful. And in the end, we made love."
"Whatever", Brooke rolled her eyes as she turned to leave. "Mouth is better off without you. I'll go comfort him later after I return from my date with Brad Pitt."
"Does this look like I'm lying?" Rachel asked, holding up her arm. "Do you need anymore proof, Brooke?"
Brooke felt her heart fall in the pit of her stomach.
…
"Coop, what are you doing? Hurry up, I'm starving to death!" Brooke complained, stamping her boot clad foot.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your horses, I just had to get ready."
"Get ready? You're so metro, you're like worse than any girl I've met. You take longer getting ready than I do and that's bad, really bad."
"Hey, I am not metro but I just need one more thing."
She raised an eyebrow as he put it on his wrist.
"Not metro, eh? The bracelet there could have fooled me."
She was referring to what he had put on. It wasn't expensive, just a piece of black material sewn together but he looked down at it, proud as a peacock.
"This means a lot to me. Someone very special gave this to me."
His eyes softened as it was obvious to see how important the object was.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know…"
"It's cool. No harm, no foul, I just never leave home without it, or at least I try not to. Just please, whatever you do, don't call it a bracelet", he winked, grabbing his jacket and holding the door open for a giggling Brooke.
…
And there it was.
"Oh my God…"
"He gave this to me", Rachel stated. "It's true. It happened and there's nothing you can do about it so you may as well get over it."
Brooke felt a fury hastily building deep inside. It was more than hate, jealousy, anger or sadness, more than emotion. In fact, it was a combination of all of them. And before she knew it, she had hurled her tiny frame onto Rachel's. Punches, shoves, scratches, slaps and kicks, along with a lot of hair pulling rapidly ensued. Rachel never had a chance. She was on the floor in the fetal position desperately trying to ward off the can of whoop ass that had been unleashed.
"Oh my God", Haley's smile quickly faded as she rounded the corner sandwiched between her boyfriend and his brother. "Is that Brooke and Rachel?"
"Looks like Rachel's hair on the floor", Nathan chuckled. "Damn. Who knew Brooke had that in her?"
"You can't just let them fight."
"You mean let Brooke fight?"
"Nathan! Go break them up. You, too, Luke."
A stunned Lucas and nonchalant Nathan carefully inserted themselves between the two brawling beauties. When Lucas could, his arms wrapped around Brooke's middle as he subdued her swinging arms and pulled her away.
"You're okay", he whispered. "Just calm down."
How could she? Brooke Davis was enraged, like a woman possessed. She was angry about Mouth, angry about Cooper and angry about Rachel and looking up at her ex didn't help matters any.
"Get your damned hands off of me!" she elbowed him in the stomach as she stood to her feet to leave.
"Brooke!" Haley called out.
But Brooke would hear none of it as she fled on foot. No one could be trusted. What the hell had just happened? Only in Tree Hill and at that moment, all Brooke wanted was far away from Tree Hill and Lucas and Nathan and Haley and Mouth and Rachel and most especially Cooper Lee.
