New update all here for ya. Might be another one coming sometime this night or early tomorrow. So keep an eye out :P

TOXIC

Chapter 16

Sway

The apartment was completely silent as Brooke walked in from her quick outing. She figured on somebody being up by now. It was after all noon. Not that the sleeping power of a college student couldn't rival the best of the best, but she also knew her roommates weren't exactly the type to sleep the day away either.

This was why she hated working on Saturday nights. It almost always entailed coming home alone. A deed she wasn't too used to. Which made being completely alone the following morning, even less appealing. Usually she had Haley to hang out with. Gossip about her weekend adventures with. However both her friends seemed to be a no show at the moment.

Which left Brooke to ponder where it was they were.

Not being one to actually ponder anything for too long a period of time, she headed towards Peyton's room.

The sight of a ruffled Jake coming out of her room, stopping Brooke dead in her tracks.

"Brooke," he nodded in acknowledgment, as he yawned his eyes heavy from sleep.

"Jake," she said back, and quietly watched as he made his way out the door. Peyton coming out of her room only seconds later, a content smile on her face.

"Good morning," Peyton chirped, heading to the bathroom with a light step.

"Yeah I bet," Brooke unintentionally smiled for her friend as she yelled to her through the closed door.

Standing by the door in debate, Brooke decided to return once again to the lonely kitchen table and her uneaten bagel she'd just bought.

The front door opened right as Brooke sat down, and revealed a very disheveled Haley.

Again Brooke's mouth dropped open as she moved to get up.

"Hal—"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said as if on cue and waved Brooke off, going into her room and shutting the door.

"I didn't even say anything," Brooke yelled to her. She waited a few minutes in silence again. Unsure of whom would be the next to reappear.

"But you were going too," Haley yelled back. Coming out of her room moments later, a fresh pair of clothes on, her hair up in a tight ponytail.

"Can't I be a little curious," Brooke asked, as Haley began searching through the refrigerator.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, if I tell you one thing, then you're going to want to know about everything. And you won't stop bugging me until you do. This way, if I don't tell you anything. You won't have anything to bug me about."

Brooke didn't look amused.

"Well fine then Mary Sunshine. Tell me about your encounter with the Evil Scott then."

Haley stopped her searching. She popped her head out of the fridge too look at a grinning Brooke.

"Thought I didn't I see that right? You should know by now that I catch everything when I'm working. So come on spill it."

Haley didn't know what to tell her. It wasn't that she felt like she had to lie. They'd already cleared up any of those residual doubts. It was that she wasn't sure of how much to share with Brooke. She wasn't ready to tell anybody about her and Brad.  She wasn't ready to confront that train wreck just yet.

 She paused on how to begin. "Nathan saw me with Brad and—"

"Chemistry guy," Brooke asked with a slight mischievous smile. Haley frowned at her and continued.

"Yeah. Nathan saw us talking together, and got...I don't know pissed that I was paying attention to somebody else other than him. Or maybe that somebody was paying attention to me. Who knows? Either way he tried to get into a fight with Brad. And when that didn't work, he left. And then we left."

"Being you and Brad?"

"Yeah."

"And then what happened?"

"I told you I don't want to talk about it." Haley said with an overwhelming sense of insecurity.

"Talk about what," Peyton asked coming out the bathroom, freshly showered, the smile still on her face.

"About her and Brad spending the night together," Brooke offered, and Haley gave her the look of death.

"Brad who," Peyton questioned, situating herself by the other two girls.

"A guy from my Chemistry class," Haley stated simply, her eyes cast downwards.

"That she spent the night with," Brooke added with a bouncy smirk.

"Oh really? What happened," Peyton asked, and both Haley and Brooke gave her shocked expressions. Peyton had never really been one to pry. New developments seemed to be springing up all around.

"Nothing happened ok! Nothing," Haley said dramatically in hopes of placating their interest

Brooke looked unconvinced, while Peyton seemed to accept her admission for the moment. Brooke eyed Haley's uncharacteristic frown and decided to move to Peyton.

"Ok so Haley says nothing happened with her and Chemistry guy. But I know something went down with you and Jake. Or should I say some one," Brooke smiled, and made a little squeal when Peyton threw a dishtowel her way.

Haley watched in dismay as her friends gushed over Peyton's night with Jake. How sweet he was, how gentle, how he promised to take her out next Saturday for dinner. The whole time wishing she could be happy for her friends, instead of wishing that she could have that for herself.

...........................

"Can I have Ice Chia Latte please," Brooke asked the swirly 16 year old cashier, that stood across the counter from her at Gloria Jeans coffee shop. Expertly leering down at her chest.

"Would you like skim, 1%, or 2% milk with that Ma'am?"

"Two Percent. And don't call me Ma'am," she flinched, tousling her hair a bit for emphasis. Feeling way too old at the moment.

"Oh sorry Ma—iss."

"Sure," she sighed, handing him a 5 dollar bill from her purse. He took the money and gave her, her change.

Brooke then proceeded to leave, but found herself blocked by a rather tall figure with blonde hair and a pair of stunning blue eyes.

"So do I get Hello or what," Lucas asked, his own smile beaming.

Brooke looked straight up at him, her lips curving into a flirtatious grin, at the sight of him. She'd never admit it of course, but Lucas Scott had always been very appealing to her. Why she'd never approached him before now was a mystery to her.

"I'm surprised to see you here," she replied, following him to the counter.

"Oh and why is that?"

"I guess I never really pictured you as a coffee kinda guy."

"That's cause sweet frosty beverages really aren't that manly if you know what I mean. Got keep it on the down-low. I do have a reputation to uphold and all," he said half-jokingly.

Brooke let out a little giggle and waited for him to get his drink.

When she looked back down at her watch three hours later she realized just how long her and Lucas had been sitting there and talking. Enjoying each others company. Time had cease to exist, and for some reason she didn't really mind.

"So tell me Luke, why didn't we ever get together in High school huh," she teased him with a bat of her eyelashes, leaning closer to him from across the table.

Lucas leaned forward as well. Matching her smile with his own. "I don't know. Probably because you were dating my brother, and I was dating your best-friend."

Brooke flipped her hair over shoulder, and then nodded her head with playful jest. "Oh that's right, of course. But still we could have hung out sometimes, I mean who knew you could be so much fun to just hang around and talk with?"

"Hey I've got a crazy idea," Luke locked eyes with her.

"What?"

"How bout we hang out next weekend. You and me."

Suddenly their playful afternoon had just taken a twist Brooke wasn't prepared for. Did he really want to go out with her? Be friends with her? Knowing her past? Most boys didn't.

"Are you being serious," she asked, her smile fading.

"Aren't you having fun," Luke countered still keeping her gaze. Tilting his head to the side with curiosity.

"Well yeah....but don't you think that us "going out" might cause drama?"

"From who? Nathan? Who cares. As far as I know he's already hung up on somebody else anyway."

This was news. This was definite news, of the good variety. "How do you know?"

He gave her a suspicious eye squint. "He's been pissy for weeks. More than usual, and I know it's not from school or basketball. Which leaves only one other option really. That it's a girl. I'm guessing she must've dumped his sorry-ass. It would definitely explain the attitude."

"Do you know who it is?"

Luke let out an audible laugh at her question, as if the very idea was absurd. "That's funny. The last time Nate told me who he liked was.....umm.....never. He's not big in the sharing department."

Suddenly Brooke had an idea bubbling in her head. An idea she knew could turn out disastrous in a multitude of ways. But that wasn't going to stop her. Her brain had already gotten on the train and was heading full speed down the track. Now all she needed was to make sure everyone else was onboard.

Slowly she broke into a grin, turning to Luke with a gleam in her eyes. "Ok, so what if I told you I have this friend, who likes your friend.............."