Stranded

Chapter Two

Brooke combed her hair in her room and turned up to music on her stereo. Her parents were home and they were fighting about something stupid, as always. It was 6:15 and Brooke didn't want to be anywhere around her house. She ran out of her house and into her car and drove to Nathan's apartment.

Brooke knocked on the door and waited. She heard a door closing and a voice behind the door, "Haley, you know you don't have to knock," Nathan said as he opened the door.

Brooke scowled, "I'm not Haley."

"Sorry," Nathan said flatly, "Why are you here so early?" He asked annoyed.

"My parents were fighting again," Brooke said as she bit her lip, "I didn't really want to be there."

Nathan noticed the hint of hurt in her voice, "I'm sorry Brooke," he said seriously, "Come in." Brooke walked into the apartment and walked over towards the kitchen counter, "What's our whole science project dealing with anyways?"

"Genes, DNA, chromosomes," Brooke listed, "The works."

"What do we have to do?" Nathan asked as he looked at his science book.

Brooke got note cards out of her bag, "We do research, and research on mutations and stuff like that. Here I got bored and I took notes on the chapter," she said handing him the note cards.

Nathan's eyes got big and he smiled, "I didn't know Brooke Davis would be taking notes."

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Brooke said sadly. She and Nathan made eye contact. Brooke realized that the comment had come out a little too quickly, she looked down at her book and cleared her throat, "Anyways, I just think we should do a lot of research and compare notes."

"Okay," Nathan said nodding. He couldn't help but to think about what Brooke had just say, it was true he didn't know hardly anything about her, but that she drank a lot and slept around.

The two sat in silence as Brooke researched on Nathan's laptop, and Nathan researched from the book. Nathan would look towards Brooke every so often, but she would never make eye contact. He knew that he had never really given Brooke a chance, but they weren't friends. Nathan was still staring at Brooke, and Brooke could feel someone's eyes on her she turned and looked at Nathan.

"Um," Brooke said laughing a little, "What did I grow another head or something?"

Nathan laughed, "No, sorry I just...dazed off," he said looking back down at his text book.

"Sure," Brooke said sarcastically. She stuck her tongue out at Nathan, he saw her from the corner of his eye.

"Did you just stick your tongue out at me?" Nathan asked looking at her.

He saw her face light up, "So what if I did?" She asked with a shrug.

Nathan picked up Brooke and threw her on the couch and started tickling her, "You're so childish Davis!"

"I'm childish? You're the one tickling me," she said in between laughs, "Nathan! Stop!" She said still laughing hysterically.

"No," Nathan stated as he stuck his tongue out at Brooke, "Not until you say: Nathan Scott is the best guy in the world."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "I can't lie," she teased.

"Then I'm going to make you piss your pants," Nathan said still tickling her ribs.

"Okay, okay," she still laughing, "Nathan Scott is the best guy in the world," she exclaimed.

Nathan stood up and put his hands up, "Victory!"

Brooke smiled, and punched him in the butt. She then jumped on him causing him to fall on the floor. Brooke was on top of him and had him pinned down, "Victory," she exclaimed, mocking Nathan.

Nathan rolled his eyes, "You have me pinned down, so what?"

"Maybe I should just spit on your face," she said with a mischievous smile.

"Don't Brooke," Nathan said sternly but was still laughing, "I'll do anything."

"Okay," she said, "Say: Brooke Davis is the hottest, smartest, and best girl in the world."

"Brooke Davis is the hottest, smartest, and best girl in the world."

Brooke laughed, "Very good," she said poking him in the ribs. She looked down at Nathan and he looked back up at her. They both noticed that they were violating each other's personal space. Brooke stood up and laughed, "We should get back to work," she said going over towards the lap top.

Nathan laid on the floor for a moment, and then got up and sat at the counter, "You're pretty tough for a girl," he said after an awkward silence.

"I know," Brooke said.

Nathan laughed, "How are things going with you and Lucas and Peyton?"

"I choose not to speak to those backstabbers," Brooke said bitterly, "They can burn in hell for all I care."

"Lucas sure as hell can," Nathan said with a laugh, "I hate that bastard."

"You hate him, or hate the fact that he hangs around Tutor Girl all the time?" Brooke questioned.

"Both," Nathan said looking back down at his book. Brooke nodded and looked at her computer.

Haley knocked on Peyton's bedroom door, she heard her yell come in. Haley walked into the room and smiled at her, "Hey," she said softly.

"Hey," Peyton said with a weak smile, "What's up?"

"Are you okay?" Haley asked, ignoring Peyton's attempt to make small-talk.

Peyton shook her head causing all her curls to bounce, "No. Not at all," she said sadly, "I screwed up so bad Hales, and I wish I could take it back."

"But you can't," Haley said, snapping Peyton back to reality.

"I know."

Haley sighed, "Why don't you be with Lucas? You two obviously are in love with each other."

"We're in high school Haley," Peyton said putting down her sketch pad, "We don't know what love is."

"Do you think Brooke will forgive you?" Haley asked leaning against the door frame.

Peyton looked at the picture of her and Brooke that was on her wall, "I hope so."

"Me too," Haley said and then went over and hugged Peyton, which took Peyton by surprise, "If you need someone I'm here."

Peyton smiled, "Thanks."

"No problem," Haley said before walking out the door.

Brooke popped her floppy disk out of Nathan's laptop, "Now all we have to do is get information from your laptop and my computer and we can put them on these floppy disks, and go to the school's computer lab and use their printer," she explained.

Nathan nodded his head and showed Brooke his notes, "I took notes," he said acting so proud of himself.

"Good job," Brooke said seriously.

"Wow," Nathan said, "That's the first thing you've ever said without sarcasm," he teased.

Brooke laughed, "Well I have to be nice 'cause we're partners, and besides I don't want everyone to hate me at this school."

"Everyone doesn't hate you."

"Right," Brooke said, "They just pretend to like me."

Nathan sighed, "The only people that screwed you over were Lucas and Peyton, and they were obviously being selfish ass holes," he explained.

"Obviously," Brooke stated.

Nathan chuckled lightly, Brooke was definitely something else, "Don't worry about them Brooke."

Brooke smiled, "I don't plan on worrying about them. They can go off together and run hand in hand in a field full of flowers, and then go fuck," she said laughing.

Nathan laughed, "You can be quite the bitch, has anybody ever told you that?"

"Of course not," she said sarcastically. They both laughed and Brooke looked up at the clock, "It's 10:00."

Nathan looks down at his watch, "We've been at this for 3 hours," he said amazed.

"Thanks for letting me come early and everything," Brooke said as she started putting her books in her bag.

"No problem," Nathan said as he stretched, "I'm glad that we could survive 3 and a half hour together without killing each other."

Brooke laughed, "There's hope for us yet." Their moment was cut short when Haley walked into the apartment looking at Brook and then at Nathan.

"Sorry," Haley said, thinking that she barging in on something, "I didn't know you two were..."

"We're partners for science," Brooke said cluing her in.

Haley was relieved, "Oh, Nathan I needed to talk to you about something."

Nathan crossed his arms, "Did you come to apologize about what a royal bitch you were to me earlier today?"

Brooke put her hand up to her mouth to stop herself from laughing. "Yeah," Haley said, "Look, Lucas is my best friend and it's really hard for him to get used to me tutoring you..."

"And blah blah blah," Nathan interrupted, "I know the whole story."

Haley sighed, "Nathan please just listen to me. I'm sorry."

"Okay," he said brushing off the subject, "Is that all you wanted?"

Haley looked at Brooke, "Um, can we have a minute?"

"I was actually just going to leave," Brooke said, "Nate, same time tomorrow?"

Nathan nodded, "Yeah, see ya' Brooke." Brooke waved bye and walked out the door. "Okay, we're alone what is it?"

Haley walked closer to Nathan and smiled, "I'm sorry Nathan. I tutored you because you're a great guy, and Lucas didn't want me tutoring you, but I did anyways."

"What are you getting at?"

Haley sighed and kissed Nathan softly. When the kiss broke Haley saw the look of surprise on Nathan's face.

Nathan's eyes got wide, "Why did you do that?"

"Because I know you wanted me to," she said looking down at the floor, "Was I right?"

"I don't know," Nathan said. Haley looked at him and then walked out the door. He watched the door close and walked back to his room.

Brooke drove down to Karen's Café; she wanted a quick cup of coffee. She walked in and saw Nathan's mom behind the counter, "Hi Mrs. Scott."

"Brooke," Deb said smiling, "I haven't seen you around here for a while."

"Yeah," Brooke said, "Could I get a cup of coffee?"

"Sure."

Brooke stood at the counter; she turned and heard the bell on the door ring. She saw Lucas walk in, they looked at each other and Brooke glared at him and turned back around, "Thank you," she said as Deb handed her the coffee. Deb took the money and smiled.

Brooke walked past Lucas, and he followed. "Brooke," he said trying to get her attention. She didn't turn around, "Brooke!" He said louder.

"What?" Brooke yelled, obviously annoyed.

Lucas put his hands in his pockets, "Will you please talk to me?"

"Leave me alone," was all Brooke had to say.

"I'm sorry," he said even though he knew sorry wasn't going to fix anything.

Brooke scoffed, "Yeah me too. I'm sorry for ever trusting you, and for ever trusting Peyton."

"We were going to tell you," Lucas said.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "When?" She asked. Lucas shrugged, "Exactly! You guys weren't ever going to tell me. You dumped me because you wanted to be with Peyton," she said bitterly.

Lucas went to say something, but Brooke cut him off, "Lucas, do me a favor. Go kill yourself because right now I hate you more than anything," she said and then walked to her car. All Lucas could do was stand there and watch.

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