Peyton was still asleep when Brooke got up. She took a shower and brushed her hair back into a perfect ponytail, leaving her bangs down. She applied barely any make-up; just your basic cover-up and light eye shadow and clear lip gloss. She dressed in a pair of her comfortable jeans and maroon v-neck three quarter sleeve shirt. Since it was air conditioned in there she didn't want to freeze.

Brooke wrote Peyton a quick note telling her that she went to work and they'd do something that night. And then she was on her way to the café. Brooke got there around 7:30am. She wanted to be early and make a good impression. This job had to work out and there was no way she wanted to let Karen down. She's been too good to her.

The light was on inside, Brooke figured Haley must be getting everything ready to open. Brooke walked inside the bell alerting her presence. She walked to the counter and Lucas stood up.

"Brooke?"

Brooke looked away. She hadn't been stupid to think they wouldn't run into each other there but she didn't know he was going to be working there! He was working with his uncle last she heard.

"Lucas what are you doing here?"

"Well this is my summer job," he told her.

"But I thought you worked with Keith," she said.

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, I did. But it pays better than any job around here, and I know Nathan and Haley could use the money more. What are you doing here?"

"This is my summer job," Brooke said in a lower voice. She hadn't exactly wanted to let too many people know about her situation. But then again people would see her working and ask all sorts of questions anyway. "I needed a job and I talked to your mom about getting a job here. I figure she trusts me and I don't want to let her down..." she trailed off as Lucas started speaking.

"So why do you need a summer job?"

Brooke shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Look if I tell you don't go around telling everyone."

"You should know I won't. I wouldn't do that to you Brooke," he told her.

She sarcastically laughed. "You said you wouldn't do a lot of things." Brooke noticed the look on Lucas' face. "I'm sorry Luke. I didn't mean-."

Lucas shook his head. "I deserved it Brooke. After all I did...I deserve a lot more than a few sarcastic words."

Brooke forced herself to look away. 'Why does he have to do this? It makes it so hard for me to hate him or at least continue to try and hate him,' Brooke told herself. "My parents...we're having financial problems. And that means I had to get a job."

"I'm sorry Brooke."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Besides it will give me something to do with my time."

"So we'll be working together all summer," Lucas said.

"Looks that way."

"Do you think we could maybe work on becoming friends again?" he asked her.

Brooke looked at him. She wanted to say no. Her head was telling her to say no or you'll end up getting hurt again. But her heart spoke up first. "I think we could work on that," she said smiling a little. "Maybe we could start over? Brooke Davis."

"Lucas Scott. Nice to meet you," he said grinning.

"Ok Mr. Scott. Show me how to work these things."

Lucas laughed and started showing Brooke how to work the machines. For the majority of the morning during the busy hours all Brooke did was the register.

"Ok are you ready to try and make a coffee?"

"Yes. I mean I think so."

Lucas told her a drink to make. Brooke did what she thought she remembered. She passed the drink to Luke. Luke hesitated before picking the cup up.

"I didn't poison it," Brooke told him.

He took a sip and struggled to force himself to swallow it. "Your right you didn't. Poison tastes better."

Brooke smacked him playfully. "It's not that bad is it?"

Lucas handed her the cup and Brooke took a sip. She ran in back to the sink and spit it out. "Why did you swallow that?" she asked him. "That was beyond horrible. God I can't even make coffee."

"You will get the hang of it Brooke. Trust me," Luke assured her. "I promise."

She bit back the urge to say something sarcastic about their past, but they were trying a new start. "I hope so," she said uncertainly.

"Come here," Lucas said going over to the machine. "I'll help you. I'll walk you through it step by step."

After Lucas walked her through it, Brooke tried it on her own. She handed Lucas the cup and closed her eyes. "You're not choking. That's a good sign," she said when he didn't say anything. She opened one eye and then the other.

"Much, much better," Lucas told her.

Brooke smiled. "You have something," she trailed off leaning dangerously close to him and wiped his lip with a napkin. "There was foamy stuff," she said softly, still close to him.

Peyton was walking to the café figuring she'd see how Brooke's first day was going. Peyton got to the door but stopped herself from opening it. She saw Luke and Brooke's faces inches apart from one another. Instead she turned and walked away before either one saw her. She just walked around town for a bit thinking to herself.

"Hey skinny girl."

Peyton turned around slightly smiling. It was Lucas' friend Skills from the river court. "Hey. What's going on?"

Skills shrugged. "Bored on this fine summer day. What's your excuse?"

"Basically the same," she told him. "Where were you heading?"

"I don't know. Where were you heading?"

"I don't know," she answered him.

Skills started walking and bouncing a basketball. Peyton fell in step with him. "Do you guys go anywhere without a basketball?"

He laughed. "Nah. Wanna shoot some hoops?"

Peyton didn't really have anything else she should be doing. "Alright you're on."

"And don't think just because you are a girl I'm going to let you win."

Peyton pushed him, playfully of course. "I don't need you to let me win. I can win all on my own," she challenged grinning.

Skills couldn't help laughing. "Alright Skinny girl, care to make a bet then?"

"Sure."

"Winner owes the loser a movie," he said.

"With sour jacks," she added.

"And a coke. Deal?"

She stuck her hand out for them to shake on it. "Deal," she agreed, grinning.